ag-, agen-, act-, agi-, agit-

(Latin: to set in motion, to hurry, to shake; to drive; to do, to act; to lead, to conduct, to guide)

essayist (s) (noun), essayists (pl)
1. A writer of short compositions: Madeline was an essayist who often wrote short pieces for newspapers on a variety of subjects.
2. Etymology: from Late Latin exagium, "a weighing, weight", from Latin exigere "to test"; from ex-, "out" + agere, apparently meaning in this example as "to weigh".
exact (adjective), more exact, most exact
1. Regarding something that is correct in every detail; accurate: Jenny didn't remember Joe's exact words, so she told her mother about what he had said.

June asked, "Do you think I could get an exact copy of this book at a local bookshop?"
2. Concerning ideas, expressions, representations that are strictly conform to fact or truth: Mary gave an exact account of the meeting without any errors and completely precise.

exaction (s) (noun), exactions (pl)
1. The instance of a harsh demand: The kidnappers required an exaction of a million Euros from the couple before returning their daughter.
2. A set price charged for a service or privilege: In order to become a member of the selected group, an exaction was levied.
exactly (adverb), more exactly. most exactly
1. Precisely; accurately: Jill said, "Calculate the expenses exactly so that we don't make a mistake."
2. Used for emphasis, faultlessly; precisely: The train leaves at exactly 10:00 tomorrow morning.

At the birthday party, Mary cut the cake exactly in eight pieces, one for each guest.

exactness (s) (noun), exactnesses (pl)
The condition of being extremely accurate or explicit; precision: Mary played the pieces on the piano with exactness and precision.

The exactness of Mr. Hathaway's words left no room for doubt.

exagitate (verb), exagitates; exagitated; exagitating
1. To stir up or to excite: Tom asked, "Is it possible to exagitate a person's humor or even spirits?"

An individual's breathing or blood can be exagitated when necessary.
2. To torment, worry, harass, persecute: One of Peter's classmates always tried to exagitate him because he was smaller and frail in comparison to the others.

exagitation (s) (noun), exagitations (pl)
An old-fashioned term for agitation; turbulence; disturbance: At the demonstration there was a lot of exagitation among the protesters which caused the police to come and calm down the mass of people.
examination (s) (noun), examinations (pl)
1. The act of inspecting something regarding errors: The signature on the will had to go through a close examination to determine if it was genuine or not.
2. A medical health check requiring different tests: A yearly breast examination is a good thing for women.
3. A detailed assessment normally by using questions to see what students have learned: Foreign students have to take a language examination before they can be enrolled into a college or university.
examine (verb), examines, examined, examining
1. To inspect or scrutinise something critacally and throughly: The police examined the scene of the crime very carefully.
2. To assess the aptitude or qualifications of a student normally by questioning: On entering college for the first time, students have to be examined in different subject areas.
3. To check someone or something for health reasons: At the dermatologist's office, Jim was examined by Dr. Black for any skin irregularities or disorders.
examiner (s) (noun), examiners (pl)
1. An inspector who views or looks at something very carefully: The examiner scrutinized the damaged car after the accident.
2. A person who conducts or overseas a test to check for another's qualifications; tester: The students were all seated when the examiner came into the room with the questions to be answered in written form.
3. A specialist who makes certain that financial organizations are observing the rules of the government: There was an independent examiner at the bank the other day to offer help and give advice in the planning and design of the accounts.
excogitable (adjective), more excogitable, most excogitable
A descriptive term for an intensive and careful study of issues or situations in order to grasp or to fully comprehend them: Jill spent an excogitable amount of time preparing herself for the final exams at the university.
excogitate (ik SKAHJ i tayt"; ek skah ji TAYT) (verb), excogitates; excogitated; excogitating
1. To think or to mentally consider something carefully and throughly: As a special lexicographer, Joseph had to constantly excogitate the most understandable definitions for word entries instead of copying the confusing meanings from other dictionaries.
2. To evolve or to invent in the mind: The teacher was excogitating how to present a scientific approach so her students would be able to proceed with the experiment with greater understanding and success.
3. Etymology: from Latin excogitatus, the past participle stem of excogitare; literally, "to think out"; from cogitare, "to think".
To contrive, to devise, to think about, and to contemplate.
© ALL rights are reserved.

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

excogitation (s) (noun), excogitations (pl)
1. Something which has been studied or thought out in order to develop or to invent a project or some kind of tool, machine, or action: The excogitations of some inventors have resulted in many time-saving devices which make the lives of people more comfortable and advantageous, including automobiles, computers, phone systems, etc.
2. The careful contemplation or the creation of something in the mind in order to achieve a complete understanding of it: After spending many hours of excogitations regarding his future, Jeff finally decided to study biology and then to join Greenpeace to make the world a better place to live in!
excogitative (adjective), more excogitative, most excogitative
Referring to something which is carefully and fully conceivable and possible: Jim’s mother spent a lot of time with excogitative thoughts and ideas regarding homeschooling for her four-year old nephew whom she is convinced will profit from such personal attention and educational experiences, even at such a young age.
excogitator (s) (noun), excogitators (pl)
A person who ponders and pursues something carefully and thoroughly: Dr. Sam was a medical excogitator who exercised his mind in an effort to reach proper decisions regarding the best healing treatments which would have the best results for his patients.