/yo͞oˈbikwədəs/, adjective: 1. present everywhere or in several places simultaneously; omnipresent “Technology has become as ubiquitous as the air we breathe, so we are no longer conscious of its presence.” Godfrey Reggio, 1940- 2. often encountered “I think you have a passion and an obsession for something when it’s not necessarily ubiquitous.” J. J. Abrams, 1966-  

Mute: / myo͞ot/ adjective: unspoken or unable to speak; speechless “When you are mute, you become a good listener – it’s all one-way. You appreciate the written word. You appreciate the sound.” James Earl Jones Moot: / mo͞ot / adjective: undecided; subject to debate example: The effectiveness of school uniforms is a moot point.

/ THē-ərē /, noun: 1. a supposition or system of ideas explaining something “If a theory purports to explain everything, then it is likely not explaining much at all.” Massimo Pigliucci 2. a collection of propositions to illustrate the principles of a subject “Experience without theory is blind, but theory without experience is mere intellectual play.” Immanuel Kant 3. a belief, policy, or procedure... Read More

/ ekwəˈnimədē /, noun: 1. evenness of temper; mental composure, especially in a stressful or unyielding situation “Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.” Albert Einstein 2. balance; even or proportional in disposition “Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness,... Read More

/ˈperəˌlīz/, verb: 1. to make (someone or something) unable to function, act, or move “Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” Bernice Johnson Reagon 2. to render powerless or cripple, especially through panic or fear “Don’t let your fear paralyze you. Prepare yourself not only technically, but also emotionally.” Bob Weinstein 3. to bring... Read More

/ ’(h)yo͞omər /, noun: 1. the condition of being amusing or comical; a funny quality “Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.” Mark Twain 2. a mood or state of mind “A sense of humor… is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.” Hugh Sidey 3.... Read More

Allusion / əˈlo͞oZHən /, noun: an indirect reference or comment made in passing “Life has been compared to a race, but the allusion improves by observing, that the most swift are usually the least manageable and the most likely to stray from the course. Great abilities have always been less serviceable to the possessors than moderate ones.” Oliver Goldsmith Illusion / iˈlo͞oZHən /, noun:... Read More

/ dīˈkädəmē /, noun: 1. a division or contrast between two things; opposing or contradictory qualities “Never permit a dichotomy to rule your life, a dichotomy in which you hate what you do so you can have pleasure in your spare time. Look for a situation in which your work will give you as much happiness as your spare time.” Pablo Picasso 2. Botany:... Read More

/’altro͞oˌizəm/, noun: 1. unselfish regard for others “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” Martin Luther King, Jr. 2. behavior of an animal that benefits another at its own expense “Animals have genes for altruism, and those genes have been selected in the evolution of many creatures because of the... Read More

/kwer-yə-ləs/, adjective: 1.complaining in a petulant or whining manner “Politics is the process of getting along with the querulous, the garrulous and the congenitally unlovable.” Marilyn Moats Kennedy 2. characterized by or uttered in complaint; peevish “Criticism should not be querulous and wasting, all knife and root-puller, but guiding, instructive, inspiring.” Ralph Waldo Emerson   pictured: The Rotary Club of Webster, NY