The difference between canvas and canvass

The Hindu

19-05-2025

What is the meaning of 'bridezilla'? (Jagdeesh Kumar, Vijayawada)
The word is a combination of 'bride' and 'Godzilla'. We all know what the word 'bride' means. As far as Godzilla is concerned, he is the creation of Toho Studios in Japan. According to the movies, Godzilla is a prehistoric fictional sea monster who looks like a dinosaur; he creates havoc wherever he goes. So, when you call a woman who is about to get married, and is obsessed with the planning of her wedding, a 'bridezilla', what you mean is that she is very demanding and rather hard to please. She is constantly under stress because she wants to control every aspect of the big event; being highly irritable, she is not a pleasure to be with. The word is mostly used in informal contexts, and shows disapproval.
Her upcoming wedding has turned Renu into a bridezilla.
I hope you don't turn into a bridezilla like your sister did.
As for the pronunciation, the first syllable is pronounced like the word 'bride'; the following 'zill' rhymes with 'pill', 'chill' and 'hill'. The final 'a' is like the 'a' in 'china'. The word is pronounced 'bride-ZIL-e' with the stress on the second syllable.
What is the difference between 'canvas' and 'canvass'? (Sunitha Rao, Nellore)
In terms of pronunciation, there is no difference between the two words; in terms of meaning, however, there is a big difference. Both words come from the Greek 'kannabis' meaning 'hemp'. The word 'canvas' was originally used to refer to a cloth made from hemp; today, it is used to refer to any sturdy, durable material that is used in making tents, ship sails, etc. Artists paint on a canvas.
Make sure that the canvas is thick. Otherwise, we'll freeze where we're going.
The painter spent some time preparing the canvas.
While 'canvas' is used as a noun, the word 'canvass' functions as a verb. The original meaning of this word was 'to toss in a canvas sheet'. In the past, people used the cloth to sift through things. With the passage of time, 'canvass' took on a completely different meaning — sifting through public opinion. When a politician canvasses for votes, he finds out what the public thinks of him, and what his chances of winning are.
We should go to every household to canvass support for our candidate.
The committee is canvassing students' opinion on the matter.
How is the word 'deluxe' pronounced? (M. Ravi, Chennai)
'Deluxe' consists of two syllables; the vowel in the first, sounds like the 'i' in 'bill', 'chill' and 'hill', while the second syllable rhymes with 'sucks' and 'ducks'. One way of pronouncing the word is 'di-LUCKS' with the stress on the second syllable; this is how many people pronounce the word. It is also possible to pronounce the second syllable like the word 'looks'; some people pronounce the word 'di-LOOKS'. The word comes from the French 'de luxe' meaning 'of luxury'. When you say that you stayed in deluxe hotels during a trip, what you are suggesting is that you stayed in very luxurious hotels; they were expensive, but very comfortable.
We couldn't afford to stay in any of the deluxe hotels in Paris. They were not within our budget.
After discussing the matter with his friends, he decided to buy the deluxe model.
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