-ize

(Latin: a suffix; to act in a certain way; to treat in a certain way; to make into; to treat with; to do; to make; to cause)

These word entries are just a small listing of the many words that exist with the -ize endings; so, be aware that there are many more words with this suffix which exist in this lexicon.

Another closely related suffix family with the same meanings, but a different spelling, is located at this -ise unit.

fertilize (verb), fertilizes; fertilized; fertilizing
1. To make an egg able to develop into a living creature: Mack's hens are sitting on their oval reproductive bodies that have been fertilized in order to have baby chicks.
2. To develop soil, or land, so it is richer and better able to support the growth of plants: In addition to the other farmers, Jeff and Wright fertilize their fields by adding natural substances as manure or special chemicals in order to produce more plants for food.

There was a debate among the farmers, in the town where Jeff and Wright live, about whether to use natural or chemical nutrients to fertilize the soil.

3. To make pregnant: Mike owned a famous bull which was hired by other farmers to fertilize the cows so they could bear calves and increase the size of the herds.
finalize (verb), finalizes; finalized; finalizing
To end or to complete an undertaking: Sabina is finalizing her plans for an extended leave of absence from her job so she can travel to Europe for two weeks.
fragmentize (verb), fragmentizes; fragmentized; fragmentizing
To break or to cause something to break into pieces: While Samual was helping his mother remove dishes from the dining table after dinner, a plate accidentally fell onto the floor and fragmentized into tiny bits and parts.
functionalize (verb), functionalizes; functionalized; functionalizing
To make something or someone of practical usage: Adam's poor health has prevented him from being able to functionalize as much as he needs to before he can go back to work.
galvanize (verb), galvanizes; galvanized; galvanizing
1. To stimulate, spur, or to jolt into action; to startle into sudden activity: The pollution in the river helped to galvanize the desire for cleaner water and the volunteers started their work immediately.
2. In medicine, to stimulate or treat muscles or nerves with induced direct current: The therapist galvanized Jim's wrist which had been operated on to help heal the tender scar.
3. To coat metal, especially iron or steel with zinc: Next to the old house Jim could see the old bucket which someone had galvanized a long time ago and which was still quite usable!

To galvanize steel means to go through a chemical process to keep it from corroding. The steel gets coated in layers of zinc because rust won't attack the protective metal. For countless outdoor, marine, or industrial applications, galvanizing steel is an essential fabrication component.

The principal method of making steel resist corrosion is by alloying it with another metal, such as zinc. When steel is submerged in melted zinc, the chemical reaction permanently bonds the zinc to the steel by galvanizing it. The zinc isn't exactly a sealer, like paint, because it doesn't just coat the steel, it actually permanently becomes a part of it.

The zinc goes through a reaction with the iron molecules within the steel to form by galvanizing it. The most external layer is all zinc, but successive layers are a mixture of zinc and iron, with an interior of pure steel. These multiple layers are responsible for the amazing property of the metal to withstand corrosion-inducing circumstances, such as saltwater or moisture. Besides being inexpensive and effective, galvanizing of metal is popular because it can be recycled and reused multiple times.

—Compiled from excerpts located in
"What is Galvanized Steel?" by S. Mithra; www.wisegeek.com/what-is-galvanized-steel.htm
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot-dip_galvanizing
generalize (verb), generalizes; generalized; generalizing
To make a primary statement or to form the major details about something, rather than any insignificant things: Jim's science teacher was generalizing about the animals which exist in the forest near his community.
globalize (verb), globalizes; globalized; globalizing
To make something worldwide in scopes, views, or applications: When someone is globalizing, he or she is extending his or her information to other parts of the world, or to all parts of the globe.
herborize (verb), herborizes; herborized; herborizing
To search for existing plants or new species of herbs in order to classify them: Paul's botany teacher assigned his students to go out into the nearby fields to herborize the vegetation that was growing there.
humanize (verb), humanizes; humanized; humanizing
To make someone, or something, seem to be gentler, kinder, or more appealing to people in general: The new publicity provided by Shareen's company has helped to humanize the long existing establishment and so to make a better commercial existence with the citizens in her town.
hyperbolize (verb), hyperbolizes; hyperbolized; hyperbolizing
To use deliberate and obvious exaggerations about something for effect: Mark obviously hyperbolized about how he was mistreated when he didn't have enough money to pay for all of the books that he wanted to buy from the bookstore.
hyphenize (verb), hyphenizes; hyphenized; hyphenizing
To divide or connect compound words with a dash: When Jane was writing her essay for her English class, she had to hyphenize or hyphenate, some terms, like "mother-in-law" or "six-pack".
hypnotize (verb), hypnotizes; hypnotized; hypnotizing
To put someone into a condition that resembles sleep, but in which the person can hear and respond to suggestions or questions made by the hypnotist: The therapist hypnotized Gertrud so that she could describe the horrible auto accident she had recently experienced.
illegalize (verb), illegalizes; illegalized; illegalizing
To declare something unlawful: When Tom's city police set a new curfew, they illegalized children and teenagers being out after certain hours at night without their parents or other adults.

Your town might illegalize smoking in certain places or your state senators could vote to illegalize dogs and cats fighting each other!

It's considered better grammar to say "to make illegal," or even "to criminalize," because to illegalize is probably known by very few people since it is a relatively new verb that is constructed from illegal, "against the law", and the verb-suffix or ending -ize.

immortalize (verb), immortalizes; immortalized; immortalizing
1. To endow with an endless life or to exempt from ever dying: Some writers have immortalized people from the past by presenting their achievements in novels or historical writings.
2. To cause to be remembered or to be famous forever: There are many individuals who exist now and who will be immortalized as a result of what they do for other people.
immunize (verb), immunizes; immunized; immunizing
1. To make someone resistant to a disease, especially by means of vaccinations: Many people have been immunized against influenza because it can otherwise spread so easily and fast from one person to another, especially in winter.
2. To give a person an exemption, or protection, from something that others are subjected to, especially in a criminal matter under investigation: The witness was immunized, or safeguarded, during the police work and inquiry because of a murder that had been committed.
To protect someone from infection with a medical inoculation.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.