One Step Now Education

August 15, 2025

ubiquitous

Zoom meetings were ubiquitous after the pandemic.

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After reading this sentence in an article, I began to wonder, "Is this word related to quit?"

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As we investigate ubiquitous, we'll discuss how students use context to learn about word meanings. We will take a hard look at bases and affixation. We'll explore how looks can be deceiving and run into yet another way to spell our old friend schwa.

Meaning

What is this word's meaning and how does the word function?

Many of the words we have learned in our lifetimes we have learned implicitly. Although we do select vocabulary words for explicit instruction, we cannot possibly hope to teach all the words we need students to know. Students will often rely on context to ascertain a word's meaning. When I'm working with a student, I'm often working with text as well. Even if I'm not, I might situate the word in a sentence to help the student learn to gain meaning through context.

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Think of our pandemic world. We were isolated in our homes, but still needing communication with others to get work done. Many of us learned to use Zoom, an online meeting platform. (Remember Skype? The pre-Zoom Zoom? Did you know it was sunsetted in May this year?) Zoom was everywhere. In fact, when we look at the entry in the Collins dictionary, it says that something ubiquitous seems to be everywhere.

Structure

What are the elements that make up this word's structure?

To decide if a word is related to another derivationally, we must first look at the elements that compose a word's structure. Words can be related through shared bases. The base is the kernel structure from which we can affix to create different forms of the word. For example, we have the base press. We can affix impressive. Or we can affix pressure.

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If ubiquitous, then pause and think about how our word sum would look before you read further.

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ubi + quit + ous

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That suffix delicious and continuous. It's that first proposed element that I'm unsure about.

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So let's look at the entry in Etymonline, an etymological dictionary that will help us see the history of this word. The entry tells us to see the entry for ubiquity. Clicking on that entry, I learn of a theological connection to the word. In Christianity, God is said to be everywhere. The origin of that first element is ubique, a Latin word for "everywhere." Reading on in the entry, that can be further analyzed to ubi and que. So, we have a few options here:

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ubi + que/ + it + ous
ubique/ + it + ous

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Our base is not Looks can be deceiving.

Relatives

What are the word's relatives and history?

We've already been introduced to the morphological relative ubiquity. The Ubiquitarians were a Protestant sect. If we need a noun, we could affix ubiquitousness. If we need an adverb, we have ubiquitously.

Graphemes

What can the pronunciation of the word teach us about the relationship of its graphemes and its phonology?

The graphemes in this word are primarily spelling familiar phonemes. The second syllable receives primary stress. The suffix schwa.

Next Steps

What concepts from this investigation can we explore next to learn more about the English orthographic system?

Were you surprised our word wasn't related to quit? Do you wonder about other words that look like they might have a familiar base? Hit reply and let me know what they are. I can give you few hints or maybe you'll see them in a future word investigation.

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Stay curious,

Brad

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PS. Thanks to those who have already ​bought me a coffee​ to show their continued support for my work with these investigations each week. I enjoy helping instructors learn more about English orthography.

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P.P.S. The word quit also has its roots in Latin. However, it took a journey through French before reaching us. Surprisingly, its form hasn't changed much as it's been with us since 1200!