All the best for the preparation and follow us for more
1. anomaly – noun – something that is unusual or
unexpected
·
The
student’s poor performance on the latest test was an anomaly since she had previously earned excellent
grades.
2. equivocal – adj. – not easily understood or
explained
·
Politicians
have been known to provide equivocal answers to reporters’
questions.
3. lucid – adj. – very clear and easy to understand
·
The lecture
was lucid and straightforward, allowing the students to
fully grasp the concepts presented.
4. precipitate – verb – to cause (something) to happen
quickly or suddenly
·
Unforeseen
costs can precipitate a budget crisis.
5. assuage – verb – to make (an unpleasant
feeling) less intense
·
A massage
can assuage the soreness in your muscles.
6. erudite – adj. – having or showing great
knowledge
·
High school
students often struggle with novels that are more erudite than they are entertaining.
7. opaque – adj. – not able to be seen
through; not easily understood
·
Medical
jargon includes many opaque terms like macrosomic, which
describes a newborn who weighs more than 4,000 grams.
8. prodigal – adj. – wastefully extravagant
·
The prodigal prince bought lavish gifts and planned expensive
events.
9. enigma – noun – a person or thing that is
mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand
·
Scientists
continue to research cancer to solve the enigma of its primary cause, which
will hopefully lead to a cure.
10.
fervid – adj. – intensely enthusiastic or
passionate
·
The child
showed a fervid fascination for superheroes, pouring over comic
books for hours.
11.
placate – verb – to make (someone) less angry
or hostile
·
A parent may
decide to placate a baby with a pacifier.
12.
zeal – noun – a strong feel of interest
and enthusiasm that makes someone very eager or determined to do something
·
The great
emperor’s crusading zeal led him to conquer many lands.
13.
abstain – verb – to restrain oneself for
doing or enjoying something
·
Doctors
encourage their patients to abstain from smoking cigarettes.
·
14.
audacious – adj. – a willingness to take bold
risks / adj. – showing a lack of respect
·
The new CEO pursued audacious initiatives to save the company from bankruptcy.
/ The student’s audacious remark earned her a seat in
afternoon detention.
15.
desiccate – verb – remove the moisture from
(something)
·
The heat and
energy from the sun can desiccate even the most hearty plants.
16.
gullible – adj. – easily persuaded to believe
something
·
The gullible little boy gave his older sister all of his
allowance because she told him she would buy a pony for him.
17.
laudable – adj. – deserving praise and
commendation
·
Providing
affordable healthcare for all citizens is a laudable goal.
18.
pedant – noun – a person who makes an
excessive display of learning
·
Professor
Blackwell, a well-known pedant, required his pre-med students to
speak in Latin throughout the entire semester.
19.
vacillate – verb – to waver between different
opinions or actions
·
Undergraduate
students often vacillate among various majors before
deciding which degree to pursue.
20.
adulterate – verb – to make (something) impure
or weaker by adding something of inferior quality
·
Many chefs
use fresh produce and refuse to adulterate their dishes with canned
ingredients.
21.
capricious – adj. – given to sudden changes of
mood or behavior
·
The capricious supervisor would hand out raises one day and
fire his entire staff the next.
22.
engender – verb – to produce, cause, or give
rise to (something)
·
Political
debates can engender controversy regarding the subjects discussed.
23.
homogenous – adj. – of the same or similar kind
·
There are
very few truly homogenous cultures since social diversity
is increasingly widespread.
24.
loquacious – adj. – tending to talk a great deal
·
The loquacious professor was known for his five-hour lectures.
25.
pragmatic – adj. – dealing with the problems
that exist in a reasonable and logical way instead of depending on theories
·
A pragmatic approach to legislation can be difficult given
the complexities of politics.
26.
volatile – adj. – likely to change rapidly and
unpredictably
·
It is
possible for a country’s political climate to remain volatile for decades.
27.
apathy – noun – lack of interest,
enthusiasm, or concern
·
Political
parties try to engage young voters who are more prone to apathy than older citizens.
28.
corroborate – verb – to confirm or make more
certain
·
The
scientist was able to corroborate his hypothesis with data
gathered from multiple sources.
29.
ephemeral – adj. – lasting for a very short
time
·
An ephemeral moment of victory may last mere seconds, but it
can remain as a triumphant memory for decades.
30.
laconic – adj. – using few words
·
The
student’s laconic response suggested that she did not know
very much about the topic the professor was discussing.
31.
mitigate – verb – make less severe, serious,
or painful
·
We want
to mitigate students’ GRE stress by offering helpful study
tools.
32.
propriety – noun – the state or quality of
being correct or proper
·
The students
were instructed to behave with the utmost propriety while on their class field trip.
33.
advocate – verb – publicly recommend or
support
·
The governor
chose to advocate for a higher minimum wage rather than a tax
incentive.
34.
cacophony – noun – a harsh, unpleasant mixture
of sounds
·
The cacophony of the middle school band warming up was nearly
unbearable for the audience.
35.
enervate – verb – cause (someone or something)
to feel drained of energy; weaken
·
The boxer
used a swift left uppercut to the jaw to enervate his opponent.
36.
ingenuous – adj. – innocent and unsuspecting
·
The scam
artist preyed on ingenuous nursing home residents.
37.
misanthrope – noun – a person who dislikes
humankind
·
The
neighborhood misanthrope surrounded his yard with
barbed wire to keep people away.
38.
paradox – noun – a statement that contradicts
itself but might be true
·
The fact
that the retired teacher claimed to hate all pets but adopted seven cats is an
intriguing paradox.
39.
venerate – verb – regard with great
respect
·
To venerate the fire chief’s forty years of service, the
department held a special banquet.
40.
antipathy – noun – a strong feeling of dislike
·
The students
voiced their antipathy for homework very loudly.
41.
deride – verb – to express contempt for;
ridicule
·
The
unreasonable supervise was known to deride his employees on a daily
basis.
42.
eulogy – noun – a speech that praises
someone, typically some who has recently died
·
The
rabbi’s eulogy was both heartfelt and inspiring.
43.
lethargic – adj. – lacking energy
·
It’s not
uncommon to feel lethargic for weeks or even months after
major surgery.
44.
obdurate – adj. – stubbornly refusing to
change one’s opinion
·
The obdurate three-year-old refused to eat any vegetables, no
matter how they were prepared.
45.
philanthropic – adj. – seeking to promote the
welfare of others
·
The students
were grateful to receive financial support from philanthropic organizations that promote education.
46.
waver – verb – to go back and forth between
choices or opinions
·
Some
citizens vote solely along party lines and never waver in their political decisions.
47.
bolster – verb – to support or strengthen
·
The
prosecutor worked to find evidence that would bolster her case against the defendant.
48.
dissonance – noun – a lack of harmony or
agreement
·
The school
board’s meeting lasted for hours due to the length debate fueled by dissonance among opinions.
49.
garrulous – adj. – excessively talkative
·
The garrulous hair stylist talked to each customer for hours
at a time.
50.
malleable – adj. – easily influenced; pliable
·
Children’s
moods are often malleable since children are greatly
affected by their surroundings.
51.
ostentation – noun – excessive display of wealth
·
Owning a
mansion doesn’t imply ostentation, but traveling exclusively by
private jet certainly can.
52.
prevaricate – verb – avoid telling the truth by
not directly answering a question
·
During the
trial, the lead witness was willing to prevaricate in order to protect his
friend.
A
A/AN: not, without
agnostic: one
who believes the existence of God is not provable
amoral: neither moral nor
immoral; having no relation to morality
atrophy: the
wasting away of body tissue
AB: off, away from, apart, down
abdicate: to
renounce or relinquish a throne
abject: cast
down; degraded
abstract: conceived apart from concrete
realities, specific objects, or actual instances
abstruse: hard to understand; secret, hidden
ABLE/IBLE: capable of, worthy of
changeable: able
to be changed
combustible: capable
of being burned; easily inflamed
AC/ACR: sharp, bitter, sour
acerbic: sour
or astringent in taste; harsh in temper
acid: something that is
sharp, sour, or ill-natured
acrimonious: caustic,
stinging, or bitter in nature
acumen: mental
sharpness; quickness of wit
ACT/AG: to do, to drive, to force, to lead
agile: quick and
well-coordinated in movement; active, lively
pedagogue: a teacher
AD: to,
toward, near (often the d is dropped and the
first letter to which a is prefixed is doubled.)
accede: to
yield to demand; to enter office
addict: to
give oneself over, as to a habit or pursuit
adjoin: to be close or in
contact with
AL/ALI/ALTER: other, another
alias: an
assumed name
allegory: figurative
treatment of one subject under the guise of another
altruist: a
person unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others
AM: love
amateur: a
person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than financial or
professional gain
amity:
friendship; peaceful harmony
amorous: inclined
to love, esp. sexual love
AMBI/AMPHI: both, on both sides, around
ambidextrous: able to use both hands
equally well
ambient:
moving around freely; circulating
ambiguous: open to
various interpretations
AMBL/ABUL: to go, to walk
ambulance: a
vehicle equipped for carrying sick people (from a phrase meaning “walking hospital”)
ambulatory: of,
pertaining to, or capable of walking
perambulator: one
who makes a tour of inspection on foot
ANIM: of the life, mind, soul, breath
animosity: a
feeling of ill will or enmity
equanimity: mental
or emotional stability, especially under tension
magnanimous:
generous in forgiving an insult or injury
ANNUI/ENNI: year
annals: a record of events,
esp. a yearly record
annual: of,
for, or pertaining to a year; yearly
perennial:
lasting for an indefinite amount of time
ANT/ANTE: before
antecedent: existing, being, or
going before
antedate: precede in time
antediluvian:
belonging to the period before the biblical flood; very old or old-fashioned
ANTRHO/ANDR: man, human
androgen: any
substance that promotes masculine characteristics
androgynous: being
both male and female
misanthrope: a
person who hates humans or humanity
APO: away
apocalypse: revelation;
discovery; disclosure
apogee: the
highest or most distant point
apostasy: a total
desertion of one’s religion, principles, party, cause, etc.
ARCH/ARCHI/ARCHY: chief, principal, ruler
anarchy: a state
or society without government or law
monarchy: a
government in which the supreme power is lodged in a sovereign
oligarchy: a state
or society ruled by a select group
ARD: to burn
ardent: burning;
fierce; passionate
ardor: flame;
passion
arson: the
crime of setting property on fire
AUTO: self
autonomy: independence
or freedom
autocrat: an
absolute ruler
B
BE: about, to make, to surround, to
affect (often used to transform words into transitive verbs)
belie: to
misrepresent; to contradict
belittle: to make
small; to make something appear smaller
bemoan: to
lament; to moan for
BEL/BELL: beautiful
belle: a
beautiful woman
embellish: to make
beautiful; to ornament
BEN/BENE: good
benediction: act of
uttering a blessing
benefit: anything
advantageous to a person or thing
benign: having
a kindly disposition
BI/BIN: two
biennial: happening
every two years
bilingual: able to
speak one’s native language and another with equal facility
binocular: involving
two eyes
BON/BOUN: good, generous
bona fide: in good faith; without
fraud
bountiful: generous
BREV/BRID: short, small
abbreviate: to
shorten
breviloquent: laconic;
concise in one’s speech
brevity: shortness
BURS: purse, money
bursar: treasurer
bursary: treasury
disburse: to pay
C
CAD/CID: to fall, to happen by chance
cascade: a
waterfall descending over a steep surface
coincidence: a
striking occurrence of two or more events at one time, apparently by chance
recidivist: one who
repeatedly relapses, as into crime
CAP/CIP/CEPT: to take, to get
capture: to
take by force or stratagem
percipient:
having perception; discerning; discriminating
precept: a
commandment or direction given as a rule of conduct
CAP/CAPIT/CIPIT: to head, headlong
capital: the
city or town that is the official seat of government
capitulate: to
surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms
precipice: a cliff
with a vertical face
CARD/CORD/COUR: heart
concord: agreement;
peace, amity
concordance: agreement,
concord, harmony
discord: lack of
harmony between persons or things
CED/CEED/CESS: to go, to yield, to stop
accede: to
yield to a demand; to enter office
cessation: a
temporary or complete discontinuance
incessant: without
stop
CELER: speed
accelerant: something
used to speed up a process
celerity: speed;
quickness
CERN/CERT/CRET/CRIM/CRIT: to separate, to judge, to distinguish, to decide
certitude: freedom
from doubt
discrete: detached
from others, separate
hypocrite: a
person who pretends to have beliefs that she does not
CHROM: color
chromatic: having
to do with color
chromosome: genetic
material that can be studied by coloring it with dyes
CHRON: time
anachronism: something
that is out-of-date or belonging to the wrong time
chronic: constant,
habitual
chronometer: a
highly accurate clock or watch
CIRCU/CIRCUM: around
circuitous: roundabout,
indirect
circumspect: cautious;
watching all sides
CIS: to cut
exorcise: to seek
to expel an evil spirit by ceremony
incisive: penetrating,
cutting
CLA/CLO/CLU: to shut, to close
claustrophobia: an
abnormal fear of enclosed places
cloister: a
courtyard bordered with covered walks, esp. in a religious institution
preclude: to
prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of
CLAIM/CLAM: to shout, to cry out
clamor: a loud
uproar
disclaim: to deny
interest in or connection with
proclaim: to
announce or declare in an official way
CLI: to lean toward
climax: the
most intense point in the development of something
disinclination: aversion,
distaste
Proclivity: inclination,
bias
CO/COL/COM/CON: with, together
commensurate: suitable
in measure, proportionate
conciliate: to
placate, win over
connect: to bind
or fasten together
CONTRA/CONTRO/COUNTER: against
contrary: opposed
to; opposite
countermand: to
retract an order
CORP/CORS: body
corps: a body
(an organized group) of troops
corpulent: obese;
having a lot of flesh
incorporation: combining
into a single body
COSM: order, universe, world
cosmology: a
theory of the universe as a whole
cosmopolitan: worldly
microcosm: a small
system that reflects a larger whole
COUR/CUR: running, a course
concur: to
agree
cursory: going
rapidly over something; hasty; superficial
incursion: a
hostile entrance into a place, esp. suddenly
CER/CRESC/CRET: to grow
accretion: an
increase by natural growth
accrue: to be
added a matter of periodic gain
excrescence: an outgrowth
CRED: to believe, to trust
credo: any
formula of belief
credulity: willingness
to believe or trust too readily
CULP: fault, blame
culpable: deserving
blame or censure
inculpate: to
charge with fault
mea culpa: through my fault; my fault
D
DAC/DOC: to teach
didactic: intended
for instruction
indoctrinate: to
imbue a person with learning
DE: away, off, down, completely, reversal
defame: to
attack the good name or reputation of
deferential: respectful;
to yield to judgment
defile: to make
foul, dirty, or unclean
DEM: people
democracy: government
by the people
endemic: peculiar
to a particular person or locality
pandemic: general,
universal
DI: day
diurnal: daily
quotidian: everyday;
ordinary
DI/DIF/DIS: away from, apart, reversal,
not
diffuse: to pour
out and spread, as in a fluid
dilatory: inclined
to delay or procrastinate
dissipate: to
scatter wastefully
DIGN: worth
condign: well
deserved; fitting; adequate
dignitary: a
person who holds a high rank or office
disdain: to
look upon or treat with contempt
DOL: to suffer, to pain, to grieve
doleful: sorrowful,
mournful
dolorous: full of
pain or sorrow, grievous
indolence: a state
of being lazy or slothful
DUB: doubt
dubiety: doubtfulness
dubious: doubtful
indubitable: unquestionable
DULC: sweet
dulcet: sweet;
pleasing
dulcified: sweetened;
softened
dulcimer: a
musical instrument
DYS: faulty, abnormal
dysfunctional: poorly
functioning
dyspepsia: impaired
digestion
dystrophy: faulty
or inadequate nutrition or development
E
E/EX: out, out of, from, former,
completely
efface: to rub
or wipe out; surpass, eclipse
extricate: to
disentangle, release
EPI: upon
epidermis: the
outer layer of the skin
epigram: a witty
or pointed saying tersely expressed
epilogue: a
concluding part added to a literary word
EQU: equal, even
equation: the act
of making equal
iniquity: gross
injustice; wickedness
ERR: to wander
errant: wandering
or traveling, especially in search of adventure
erratic: deviating
from the proper or usual course in conduct
ESCE: becoming
convalescent: recovering
from illness
obsolescent: becoming
obsolete
EU: good, well
euphemism: pleasant-sounding
term for something unpleasant
euphony: pleasantness
of sound
F
FAB/FAM: to speak
affable: friendly,
courteous
defame: to
attack the good name of
ineffable: too
great for description in words; that which much not be uttered
FATU: foolish
fatuity: foolishness;
stupidity
fatuous: foolish;
stupid
infatuated: swept
up in a fit of passion impairing one’s reason
FI/FID: faith, trust
affidavit: a
written statement on oath
fiduciary: of a
trust; held or given in trust
infidel: disbeliever
in the supposed true religion
FLU/FLUX: to flow
confluence: merging
into one
effluence: flowing
out of (light, electricity, etc.)
mellifluous: pleasing,
musical
FULG: to shine
effulgent: shining
forth
refulgent: radiant;
shining
FUS: to pour
diffuse: to spread widely or thinly
profuse: lavish,
extravagant, copious
suffuse: to spread throughout or over from within
G
GEN: birth, creation, race, kind
congenital: existing
or as such from birth
progeny: offspring,
descendants
GNI/GNO: to know
ignoramus: a
person lacking knowledge, uninformed
prognosis: to
forecast, especially of disease
GRAT: pleasing
gratuity: money
given for good service
ingratiate: to
bring oneself into favor
GREG: flog
aggregate: a
number of things considered a collective whole
egregious: remarkably
bad; standing out from the crowd
gregarious: sociable; enjoying spending time with others
H
HAP: by chance
haphazard: at
random
hapless: without
luck
HER/HES: to stick
adherent: able to
adhere; believer or advocate of a particular thing
coherent: logically
consistent; having waves in phase and of one wavelength
inherent: involved
in the constitution or essential character of something
HOL: whole
catholic: universal
holograph: a
document written entirely by the person whose name it’s in
holistic: considering
something as a unified whole
HYPER: over, excessive
hyperactive: excessively
active
hyperbole: purposeful
exaggeration for effect
HYPO: under, beneath, less than
hypochondriac: one
affected by extreme depression of mind or spirits, often centered on imaginary
physical ailments
hypocritical: pretending
to have beliefs one does not
hypodermic: relating
to the parts beneath the skin
53. I
I
ICON: image, idol
iconic: being
representative of a culture or movement
iconoclast: one who
attacks established beliefs; one who tears down images
iconology: symbolism
IN/IM: in, into (often
the m is dropped and the first letter to which i is
prefixed is doubled)
incarnate: given a
bodily, esp. a human, form
influx: the act
of flowing in
intrinsic: belonging
to a thing by its very nature
IN/IM: not, without
indigent: poor,
needy, lacking in what is needed
indolence: showing
a disposition to avoid exertion; slothful
innocuous: not
harmful or injurious
J
JECT: to throw, to throw down
abject: utterly
hopeless, humiliating, or wretched
conjecture: formation
of opinion on incomplete information
eject: to
throw out, expel
JOC: joke
jocose: given
to joking; playful
jocular: in a
joking manner; funny
jocund: merry;
cheerful
JUD: to judge
abjudicate: to act
as a judge
judicious: having
good judgment
JUR: law, to swear
abjure: to
renounce an oath
adjure: to beg
or command
perjury: willful
lying under oath
L
LAUD: praise, honor
laudable: praiseworthy
laudatory: expressing
praise
LAV/LAU/LU: to wash
ablution: act of
cleansing
antediluvian: before
the biblical flood; extremely old
deluge: a great
flood of water
LEC/LEG/LEX: to read, to speak
legible: readable
lexicographer: a
writer of dictionaries
lexicon: a
dictionary
LECT/LEG: to select, to choose
eclectic: selecting
ideas, etc. from various sources
predilection: preference,
liking
LI/LIG: to tie, to bind
liable: legally
responsible; bound by law
lien: the
right to hold a property due to an outstanding debt
ligature: a
connection between two letters; a bond
LIBER: free
liberality: generosity
libertine: one who
follows one’s own path, without regard for morals or other restrictions
LITH: stone
acrolith: a
statue with a stone head and limbs (but a wooden body)
lithography: a
printing process that originally involved writing on a flat stone
lithology: the
study of rocks and stones
megalith: a very
big stone
LOC/LOG/LOQU: word, speech, though
colloquial: of
ordinary or familiar conversation
elocution: art of
clear and expressive speaking
grandiloquent: pompous
or inflated in language
loquacious: talkative
LUD/LUS: to play
allude: to
refer casually or indirectly
delude: to
mislead the mind or judgment of, deceive
elude: to avoid capture or escape defection by
M
MACRO: great, long
macrobiotics: a
system intended to prolong life
macrocephalous: having
a large head
macrocosm: the
universe; a large system that is reflected in at least one of its subsets
MAG/MAJ/MAX: big, great
magnanimous: generous
in forgiving an insult or injury
magnate: a
powerful or influential person
maxim: an
expression of general truth or principle
MAL/MALE: bad, ill, evil, wrong
maladroit: clumsy;
tactless
malapropism: humorous
misuse of a word
malfeasance: a
misconduct or wrongdoing often committed by a public official
malign: to
speak harmful untruths about, to slander
MEGA: large, great
megapolis: a very
large city
megaton: explosive
power equal to 1000 tons of TNT
MICRO: very small
microbe: a very
small organism
micron: a millionth
of a meter
MIN: small
diminution: the act or process of diminishing
minutiae: small
or trivial details
MIS: bad, wrong, to hate
misadventure: bad
luck; an unlucky accident
misanthrope: one who
hates people or humanity
mischance: bad
luck; an unlucky accident
MIS/MIT: to send
emissary: a
messenger or agent sent to represent the interests of another
remit: to send
money
MOLL: soft
emollient: something
that softens or soothes (e.g., a lotion)
mollify: sooth;
soften; calm
MON/MONIT: to remind, to warn
admonish: to
counsel against something; caution
premonition: forewarning,
presentiment
remonstrate: to say
or please in protest, object, or reproof
MON/MONO: one
monarchy: rule by
a single person
monograph: a
scholarly study of a single subject
monomania: an
obsession with a single subject
MOR/MORT: death
immortal: not
subject to death
moribund: dying,
decaying
MORPH: shape
amorphous: without
definite form; lacking a specific shape
anthropomorphism: attribution
of human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or natural
phenomena
MULT: many
multiplex: having
many parts
multitudinous: very
many; containing very many; having very many forms
MUT: to change
commute: to
substitute; exchange; interchange
immutable: unchangeable, invariable
N
NAT/NAS/NAI/GNA: birth
cognate: related
by blood; having a common ancestor
nascent: starting
to develop
NIHIL: nothing, none
annihilate: wipe
out; reduce to nothing
nihilism: denial
of all moral beliefs; denial that existence has any meaning
NOC/NOX: harm
innocuous: not
harmful or injurious
noxious: injurious
or harmful to health or morals
NOCT/NOX: night
noctambulant: walking
at night; sleepwalking
nocturne: a
dreamlike piece of music; a painting set at night
NOM/NYM/NOUN/NOWN: name
nomenclature: a
system of names; systematic naming
nominal: existing
in name only; negligible
renown: fame;
reputation
NON: not
nonentity: something
that doesn’t exist; something that isn’t important
nonpareil: something
with no equal
NOV/NEO/NOU: new
neologism: a newly
coined word, phrase, or expression
neophyte: a
beginner; a new convert; a new worker
neoplasm: a new growth in the body; a tumor
O
OB: toward, to, against, over
obfuscate: to
render indistinct or dim; darken
obsequious: overly
submissive
obstinate: stubbornly
adhering to an idea, inflexible
obstreperous: noisily
defiant, unruly
OMNI: all
omnibus: an
anthology of the works of one author or of writings on related subjects
omnipotent: all
powerful
omnipresent: everywhere
at one time
ONER: burden
onerous: burdensome;
difficult
onus: a
burden; a responsibility
P
PAC/PEAC: peace
appease: to
bring peace to
pacify: to ease
the anger or agitation of
PALP: to feel
palpable: capable
of being felt; tangible
palpate: to
feel; to examine by feeling
palpitate: to beat
quickly, as the heart; to throb
PAN/PANT: all, everyone
panegyric: formal
or elaborate praise at an assembly
panoply: a
wide-ranging and impressive array or display
PAR: equal
disparage: to
belittle, speak disrespectfully about
parity: equally, as in amount,
status, or character
PARA: next to, beside
paragon: a model
of excellence
parody: to
imitate for purpose of satire
PAU/PO/POV/PU: few, little, poor
paucity: smallness
of quantity; scarcity; scantiness
pauper: a
person without any personal means of support
puerile: childish,
immature
pusillanimous: lacking
courage or resolution
PEC: money
impecunious: having
no money; penniless
peculation: embezzlement
pecuniary: relating
to money
PED/POD: foot
antipodes: places
that are diametrically opposite each other on the globe
impede: to
retard progress by means of obstacles or hindrances
PEL: to drive, to push
dispel: to
drive away; to disperse
impel: to
force; to drive forward
PER: completely
perforate: to make
a way through or into something
perfunctory: performed
merely as routine duty
pertinacious: resolute,
persistent
PET/PIT: to go, to seek, to strive
impetuous: characterized
by sudden or rash action or emotion
petulant: showing
sudden irritation, esp. over some annoyance
PHIL: love
bibliophile: one who
loves or collects books
philatelist: one who
loves or collets postage stamps
PHON: sound
euphony: the
quality of sounding good
polyphony: the use
of simultaneous melodic lines to produce harmonies in musical compositions
PLAC: to please
complacent: self-satisfied,
unconcerned
complaisant: inclined
or disposed to please
implacable: unable
to be pleased
POLY: many
polyandry: the
practice of having multiple husbands
polyglot: someone
who speaks many languages
POT: to drink
potable: drinkable;
safe to drink; a drink
potation: drinking;
a drink
PRI/PRIM: first
primal: original;
most important
primeval: ancient;
going back to the first age of the world
PROB: to prove, to test
approbation: praise,
consideration
opprobrium: the
disgrace incurred by shameful conduct
probity: honesty,
high-mindedness
PROP/PROX: near
proximate: nearby;
coming just before or just after
proximity: nearness;
distance
PROT/PROTO: first
protagonist: the
main character in a play or story
prototype: the
first version of an invention, on which later models are based
PUG: to fight
impugn: to
challenge as false
pugilist: a
fighter or boxer
pugnacious: to
quarrel or fight repeatedly
PUNC/PUNG/POIGN: to point, to prick, to pierce
compunction: a
feeling of uneasiness for doing wrong
expunge: to
erase, eliminate completely
punctilious: strict
or exact in the observance of formalities
PYR: fire
pyre: a
bonfire, usually for burning a dead body
pyrosis: heartburn
Q
QUAD/QUAR/QUAT: four
quadrille: a
square dance involving four couples
quart: one-fourth
of a gallon
QUIE/QUIT: quiet, rest
acquiesce: to
comply, give in
quiescence: the
condition of being at rest, still, inactive
QUIN/QUINT: five
quinquennial: a five-year
period
quintuple: five
times as many
R
RACI/RADI: root
deracinate: to
uproot
radish: a root
vegetable
RAMI: branch
ramiform: branchlike
RECT: straight, right
erect: upright;
starting up straight
rectitude: moral
uprightness; moral straightness
REG: king, rule
interregnum: a
period between kings
regent: one who
serves on behalf of a king; one who rules
regicide: killing
a king; one who kills a king
RETRO: backward
retroactive: extending
to things that happened in the past
retrofit: to
install newer parts into an older device or structure
RUB/RUD: red
rubella: German
measles; a disease marked by red spots
rubicund: reddish;
rosy-cheeked
RUD: crude
rude: uncivilized;
impolite
rudimentary: undeveloped
S
SACR/SANCT: holy
sacrament:
something regarded as possessing sacred character
sacrilege: the
violation of anything sacred
sanctify: to
make holy
SAG/SAP/SAV: taste, thinking, discerning
sagacious:
perceptive; discerning; insightful
sage: wise
sapient: wise
savant: a
learned person
SAL/SIL/SAULT/SULT: to leap, to jump
assault: a
sudden or violent attack
exult: to
show or feel triumphant joy
SALU: health
salubrious:
healthful
salutary:
healthful
SALV: to save
salvage: to
save; something saved or recovered
salvation: being
saved
savior: one
who saves
SAN: healthy
sane: mentally healthy
sanitarium: a
place of healing
SANG: blood
consanguinity: being
related by blood
sanguinary:
bloody; bloodthirsty
SAT: enough
dissatisfied:
feeling that one does not have enough
sate: to fill
saturate: to
fill completely; to entirely satisfy
SCI: to know
conscience: the
inner sense of what is right or wrong, impelling one toward right action
omniscient:
knowing everything
prescient:
having knowledge of things before they happen
SE: apart, away
secede: to
withdraw formally from an association
sedition:
incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government
SEC/SEQU/SUE/SUI: to follow
non sequitur: an
inference or a conclusion that does not follow from the premises
obsequious:
fawning
SED/SESS/SID: to sit, to settle
assiduous:
diligent, persistent, hardworking (literally, “sitting down” to business)
insidious:
intended to entrap or beguile; lying in wait to entrap
SEMI: half
semicircle: half
a circle
semiconscious: only
partly conscious; half awake
SEN: old
senate: the
highest legislative body (from “council of elders”)
senescent:
getting old
senile:
relating to old age; experiencing memory loss or other age-related mental
impairments
SENS/SENT: to feel, to be aware
dissent: to
differ in opinion, esp. from the majority
insensate: without
feeling or sensitivity
presentiment: a
feeling that something is about to happen
SOL: alone
desolate:
deserted; laid waste; left alone
isolate: to
set apart from others
soliloquize: talk
to oneself; talk onstage as if to oneself
solipsism: the
belief that the only thing that really exists, or can really be known, is
oneself
SOL: to loosen, to free
absolution:
forgiveness for wrongdoing
dissolute:
indifferent to moral restraints
SOL: sun
parasol: an umbrella that
protects from the sun
solarium: a
sunroom; a room with windows for taking in the sun
SOMN: sleep
somnambulist: a
sleepwalker
somniferous:
sleep-inducing
somniloquist: one
who talks while asleep
somnolent:
sleep-inducing; sleepy; drowsy
SOPH: wisdom
philosopher: one
who studies logic, beauty, truth, etc.; one who seeks wisdom
sophisticated:
complex; worldly; experienced
SOURC/SURG/SURRECT: to rise
insurgent:
rising up in revolution; rushing in
insurrection:
rising up in armed rebellion
surge: to
rise up forcefully, as ocean waves
SPEC/SPIC: to look, to see
circumspect:
watchful and discreet, cautious
conspicuous:
easily seen or noticed; readily observable
specious:
deceptively attractive
SUA: sweet, pleasing, to urge
assuage: to
make less severe, ease, relieve
suave:
smoothly agreeable or polite; sweet
SUB/SUP: below, under
subliminal:
existing or operating below the threshold of consciousness
subsidiary:
serving to assist or supplement
suppose: to
put down as a hypothesis; to use as the underlying basis of an argument; to
assume
SUMM: highest, total
consummate:
highly qualified; complete; perfect
summit:
highest point
SUPER/SUR: over, above
supercilious:
arrogant, haughty, condescending
superfluous:
extra, more than necessary
SYM/SYN: together
symbiosis:
living together in a mutually beneficial relationship
symposium: a
meeting at which ideas are discussed
T
TAC/TIC: to be silent
reticent:
disposed to be silent or not to speak freely
tacit:
unspoken understanding
taciturn:
uncommunicative
TEND/TENS/TENT/TENU: to stretch, to thin
attenuate: to
weaken or reduce in force
extenuating:
making less serious by offering excuses
THEO: god
apotheosis:
glorification, glorified ideal
theocracy: a
form of government in which a deity is recognized as the supreme ruler
THERM: heat
thermal:
relating to heat; retaining heat
thermonuclear:
relating to a nuclear reaction that takes place at high temperatures
TOR/TORQ/TORT: to twist
contort: to
twist; to distort
distort: to
pull out of shape, often by twisting; to twist or misrepresent facts
extort: to
wring money, property, or services out of somebody using threats or force
TORP: stiff, numb
torpid:
numbed; sluggish
torpor: numbness;
listlessness; apathy
TOX: poison
antitoxin: an
antibody that counteracts a given poison
toxic:
poisonous
TRANS: across, beyond
intransigent:
refusing to agree or compromise
transcendent: going
beyond ordinary limits
transgress: to
violate a law, command, or moral code
U
ULT: last, beyond
penultimate:
second-to-last
ulterior:
beyond what is immediately present; future; beyond what is stated; hidden
ultimate:
last; final
UMBR: shadow
adumbrate: to
foreshadow; to sketch; to overshadow
penumbra: a
shaded area between pure shadow and pure light
umbrage:
shade; shadow; displeasure; resentment
UN: not
unseen: not
seen
unusual: not
usual; exceptional; strange
UND: wave
abound: to be
plentiful; to overflow (from water flowing in waves)
inundate: to
flood
undulate: to
move in a wavelike way
UNI/UN: one
unanimous: of
one mind; incomplete accord
uniform: of
one kind; consistent
US/UT: to use
abuse: to
use wrongly or improperly
usurp: to
seize and hold
utilitarian: efficient, functional, useful
V
VAIL/VAL: strength, use, worth
ambivalent: being
caught between contradictory feelings of equal power or worth
avail: to
have force; to be useful; to be of value
convalescent:
recovering strength; healing
VEN/VENT: to come or to move toward
adventitious:
accidental contravene: to come into conflict with
convene: to
assemble for some public purpose
VER: truth
aver: to affirm, to
declare to be true
veracious:
habitually truthful
verisimilitude: the
appearance or semblance of truth
VERB: word
proverb: an
adage; a byword; a short, commonly known saying
verbatim:
exactly as stated; word-for-word
verbiage:
excessive use of words; diction
VERD: green
verdant: green
with vegetation; inexperienced
verdure:
fresh, rich vegetation
VI: life
convivial:
sociable
viable:
capable of living
vivacity: the
quality of being lively, animated, spirited
VIL: base, mean
revile: to
criticize with harsh language
vile: loathsome,
unpleasant
vilify: to
slander, to defame
VIRU: poison
virulent:
acrimonious; very bitter; very poisonous
viruliferous:
containing a virus
VOC/VOK: call, word
advocate: to
support or urge by argument
convoke: to
call together
vocabulary: the
stock of words used by or known to a particular person or group
vociferous:
crying out noisily
VOL: wish
benevolent:
characterized by or expressing goodwill
malevolent: characterized
by or expressing bad will
volition: free
choice, free will; act of choosing
VOLU/VOLV: to roll, to turn
convolution: a
twisting or folding
voluble:
easily turning; fluent; changeable
VOR: to eat
carnivorous:
meat-eating
omnivorous:
eating or absorbing everything
voracious:
having a great appetite
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