fic

make, do

Quick Summary

The Latin root word fic means to ‘make.’ A good number of common English vocabulary words come from this root, including magnificent, difficult, and artificial. One easy word that is helpful in remembering fic is efficient, for efficient people are able to ‘make’ things happen.

Don't make this more dif'fic'ult than it should be.

The Latin word root fic, meaning to ‘make,’ is one of the most significant roots in the English language. The word significant means something that ‘makes’ a mark.

If something undergoes purification, it is ‘made’ pure. When a teacher undergoes the process of certification, she is ‘making’ herself ready to teach.

The Pacific Ocean was so named by Ferdinand Magellan because it was ‘making’ peace, that is, there was calm weather for an extended period of time.

The root fic meaning ‘make’ is also the stem in magnificent and deficient. If someone constructs something that is magnificent, she has ‘made’ it great in some way. However, if it is deficient, it is ‘made’ in such a way that it is somewhat lacking.

Here are more words that are ‘made’ in some way. Something artificial is ‘made’ by the skill or art of humans, not by nature alone. A sacrifice is a ritual that is used to ‘make’ something holy to please the gods.

There are two simple words that will help you remember that the word fic is ‘make’: difficult and efficient. A difficult task is hard to get done, meaning it’s hard to ‘make’ it happen. If you are efficient, on the other hand, you ‘make’ things happen quickly and easily.

The root word fic meaning ‘make’ is a very productive root in English and you should make yourself comfortable with it.

  1. purification: process of ‘making’ pure
  2. certification: act of ‘making’ sure
  3. pacification: act of ‘making’ peace
  4. Pacific: ‘making’ peace
  5. artificial: ‘made’ with human skill
  6. magnificent: ‘made’ great
  7. deficient: ‘made’ lacking or off of what it should be
  8. sacrifice: ‘make’ holy
  9. difficult: not ‘made’ easily
  10. efficient: ‘makes’ thoroughly
  11. beneficial: ‘making’ something good
  12. significant: ‘making’ a mark

Usage

  • munificent

    A munificent person is extremely generous, especially with money.

  • edifice

    An edifice is a large or impressive building, such as a church, palace, temple, or fortress.

  • edification

    If something is done for someone's edification, it is done to benefit that person by teaching them something that improves or enlightens their knowledge or character.

  • prolific

    Something or someone that is prolific is highly fruitful and so produces a lot of something.

  • maleficent

    Something or someone that is maleficent deliberately tries to cause harm or evil.

  • pontificate

    When someone pontificates, they give their opinions in a heavy-handed way that shows they think they are always right.

  • beatific

    A beatific expression, look, or smile shows great peace and happiness—it is angelic and saintly.

  • soporific

    Something soporific makes you feel sleepy or drowsy.

  • aficionado

    If someone is an aficionado of something, such as soccer, they like it and know a lot about it; therefore, they are a true fan of it.

  • artifice

    When you employ artifice, you use clever tricks and cunning to deceive someone.

  • fortification

    A fortification is a structure or building that is used in defense against an invading army.

  • gratification

    When you have a feeling of gratification, you experience satisfaction or pleasure about a job well done.

  • ramification

    A ramification from an action is a result or consequence of it—and is often unanticipated.

  • ratification

    The ratification of a measure or agreement is its official approval or confirmation by all involved.

  • deficit

    A deficit occurs when a person or government spends more money than has been received.

  • beneficial

    Something beneficial is helpful, useful, or valuable in some way.

  • significant

    Something that is significant is important or meaningful.

  • specific

    Something specific is only one thing of many in a group.

  • sufficient

    If you have a sufficient amount of something, you have enough of it or as much as needed.

  • magnificent

    Something that is magnificent is wonderful or really great.

  • amplification

    addition of extra material or illustration or clarifying detail

  • artificer

    someone who is the first to think of or make something

  • artificial

    contrived by art rather than nature

  • beneficent

    doing or producing good

  • beneficiary

    having or arising from a benefice

  • certificate

    present someone with a certificate

  • certification

    the act of certifying or bestowing a franchise on

  • coefficient

    a constant number that serves as a measure of some property or characteristic

  • deficiency

    the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable

  • deficient

    inadequate in amount or degree

  • disqualification

    unfitness that bars you from participation

  • diversification

    the act of introducing variety (especially in investments or in the variety of goods and services offered)

  • efficacious

    marked by qualities giving the power to produce an intended effect

  • efficient

    being effective without wasting time or effort or expense

  • falsification

    any evidence that helps to establish the falsity of something

  • honorific

    conferring or showing honor or respect

  • inefficiently

    in an inefficient manner

  • justification

    something (such as a fact or circumstance) that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary

  • magnification

    the act of expanding something in apparent size

  • maleficence

    doing or causing evil

  • modification

    the act of making something different (as e.g. the size of a garment)

  • mollification

    a state of being appeased or ameliorated or tempered

  • notification

    an accusation of crime made by a grand jury on its own initiative

  • nullification

    the states'-rights doctrine that a state can refuse to recognize or to enforce a federal law passed by the United States Congress

  • office

    place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

  • officiate

    act in an official capacity in a ceremony or religious ritual, such as a wedding

  • orifice

    an aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity

  • pacific

    relating to or bordering the Pacific Ocean

  • pacification

    the act of appeasing someone or causing someone to be more favorably inclined

  • personification

    a person who represents an abstract quality

  • proficient

    having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

  • purification

    the act of cleaning by getting rid of impurities

  • qualification

    an attribute that must be met or complied with and that fits a person for something

  • revivification

    bringing again into activity and prominence

  • sacrifice

    endure the loss of

  • scientific

    of or relating to the practice of science

  • specification

    a detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work

  • stratification

    the act or process or arranging persons into classes or social strata

  • suffice

    be sufficient

  • terrific

    very great or intense

  • unification

    an occurrence that involves the production of a union

  • unofficial

    not having official authority or sanction

  • versification

    a metrical adaptation of something (e.g., of a prose text)

  • vilification

    slanderous defamation

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