The Penguin Guide to Plain English

momentary I momentous
A m om ent is a short space o f time and the w ord m om entary means
brief, lasting for only a mom ent. The w ord m om ent has another use in
expressions such as a matter o f great m om ent. It is this use that is
reflected in the w ord m om entous, w hich means of great m o m en t or
very im portant.
nationalize I naturalize
A business or an organization is nationalized w hen it is taken under
public ow nership and becomes the property o f the state. The w ord is not
used o f hum an beings w ho change their nationality. If someone of
foreign birth seeks to become a citizen o f their adopted country, the
official process is know n as becoming naturalized.
naught I nought
Strictly speaking, w here aught means anything, naught means nothing
(I tell you naught for your com fort says the visionary voice to King
Alfred in Chestertons Ballad of the White Horse). N ought is the digit which,
oddly enough, we pronounce O h w hen making a telephone call. The
spelling n ought is now used as a variant o f naught.
obsolete I obsolescent
Increasingly obsolescent is being used w here the w ord should be
obsolete. W hat is obsolete is out of date, no longer in use or no
longer fashionable. W hat is obsolescent is becoming obsolete, gradually
perhaps going out o f date and ceasing to be o f use.
official I officious
The adjective official relates to an office and in particular to what issues
authoritatively from it ( As an M Ps secretary, she has an official perm it
to enter the H ouse). One may be called to attend an official meeting
or invited to an official dinner. The w ord officious has a pejorative
connotation. It is applied to self-important people w ho are unnecessarily
free w ith attention or advice.
ostensible I ostentatious
Here are two m ore related adjectives, like official and officious, w ith
vastly different overtones. W hat is ostensible is apparent, plain to see.