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substantiate vb. (sub STAN shee ayt) to provide evidence or testimony to prove something true. Thousands of scientists have substantiated Darwin's theory of evolution with studies and findings of their own.

subterfuge n. (SUB tur fyooj) trickery or deception used to cover up one's true actions. Swindlers employ clever subterfuge to separate their victims from their money.

subversive adj. (sub VUR siv) working toward the overthrow of a government. The protester was ques­tioned by the police for distributing subversive litera­ture to the public.

succinct adj. (suk SINKT) concise and to the point.

As we have only two hours to make the award pre­sentations, please keep your speeches succinct.

superficial adj. (soo pur FISH ul) on the surface only; lacking depth. To judge someone by their appearance alone is terribly superficial.

superfluous adj. (suh PUR floo us) extraneous; unnecessary. The editor used her blue pencil to scratch out all of the manuscript's superfluous words and sen­tences.

surreal adj. (sur RE ul) having a dreamlike or night­marish quality. The abstract painter's otherworldly images were hauntingly surreal.

surrogate adj. (SUR uh GIT) a substitute. A nanny serves as a surrogate parent when mother and father go off to work.

svelte adj. (SVELT) slender; lithe. Don't even think about becoming a model unless you have a svelte figure.

Svengali n. (sven GAHL ee) one who has the uncanny ability to brainwash or persuade others to do his bidding, often for evil purposes. Originat­ing from the musician-hypnotist in the George du Maurier novel Trilby. The cult leader was a Sven- gali who convinced thousands of followers that the world would end unless they donated everything they owned to him.

swan song n. a final appearance, performance, or work. Originating from the myth of a song sung only once in a lifetime, by a swan as it dies. This book will be the famed novelist's swan song, as he has officially announced his retirement.

sycophant n. (SYKE uh fant) one who constantly flatters and is servile toward another in order to gain praise or acceptance. The boss likes hard-working employees, but he has no respect for sycophants.

symbiotic adj. (sim bee OT ik) mutually beneficial.

Bees and flowers have had a symbiotic relationship for millions of years.

symmetry n. (SIM uh tree) correspondence or har­mony in form; the quality of being uniform. The artist was obsessed with balance and would arrange his pieces for hours to achieve symmetry.

synonymous adj. (si NON uh mus) much the same as or similar to. Dog is synonymous with canine; cat is synonymous with feline.

synthesis n. (SIN thuh sis) the mixture or combina­tion of components to make a whole. Fusion is the synthesis of jazz and rock music forms.