Some people have given up smoking or candy in these weeks of Lent before Easter. The season made me notice “lent” words. Lent with a little “l” is a Latin suffix meaning full of. So these are not gentle words; they are packed with meaning.
Somnolent means drowsy or likely to induce sleep. Redolent can mean full of fragrance or evocative. Benevolent is generous and well-wishing. In contrast, malevolent means wishing evil on others. Virulent means marked by a rapid and destructive course, or objectionably harsh. No need to give up these dramatic words!