Both Uses of
coherent
in
The Hunger Games
- He'll be incoherent by the time we reach the Capitol.
p. 56.4 *incoherent = unable to think logicallystandard prefix: The prefix "in-" in incoherent means not and reverses the meaning of coherent. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.
- He's like listening to Haymitch before the alcohol has soaked him into incoherence.†
p. 276.1incoherence = inability to think clearly; or an instance of not thinking clearly; or describing parts as not fitting together in a consistent or pleasing mannerstandard prefix: The prefix "in-" in incoherence means not and reverses the meaning of coherence. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.
Definitions:
-
(1)
(coherent) sensible and clear; or describing parts as fitting together in a consistent or pleasing manner
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
A comprehensive dictionary will have more specialized definitions of coherent such as one used in physics.