“A” List
6.
1.
aberration (noun): Deviation from a right, customary, or
prescribed course.
2. abet (verb): To aid, promote, or encourage the commission
of (an offense); to encourage or support by aid or approval,
usually in wrongdoing.
3. abhorrent (adjective): Very repugnant; hateful.
4. ablution (noun): A washing or cleansing, especially of the
body; a cleansing with water or other liquid, esp. as a
religious ritual.
5. abomination (noun): A very detestable act or practice; a vile,
shameful, or detestable action, condition, habit, etc.
6. aborigines (noun): The original of earliest known inhabitants
of a country.
7. abridge (verb): To make shorter in words, keeping the
essential features, leaving out minor particles; to shorten by
omissions while retaining the basic contents.
8. abrogate (verb): To abolish, repeal; to abolish by formal or
official means; annul by an authoritative act; repeal.
9. absolve (verb): To free from sin or its penalties.
10. abstemious (adjective): Characterized by self denial or
abstinence, as in the use of drink, food.
Greek/Latin Roots
a/n
Meaning
not, without
a
a, ab/s
on
from, away, off
a/c/d
to, toward, near
acro
top, height, tip
Modern Examples
abyss, anhydrous,
amoral
ashore, aside
abduct, abnormal,
absent
accelerate,
admittance
acrobat, acrophobia
canon (noun): A fundamental principle or general rule or law;
the body of rules, principles, or standards accepted as
axiomatic and universally binding in a field of study or art.
7. capitulate (verb): To surrender or stipulate terms.
8. caprice (noun): A tendency to change one's mind without
apparent or adequate motive; whimsicality; capriciousness.
9. cardiac (adjective): Pertaining to the heart.
10. caste (noun): The division of society on artificial grounds.
“E” List
10.
1.
11.
Greek/Latin Roots
Ana
Anim
Meaning
Up, back
Life, spirit
4.
Burs
Cand
Pouch, purse
Glowing,
iridescent
Down, against
Modern Examples
Analysis, anatomy
Equanimity,
animal
Bursar, disperse
Candid, candle
Cataclysm, catalog
7.
Cata
“D” List
1.
2.
“B” List
3.
1.
2.
4.
bauble (noun): a showy, usually cheap, ornament; trinket
beau (noun): a lover, sweetheart or escort of a girl or
woman.
3. bedeck (verb): to cover with ornament; to deck out; adorn,
especially in a showy or gaudy manner
4. bedlam (noun): a scene or state of wild uproar and
confusion; a madhouse
5. begrudge (verb): 1) to envy or resent the pleasure or good
fortune of; 2) to be reluctant to give, grant, or allow.
6. belie (verb): to misrepresent; to show to be false; contradict
7. belittle (verb): to regard or portray as less impressive or
important than appearances indicate; depreciate; disparage
8. belle (noun): a woman or girl admired for her beauty and
charm
9. bellicose (adjective): warlike; inclined or eager to fight;
aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious
10. beneficiary (noun): one who is lawfully entitled to the profits
and proceeds of an estate or property. A person or group that
receives benefits, profits, or advantages
Greek/Latin Roots
Act
Agr
Alt
Ambul
Ami
Meaning
Dp
Farming
High, deep
Walk, move
Love
Modern Examples
Activity, action
Agriculture, agrarian
Altimeter, altitude
Amble, ambulance
Amiable, amity
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
“C” List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
cabal (noun): A number of persons secretly united for
effecting by intrigue some private purpose; a small group of
secret plotters, as against a government or person in
authority.
cacophony (noun): A disagreeable, harsh, or discordant
sound or combination of sounds or tones.
cajole (verb): To impose on or dupe by flattering speech; to
persuade by flattery or promises; wheedle; coax.
callous (adjective): Hardened; insensitive; indifferent;
unsympathetic.
candid (adjective): Straightforward; honest and impartial;
frank; outspoken; open and sincere.
13.
2.
3.
5.
6.
8.
Darwinism (noun): (1) the doctrine that natural selection has
been the prime cause of evolution of higher forms; (2) the
Darwinian theory that species originate by descent, with
variation, from parent forms, through the natural selection of
those individuals best adapted for the reproductive success of
their kind; (3) a theory of the origin and perpetuation of new
species of animals and plants that offspring of a given
organism vary, that natural selection favors the survival of
some of these variations over others, that new species have
arisen and may continue to arise by these processes, and that
widely divergent groups of plants and animals have arisen
from the same ancestors
dearth (noun): scarcity, as of something customary, essential
,or desirable
dauntless (adjective): fearless; not to be daunted or
intimidated; intrepid; bold: a dauntless hero.
debase (verb): to lower in character or virtue; to lower in
rank, dignity, or significance
decaffeinated (adjective): hypocrisy coffee; coffee for weak
people who cannot appreciate the need for constant
greatness, a rapid heart rate, anxiety, and all sorts of other
fantastic sensations.
deceit (noun): falsehood; the act or practice of deceiving;
concealment or distortion of the truth for the purpose of
misleading; duplicity; fraud; cheating: Once she exposed their
deceit, no one ever trusted them again.
decimate (verb): to destroy a measurable or large proportion
of; to destroy a great number or proportion of: The
population was decimated by a plague.
deface (verb): to mar or disfigure the face or external surface
of
defame (verb): to slander; to attack the good name or
reputation of, as by uttering or publishing maliciously or
falsely anything injurious; slander or libel
defraud (verb): to deprive of something in a dishonest
manner; to deprive of a right, money, or property by fraud:
Dishonest employees defrauded the firm of millions of dollars.
degenerate (verb): to become worse or inferior; to fall below
a normal or desirable level in physical, mental, or moral
qualities; deteriorate: The morale of the soldiers degenerated,
and they were unable to fight.
demagogue (noun): an unprincipled politician; a person,
especially an orator or political leader, who gains power and
popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices
of the people
dystopia (noun): a society characterized by human misery; as
squalor, oppression, disease and overcrowding; an imaginary
place where everything is as bad as it can be
Greek/Latin Roots
Cert
Col
Meaning
Sure
Join
Com, Composition
Demi
Together
Half
Dia
Though, between,
across
Modern Examples
Certain, ascertain
Collaborate,
colloquial
Commemorate
Demimonde,
demitasse
Diagnosis, dialog
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
effrontery (noun): Unblushing impudence; shameless
boldness; barefaced audacity
egoism (noun): The theory that places man's chief good in the
completeness of self; the habit of valuing everything only in
reference to one's personal interest; selfishness
egregious adj. Extreme; extraordinary in some bad way;
glaring; flagrant
elegy (noun): A lyric poem lamenting the dead; a mournful,
melancholy, or plaintive poem, esp. a funeral song or a
lament for the dead
elucidate (verb): To bring out more clearly the facts
concerning; to provide clarification; explain
emaciate (verb): To waste away in flesh; to make abnormally
lean or thin by a gradual wasting away of flesh
embellish (verb): To make beautiful or elegant by adding
attractive or ornamental features; to enhance (a statement or
narrative) with fictitious additions
embroil (verb): To involve in dissension or strife; to throw
into confusion; complicate
emphatic (adjective): Spoken with any special impressiveness
laid upon an act, word, or set of words. uttered, or to be
uttered, with emphasis; strongly expressive
emulate (verb): To imitate with intent to equal or surpass; to
try to equal or excel; imitate with effort to equal or surpass
enamor (verb): To inspire with ardent love; to charm or
captivate
endemic (adjective): Peculiar to some specified country or
people; natural to or characteristic of a specific people or
place; native; indigenous
enthrall (verb): To bring or hold under any overmastering
influence; to captivate or charm
epic (noun): A poem celebrating in formal verse the mythical
achievements of great personages, heroes, etc.
epigram (noun): A pithy phrasing of a shrewd observation;
any witty, ingenious, or pointed saying tersely expressed
equivocate (verb): To use words of double meaning; to use
ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid
commitment or in order to mislead
erudite (adjective): Very-learned.
estrange (verb): To alienate.
extemporaneous (adjective): done, spoken, performed, etc.,
without special advance preparation; impromptu;
improvised; spoken, performed, etc, without planning or
preparation.
Greek/Latin Roots
Don
Duc(t)
Dys
Flor/fleur
Fract/frag
Meaning
Give
Lead
Abnormal
Flower
Break
Modern Examples
Donation, donor
Conduct, educate
Dystopia, dyslexia
Flora, florist
Facture. fragment
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Greek/Latin Roots
Fug
Gram
Heli(o)
Meaning
Flee/away
Letter, written
Sun
Herbi
Grass, plant
Iatr/o
Medical care
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
F (noun): a grade never found on any student’s work
should they actually read the entire novel studied in class,
write multiple drafts of any essay required for the course,
and study their vocabulary words.
facet (noun): an aspect or phase, as of a subject or
personality.
facetious (adjective): not meant to be taken seriously or
literally.
facilitate (verb): to make easier or less difficult; help
forward (an action, a process, etc.); to assist the progress
of.
fallacy (noun): any unsound or delusive mode of
reasoning, or anything based on such reasoning; a
deceptive, misleading, or false notion, belief, etc.
fanatic (noun): a person with an extreme and uncritical
enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion or politics.
fealty (noun): loyalty; the obligation or the engagement to
be faithful to a lord, usually sworn to by a vassal.
feign (verb): to represent fictitiously; put on an
appearance of; to imitate deceptively.
ferocity (noun): savageness; savage fierceness.
Modern Examples
Fugitive, refugee
Diagram, grammar
Heliograph,
heliotropism
Herbicide,
herbivore
Geriatrics,
pediatrician
“G” List
“F” List
1.
fervid (adjective): intensely passionate; heated or
vehement in spirit, enthusiasm, etc.
fictitious (adjective): not genuine or authentic; assumed;
false.
flagrant (adjective): openly scandalous; shockingly
noticeable or evident; obvious; glaring
floral (adjective): pertaining to flowers.
foible (noun): a personal weakness or failing; a minor
weakness or failing of character; slight flaw or defect.
foliage (noun): any growth of leaves; the leaves of a plant,
collectively; leafage.
fractious (adjective): readily angered; peevish; irritable;
quarrelsome.
13.
14.
15.
16.
gallant (adjective): possessing a brave or chivalrous spirit;
brave, spirited, noble-minded.
galvanize (verb): (1) to imbue with life or animation; to
startle into sudden activity; stimulate; (2) to cover (iron, steel,
etc) with a protective zinc coating by dipping into molten zinc
or by electrodeposition.
gamut (noun): the entire range or sequence.
garrulous (adjective): given to constant trivial talking;
excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner,
especially about trivial matters.
genealogy (noun): the direct descent of an individual or
group from an ancestor; (2) the study of the evolutionary
development of animals and plants from earlier forms.
germane (adjective): closely or significantly related; relevant;
pertinent.
gestation (noun): (1) pregnancy; the process, state or period
of carrying in the womb during the period from conception to
delivery; (2) the development of an idea or plan in the mind.
gesticulate (verb): to make gestures or motions, as in
speaking, or in place of speech; to express by or make
gestures.
gluttonous (adjective): given to excess in eating; greedy;
insatiable.
gossamer (noun): (1) a gauze or silk fabric of the very finest
texture; (2) something extremely light, flimsy, or delicate.
grandiose (adjective): having an imposing style or effect;
affectedly grand or important; pompous.
gratuitous (adjective): (1) given or received without payment
or obligation; (2) being without apparent reason, cause, or
justification.
gregarious (adjective): fond of the company of others;
sociable; not habitually solitary or living alone.
grimace (noun): a facial expression, often ugly or contorted,
indicating disapproval, pain, etc.
gullible (adjective): credulous, trusting, naive, innocent,
simple, green.
good (adjective): 1) a word often misused when one intends
to say “well”; 2) what teachers say instead of “terrible” but
do not want to hurt a student’s feelings; 3) what students
write when they cannot make the effort of finding a more
descriptive term.
Greek/Latin Roots
Idio
Meaning
Peculiar
Imag
Intra
Likeness
Within, inside
Inter
Between
Later
Side
Modern Examples
Idiosyncratic,
idiom
Imagery, imagine
Intrastate,
introvert
Interstate,
intersection
Bilateral, unilateral
“H” List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
halcyon (adjective): (1) calm; peaceful; tranquil; (2) happy;
joyful; carefree.
harangue (noun): a scolding or a long or intense verbal
attack; diatribe; (verb): to address (a person or crowd) in an
angry, vehement, or forcefully persuasive way.
heathen (noun): an irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized
person.
heinous (adjective): hateful; odious; abominable; totally
reprehensible.
heredity (noun): transmission of physical or mental qualities,
diseases, etc., from parent to offspring; the transmission from
one generation to another of genetic factors that determine
individual characteristics: responsible for the resemblances
between parents and offspring.
heresy (noun): an opinion or doctrine subversive of settled
beliefs or accepted principles; any belief or theory that is
strongly at variance with established beliefs, customs, etc.
hernia (noun): the protrusion of any internal organ in whole
or in part from its normal position; the protrusion of an organ
or tissue through an opening in its surrounding walls,
especially in the abdominal region.
heterogeneous (adjective): consisting of dissimilar elements
or ingredients of different kinds; composed of unrelated or
differing parts or elements.
hinder (verb): to obstruct; to cause delay, interruption, or
difficulty in; hamper; impede.
homogeneous (adjective): made up of similar parts or
elements; composed of parts or elements that are all of
the same kind.
homonym (noun): a word the same as another in sound and
spelling but different in meaning, as chase “to pursue” and
chase “to ornament metal.”
horde (noun): a gathered multitude of human beings.
hypocrisy (noun): extreme insincerity; a pretense of having a
virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles,
etc., that one does not really possess.
Greek/Latin Roots
Liber
Mal
Mar
Melan
Memor
Meaning
Free
Bad, wrong
Sea
Black
Remember
Modern Examples
Liberate, liberty
Malcontent, malaria
Marina, aquamarine
Melancholy
Commemorate,
memoir
“I” Words
1.
icon (noun): an image or likeness; a person or thing regarded
as a symbol of a belief, nation, community, or cultural
movement
2. idiom (noun): a use of words peculiar to a particular
language; a group of words whose meaning cannot be
predicted from the meanings of the constituent words, as for
example: It was raining cats and dogs.
3. idiosyncrasy (noun): a mental quality or habit peculiar to an
individual; a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that
is peculiar to an individual
4. ignominious (adjective): shameful; discreditable; humiliating
5. illiterate (adjective): having little or no book-learning
6. illuminate (verb): to supply with light
7. illusory (adjective): deceiving or tending to deceive, as by
false appearance
8. imbibe (verb): to drink or take in; to take or receive into the
mind, as knowledge, ideas, or the like: to imbibe a sermon; to
imbibe beautiful scenery
9. imbroglio (noun): a misunderstanding attended by ill feeling,
perplexity, or strife; a misunderstanding, disagreement, etc.,
of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or
nations; an intricate and perplexing state of affairs; a
complicated or difficult situation
10. immaculate (adjective): without spot or blemish; free from
moral blemish or impurity; pure; undefiled; free from fault or
flaw; free from errors: an immaculate text
11. immaterial (adjective): of no essential consequence
12. immerse (verb): to plunge or dip entirely under water or
other fluid
13. imminent (adjective): dangerous and close at hand
14. impassive (adjective): unmoved by or not exhibiting feeling;
without emotion; apathetic; unmoved
15. impeccable (adjective): blameless; faultless; flawless;
irreproachable: impeccable manners
16. impetus (noun): any impulse or incentive; a moving force;
stimulus
17. inception (noun): the beginning; the start
18. indict (verb): to find and declare chargeable with crime; (of a
grand jury) to bring a formal accusation against, as a means
of bringing to trial: The grand jury indicted him for murder
19. insatiable (adjective): that desires or craves immoderately or
unappeasably; incapable of being satisfied or appeased
4.
Greek/Latin Roots
Meta
Meaning
Change, after
8.
Mis
Mob
Mort
Narr
Bad, wrong
Move
Death
Tell
Modern Examples
Metaphysics,
metamorphosis
Misbehave, misnomer
Immobilize
Immortal, mortician
narration
5.
6.
7.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
“J” Words
1.
jargon (noun): 1) confused, unintelligible speech,
meaningless talk or writing; gibberish; 2) highly technical
speech; the language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a
particular trade, profession, or group.
2. jaundice (noun): 1) a morbid condition, due to obstructed
excretion of bile or characterized by yellowing of the skin;
yellow discoloration of the skin, whites of the eyes, etc., due
to an increase of bile pigments in the blood, often
symptomatic of certain diseases, as hepatitis; 2) a state of
feeling in which views are prejudiced or judgment is
distorted, as by envy or resentment; 3) (verb): to distort or
prejudice, as by envy or resentment: His social position
jaundiced his view of things.
3. jocular (adjective): inclined to joke; suited to joking or
jesting; waggish; facetious.
4. judicious (adjective): prudent; having, exercising, or
characterized by good or discriminating judgment; wise,
sensible, or well-advised.
5. jugular (adjective): pertaining to the throat or neck.
6. juncture (noun): 1) a point of time, especially one made
critical or important by a concurrence of circumstances: At
this juncture, we must decide whether to stay or to walk out.
2) an articulation, joint, or seam.
7. junta (noun): 1) a small group ruling a country, especially
immediately after a coup d'état and before a legally
constituted government has been instituted; 2) a council or
assembly that deliberates in secret upon the affairs of
government.
8. jurisdiction (noun): lawful power or right to exercise official
authority; the right, power, or authority to administer justice
by hearing and determining controversies.
9. jurisprudence (noun): 1) the science or philosophy of law; 2)
a department of law: medical jurisprudence.
10. juxtapose (verb): to place close together or side by side,
especially for comparison or contrast.
Greek/Latin Roots
Opt
Para
Ped
Pept
Photo
Meaning
Ship
No
Nerve
Eye
Path, way
Modern Examples
Circumnavigate, naval
Negate, renege
Neuralgia, neurotic
Binoculars, monocular
Diode, odometer
“K” Words
1.
2.
3.
keepsake (noun): anything kept, or given to be kept, as a
token of friendship or affection; remembrance.
kiln (noun): an oven or furnace for baking, burning, or drying
industrial products.
kimono (noun): a loose, wide-sleeved robe, fastened at the
waist with a wide sash, characteristic of Japanese costume.
Meaning
Best
Beside, beyond
Feet
Digestion
Light
Modern Examples
Optimal, optimize
Parasite, parallel
Pedal, pedicure
Dyepepsia, peptic
Photogenic, photon
18. lunacy (noun): 1) mental unsoundness; insanity; mental
disorder; 2) intermittent insanity, formerly believed to be
related to phases of the moon.
19. luster (noun): the state or quality of shining by reflecting
light; glitter, sparkle, sheen, or gloss: the luster of satin.
20. love (noun): an imagined emotion that—though many
believe exists—will never be found by anyone; the reason
why so many people die alone; the fictional reason for the
existence of Valentine’s Day.
Greek/Latin Roots
Plaud
Poli
Pseudo
Meaning
Approve, clap
City
Wrong, false
Pul
Urge
Purg
Clean
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
legislate (verb): to make or enact laws.
legitimate (adjective): having the sanction of law or
established custom; according to law; lawful; in accordance
with established rules, principles, or standards.
lenient (adjective): not harsh; agreeably tolerant; permissive;
indulgent.
lethargy (noun): prolonged sluggishness of body or mind; the
quality or state of being drowsy and dull, listless and
unenergetic, or indifferent and lazy; apathetic or sluggish
inactivity.
levee (noun): an embankment beside a river or stream or an
arm of the sea, to prevent overflow.
leviathan (noun): 1) any large animal, as a whale; a sea
monster; 2) anything of immense size and power, as a huge,
oceangoing ship.
levity (noun): frivolity; lightness of mind, character, or
behavior; lack of appropriate seriousness or earnestness.
levy (verb): to impose and collect by force or threat of force;
an imposing or collecting, as of a tax, by authority or force.
lewd (adjective): characterized by lust or lasciviousness;
inclined to, characterized by, or inciting to lust or lechery;
lascivious.
lexicon (noun): a dictionary; the vocabulary of a particular
language, field, social class, person, etc.
licentious (adjective): sexually unrestrained; unrestrained by
law or general morality; lawless; immoral.
ligament (noun): 1) that which binds objects together; 2)
anatomical definition—a band of tissue, usually white and
fibrous, serving to connect bones, hold organs in place, etc.
lingual (adjective): 1) of or pertaining to the tongue or some
tongue-like part; 2) pertaining to languages
litigation (noun): a lawsuit.
litigious (adjective): quarrelsome; inclined to dispute or
disagree.
livid (adjective): having a discolored, bluish appearance
caused by a bruise, congestion of blood vessels,
strangulation, etc., as the face, flesh, hands, or nails; 2)
enraged; furiously angry.
lucid (adjective): mentally sound; easily understood;
completely intelligible or comprehensible.
Modern Examples
Applaud, plausible
Metropolis, politics
Pseudonym,
pseudoscience
Compulsion,
impulsive
Purge, expurgate
“M” Words
“L” Words
10.
Greek/Latin Roots
Nav
Neg
Neur
Ocu
Od
kindle (verb): 1. to start (a fire); cause (a flame, blaze, etc.) to
begin burning; to ignite; 2. to excite; stir up or set going;
animate; rouse; inflame.
kindred 1. (noun): a person's relatives collectively; kinfolk;
kin; a group of persons related to another; family, tribe, or
race. 2. (adjective): associated by origin, nature, qualities,
etc.
kingpin (noun): 1. bowling the pin at the center; the number
five pin. 2. informal the person of chief importance in a
corporation, movement, undertaking, etc.
kiosk (noun): 1. a small structure having one or more sides
open, used as a newsstand, refreshment stand, bandstand,
etc. 2. a thick, column-like structure on which notices,
advertisements, etc., are posted.
kleptomania (noun): strong impulse to steal, especially when
there is no obvious motivation.
knead (verb): 1. to mix and work into a homogeneous mass,
especially with the hands; 2. to work (dough, clay, etc.) into a
uniform mixture by pressing, folding, and stretching.
knickers (noun): loose-fitting short trousers gathered in at
the knees.
knickknack (noun): a small article, more for ornament than
use.
knoll (noun): a small, rounded hill or eminence; hillock.
kowtow (verb): 1. to act in an obsequious manner; show
servile deference. 2. to touch the forehead to the ground
while kneeling, as an act of worship, reverence, apology, etc.,
especially in former Chinese custom.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
macrocosm (noun): the great world or universe; the universe
considered as a whole; the total or entire complex structure
of something (i.e. the macrocosm of war).
magnanimous (adj): generous in treating or judging others;
generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty
resentfulness or vindictiveness:
magnitude (noun): 1) size; extent; dimensions; 2) of great
importance or consequence.
malcontent (noun): one who is dissatisfied with the existing
state of affairs; (adjective): not satisfied or content with
currently prevailing conditions or circumstances.
malevolence (noun): ill will; malice; hatred.
malign (verb): to speak evil of, especially to do so falsely and
severely.
malleable (adj.): 1) capable of being extended or shaped by
hammering or by pressure from rollers; 2) adaptable.
martyr (noun): a person who willingly suffers death rather
than renounce his or her religion; a person who is put to
death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief,
principle, or cause.
matrix (noun): something that constitutes the place or point
from which something else originates, takes form, or
develops (i.e. The Greco-Roman world was the matrix for
Western civilization).
maudlin (adj.): foolishly and tearfully affectionate; tearfully
or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental.
medieval (adj.): of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or in the
style of the Middle Ages.
metaphysical (adj.): 1) philosophical—concerned with
abstract thought or subjects, as existence, causality, or truth;
2) highly abstract.
minion (noun): a servile follower or subordinate of a person
in power.
misanthrope (noun): a person who dislikes or distrusts other
people or mankind in general; a hater of mankind.
miser (noun): a person given to saving and hoarding unduly;
a person who lives in wretched circumstances in order to
save and hoard money; a stingy person.
mitigate (verb): to make less severe; to lessen in force or
intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain.
monogram (noun): a character consisting of two or more
letters interwoven into one, usually initials of a name; a
design consisting of two or more alphabetic letters combined
or interlaced, commonly one's initials, often printed on
stationery, embroidered on clothing, etc.
mundane (adj.): 1) worldly, as opposed to spiritual or
celestial; 2) common; ordinary; banal; unimaginative.
Greek/Latin Roots
Put
Pyro
Reg
Rhin/o
Meaning
Think
Fire
Guide, rule
Nose
Rid
Laugh
Modern Examples
Computer, dispute
Pyrotechnics, pyretic
Regent, regime
Rhinoplasty,
rhinoceros
Deride, ridicule
“N” Words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Narcissus (noun): Greek Mythology—a youth who fell in
love with his own image reflected in a pool and wasted away
from unsatisfied desire, whereupon he was transformed into
the flower.
natal (adjective): of or pertaining to a person's birth.
nebula (noun): gaseous body of unorganized stellar
substance; a visible, thinly spread cloud of interstellar gas and
dust.
necromancer (noun): one who practices the art of foretelling
the future by means of communication with the dead; a
method of divination through alleged communication with
the dead.
nefarious (adjective): extremely wicked or villainous;
iniquitous: a nefarious plot.
negate (verb): to deny the existence, evidence, or truth of: an
investigation tending to negate any supernatural influences.
negligence (noun): omission of that which ought to be done;
guilty of or characterized by neglect, as of duty: negligent
officials.
Nemesis (noun): 1) Classical Mythology— the goddess of
divine retribution; 2) an opponent or rival whom a person
cannot best or overcome.
neophyte (adjective): a beginner or novice.
neural (adjective): pertaining to the nerves or nervous
system.
nil (noun): nothing; naught; zero.
nomad (noun): 1) a member of a people or tribe that has no
permanent abode but moves about from place to place,
usually seasonally and often following a traditional route or
circuit according to the state of the pasturage or food supply;
2) any wanderer.
notorious (adjective): widely and unfavorably known: a
notorious gambler.
noxious (adjective): harmful or injurious to health or physical
well-being: noxious fumes.
numskull (noun): a dull-witted or stupid person; dolt.
Greek/Latin Roots
Rub
Scend
Serve
Sol
Somn/i
Meaning
Red
Climb, go
Save, keep
Alone
Sleep
Modern Examples
Ruby, rubella
Ascend, descend
Conserve, preserve
Desolate, solitary
Insomnia, somnolent
15. ostentatious (adjective): characterized by or given to
pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress
others: an ostentatious dresser; (of actions, manner, qualities
exhibited, etc.) intended to attract notice.
16. ostracize (verb): to exclude, by general consent, from
society, friendship, conversation, privileges, etc.: His friends
ostracized him after his father's arrest.
Greek/Latin Roots
Tort
Tox
Urb
Vince, vic
Xen
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
“O” Words
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
obdurate (adjective): unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender
feelings; stubborn; unyielding.
oblivion (noun): the state of having passed out of the
memory or of being utterly forgotten.
obsequies (noun): funeral rites or ceremonies.
obsolete (adjective): no longer in general use; fallen into
disuse: an obsolete expression.
obstetrics (noun): the branch of medical science concerned
with childbirth and caring for and treating women in or in
connection with childbirth. Abbreviation: OB, ob
occlude (verb): to close, shut, or stop up (a passage, opening,
etc.).
oculist (noun): one versed or skilled in treating diseases of
the eye; an optometrist.
odious (adjective): hateful; highly offensive; repugnant;
disgusting.
olfactory (adjective): of or pertaining to the sense of smell.
ominous (adjective): portending evil or harm; foreboding;
threatening; inauspicious: an ominous bank of dark clouds.
omniscient (adjective): characterized by unlimited or infinite
knowledge; having complete or unlimited knowledge,
awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things.
opaque (adjective): not transparent or translucent;
impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.
opulent (adjective): wealthy, rich, or affluent.
orthodox (adjective): 1) of, pertaining to, or conforming to
the approved form of any doctrine, philosophy, ideology, etc.;
2) customary or conventional, as a means or method;
established.
Modern Examples
Contortion, retort
Detoxification, toxicology
Suburb, urban
Convince, victory
Xenophobia, xenophile
“P” Words
10.
1.
Meaning
Twist
Poison
City
Conquer
Foreign
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
pagan (noun): a worshiper of false gods; an irreligious or
hedonistic person.
paleontology (noun): the branch of biology that treats of
ancient life and fossil organisms; the science of the forms of
life existing in former geologic periods, as represented by
their fossils.
palliate (verb): to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate;
alleviate.
pallid (adjective): of a pale or wan appearance; pale; faint or
deficient in color; wan: a pallid countenance.
palpable (noun): perceptible by feeling or touch; capable of
being touched or felt; tangible.
panacea (noun): a remedy or medicine proposed for or
professing to cure all diseases; a remedy for all disease or ills;
cure-all.
pandemic (adjective): (of a disease) prevalent throughout an
entire country, continent, or the whole world; epidemic over
a large area.
panorama (noun): an unobstructed and wide view of an
extensive area in all directions; an extended pictorial
representation or a cyclorama of a landscape or other scene,
often exhibited a part at a time and made to pass
continuously before the spectators.
pantomime (noun): the art or technique of conveying
emotions, actions, feelings, etc., by gestures without speech.
papal (adjective): of or pertaining to the pope or the papacy:
a papal visit to Canada; of or pertaining to the Roman
Catholic Church.
parable (noun): a short allegorical story designed to illustrate
or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson; a
statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by
the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.
paradox (noun): a statement or proposition that seems selfcontradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible
truth.
paramount (adjective): chief in importance or impact;
supreme; preeminent: a point of paramount significance.
paraphernalia (noun): miscellaneous articles of equipment or
adornment; equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used in or
necessary for a particular activity: a skier's paraphernalia.
paraphrase (verb): translate freely; to put (something) into
other words; restate (something).
platonic (adjective): ( usually lowercase ) purely spiritual; free
from sensual desire, especially in a relationship between two
persons of the opposite sex; (usually what one person tells
another person in terms of what they want in their
relationship when they are not attracted to them.)
profundity (noun): the quality or state of being profound;
depth.
Greek/Latin Roots
a/n
Meaning
not, without
a
a, ab/s
on
from, away, off
a/c/d
to, toward, near
acro
top, height, tip
Modern Examples
abyss, anhydrous,
amoral
ashore, aside
abduct, abnormal,
absent
accelerate,
admittance
acrobat, acrophobia
“Q” Words
1.
quack (noun): a fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical
skill.
2. quackery (noun): charlatanry; the practice or methods of a
quack.
3. qualm (noun): an uneasy feeling or pang of conscience as to
conduct; compunction: He has no qualms about lying.
4. quandary (noun): a puzzling predicament; a state of
perplexity or uncertainty, especially as to what to do;
dilemma.
5. quarantine (noun): the enforced isolation of any person or
place infected with contagious disease; a strict isolation
imposed to prevent the spread of disease.
6. querulous (adjective): habitually complaining; full of
complaints.
7. query (verb): to make inquiry; to ask or inquire about: No one
queried his presence. (noun): a question; an inquiry.
8. queue (noun): a file of persons waiting in order of their
arrival, as for admittance; to form in a line while waiting
(often followed by up ).
9. quibble (verb): to make trivial objections; prevaricate; (noun):
an utterly trivial distinction or objection; a trivial objection or
equivocation, especially one used to avoid an issue.
10. quintessential (adjective): of the pure and essential essence
of something; of or pertaining to the most perfect
embodiment of something: the quintessential performance of
the Brandenburg Concertos.
11. quixotic (adjective): ( sometimes initial capital letter )
resembling or befitting Don Quixote; chivalrous or romantic
to a ridiculous or extravagant degree; extravagantly
chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or
impracticable.
Greek/Latin Roots
Act
Agr
Alt
Ambul
Ami
Meaning
Dp
Farming
High, deep
Walk, move
Love
Modern Examples
Activity, action
Agriculture, agrarian
Altimeter, altitude
Amble, ambulance
Amiable, amity
12. redress (verb): to set right, as a wrong by compensation or
the punishment of the wrong-doer.
13. refute (verb): to prove to be false or erroneous, as an opinion
or charge.
14. regale (verb): to entertain lavishly or agreeably; delight.
Greek/Latin Roots
Ana
Anim
Meaning
Up, back
Life, spirit
Burs
Cand
Pouch, purse
Glowing,
iridescent
Down, against
Cata
Cataclysm, catalog
“S” Words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
“R” Words
10.
ramification (noun): a related or derived subject, problem,
etc.; outgrowth; consequence; implication: The new tax law
proved to have many ramifications unforeseen by the
lawmakers.
2. rampant (adjective): 1) growing, climbing, or running without
check or restraint; 2) unrestrained or violent in behavior,
desire, opinions, etc.
3. rancor (noun): bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred;
malice.
4. rapine (noun): the act of seizing and carrying off property by
superior force, as in war; the violent seizure and carrying off
of another's property; plunder.
5. ravenous (adjective): extremely hungry; famished; voracious:
feeling ravenous after a hard day's work.
6. rebuff (noun): a peremptory or unexpected rejection of
advances or approaches; a blunt or abrupt rejection, as of a
person making advances; (verb): to give a rebuff to; check;
repel; refuse; drive away.
7. recede (verb): to move back or away; to go or move away;
retreat; go to or toward a more distant point; withdraw.
8. recidivism (noun): repeated or habitual relapse, as into
crime; Psychiatry the chronic tendency toward repetition of
criminal or antisocial behavior patterns.
9. reconcile (adjective): to cause (a person) to accept or be
resigned to something not desired: He was reconciled to his
fate; to bring into agreement or harmony; make compatible
or consistent: to reconcile differing statements; to reconcile
accounts.
10. reconnoiter (verb): 1) to inspect, observe, or survey (the
enemy, the enemy's strength or position, a region, etc.) in
order to gain information for military purposes; 2) to examine
or survey (a region, area, etc.) for engineering, geological, or
other purposes.
11. rectify (verb): to make, put, or set right; remedy; correct.
Modern Examples
Analysis, anatomy
Equanimity,
animal
Bursar, disperse
Candid, candle
1.
11.
12.
13.
14.
sacrilege (noun): the act of violating or profaning anything
sacred.
sagacious (adjective): having or showing acute mental
discernment and keen practical sense; shrewd: a sagacious
lawyer.
salient (adjective): standing out prominently; prominent or
conspicuous: salient traits.
sanctimonious (adjective): making an ostentatious display or
hypocritical pretense of holiness or piety; making a
hypocritical show of religious devotion, piety, righteousness,
etc.
sardonic (adjective): characterized by bitter or scornful
derision; mocking; cynical; sneering: a sardonic grin.
satiate (verb): to satisfy fully the appetite or desire of; to
supply with anything to excess, so as to disgust or weary;
surfeit.
scintillate (verb): 1) to emit or send forth sparks or little
flashes of light; 2) to sparkle; flash: a mind that scintillates
with brilliance.
scurrilous (adjective): 1) grossly or obscenely abusive: a
scurrilous attack on the mayor; characterized by or using low
buffoonery; 2) coarsely jocular or derisive: a scurrilous jest.
sectarian (adjective): narrowly confined or limited in interest,
purpose, scope, etc.; narrow-minded, especially as a result of
rigid adherence to a particular sect.
sentient (adjective): having the power of perception by the
senses; conscious.
sequester (verb): to remove or withdraw into solitude or
retirement; seclude.
skeptic (noun): a person who questions the validity or
authenticity of something purporting to be factual.
solstice (noun): either of the two times a year when the sun is
at its greatest distance from the celestial equator: about June
21, when the sun reaches its northernmost point on the
celestial sphere (the summer solstice), or about December
22, when it reaches its southernmost point (the winter
solstice).
sophomoric (adjective): intellectually pretentious,
overconfident, conceited, etc., but immature: sophomoric
questions; childish, adolescent, juvenile.
Greek/Latin Roots
Don
Duc(t)
Dys
Flor/fleur
Fract/frag
Meaning
Give
Lead
Abnormal
Flower
Break
Modern Examples
Donation, donor
Conduct, educate
Dystopia, dyslexia
Flora, florist
Facture. fragment
“T” Words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
6.
tact (noun): a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving
offense; skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations;
fine or ready mental discernment shown in saying or doing
the proper thing.
tangent (adjective): in immediate physical contact; touching.
tannery (noun): a place where leather is tanned (tan (verb):
to convert [a hide] into leather, especially by soaking or
steeping in a bath prepared from tanbark or synthetically).
tantamount (adjective): having equal or equivalent value,
effect, or import; equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or
signification: His angry speech was tantamount to a
declaration of war.
tarnish (verb): to diminish or destroy the purity of; stain;
sully: The scandal tarnished his reputation; to lessen or
destroy the luster of in any way.
teem (verb): to abound or swarm; be prolific or fertile
(usually followed by with ); to be full to overflowing.
temerity (noun): reckless boldness; rashness.
temporal (adjective): 1) of or pertaining to time; 2) pertaining
to or concerned with the affairs of the present life.
tenet (noun): any opinion, principle, dogma, or doctrine that
a person believes or maintains as true; any opinion, principle,
doctrine, dogma, etc., especially one held as true by members
of a profession, group, or movement.
terse (adjective): 1) neatly or effectively concise; brief and
pithy, as language; 2) abruptly concise; curt; brusque.
theocracy (noun): a form of government in which God or a
deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God's or
deity's laws being interpreted by the ecclesiastical
authorities.
theorize (verb): to speculate
thoroughfare (noun): a road, street, or the like, that leads at
each end into another street; a major road or highway.
timorous (adjective): lacking courage; full of fear; fearful: The
noise made them timorous.
tirade (noun): a prolonged outburst of bitter, outspoken
denunciation: a tirade against smoking.
test (noun) Teacher definition: a phenomenal opportunity for
students to improve their academic standing and reveal their
knowledge of a subject through the use of studying (a review
technique foreign to some students) and practice (another
useful but underused strategy in preparation); Student
definition: a device used by teachers to torment students and
force them to cram for long seconds moments before it is
given to them.
Greek/Latin Roots
Fug
Gram
Heli(o)
Meaning
Flee/away
Letter, written
Sun
Herbi
Grass, plant
Iatr/o
Medical care
Modern Examples
Fugitive, refugee
Diagram, grammar
Heliograph,
heliotropism
Herbicide,
herbivore
Geriatrics,
pediatrician
“U”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
ubiquitous (adjective): existing or being everywhere,
especially at the same time; omnipresent.
ulterior (adjective): 1) being beyond what is seen or avowed;
intentionally kept concealed: ulterior motives. 2) coming at a
subsequent time or stage; future; further: ulterior action.
ultimatum (noun): a final, uncompromising demand or set of
terms issued by a party to a dispute, the rejection of
which may lead to a severance of relations or to the use of
force; a final statement or proposal, as concerning terms or
conditions.
umbrage (noun): offense; annoyance; displeasure: to feel
umbrage at a social snub; to give umbrage to someone; to
take umbrage at someone's rudeness.
unaffected (adjective): free from affectation; sincere;
genuine: The man showed unaffected grief at the death of his
former opponent.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
unbecoming (adjective): detracting from one's appearance,
character, or reputation; unattractive or unseemly: an
unbecoming hat; unbecoming language.
unbridled (adjective): not controlled or restrained: unbridled
enthusiasm.
underhanded (adjective): clandestinely (secretly or covertly)
carried on.
undermine (verb): 1) to injure or destroy by insidious activity
or imperceptible stages, sometimes tending toward a sudden
dramatic effect; 2) to attack by indirect, secret, or underhand
means; attempt to subvert by stealth; 3) to subvert in an
underhand way.
understate (verb): to fail to put strongly enough, as a case; to
state or represent less strongly or strikingly than the facts
would bear out; set forth in restrained, moderate, or weak
terms: The casualty lists understate the extent of the disaster.
undulate (verb): to move like a wave or in waves; to move
with a sinuous or wavelike motion; display a smooth risingand-falling or side-to-side alternation of movement: The flag
undulates in the breeze.
ungainly (adjective): not graceful; awkward; unwieldy;
clumsy: an ungainly child; an ungainly prose style.
unison (noun): a condition of perfect agreement and accord;
a process in which all elements behave in the same way at
the same time; simultaneous or synchronous parallel action:
to march in unison.
upbraid (verb): to reproach as deserving blame; to find fault
with or reproach severely; censure: The military tribunal
upbraided the soldier for his cowardice.
uproot (verb): to displace, as from a home or country; tear
away, as from customs or a way of life: to uproot a people.
Greek/Latin Roots
Idio
Meaning
Peculiar
Imag
Intra
Likeness
Within, inside
Inter
Between
Later
Side
Modern Examples
Idiosyncratic,
idiom
Imagery, imagine
Intrastate,
introvert
Interstate,
intersection
Bilateral, unilateral
“V” Words
vacillate (verb): to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or
irresolute: His tendency to vacillate makes him a poor leader.
2. vacuous (adjective): without contents; empty; lacking in
ideas or intelligence: a vacuous mind.
3. vagabond (noun): a wanderer; a person, usually without a
permanent home, who wanders from place to place; nomad.
vagrant (noun): an idle wanderer; an idle person without
visible means of support, as a tramp or beggar.
4. vainglory (noun): excessive, pretentious, and demonstrative
vanity; excessive elation or pride over one's own
achievements, abilities, etc.; boastful vanity.
5. vale (noun): level or low land between hills; a valley.
6. vapid (adjective): having lost sparkling quality and flavor;
lacking or having lost life, sharpness, or flavor; insipid; flat.
7. vaudeville (noun): theatrical entertainment consisting of a
number of individual performances, acts, or mixed numbers,
as by comedians, singers, dancers, acrobats, and magicians; a
theatrical piece of light or amusing character, interspersed
with songs and dances; a variety show.
8. vehement (adjective): zealous; ardent; impassioned: a
vehement defense; vehement enthusiasm; characterized by
rancor or anger; violent: vehement hostility.
9. venal (adjective): willing to sell one's influence, especially in
return for a bribe; open to bribery; mercenary: a venal judge.
10. veneer (noun): a superficially valuable or pleasing
appearance: a cruel person with a veneer of kindliness.
11. venerable (adjective): meriting or commanding high esteem;
commanding respect because of great age or impressive
dignity; worthy of veneration or reverence, as because of
high office or noble character: a venerable member of
Congress.
12. venison (noun): the flesh of a deer or similar animal as used
for food.
13. versatile (adjective): capable of or adapted for turning easily
from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.:
a versatile writer; having or capable of many uses: a versatile
tool.
14. vicarious (adjective): performed, exercised, received, or
suffered in place of another: vicarious punishment; taking the
place of another person or thing; acting or serving as a
substitute.
15. vignette (noun): 1) a short graceful literary essay or sketch;
2) a decorative design or small illustration used on the title
page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter; 3) a
small, graceful literary sketch.
Greek/Latin Roots
Liber
Mal
Mar
Melan
Memor
Meaning
Free
Bad, wrong
Sea
Black
Remember
Modern Examples
Liberate, liberty
Malcontent, malaria
Marina, aquamarine
Melancholy
Commemorate,
memoir
“V” Words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
1.
15.
vapid adj. Having lost sparkling quality and flavor.
vacillate verb to alternate or waver between different
opinions or actions; be indecisive.
vassal n. A slave or bondman; a person or country in a
subordinate position to another
veneer n. Outside show or elegance. venal adj. Mercenary,
corrupt.
venial adj. That may be pardoned or forgiven, a forgivable sin.
veracity n. Truthfulness.
verbatim adv. Word for word.
verbose adj. using or expressed in more words than are
needed; Wordy.
vestment n. 1) a chasuble or other robe worn by the clergy or
choristers during services.2) a garment, especially a
ceremonial or official robe..
vignette n. A picture having a background or that is shaded
off gradually
vivify v. To endue with life.
virulent adj. Exceedingly noxious or deleterious
volition n. An act or exercise of will.
voluptuous adj. having fullness of beautiful form, as a
woman, with or without sensuous or sensual quality.
voracious adj. Eating with greediness or in very large
quantities
Greek/Latin Roots
Meta
Meaning
Change, after
Mis
Mob
Mort
Narr
Bad, wrong
Move
Death
Tell
Modern Examples
Metaphysics,
metamorphosis
Misbehave, misnomer
Immobilize
Immortal, mortician
narration
“W and X” Words
1.
waif n. 1) A homeless, neglected wanderer. 2) a piece of
property thrown away by a fleeing thief and held by the state
in trust for the owner to claim.
2. waive v. To relinquish, especially temporarily, as a right or
claim
3. wane v. To diminish in size and brilliancy
4. whet v. To make more keen or eager.
5. whimsical adj. playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an
appealing and amusing way; Capricious.
6. wean v. To transfer (the young) from dependence on
mother's milk to another form of nourishment.
7. wee adj. Very small.
8. winsome adj. attractive or appealing in appearance or
character.
9. wittingly adv. With knowledge and by design.
10. wreak v. To inflict, as a revenge or punishment.
11. wry adj. Deviating from that which is proper or right.
12. Xenophobia (noun): a fear of foreigners or strangers
13. Xenogeneic (adjective): of a disease, derived from an
individual of a different species
14. Xenoliths (noun): fragment of extraneous rock embedded in
magma or another rock
Greek/Latin Roots
Nav
Neg
Neur
Ocu
Od
Meaning
Ship
No
Nerve
Eye
Path, way
Modern Examples
Circumnavigate, naval
Negate, renege
Neuralgia, neurotic
Binoculars, monocular
Diode, odometer
“Y and Z” Words
1.
yearling n. A young animal past its first year and not yet two
years old.
2. Yeoman (noun): 1) an attendant or officer in a royal or noble
household, 2) a person who owns and cultivates a small farm,
3) one that performs great and loyal service
3. Yonder adv. at some distance in the direction indicated; over
there.
4. Yoke n. a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks
of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are
to pull.
5. Yore n. of long ago or former times (used in nostalgic or
mock-nostalgic recollection).
6. Zany adj. amusingly unconventional and idiosyncratic.
7. zealot n. One who espouses a cause or pursues an object in
an immoderately partisan manner.
8. zeitgeist n. The intellectual and moral tendencies that
characterize any age or epoch.
9. Zek (noun): an inmate in a prison labor camp
10. zenith n. The culminating-point of prosperity, influence, or
greatness.
11. zephyr n. Any soft, gentle wind.
12. Zest n. 1) great enthusiasm and energy. 2) the outer colored
part of the peel of citrus fruit, used as flavoring.
Greek/Latin Roots
Opt
Para
Ped
Pept
Photo
Meaning
Best
Beside, beyond
Feet
Digestion
Light
Modern Examples
Optimal, optimize
Parasite, parallel
Pedal, pedicure
Dyepepsia, peptic
Photogenic, photon