(1) Doubtful or uncertain especially from being obscure or indistinct. (2) Unclear in meaning because of being understandable in more than one way.

*Ambiguous* comes from the Latin verb *ambigere,* "to be undecided." When we say someone's eyes are an ambiguous color, we mean we cannot decide which color they are—blue or green? The *ambiguity* of the Mona Lisa's smile makes us wonder what she's thinking about. An ambiguous order is one that can be taken in at least two ways; on the other hand, the order " Shut up!" may be rude but at least it's *unambiguous.*

Existing or present on all sides.

Ambient light is the light that fills an area or surrounds something that's being viewed, like a television screen or a painting. Scientists sometimes refer to the ambient temperature, the temperature of the surrounding air. "Ambient music" is the term used today for "atmospheric" background music usually intended for relaxation or meditation. The candlelit restaurant in the example sentence is probably trying for a romantic *ambience,* or "atmosphere."

(1) Holding opposite feelings and attitudes at the same time toward someone or something. (2) Continually wavering between opposites or alternative courses of action.

*Ambivalent* is a fairly new word, less than a hundred years old, and, not surprisingly, it was first used by psychologists. Since being ambivalent means simply having mixed feelings about some question or issue, some of us spend most of our lives in a state of *ambivalence*. We might feel ambivalence about accepting a high-paying job that requires us to work long hours, about lending money to someone we like but don't know well—or about ordering a Tutti-Frutti Chocolate Banana Sundae El Supremo after we've been starving on a strict diet for weeks.

The range or limit covered by something (such as a law).

*Ambit* is a rather formal term, often used by lawyers, as in, "With this new legislation, tobacco now falls within the ambit of FDA regulation." It almost always refers to something abstract rather than an actual physical range. So, for example, an immigrant might live completely within the ambit of her immigrant community until she started college, where she might find herself in a much broader social ambit. Most of the Latin American colonies were established by Spain, but in the 19th century, as the U.S. became stronger and Spain became weaker, they began to enter the ambit of U.S. power.

The final section after the main part of a book or play.

From its Greek roots, *epilogue* means basically "words attached (at the end)." An epilogue often somehow wraps up a story's action, as in the one for a famous Shakespeare play that ends, "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo." In nonfiction books, we now often use the term *afterword* instead of *epilogue*, just as we now generally use *foreword* instead of *prologue* (see LOG). Movies also often have a kind of epilogue—maybe a scene after the exciting climax when the surviving lovers meet in a café to talk about their future. The epilogue of a musical composition, after all the drama is over, is called the *coda* (Italian for "tail").

A plant that obtains its nutrients from the air and the rain and usually grows on another plant for support.

*Epiphytic* plants are sometimes known as "air plants" because they seemingly survive on thin air. They rely on their host plants merely for physical support, not nourishment. Tropical epiphytes include orchids, ferns, and members of the pineapple family. To a newcomer in the tropical rain forest, the first sight of a great tree with large epiphytes hanging from every level can be eerie and astonishing. Familiar epiphytes of the temperate zone include lichens, mosses, and algae, which may grow on rocks or water without touching the soil.

An inscription on a grave or tomb in memory of the one buried there.

*Epitaph* includes the root from the Greek word *taphos,* "tomb" or "funeral." Traditionally, *epitaph* refers to a tombstone inscription, but it can also refer to brief memorial statements that resemble such inscriptions. One of the most famous is Henry Lee's epitaph for George Washington: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

(1) A descriptive word or phrase occurring with or in place of the name of a person or thing. (2) An insulting or demeaning word or phrase.

From its Greek roots, *epithet* would mean something "put on," or added. Sometimes the added name follows a given name, as in Erik the Red or Billy the Kid. In other cases, the epithet precedes the personal name, as in Mahatma ("Great-souled") Gandhi. In still others, it's used in place of the actual name, as in El Greco ("The Greek") or El Cid ("The Lord"). In its other common meaning, an *epithet* is a mocking or insulting name (like "Lackland" in the example sentence). When enemies are said to be "hurling epithets" at each other, it means they're exchanging angry insults.