Have you ever used these terms?

Can you be “ept,” or just “inept”? The riddle of unpaired words

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Do you know what "unpaired words" are? They are terms we assume should exist, based on standard linguistic rules, but don’t. For example, if "nonverbal" is the opposite of "verbal," shouldn’t "nonchalant" be the opposite of "chalant"? As it turns out, it’s not so simple. To test your knowledge and learn more about unpaired words, we’ve crafted a game where you’ll have to guess: Do these words exist, or have we played around by subtracting or replacing their prefixes and suffixes? Game on!

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If ruthless means lacking compassion, shouldn’t an empathetic person be ruthful?

Ruthful does exist. Indeed, ruth is a noun referring to sorrow or compassion, originating from Old English hrēow, meaning "pity." While ruthful was once a common word for "compassionate," it has mostly fallen out of use.

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Innocent means someone is guiltless, or it can refer to their naiveté. But can someone be nocent?

Yes! The term nocent exists. Derived from Latin nocens (meaning "guilty" or "harmful"), nocent was historically used to mean "criminal" or "harmful." Granted, it is rare today. But it does appear in older legal and literary texts.

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Can the same rule of innocent apply to inept? If an inept person lacks skill, does ept mean they "enjoy aptitude"? Inept comes from the Latin ineptus (unsuited, absurd), but Latin had no standalone eptus.

Ept is recognized by some dictionaries, but you could call it a made-up word. It was only in modern texts in English that writers began jokingly playing around with ept and eptitude. So, can you use ept in a Scrabble game? That’s for you and the other players to decide!

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One can be dissatisfied or satisfied, and one can be disgruntled. But can one be gruntled?

Surprisingly, gruntled does exist! It’s an old-fashioned word meaning "pleased, contented." It originates from the verb gruntle, meaning "to grumble". Over time, the prefix dis- took on an intensifying role rather than forming a strict opposite. The word gruntled was revived in the 20th century, mostly for humorous effect.

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Disheveled means messy or disordered. It comes from the Old French deschevelé ("with disordered hair"). Does that mean sheveled describes neatness?

Well, sheveled is an extinct word. It was created by aphesis, which means it was derived from disheveled by losing the first syllable. It did mean "tidy," but was extremely rare, and has long vanished from common use.

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If ageless means that something does not age, does agefull mean that something is enriched with history and experience?

No! Agefull does not exist. While it would seem like a logical word formation, agefull has never been a standard English word. We might describe something rich with history as timeworn or venerable, but agefull never made the cut.

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If exasperate means "to annoy or frustrate", what would the opposite word mean? To calm down? To smooth things over?

Asperate does exist, but it doesn’t mean what you think. It’s an archaic word meaning "to make rough or uneven." Quite the opposite! It comes from the Latin asper, meaning "rough."

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To improvise means "to come up with something unpreparedly," on the spot. Nowadays, you can simply say improv and everyone will understand exactly what you mean. So, does provise mean "to plan ahead," then?

Yes! Provise is a real but rare word. It means "to foresee or provide beforehand." It comes from Latin providere, meaning "to provide."

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Nonchalant means "unconcerned, calm, and casual." As you may have guessed, it derives from Old French, precisely from the verb nonchaloir, which means "to disregard" or "to not be concerned." So, can you be chalant?

No, the term chalant does not exist. The adaptation of chaloir never entered English. We don’t have a perfect antonym for nonchalant; perhaps concerned, caring, or attentive come closest.

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The logical assumption would be that when you are neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed, you are whelmed. Don’t you think?

But that’s not how it works. Yes, whelmed does exist, but not as a midpoint between the other two. Whelm, from Old English hwielfan, meant "to cover over" or "submerge." Eventually, we added the prefix "over" to it, intensifying the action, but the meaning remained the same.

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If nonplussed means "unruffled," or "unbothered," is plussed another word for "baffled"? Nonplussed comes from Latin nonplus ("no more, nothing further"). Originally, it meant "at a loss," or "bewildered," but its modern usage shifted to a synonym of "untroubled."

Plussed has been jokingly used as an opposite, a backformation of the original, but was never a real word. Some people understand it to mean "shocked" or "ruffled." But we don’t think anyone would make plussed their go-to synonym for "surprised."

Goodies from around the world

What does Bûche de Noël mean? Traditional foreign festive foods

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Is there a meal you look forward to every year? Perhaps roasted turkey or gingerbread cookies? All over the world, nations have their own festive traditions and associated delicacies—some sweet, some savory, some baked, and some fried. Let’s explore the names and stories of these foreign treats and decide which ones we’d like to try first.

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Bûche de Noël simply translates to "Christmas log." It’s sometimes also called a Yule log cake. This French dessert is, unsurprisingly, a favorite during the jolly season.

Made from a rolled sponge cake filled with buttercream and decorated to resemble a log, it often features chocolate, vanilla, or coffee flavors. Some variations also include powdered sugar or meringue to mimic snow.

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The tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes originated in Southern Italy as a way to celebrate the bounty of the sea and familial togetherness. It remains a cherished Christmas Eve tradition in many Italian-American households.

The feast calls for families to come together and prepare seven seafood dishes. The number seven is derived from its biblical association with completeness.

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Do you think you could eat twelve grapes in just a few seconds? That’s exactly what the Spanish attempt to do as midnight strikes on New Year’s Eve. This ritual is believed to bring good luck for the coming year.

Strictly speaking, you should eat each of Las Doce Uvas ("The Twelve Grapes") with every chime of the midnight bells.

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If you were to attend a Norwegian wedding, you would likely see a towering cake made of glazed dough rings. If you're lucky, you might also find this treat served on Christmas or anniversaries.

The rings are made from ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites and are stacked to form a conical structure. Sometimes, a Kransekake ("wreath cake") hides a surprise inside, such as a bottle of wine.

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Mooncakes are round to symbolize the full moon. They originated in China as a treat for celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.

These cakes are traditionally filled with lotus seed paste, red bean paste, or salted egg yolks. They are crowned with beautiful stamped tops that feature Chinese characters representing concepts like "harmony" or "longevity."

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Hallaca is a tamale-like dish eaten in Venezuelan summers for Christmas. It is made from corn dough filled with meat, raisins, capers, and olives, then wrapped in plantain leaves.

Because hallacas are quite difficult to prepare, making the dish often becomes a communal activity on Christmas Eve. Their name comes from the Guaraní word ayuaca, meaning "mix of things."

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Hot Cross Buns, marked with a cross, are spiced sweet rolls traditionally eaten on Good Friday in the UK.

Made with flour, sugar, raisins, and spices, these buns date back to at least the 12th century, when monks baked them to honor the crucifixion. Some people enjoy them with butter, cream, or jam.

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An ornate box filled with small, varied dishes—this is a traditional way to welcome the New Year in Japan. Osechi Ryori translates directly to "New Year’s Food."

Inside the lacquered box, you might find dishes like datemaki (sweet rolled omelet) or kuromame (sweet black soybeans), along with many colorful seafood delicacies.

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Not donuts, but close enough. Picarones (which translates to "rascal" or "stinger" in English) are sweet fritters made from squash and sweet potato, often served with syrup or a dusting of sugar.

In Peru, they are a favorite treat during Señor de los Milagros, a religious festival celebrated in the country’s spring. But any day is a good day to enjoy them, too.

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Bibingka is a coconut-flavored rice cake enjoyed during Christmas in the Philippines, particularly after Simbang Gabi (dawn masses).

This centuries-old tradition dates back to Spanish colonial times. Bibingka is made with rice flour, coconut milk, and eggs, then topped with cheese or salted egg. For a final touch of flavor, it is wrapped in banana leaves before baking.

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Lussekatter translates to "Lucia Cats," a name far better than their original one—"Lucia Devils." These saffron-infused pastries are baked and enjoyed on St. Lucia’s Day, a religious celebration held on December 13 in Sweden.

Traditionally shaped like an "S," lussekatter were originally served as a special breakfast to ward off evil spirits. They are often decorated with raisins for an extra touch of sweetness.

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Vitello Tonnato ("veal with tuna sauce") is a festive favorite in many South American households. It consists of thinly sliced veal covered in a creamy tuna-caper sauce.

Originally from Italy’s Piedmont region, the dish was brought to South America through immigration, becoming popular in countries like Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Its chilled preparation makes it perfect for the warm weather of Christmas and New Year’s dinners in these regions.