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Question

Difficulty: MediumWord Formation: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

Despite his fluent speech, the former director's actions during the embezzlement investigation were viewed as morally vile and deserving of public scorn, prompting the committee to describe his conduct as thoroughly __________. Which word correctly completes the sentence using the appropriate suffix derivative?

  1. contemptibleAnswer
  2. B
    contemptuous
  3. C
    contemptful
  4. D
    uncontemptible

Answer

The word 'contemptible' correctly completes the sentence because the suffix '-ible' signifies an object or action that is deserving of scorn or contempt.
The word 'contemptible' uses the adjectival suffix '-ible' (meaning 'capable of being' or 'worthy of') attached to the root 'contempt'. In the context of the sentence, the director's conduct was deserving of scorn, which precisely matches the definition of 'contemptible'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context to determine the required meaning.
The context requires an adjective describing an action that deserves moral scorn or public disapproval.
The phrase 'morally vile and deserving of public scorn' specifies the passive quality of being worthy of contempt.
2
Examine the morphological function of the suffixes '-ible' and '-ous' attached to the root 'contempt'.
The suffix '-ible' indicates 'deserving of' (contemptible = deserving contempt), whereas '-ous' indicates 'full of' or 'showing' (contemptuous = showing contempt).
Paronyms derived from the same root word often differ in passive versus active application depending on their suffixes.
3
Select the form that fits the target modifier in the context.
The conduct itself is 'contemptible' (deserving contempt).
An action or conduct cannot hold an attitude of scorn ('contemptuous'), but it can be deserving of scorn ('contemptible').

Key Concept

Paronym Affix Differentiation (Passive vs. Active Adjectival Suffixes)
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Topics

Word Formation: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

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