Vocabulary and Memorization

In the following lesson, we will see some great ways to memorize rules, formulas,
the results of certain common calculations, and lots of vocabulary. Although
vocabulary used in GMAT is mostly at the level that one might expect to find in
financial magazines rather than in high-level literature, some of the words and
idioms used in the test may prove to be hard for you.
Whether you are a native speaker or not, it will prove VERY useful to go over the
following list of words and make sure that you know (and understand) each and
every word. The lesson on memorization will help you with these words that you
dont know. No need to go over them all at once! Screening the words and
memorizing is a daily task that will be more efficient and effective if it is done during
the next few weeks.
But heres an important tip: there are lots of words that we can understand even if
this is the first time that we meet them, just because we know their building
blocks. The basic building block is either a base word, such as the word event, which
has a meaning on its own; or a root word, such as vis, which cannot stand alone as
word; it might be combined with another root, or with a prefix or a suffix We use
prefixes in the beginning of a word, and suffixes at the end.
For example:
Prefix + Base word + Suffix

unsuccessful

Prefix + Root word + Suffix

invisible

There are also combining forms, which are words that can be part of longer words,
whether they appear in the beginning or in the end, as in:

photograph
So before we move to the full list of words that are very common on the GMAT, we
should get familiar with the common prefixes, suffixes, combining forms, and root
words. They are the key for the meanings of many thousands of words:

PREFIXES and combining forms

Prefix /

Meaning

Example

Root
ab-

away; away from

absacad-

abjure give up rights

abstain - refrain from

toward; to

accompany - go with
someone, escort

af-

absorb to take up by

ag-

absorption

al-

affix - attach to

anapasat-

something else
agile - quick, active
allocate - divide or give
out for a reason
annihilate - destroy
appease - turn something
peaceful, quiet
associate - connect with
something else

atone - pay the price for

doing wrong
act,

to do; to act

action process of doing

agent - person who acts
on behalf of another

ag
bas

low

baseline minimum used

for comparison

cap,

to take; to hold; to seize

capable able to achieve

whatever one has to do

capit

head

cata

down; against; back

cataclysm - violent
upheaval bringing about
great destruction

circum

roundabout; around

circumference
boundary line of an
object

contra

against; opposite

contrary - completely

captain person in
command of a ship

different
counterfeit - being the

counter

cred,

opposite of real
belief

creditable deserving
acknowledgement but
not necessarily
outstanding

de

opposite; remove; reduce

deforestation - cutting
down and removing all or

most trees in a forested

area
dia

through; across; from point to point

diameter straight line

segment passing through
the center of a figure

epi

upon; outer; beside; after; attached

epicenter focal point of

a usually harmful
phenomenon

equ

equal; even

equality the state of

being equal

ex,

out; away; outside; out of

e
extra,

exhale to breathe out

emit release, give out

outside; beyond

extraordinary highly
exceptional; remarkable

extro

extrovert friendly and

social person
fac,

to make, to do

facile easily achieved

factory building where
goods are manufactured

fact,
fic

fiction statement that is

false

fore

before in time, rank, or position

foredeck forward part

of a ship

hetero

different; other

heterosexual sexually
oriented to persons of
the opposite sex

homo,

same; like

homogeny similarity in
structure between organs

homeo

homeostasis - tendency
to keep a stable
environment
hyper

over (implying excess or exaggeration)

hyperbole - figure of
speech in which
exaggeration is used for
effect

hypo

low; under; beneath; down; below

hypoglycemia low
blood sugar

il,

not

illegal - not legal, against

the law

im,

impossible - not

in,

possible, cannot be done

ir

inefficient - not efficient,

wasting a lotirregular
contrary to rule

inflame; ingenious
in

Having an intensive or causative function

inter

between; among

interaction - reciprocal
effect or action

intra,
intro

inwardly; within

intragroup - within the

group

introspective act of
looking into ones self
mis,

negate

mit

to send

misanthrope one who

hates people
admit allow to enter

non

not

nonprofessional one
who is not a professional

ob,

toward; to; over; against; over

obstruct block; get in

the way of

oc,

occlusion - closing,

of,

shutting off, blocking out

op

offend - insult, cause pain

oppose - stand up
against/to

par

equal

parity state of being

equal

para

alongside; beside; near; resembling; beyond; paranormal Beyond the

apart from

range of human
experience

per

through

perforated bored
through

peri

around

pericardium around the

heart

plic

to fold; to bend; to turn

complicate make
(something) more
difficult

re

again; repeat

resuscitate to restore
consciousness

retro

backward

retrofit to install for use

on an existing structure

se

apart

segment any of the

parts by which something
can be divided

secu,

to follow

consecutive following
continuously

sequ

sequel something that

takes place after an
earlier event
spec,

to appear; to look; to see

example of its species for

spect,

science

spic

sta,

specimen used as an

inspect look at closely

to stand; to make a stand

status position of affairs

at a particular time

stat

stable not likely to

change
su
sub

under; beneath; below

suspect - think without

having proof

suc

subdue to overcome; to

suf

vanquish

sug
sum

succumb - forced to do,

stop to resist, give in

sup

sufficient - is enough
suggest - put for

sur

consideration

sus

summon - request
someone to come
suppress - put down by
force
surrender - give up, stop
fighting
sustain - support,
strengthen

super,

over; beyond; above; of greater quality

supercilious overbearing; haughty; proud

sur

surplus - more than, extra

syn

with; together; along with

synchronize - make
happen at the same time

sym

sympathize - go along

syl

with others feelings

sys

syllable - one or more

letters that together form
one sound
system - set of connected
things
tact

to touch

tactile connected with

the sense of touch

tele

far; far off; afar

telescope device used

to detect or observe
distant objects

ten

to hold

tenable able to be
maintained

tra,

across; through; over

traverse - travel across or

through

trans

transaction - putting
through a business or
other type of deal
ultra

beyond; exceeding; ulterior

ultraviolet - outside the

violet end of the visible
spectrum

un

not

unforgettable impossible to forget; very

memorable

under

insufficient; beneath

underwater situated
beneath the surface of
the water

with

against

withdraw - act of moving

something away or taking
something away

alone or in groups

ambi

both

ambidextrous - able to
use the right and left
hands equally well

a,

not; without

an

atypical - not typical

anonymous - not
identified by name; of an
unknown name

arch

chief; first; rule

archangel - an angel of
high rank

co,

with; together

converge - come from

different directions and

col,

meet
com,

collateral - connected

con,
cor

combine - unite, merge

conference - meeting
correlate - create a
relationship or
connection

dis,
dif

not; opposite of; reverse; separate; deprive

disproportion - being out

of; away

of proportion with
something else
differentiate separate;
distinguish

ego

self; self-importance

egotistical - excessively
conceited

Time, amount and size

ante

before

antecedent - preceding in
time or order; previous or
preexisting

bi

two

bifurcate - divide into two

branches or forks

chron

time

chronology arrangement of events in

the order of their
occurrence

demi,

half; partial

demigod - half god-like;

partly divine

hemi,

hemisphere - half of a
semi

sphere; half of the earth

semiconscious - only
partially conscious

di

two; twice; double

diverge - to move in
different directions from
a common point

macro,
magn,
magna,

large; long; great

macrophage - a large
phagocytic cell
magnum - great, in size; a
large bottle for wine

magni,
magnanimous - great of
mega,

mind and heart

megalo

magnify - make very large

megaphone - device for

magnifying sound
megalomaniac - person
obsessed with his own
power
micro

small; millionth

microwave - small oven

that cooks or heats food
very quickly using
electromagnetic waves

mini

small; short

minute very tiny

amount

mono

one

monopoly - absence of
competition, which often
results in high prices and
inferior products

multi

many; much

multiply - to increase the

amount, number, or
degree of

olig

few; little

oligarchy - small group of

people having control of a
country, organization, or
institution

omni

all; every

omniscient knowing
everything

out

bigger; better; longer

outclass - be far superior

to

over

excessive; above

overwork (v) - exhaust

with too much work

pan

all

panacea - solution or
remedy for all difficulties
or diseases

pent

five

pentagram - five-pointed
star

poly

many

polygon - figure with at

least three straight sides
and angles

post

after; behind

postpone - arrange for

something to take place
at a time later than first
scheduled

pre

before

precede come before in

time

prim

first

primary - of chief
importance; principal

proto

first

prototype - a first, typical

or preliminary model of
something

quadri,
tetr

four

quadruplets - four
children born in one
birth
tetragon - quadrilateral,
polygon with four sides

tri

three

triangle - figure with

three straight sides and
three angles

uni

one

uniform - not changing in

form or character

Objects and actions

anthropo

man

anthropology - study of
humankind

aqua

water

aquatic (n) - having to do

with water

aud

to hear; listen

audience - assembled
spectators or listeners at
a public event

be

on; around; over; about; excessively; make;

belittle - make (someone

cause; name; affect

or something) seem
unimportant

bibl

book

bibliophile - person who

collects or has a great
love of books

bio

life

biology - the science of

life or living matter

cred

believe

credence - belief in or
acceptance of something
as true

cic,

say; speak

of words and phrases in

dict

dyn

diction - choice and use

speech
power

dynamic (n) - force that

stimulates change or
progress within a system

em,

put into; make; provide with; surround with

en

emblaze - light, ignite

enamor - be filled with a
feeling of love for

gen

kind

generous - showing
kindness toward others

geo

Earth

geography - study of
physical features of the
Earth

graph,

write; written; draw

graphic - relating to visual

art, especially involving

gram

drawing, engraving, or
lettering
grammar - written rules
of a language
hydr

water

hydrophobia - extreme or
irrational fear of water

manu; mani

hand

manual - handbook

mater

mother

maternal - related
through the mother's side
of the family

meta

beyond; change

metabolism - chemical
processes that occur
within a living organism in
order to maintain life

meter,

measure

meter - fundamental unit

of length in the metric

metr

system
metrology - science of
measurement

nav

ship; sail

navigate - plan and

direct the route or course
of a ship, aircraft, or
other form of
transportation

pater

father

patriarchy - a system of
society or government in
which men hold
power

ped,
pod

foot

pedestrian - a person
walking on foot
podiatry - a branch of
medicine devoted to the
study of the foot

mis,

hatred

misanthrope - he who
hates mankind

miso

misogyny - hatred or
dislike of women or girls
phil

love

philanthropy - desire to
promote welfare of
others

phon

sound

phonograph - any soundreproducing machine

using records

photo

light

photogenic - looking
attractive in photographs
or on film

psych

mind; soul

psychopath - person
suffering from chronic
mental disorder with
violent social behavior

pyr

fire; heat

pyromania - obsessive
desire to set fire to things

scrib,

write

scribe - person who

copies out documents

script

scripture - any sacred

writings
spect

look; see

spectrum - band of
colors, as seen in a
rainbow

tech

skill; art

technocrat - exponent or
advocate of technocracy

therm

heat

thermostat - device that

automatically regulates
temperature

viv

alive; life

vivacious - attractively
lively and animated

voc

calling

vocation - strong feeling

of suitability for a
particular career

Qualities
bene

good; well; gentle

beneficial - favorable or
advantageous; resulting
in good

brev

short

brevity - shortness of
time

clar

clear

clarify - make (a
statement or situation)
less confused

crypt

hidden; secret

cryptography - art of
writing or solving codes

cycl

wheel; circle; circular

cyclone - system of winds

rotating inward

dys

bad; abnormal; difficult; impaired;

dysfunctional - not

unfavorable

operating normally or
properly

eu/e/u

pleasant; well; good

eulogy - speech or piece

of writing that praises
someone or something
highly

fort

strength; strong

fortitude - courage in
pain or adversity

mal

bad; badly

malady - a disease or
ailment

mis

bad; improper

mischance - unfortunate
accident

neo

new

neophyte - person who is

new to a subject, skill, or
belief

pot

strength; ability

potential - showing the

capacity to become
something in the future

pro

forward; in favor of

propulsion - driving
forward
proponent - supporter

pseudo

false

pseudonym - false name

(sometimes used by
authors)

vice

in place of

vice-president - acts in
place of president

Suffixes

Suffix

meaning

example

-ate

to cause

complicate - make
(something) more
difficult or confusing by
causing it to be more
complex

-cip,

to take; to hold, to seize

receive be given or
presented with

-cept,

something

-ceive
recipient person that
receives something
reception process of
receiving something sent
-ced,

to go; to give in

precede came before in

order

-cede

access (v) approach or

-ceed

enter
-cess
proceed begin a course
of action
-duc

to lead

-duct

induce bring about

aqueduct small canal
channeling fluid

-en

to cause

shorten - to make short

-fect

to make; to do

effect cause to happen

-fer

to carry; to bring

defer put off to a later

time

-ferr

referral act of referring

someone
-ify

to make

-fy

electrify - to charge with

terrify - cause to feel
extreme fear

-ize

to make

alphabetize - to put in
alphabetical order

-al

relating to

natural - existing in or
caused by nature

-ial

pertaining to; relating to

commercial - related to
buying and selling things

-ic

pertaining to ; relating to

aristocratic - of or
pertaining to the
aristocracy

-ly

resembling

tenderly - done with

tenderness

-ly

in the manner

boldly - in a bold manner

-ful

full of

meaningful - significant

-ous,

full of

humorous - full of humor;

-ose

funny

-ive

having the

descriptive - giving a
description

-less

lacking

painless - without pain

-ish

having the

childish - like a child;

unsuitable

-ance

quality; ability

-ence

tolerance willingness
competence - ability to
do something successfully
or efficiently

-cy

quality; state

emergency - serious,
unexpected, and often
dangerous situation
requiring immediate
action

-tion

state or quality

caution - care taken to

avoid danger or mistakes

-or
-er

one who does or

inventor - person who

performs action of

invented a particular
process or device or who
invents things as an
occupation
teacher - person who
teaches

-arium
-orium

a place for

aquarium - tank of water

in which fish and other

water creatures and

plants are kept
auditorium - part of a
theater, concert hall, or
other public building in
which the audience sits to
listen
-ary

place for

sanctuary - place of
refuge or safety

-cide

act of killing

suicide - instance of
taking one's own life
voluntarily and
intentionally

-ism

quality; state; condition

optimism - hopefulness
and confidence about the
future or the successful
outcome of something

-ity

quality; state; or

equality - state of being

condition

equal, especially in status,

rights, and opportunities

-ment

act or ability; action;

movement - act of

result

changing physical
location or position or of
having this changed

-ology

the study of

zoology study of
animals

-pon

to place

compose constitute or
make up

-pos

deposit sum of money

-posit

placed in a bank
-pose
-scribe

to write

draw

-script
-sist

describe to mark out or

to stand; to stand with

-sisto

consist be composed of
desist cease; abstain

-stit
-tent

to hold

content (adj) state of

satisfaction

-tain

contain hold within

-tend

to stretch

contend struggle to
surmount

-tens

extent area covered by

-tent

something
-tract

to draw

contract (n) written or

spoken agreement

-ven
-vent

to come

convene bring together

for an activity
advent arrival of a
notable person, place, or
thing

-ver

to turn

avert turn away

-vers

reverse move backward

-vert

revert return to

Common Latin Word Roots

Latin root

meaning

Example

Amare

To love

amorous - Showing
strong feelings of sexual
attraction or love

Audire

To hear

audience - Group of
people who gather
together to listen to
something

Bellum

War

belligerent - Aggressive;
showing readiness to
fight

Bios

Life

biology - Science that

deals with things which
are alive (such as plants
and animals)

Capere

To take

captivate - Influence and

dominate by some special

trait and with irresistible

appeal
Chronos

Time

chronological - Arranged
in the order that things
happened

Derma

Skin

dermatology - Scientific
study of the skin

Dicere

To say, speak

dictate - To speak or read

to a person who writes it
down or to a machine
that records it

Duco

To lead

conduct - Way that

something is managed or
directed

Equus

Equal

equilibrium - State in
which opposing forces or
actions are balanced so
that one is not stronger
or greater than the other

Facere

To make

manufacture - process of
making products

Gamos

Marriage

polygamy - State or
practice of being married
to more than one person
at the same time

Genos

Race; Sex

genocide - Deliberate
killing of people who

belong to a particular
racial, political, or cultural
group
Geo

Earth; Surface

geology - Science that

studies the earth and
rocks

Graphein

To write

calligraphy - art of writing

beautifully

Kratos

Government; Rule;

democracy - Form of

Authority

government in which
people choose leaders by
voting

Kryptos

Hidden

cryptic - having or
seeming to have a hidden
meaning

Lucere

To light

lucid - Very clear and

easy to understand

Manus

Hand

manicure - Treatment to
improve the appearance
of the hands

Medius

Middle

median - Middle value in

a series of values
arranged from smallest to
largest

Metron

To measure

metronome - Device that

makes a repeated sound
to show a musician how

fast a piece of music

should be played
Mittere

To send

transmit - Give or pass

(information, etc.) from
one person to another

Morph

Form

polymorphous Occurring in many

different forms, styles, or
stages of development

Pathos

Suffering

pathetic - Very bad, poor,

or weak

Philos

Loving

xenophile - One attracted

to foreign things

Phobos

Fear

xenophobe - Fearful of
what is foreign

Photos

Light

photobiotic - Requiring
light in order to live or
thrive

Plicare

To fold

application - Act of
putting to use

Podos

Foot

podiatrist - Medical care

of the human foot

Ponere/Positum

To place

position - Place where

someone or something is
in relation to other
people or things

Protare

To carry

transport - Carry
someone or something
from one place to
another

Psuedein

To deceive

pseudonym - Name that

someone uses instead of
his/her real name

Pyr

Fire

pyromaniac - Mental
illness that makes people
have a strong desire to
set fires

Quarere

To ask

inquiry - Request for

information

Scribere

To write

scribe - Official secretary

or clerk; a copier of
manuscripts

Sentire

To feel

sentient - Able to feel,

see, hear, smell, or taste

Soma

Body

psychosomatic - Caused
by mental or emotional
problems rather than by
physical illness

Specere

To look at

spectacle - Very
impressive show

Spirare

To breath

respiration - Act or
process of breathing

Tele

Distant

telescope - Device
shaped like a long tube
that you look through in
order to see things that
are far away

Tendere

To stretch

extend - To become
longer

Therme

Heat

thermos - Container that

keeps liquids hot or cold
for long periods of time

Verbum

Word

verbatim - In the exact

words; word for word

The GMAT word list

So here it is the full list of common GMAT words. You may want to print it later on, when
youll start screening the words. Before you start memorizing, it is highly recommended that
you take the Vocabulary and Memorization lesson first.

Word

Form

Definition

Example

Abrupt

Adjective

Sudden and
unexpected

There was an abrupt dismissal from class

when the last bell rung.

Accelerate

Verb

Move Increasingly
faster

You step on the gas to accelerate your car.

Accidental

Adjective

Not planned;
happen by chance

The oil spill was proven to be accidental.

Accommodate Verb

To fit or change
with the needs of
someone

The hotel offered to accommodate pets, as

well as their owners.

Accordingly

Adverb

Consequently;
therefore

It is important to act accordingly in front of

the Queen.

Accrue

Verb

To gain money
over a period of
time

Depositors in the bank accrue interest in

their accounts over time.

Acquisition

Noun

Act of getting
something

The newest acquisition for the museum was

an Egyptian mummy.

Acquit

Verb

Declared innocent
after first being
charged with a
crime

The defendant was acquitted of all charges.

Acute

Noun

Describes an angle
in math less than
90 degrees but
greater than 0
degrees

A triangle with an acute angle must have at

least one obtuse angle.

Adamant

Adjective

Refusing to be
persuaded

The judge was adamant that he would not

be lenient during sentencing.

Adjacent

Noun

Angles found next

to one another

The door is adjacent to the wall.

Adverse

Adjective

Unfavorable

The medicine had adverse side-effects.

Aeronautics

Noun

Science or practice
of travel through
the air

Using aeronautics, he succeeded in

maneuvering the plane to safety.

Aftermath

Noun

Consequences of a
significant
unpleasant event

In the aftermath of the earthquake, the

town was in shambles.

Agenda

Noun

List of items to be
discussed or done
in a meeting

The meetings agenda included a break for

lunch.

Aggravate

Verb

Make worse or
more serious

If you aggravate an already agitated

venomous snake, you are likely to get bitten.

Allergy

Noun

High level of
sensitivity to a
non-harmful
substance that
causes a strong
reaction in the
immune system

A common allergy among children is a

sensitivity to peanuts.

allowance

noun

amount allocated
at predetermined
intervals

Parents may pay a weekly or monthly

allowance to their children for doing chores.

Alternative

Noun

One of two or
more available
possibilities

The alternative to doing nothing is doing

something.

Altitude

Noun

The height of an
object in relation
to sea level

Mountains are at a higher altitude than the

valleys beneath them.

Amateur

Noun;
Adjective

Noun: Person with

little skill or
experience

Noun: The professional dancer refused to

work with any amateurs for fear of injury.

Adjective:
Performing in an

Adjective: The amateur athlete worshiped

the professional athlete as his hero.

unskilled or
unprofessional way
Amend

Verb

Make changes to
something for the
better

Americans amended the Constitution

through the Bill of Rights.

Ample

Adjective

More than enough;

plentiful

You have ample time to finish taking the

test.

Anatomy

Noun

Branch of science
dealing with the
physical structure
of animals, plants,
and other
organisms

Medical students study anatomy before

becoming doctors.

Ancestor

Noun

Person from whom

another person is
directly descended

One of my ancestors on my dads side fought

in the Civil War.

Antibiotics

Noun;
Adjective

A substance used
as a medication
that will kill or
deactivate bacteria

To fight off an infection, you should take

antibiotics.

apparel

noun; verb

noun: clothing

Noun: Clothing stores sell apparel to

patrons.

verb: to put clothes

on someone;
embellish

Verb: A designer of womens fashion

regularly apparels her clients to go to blacktie events.

Applicable

Adjective

Relevant or
appropriate

The classes are not applicable towards your

degree.

Apportion

Verb

Divide and allocate

The mother evenly apportioned the toys

among her three children.

aquatic

adjective

Noun: Anything
done in or on
water

Noun: Diving could be considered aquatic.

Adjective: Relating
to water

Adjective: Water polo is an aquatic sport

played at the Olympics.

Arc

Noun; Verb

Noun: Curved or
semicircular line

Noun: An arc is part of the circumference of

the circle.

Verb: To create a
curve or travel
along a curved
path

Verb: The path along the sidewalk arced

slightly to the left.

Arcane

Adjective

Impossible to
comprehend;
mysterious or
secret

Mysticism is considered an arcane science by

some of its followers.

Arid

Adjective

Land having little

or no rain

The desert climate is arid because of a lack

of rain and moisture in the air.

Array

Noun; Verb

Noun: An ordered
arrangement

Noun: A rainbow of colors is an example of

an array of colors.

Verb: Arrange in a
particular way

Verb: She arrayed herself in rich velvets and

satins.

Aspire

Verb

Trying to achieve a
specific goal

Broadway actors and actresses who can sing

aspire to win a Tony.

assess

verb

evaluate
something

Standardized tests assess students cognitive

skills.

Attribute

Verb; Noun

Verb: To believe
something is
caused by a
specific
circumstance

Verb: The gambler attributed his winning

streak to his new lucky coin.
Noun: Her best attribute was her winning
smile.

Noun: Quality or
feature regarded
as an inherent part
of something
Authentic

Adjective

Of undisputed
origin; genuine

The woman bought a painting at a garage

sale and found out that it wasnt actually a
copy, but an authentic Turner.

Average

Noun

Number expressing
the central or
typical value in a
set of data

If you take the average of a hundred, you

will get fifty.

Benefactor

Noun

Person who gives

money or other
help to a person or
cause

The billionaire decided to become a

benefactor of a certain charity and put his
money to good use to help people other
than himself.

Betray

Verb

Deliver or expose
to an enemy by
treachery or
disloyalty

Citizens betray their governments when they

become spies for foreign nations.

betrayal

noun

Putting loyalty in
someone, and then
having him or her
turn on you

It is a betrayal to marriage when a husband

or wife commits adultery.

Bilateral

Adjective

Affecting both
sides

China pledged to boost bilateral ties with

Korea.

Bilingual

Adjective

Speaking two
languages fluently

She was bilingual because she could speak

English and French.

Binary

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Comprised of two
separate elements

Adjective: A binary star is a system of two

stars that revolve around each other.

Noun: The binary

number system in
math

Noun: The computer code was constructed

in binary.

Bisect

Verb

Divide something
into two parts

The two lines bisected each other on the

plane.

Bizarre

Adjective

Very strange or
unusual

The circumstances of the girls

disappearance were bizarre.

bound

adjective;
verb; noun

adjective:
something
destined to happen
because of custom
or experience

Adjective: The truth was bound to come out

eventually.

verb: movement
with leaping strides

Noun: The soldier was homeward-bound

after war.

noun: leaping
movement upward

Verb: She bounded away happy after

receiving a kiss.

Bounty

Noun

Monetary gift or
reward

The bounty on the fugitives head was high,

which made him a target.

Brutal

Adjective

Extremely ruthless
or cruel

The break-up was particularly brutal for both

parties.

Bureaucrat

Noun

A government or
administrative
official

The bureaucrat loathed his job after a

decade because it was too mundane for him.

Capacity

Noun

Maximum amount
something can
contain

The swimming pool had a maximum capacity

of 100 occupants.

Captivate

Verb

Attract and hold

the attention of;
charm

The superstar captivated her audience with

her new song.

Capture

Verb; Noun

Verb: To take by
control or force

Verb: The Humane Society captures stray

cats and dogs, then makes them available for
adoption.

Noun: The action

of capturing or of
being captured

Noun: The Spanish treasure ship was the

most valuable capture ever taken.

Carbohydrate

Noun

An organic
compound made
up of carbon,
hydrogen, and
oxygen

Carbohydrates can be broken down in the

body to create energy.

Casualty

Noun

One who is injured

or killed in an
accident

The plane crash had several casualties.

category

noun

actions, things, or
people grouped
together because
of a characteristic
that they have in
common

Lions and domestic house cats are both in

the feline category.

Cater

Verb

Provide what is
needed or required

Food catered for events is usually specialized

to meet the needs of the occasion.

Causality

Noun

The relationship
between cause and
effect

Prisoners of war are often one of the horrific

causalities resulting from the conflict.

Censure

Noun; Verb

Noun: Harsh
criticism

The principal wanted to censure the

students newspaper article.

Verb: To submit
someone or
something to harsh
criticism
Circle

Noun; Verb

Noun: A round
figure whose
boundary consists
of points
equidistant from
the center

Noun: You can find the area of a circle if you

have its radius.
Verb: The bicyclist circled the block before
heading home.

Verb: Move all the

way around
something
Circulation

Noun

Physiological
movement of
blood throughout
the body

When blood circulation is interrupted from

the heart to the body, a person may suffer a
heart attack.

Circumference Noun

The enclosing
boundary of a
curved geometric
figure

The circumference of a circle is its perimeter.

Civic

Adjective

Relating to the
government of a
town or city

As citizens, it is our civic duty to vote in

every election.

Civil

Adjective

Relating to
ordinary citizens
and their concerns

His aunt worked in a civil service role for

more than twenty-five years before receiving
her pension.

clarify

verb

to make more
comprehensible

The questions were incomprehensible, so

the student asked the teacher to clarify
them.

Clerical

Adjective

Concerned with or
relating to work in
an office

Office administrators have clerical roles.

Clumsy

Adjective

Awkward in
movement or
action

Tripping over your own feet is very clumsy.

Codify

Verb

Put (laws or rules)

into a systematic
code

The convention codified the rules of war.

coherent

adjective

logically or
artistically
consistent

Politicians are some of the most coherent

speakers.

Collaborate

Verb

Work jointly with

others on an
activity

Co-workers collaborate on group projects.

Combat

Noun; Verb

Noun: Fighting
between armed
forces

Noun: Some armed forces personnel never

see combat during their tours of duty.
Verb: Get plenty of sleep to combat a cold.

Verb: Take action

to reduce, destroy,
or prevent
Commercial

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Pertaining to the
buying and selling
of services and
products

Adjective: The music was too commercial for

the directors tastes.
Noun: The actress appeared in many
commercials before moving on to films.

Noun: A television
or radio
advertisement
Compact

Adjective;
Verb; Noun

Adjective: Dense
Verb: Exert force
on; compress
Noun: A small flat
case containing
makeup

Adjective: The car was compact and could

not hold more than four people at a time.
Verb: Compacting cars down to smaller sizes
saves space in junkyards.
Noun: The woman on the bus used her
compact to fix her makeup on the way to
work.

Compatible

Adjective

Able to exist or
occur together
without conflict

Leo and Aries are compatible horoscope

signs.

compensate

verb

to give someone
money or
something else for
work done

The workers were monetarily compensated

for working overtime during the holiday
season.

compensation

noun

money or
something else
given to reward for
loss, or work done

The interns received compensation in the

form of experience.

Compile

Verb

To put together in
one book or work

The editor compiled all Frosts poems into

one volume.

Complement

Noun; Verb

Noun: A thing that

makes something
else whole

Noun: The complement of food at the table

was sufficient to feed the entire wedding
party.

Verb: To make
something whole
or perfect

Verb: The white shirt complemented the

womans grey slacks.

Adjective: hard to
understand,
explain, or resolve

Noun: She has a complex about her

appearance.

Complex

Adjective;
Noun

Noun: A thing
made up of many
different but
interrelated parts

Adjective: The problems were too complex

for the mathematicians to solve.

Comply

Verb

Act in accordance
with a wish or
command

The soldier refused to comply with direct

orders and was thrown into the brig.

Component

Noun

A part or element
of a larger whole

Computers are built from many

components.

Compound

Noun;
Adjective;
Verb

Noun: Thing that is

composed of two
or more separate
elements

Noun: By mixing several compounds, the

scientists created a chemical reaction.

Adjective:
Consisting of

Adjective: Raindrop is a compound noun.

several parts or
elements

Verb: Bank interest is compounded at

regular intervals.

Verb: Make up;

constitute
Comprehend

Verb

Grasp mentally;
understand

It is difficult to comprehend the effects of

post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Compromise

Noun; Verb

Noun: Settlement
or agreement of
differences by
mutual concession

Noun: The compromise was fair and

equitable, though neither signatory like the
terms.

Verb: Settle a
dispute by mutual
concession

Verb: Two parties need to compromise to

come to an agreement.

Conceal

Verb

Keep from sight;

hide

Masks conceal the face and identity of the

person wearing them.

concentrate

verb; noun

Verb: to focus
every thought on
one subject or
activity

Verb: The student was unable to

concentrate on their exam after not sleeping
the night before.

Noun: a substance
made more pure
by removing
another substance
concern

noun; verb

Noun: The orange juice was made from

concentrate, which did not taste the same as
if it had come from freshly squeezed
oranges.

Noun: Anxiety;
worry; business

Noun: The concern expressed by politicians

for their constituents is often not genuine.

Verb: Worry; make

anxious

Upon the death of the founder, the manager

took over the helm of the small and growing
concern founded by his father.
Verb: Parents are concerned about their
childrens school performance.

concession

noun

a thing that is
granted; small
business

The bilateral agreement contained

concessions for both parties.

Condense

Verb

Make denser or
more concentrated

The cooler temperatures cause the gas to

condense into a liquid.

Configuration

Noun

Relative
arrangement of
parts or elements

The company needed to change the

configuration of the system to
accommodate the new server.

confinement

noun

to enclose within
bounds; limit
restrict

Wild animals have difficulty with

confinement.

Conform

Verb

Comply with rules,

standards, or laws

A sycophant enjoys conforming to look like

the object of his affection.

Confront

Verb

To deal with a
challenge

It is not easy to confront ones fears.

Congestion

Noun

To concentrate in a
small or narrow
space

Congestion on the freeway is usually caused

by a bottleneck.

Conspiracy

Noun

A secret plan by a
group to do
something
unlawful

Some people believe there is a conspiracy

running the governments of the largest
world nations.

Constraint

Noun

A limitation or
restriction

Lack of funding has been a major constraint

on the building's design.

Contagious

Adjective

Transmissible by
direct or indirect
contact;
communicable

Airborne viruses are highly contagious and

infectious.

contaminant

noun

a substance that
makes a place or
another substance
unsuitable for use

Biological containment is necessary when

dealing with highly contagious, deadly
viruses and bacteria.

Contemporary

Adjective;
Noun

Living or occurring
at the same time

Adjective: Contemporary music is influenced

by artists of previous eras.
Noun: He was a contemporary of Abraham
Lincoln.

Conversion

Noun

An alteration or
change in the
nature, shape, or
operation of
something

She is thinking about conversion to Judaism.

convert

verb; noun

verb: cause to
change in form,
character, or
function

Verb: Some faiths believe that they should

convert other people to believe in the same
philosophies as theirs.
Noun: He is a recent convert to the Church.

noun: person who

changes his beliefs
Conviction

Noun

Strong belief or
opinion

The courts struck down the convicts

conviction after new evidence came to light.

Crest

Noun; Verb

Noun: Uppermost
part of something
that rises or slants
upwards

Noun: She reached the crest of the hill.

Verb: She crested a hill and saw the valley
spread out before her.

Verb: To arrive at
or rise to a peak
Crestfallen

Adjective

Sad or
disappointed

The girl was crestfallen when her father did

not return home.

Criterion

Noun

Standard by which
something may be
decided

The criteria for being accepted into Ivy

League colleges are harder than those for
state universities.

critique

noun; verb

noun: a detailed
analysis and
assessment of
something

Noun: The critique of the play after opening

night caused the show to close down for
good.

verb: to assess
something by
giving observation
of the works good
and bad qualities

Verb: The editor critiqued the new style

section unfavorably.

Crucial

Adjective

Extremely
significant or
important

The map was crucial to finding the treasure

on the island.

Crumple

Verb; Noun

Verb: Crush so it
becomes wrinkled

Verb: The man didnt like what he saw, so he

crumpled the paper and threw it to the
ground.

Noun: A crushed
fold, crease, or
wrinkle

Noun: My clothes get crumples when I

forget to fold them after washing.

Crusade

Noun; Verb

Noun: A medieval
military expedition;
a major effort to
change something

Noun: Medieval soldiers believed it was their

purpose in life to fight in the Crusades.
Verb: She took a crusading stance on
poverty.

Verb: To make a
dynamic effort to
get rid of
something
Culminate

Verb

Reach point of
highest
development

Weeks of violence culminated in the death

of a police officer.

cultivation

noun

act of preparing
the land or
something else for
the purpose of
planting, growing,
or developing

The economy was based largely on wheat

cultivation.

Curriculum

Noun

The aggregate of
courses of study
given in a school or
college

A high school curriculum is much easier than

a colleges.

debut

noun; verb

noun: a first public

appearance

The movie had its debut over the weekend.

verb: performing
or appearing in
public for the first
time
Decay

Verb; Noun

Verb: To rot and

become soft, flaky,
and fluid-like
Noun: The
biological process
of decomposing
and rotting.

Decimal

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: The use

of the number ten
as a base and

Verb: The animals body decayed after

several days of lying in the woods.
Noun: The rate of decay helps medical
examiners determine how long a body has
been buried.

Adjective: Pi has an infinite number of

decimal places.

organized in sets of
ten

Noun: The computer converts the initial data

from decimal to binary.

Noun: A number
conveyed in a
counting system
using sets of ten
Deduct

Verb

Subtract or take
away from a total

From the paw prints, it was easy to deduct

the culprit of the mess in the house.

Defendant

Noun

A person who is
being sued or
accused of a crime
in a court of law

The defendant lost in court and is now

appealing the decision.

Degree

Noun

A unit of
measurement of
angles

A triangle that has three angles of ninety

degrees is called a right triangle.

Delicate

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Destroyed with
ease

Adjective: A delicate flower will not survive

the first frost of winter.

Noun: Clothing
requiring special
attention when
being washed and
dried
Delinquent

Noun;
Adjective

Noun: Young
person who breaks
the law
Adjective:
Characterized by a
tendency to
commit a crime

Noun: Your delicates should not be washed

with the heavy cottons in a washing
machine.

Noun: The young delinquent got into trouble

for stealing cars.
Adjective: The delinquent teenager felt
persecuted by law enforcement, especially
after going to juvenile detention.

Delta

Noun

Alluvial deposit at
the mouth of a
river

The delta of the Amazon River is in Brazil.

Denote

Verb

Be a sign of;
indicate

The arrow sign pointing down in currency

denotes a drop in value.

Depart

Verb

To go away; leave

She departed for the airport before dawn.

Deplete

Verb

To consume or
decrease the
amount of
something

The army depleted its food supply and began

to starve.

Depletion

Noun

The consumption
or reduction of
something

The depletion of food resources before the

supply truck arrived meant starvation for the
troops.

Depreciation

Noun

Reduction in worth
of an object over
time

The United States does not like to see

depreciation in the value of the U.S. dollar
compared to other currencies.

Depress

Verb

Make someone
feel utterly
dispirited or
dejected

When someone loses his job, he becomes

depressed.

Descend

Verb

Move or fall
downward

You rapidly descend in bungee jumping only

to be snapped back upward.

Descendant

Noun

Person or animal
descended from a
specific ancestor

She was a direct descendant of Thomas

Jefferson on her mothers side of the family.

Detached

Adjective

Not connected to
something

People are feeling more detached as they

incorporate technology into their lives.

Detection

Noun

To discover
something hidden
or subtle

Smoke detectors are installed to increase the

possibility of early fire detection.

Detrimental

Adjective

Producing hurt or
damage

Taking street drugs can be detrimental to

your health.

Dialect

Noun

Form of a language
that distinguishes
itself to a specific
region or social
group

The Southern dialect of the United States

has a distinct twang.

Dimension

Noun; Verb

Noun: A
measurable extent
of something, such
as length width,
depth, or height

Noun: An X and Y plane on a graph denotes

two dimensions.
Verb: To eliminate waste, he dimensioned
the house to accept stock framing pieces.

Verb: Cut or shape

to particular
measurements
Diminish

Verb

Make something
lose its importance

Resources were diminished after the flood.

Discrete

Adjective

Individually
separate and
distinct

Digital phones broadcast their

communications in discrete bursts of energy.

Discrimination

Noun

Practice of unfairly
treating a person
or groups
differently from
other people.

People who are different from others often

suffer from discrimination.

Disorder

Noun; Verb

State of confusion

The house was in disorder after the party.

Displace

Verb

Move or shift from

the usual place or
position

The police displaced the renters from the

building at the owners behest because they
were behind on their rent payments.

Distinct

Adjective

Obviously
dissimilar and
individual

The dog had distinct markings on its head.

Distraction

Noun

Something
hindering
concentration

The loud noise in the room was too much of

a distraction for the speaker.

distribution

noun

act of giving or
delivering
something

The increased distribution of products to

various regions magnified the companys
revenue.

Diverse

Adjective

Very different

Plant life in the jungle is unique and diverse.

Diversify

Verb

To increase in
variety

To compete in a global marketplace, large

companies must diversify their products.

Divine

Adjective;
Verb; Noun

Adjective: Faith
pertaining to God,
gods, or goddesses

Adjective: It took divine wisdom to gather

the whole community at the one building
that wasnt effected by the tornado.

Verb: Realize by
intuition or

Verb: Dousers use sticks to divine where

water sources are found in order to dig
wells.

supernatural
means

Noun: The prayed to the divine for

forgiveness.

Noun: God
Divisible

Adjective

Capable of being
divided

Prime numbers are only divisible by

themselves and the number one.

Division

Noun

Action of
separating
something into
parts

The division of labor on a team can increase

productivity.

Divisor

Noun

Number divided
into another

The divisor of nine is three.

Dose

Noun; Verb

Noun: Specific
amount of
medicine given out
at one time or at
planned intervals

Noun: When one has a cold, she may take a

dose of medicine every day to help her feel
better.
Verb: The senior citizen dosed himself with
vitamins in an attempt to prolong his life.

Verb: To give
medicine to
someone
Drastic

Adjective

Extreme in effect
or action

When someone needs a change, he

sometimes does something drastic.

duplicate

verb; noun;
adjective

verb: make an
exact copy

Verb: The student was unable to duplicate

her experiment for science class.

noun: one of two

or more identical
things

Noun: Locksmiths can make duplicates of

most keys.

adjective: exactly
like something else
economics

noun;

social science
dealing with
production,
distribution, and
consumption of
commodities

Adjective: The child created a duplicate

report card to show his parents, but with
better grades.
The economic forecast for Mexico suggested
a rise in overall gross domestic product
(GDP).

Economical

Adjective

Avoiding waste or
extravagance

It is not economical to buy a new luxury car

every year.

economy

noun

Noun: The poor economy was suffering

under the dictator.

economic

adjective

Noun: the
manufacture and
use of products
and services
looked at as a
whole.

Adjective: The family bought an economy

car, as the luxury sedan was out of their
price range.

adjective:
proposed to be
inexpensive or of
higher quality
Elective

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Pertaining to or
involving voting
Noun: An optional
course of study

Adjective: Powerful Emperors manipulated

the elective body.
Noun: Students take electives in college
along with their major course of study.

Elevate

Verb

Raise to a more
important or
impressive level

The promotion elevated his stats at work.

Eligible

Adjective

Able to be chosen
for something

Adjective: The eligible bachelor received

many requests for dates.

Eliminate

Verb

To remove or get
rid of

The politician wanted to eliminate the

competition before the vote.

Elite

Noun;
Adjective

The people who

have the most
wealth and status
in a society

Noun: The nobility were the elite of most

ancient societies.

Make something
longer

Verb(prolong)

Elongate

Verb;
Adjective

Adjective: The elite unit was dispatched to

handle the crisis.

With all the dinner guests, the table had to

be elongated.
Adjective: The forelimbs are elongated and
are positioned ventrally.

Elongation

Noun

Verb: The
lengthening of
something

Clothing manufacturers utilize the

elongation of artificial fibers in the
manufacturing process

Elude

Verb

To evade or escape
from, as by daring,
cleverness, or skill

The fugitive was unable to elude the police

during the manhunt.

Embrace

Verb; Noun

Verb: Hold
someone close in
ones arms

Verb: The mother embraced her newborn at

the hospital after giving birth.
Noun: He held her in a warm embrace.

Noun: Act of
holding someone
closely in ones
arms
Encode

Verb

Convert into a
coded form

The computer files were encoded and

unreadable without the encryption.

Encounter

Verb; Noun

Verb:
Unexpectedly
experience
something difficult

Verb: The prosecutor did not expect to

encounter any difficulty in court against the
defense.

Noun: An
unexpected
meeting with
someone or
something

Noun: I had a chance encounter with a

famous writer at the pub.

Endorse

Verb

To provide official
support for
something

The mayor agreed to endorse the sheriff in

the next election.

Enhance

Verb

To raise to a higher
degree; intensify;
magnify

The glasses on her face enhanced her profile

and made her eyes appear larger.

Enlist

Verb

Enroll in the armed

services

During war times, it is important that eligible

citizens enlist for the armed forces.

Enormous

Adjective

Oddly large in size,

quantity, or level

The elephant at the zoo was enormous

compared to the other animals.

Entail

Verb; Noun

To have something
as a part, step, or a
result

Verb: A lavish wedding entails extensive

planning and often staggering expense.
Noun: The cottage in the back was not part
of the entail.

Enterprise

Noun

Project or
undertaking

After college, the students collaborated and

created a new enterprise based on their
school project.

Entice

Verb

To tempt a person
or an animal by
presenting a
desirable object

The mother was able to entice the child to

eat her vegetables by offering dessert.

Entity

Noun

Something that has

a real existence

One division of the company was broken off

as a separate entity.

Entrant

Noun

Person or group
that enters, joins,
or takes part in
something

Each entrant had to agree to the contest

rules.

Entrepreneur

Noun

Businessperson
that provides the
money to make
new business
ventures to then
make a profit

The entrepreneur made his fortune with his

unconventional idea.

Envision

Verb

To picture
mentally; visualize

Most parents envision a better future for

their children.

Episode

Noun

Usually a brief unit

of action in a
dramatic or literary
work

The first season of the new series had ten

episodes.

Equation

Noun

Mathematical
statement that two
expressions are of
the same value

Formulas are expressed in the form of an

equation.

erratic

adjective;
noun

adjective: not
consistent, regular,
or able to be
predicted

Adjective: The child began to demonstrate

erratic behavior after the death of his
parents.

Eternal

Adjective;
Noun

noun: someone or
something that
behaves
inconsistently

Noun: The source of stone for the

whetstones may have been glacial erratics.

Adjective: Existing
for all time without
a beginning or end

Adjective: She prayed every night for fear of

eternal damnation.

Noun: Lasting
forever

Noun: They prayed to the eternal for

forgiveness.

Ethnicity

Noun

Cultural affiliation
or uniqueness

Universities try to recruit a diverse student

body of many ethnicities.

evaporate

verb

change from liquid

into vapor

Water evaporates into the air as steam

when it boils.

Exempt

Adjective;
Verb

Free from an
obligation or
liability to which
others are subject

The students were exempt from attending

class today because they were on a field trip.

Exhort

Verb

To urge, advise, or
caution earnestly

He exhorted his people to take back their

land.

Exile

Noun; Verb

Noun: State of
being barred from
one's native
country

Noun: The family fled their country in exile

because they opposed the current regime.
Verb: The Spanish exiled the Jews during the
Middle Ages.

Verb: Make
someone leave his
or her country as a
punishment
Exotic

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Of
foreign origin or
character
noun: a plant or
animal that is
foreign in
appearance

Expedition

Noun

An excursion,
journey, or voyage

Adjective: Exotic animals are popular on the

black market because of their uniqueness.
Noun: He planted exotics in the sheltered
garden.

The South Pole expedition saw many

hardships along its way.

made for some

specific purpose
Expertise

Noun

Expert skill or
knowledge in a
particular field

Consultants are hired for their skills and

expertise.

Explicit

Adjective

Fully and clearly

expressed; leaving
nothing implied

The directions to the club were explicit.

Expression

Noun

Process of making
known one's
thoughts or
feelings

Mimes use expressions to convey their

emotions.

Exterior

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Forming
or relating to the
outer part of
something

Adjective: All of the exterior scenes were

filmed in the middle of the night.
Noun: The exterior of the house was
beginning to show signs of rot.

Noun: The outer

part or coating of
something
External

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Belonging to or
forming the outer
surface or
structure of
something

Adjective: Skin is the external layer of the

body.
Noun: The place has all the appropriate
externals, such as chimneys choked with ivy.

Noun: The exterior

appearance of a
person or thing
factor

noun; verb

noun: number or
quantity that,
when multiplied
with another,
produces a given
number or
expression

Noun: The amount exceeds it by a factor of

1000 or more.
Verb: Last year, researchers factored a
number over a hundred digits long.

Verb: Another
term for factorize
in math
Fatal

Adjective

Adjective: Causing
death

Adjective: The drunk driver caused a fatal car

crash.

Fatality

Noun

Death as a result of
an accident or
tragedy

The train wreck was lucky to have no

resulting fatalities.

fiction

Noun

Literature that is a
work of the
imagination and is
not necessarily
based on fact

The fiction section of the library has books

labelled A through Z.

fictitious

Adjective

Not real or true,

being imaginary or
having been
fabricated

Cartoon characters are over-exaggerated to

emphasis their fictitious nature.

Fierce

Adjective

Displaying an
intense or
ferocious
aggressiveness

The fierce lion fought off many challengers

for his territory.

Finale

Noun

Scene symbolizing
the end of a
performance

All the characters died in the finale of the

opera.

Fiscal

Adjective

Pertaining to
financial matters

Fiscal conservatives believe that spending

too much government money is waste.

Flawed

Adjective

Damaged or
defective

The diamond was flawed because it had a

crack in the center.

Florid

Adjective

Having a red or
flushed
complexion;
elaborate

A florid, gilded mirror took up most of my

wall.

Forecast

Verb; Noun

Verb: To predict a
future condition or
occurrence

Verb: Newscasters are forecasting rolling

blackouts.

Noun: Prediction
or estimate of
future events

Noun: The weather forecast for Tuesday is

sunny, but on Wednesday it might rain.

Foreign

Adjective

Strange and
unfamiliar

Foreign correspondents face difficult

challenges in the field.

Forge

Noun; Verb

Noun: make or
shape metal by
heating it in a fire
or furnace and
beating or
hammering it

Verb: Forging new alliances could not have

come at a better time for the improvised
nation.
Noun: The forge was occupied by
blacksmith.

Verb: A
blacksmith's
workshop
Foster

Verb;
Adjective

Verb: Bring up a
child that is not
one's own by birth
Adjective:
Receiving a home,
nurturing, and
parental care

Foul

Adjective;
Noun; Verb

Adjective:
Sickening or
revolting to the
senses
Noun: An unfair
play

Verb: Appropriate praise helps a child foster

a sense of self-worth.
Adjective: The foster child was adopted by a
great set of parents.

Adjective: The lake smelled foul after the

hazardous waste was dumped into it.
Noun: The football player committed too
many fouls and had to leave the game.
Verb: They fouled the water supply with lead
and made it undrinkable.

Verb: Pollute
Fraction

Noun

Noun: Number that Once you eat a slice of pie, it is only a

is not a whole
fraction of its original self.
number

Fracture

Noun; Verb

Noun: Break in the

bone

Noun: Ground movements could cause a

fracture of the pipe.

Verb: To split or
break something

Verb: The child fractured his arm when he

fell off the swing.

Fragile

Adjective

Weak; not strong

Babies are fragile by nature.

Fragment

Noun; Verb

Noun: Small part

broken or
separated from
something

Noun: A fragment of the meteor broke off

and struck the satellite.
Verb: The property is being fragmented into
subdivisions.

Verb: Cause to
break into
fragments
Fragrance

Noun

Pleasant, sweet
smell

Perfumes are designed to have wonderful

fragrances.

Fraudulent

Adjective

Obtained, done by,

or involving
deception

The fraudulent company stole social security

numbers from senior citizens.

Frugal

Adjective

Economical with
regard to money or
food

To save enough money for more expensive

items in the future, one needs to be frugal
with his money in the present.

Frustrate

Verb

To prevent a
person or thing
from achieving
something

It is frustrating to watch your team lose

season after season with no improvement.

Fungus

Noun

An organism that
can be either
singled-celled or
multicellular, does
not have
chlorophyll and
produces spores in
order to reproduce

Mushrooms are an edible form of fungi.

Funnel

Noun; Verb

Noun: Coneshaped utensil with

a tube at the apex
for conducting
liquid

Noun: The funnel cloud of the tornado

barely missed the town.

Verb: To move
something through
a constricted space

Verb: The crowd funneled through the

doors.

Gradual

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Happening slowly
by degrees or
levels
Noun: In Christian
Church, a response
recited between
the Epistle and
Gospel in the Mass

Adjective: The change was gradual, but the

older woman eventually lost enough weight
to fit into her high school dresses.
Noun: The choir sang the graduals during
mass.

Gullible

Adjective

Easily persuaded to
believe something

Con artists hope that they meet gullible

people.

Habitat

Noun

Type of
environment in
which a particular
kind of animal or
plant usually lives

Bio-domes are enclosed habitats designed to

mimic the Earths atmosphere.

Habitation

Noun

State or process of
living in a
particular place

The house was not fit for human habitation.

Hallmark

Noun

Distinctive
characteristic of
something or
someone

Humor is one of the hallmarks of her style.

Handicap

Noun; Verb

Noun:
Circumstance that
makes progress or
success difficult

Noun: Having a handicap does not require

that someone need a cane or a wheelchair,
as it may also affect their mental state.

Verb: To
disadvantaged or
hinder a person or
thing
Harness

Noun; Verb

Noun: Set of straps

placed on an
animal so it can
pull something
heavy

Verb: Her lack of formal training

handicapped her.

Noun: My morning chore was putting the

harnesses on the horses.
Verb: To harness strength, one must train
hard.

Verb: Control and

make use of
natural resources
Haven

Noun

Place of safety or
refuge

An embassy is considered a haven for

foreigners traveling abroad.

Havoc

Noun

Noun: Extensive
destruction,
devastation, and

Noun: The loud siren created havoc in the

small enclosed space.

Hazardous

Adjective

Risky; dangerous

Hazardous materials are illegal to bring onto

planes.

Hereditary

Adjective

Capable of being

Some diseases are hereditary by nature and

are passed along in the genes.

passed genetically
from one
generation to the
next
Heritage

Noun

Property that
descends to an heir

Hospitality is a cherished Southern heritage.

Hexagon

Noun

Two dimensional
figure made up of
six sides

Honeycombs are composed of hundreds of

tiny hexagonal holes.

Hierarchy

Noun

System in which
people or things
are arranged
according to their
importance

The company hierarchy had the Vice

President of Sales reporting to the Chief
Executive Officer.

Homicide

Noun

Illegally killing or
murdering another
person

Serial killers commit a homicide every time

they kill someone.

Hormone

Noun

Chemical
substance
produced in the
body that controls
and regulates the
activity of certain
cells or organs

Todays science allows people to take

medicine for hormone imbalances.

Horrendous

Adjective

Extremely
unpleasant,
horrifying, or
terrible

The man had a horrendous scar on his face

after the construction accident.

Hospitable

Adjective

Welcoming to
strangers or guest

The bed and breakfast was known for its

hospitable hosts.

Hostility

Noun

State of ill will and

bad feeling

Cats and dogs seem to have inborn hostility

towards one another.

Hue

Noun

A color or shade

The hue in her shirt matched her eyes.

Humanitarian

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Dedicated to
making the lives of
people better

Adjective: He suggested that duties at the

agency would involve humanitarian aid.
Noun: Most anti-war activists consider
themselves humanitarians.

Noun: Someone
who is dedicated
to making the lives
of people better
Hydrocarbon

Noun

Organic chemical
compound that

The rain is rich in benzene and

hydrocarbons.

has only hydrogen

and carbon atoms
Hydrogen

Noun

Lightest and most

abundant chemical
element in the
universe

Hydrogen is a highly flammable element.

Hypotenuse

Noun

Side opposite the

right angle of a
triangle

Use the length of the other two sides of a

right angle triangle to determine the value of
the hypotenuse.

Hypothesis

Noun

In science, an idea
or explanation
tested through
study and
experimentation

It is important to form a hypothesis before

beginning any scientific experiment.

Identical

Adjective

Similar in every
detail; exactly alike

The identical twins switched places at school

to play a prank.

Identify

Verb

To establish or
recognize the
identity of
something

The body was identified at the morgue by

the tattoo on her ankle.

Idle

Adjective;
Noun; Verb

Adjective: Not
functioning,
producing,
working, or in use

Adjective: Idle hands are considered evil in

some cultures where hard work is important.

Noun: The velocity

of a car's engine
that is in use but
does not actually
run because it is
not in gear

Noun: He left the car in idle while he waited

for his date at the curb.
Verb: The man preferred sitting around
idling all day to putting in a hard days work.

Verb: To be lazy or
slothful and avoid
doing work
Illiterate

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Describes people
who cannot read
or write
Noun: Offensive
term for a noneducated
individual

Adjective: The illiterate woman took work

cleaning homes where she wasnt required
to read.
Noun: Their son was an illiterate until his
parents sought help for his dyslexia.

Illuminate

Verb

To light up in order
to make visible

The gas lanterns illuminated the sidewalk

with their yellowish glow.

Illusionary

Adjective

An erroneous
perception of
reality

Liberties would be discarded to seek

illusionary security.

Illusory

Adjective

Based on illusion;
not real

She knew the safety of her room was

illusory.

Immoral

Adjective

Not conforming to
accepted standards
of morality

It was immoral of him to tell lies.

Impact

Noun; Verb

Noun: Act of
objects hitting
each other
Verb: To hit
something with
power

Noun: The impact of the boxers punch

knocked out his opponent.
Verb: High interest rates have impacted
retail spending.

Impart

Verb

To convey
knowledge or
information

The professor imparted his knowledge unto

his students.

Impartiality

Noun

Not partial or
biased;
unprejudiced

The referees did their best to show

impartiality when making a call on the field.

Impatient

Adjective

Unable to wait
patiently or
tolerate delay

The nanny was impatient with her new

charges as they continued to misbehave.

Impede

Verb

To meddle with the

advancement,
improvement, or
progress of a
person or a thing

The soldiers could not impede the enemy's

advance.

Imperial

Adjective

Relating to an
empire or an
emperor

For centuries, the Japanese had Imperial

Guards guarding the Emperor.

Impersonal

Adjective

Having no
personality; devoid
of human
character or traits

The boss liked to keep his interactions with

employees impersonal.

Implant

Verb; Noun

Verb: Establish a
belief in a persons
mind

Verb: This idea was implanted in my mind by

coincidence.

Noun: A thing that

is placed or
implanted during a
surgical procedure
into an organ or a
tissue

Noun: Cochlear implants are used by people

with profound deafness.

Implicit

Adjective

Not directly stated,

but instead implied

The director gave implicit instructions to his

employees not to disturb him.

Incompatible

Adjective

So opposed in
character as to be
incapable of
existing together

The marriage dissolved because the couple

was incompatible ideologically.

Incorporate

Verb;
Adjective

Verb: Take in or
contain as part of a
whole

Verb: The linguist liked to incorporate

foreign words into his sentences.

Adjective:
Combined into a
unified whole

Adjective: The incorporated company held

its first board meeting.

Increment

Noun

Action or process
of increasing,
especially in
quantity or value

The system download occurred in

increments.

Incumbent

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Currently holding
office

As a result of name recognition, most

incumbents are re-elected.

Noun: The holder

of an office or post
Indigent

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Not
having the
fundamental
necessities of life
noun: person who
is poor and lives off
handouts

Adjective: The indigent people of the tribal

lands were exploited for manual labor
because of their high rates of illiteracy.
Noun: Because he was an indigent, the court
appointed a lawyer to defend him.

Indulge

Verb

To yield to an
inclination or
desire

After finishing dinner, the couple indulged in

a sugary dessert.

Infancy

Noun

period of time
before a child is
able to walk or
talk; new-born

She has been a member of the church since

her infancy.

Infest

Verb

Overrun to an
unwanted degree
or in a
troublesome
manner

The apartment was infested with

cockroaches.

Ingest

Verb

take into the body

by swallowing or
absorbing

It is best to induce vomiting if you ingest

poison.

Inherent

Adjective

Existing as a
natural or basic
part of something

He has an inherent sense of fair play.

Inherited

Verb

To become the
proprietor of a
thing after a
person has died

She inherited several properties in

Manhattan from her uncle after he passed
away.

Inhumane

Adjective

Without
Dog fighting is considered inhumane
compassion for
treatment to animals.
misery or suffering;
cruel

Innate

Adjective

Inborn; natural

The toddler was already showing some

innate personality characteristics.

Insight

Noun

The capability of
seeing into a
situation

The psychic pretended to have insight into

the case in order to bilk more money out of
her client.

Instantaneous

Adjective

Occurring or done
in an instant

When a match is struck, the appearance of

fire should be instantaneous.

Intact

Adjective

Not damaged or
impaired in any
way

The village was intact even after suffering illeffects from a vicious hurricane.

Intake

Noun

An act of taking in
something

To lose weight, it is recommended that a

person reduce his daily calorie intake.

Integer

Noun

A whole number
that is zero,
negative, or
positive

Many formulas only allow the use of

integers, not fractions.

Integrate

Verb

To make into a
whole by bringing
all parts together

She integrates elements of jazz and rock in

her music.

Intense

Adjective

Of extreme force,
degree, or strength

Military boot camp requires many weeks of

intense training.

Intention

Noun

An aim that guides

action

It was not his intention to hurt her feelings

when he broke off their engagement.

Intentional

Adjective

Done on purpose

The bullys insults and attacks were

intentional.

Interior

Noun;
Adjective

Noun: The inside

part of something

While the exterior the building looked

rundown, the interior was magnificent.

Adjective: Placed
or happening
inside of
something
Interrogate

Verb

To examine by
questioning
formally or
officially

The detectives interrogated the suspect to

determine whether he was innocent.

Intersect

Verb

To cut or divide by
passing through or
across

Line A intersects with line B.

Intersection

Noun

The place where

two lines cross

The traffic lights at the intersection stopped

working.

Intimate

Adjective

Closely acquainted

They are in an intimate and committed

relationship.

Irrational

Adjective

Not logical or
reasonable

Addicts will act in an irrational manner when

denied their addictive substance.

Isolation

Noun

Separation of a
person or thing
from others

The hospital staff thought the patient

showed signs of Ebola, so they put him in
isolation.

Jolt

Verb

To jiggle or shake
something
violently and
unexpectedly

The earthquake jolted the building up and

down.

Lease

Noun; Verb

Noun: A contract
granting use of
property during a
specified period in
exchange for a
specified payment

Noun: The owner would only offer tenants a

one-year rental lease on the property.
Verb: Leasing a car is a good way to test
whether it is the right make and model for
you.

Verb: To rent
something to a
person under
conditions of a
lease
Legislative

adjective

Pertaining to an
official body of
lawmakers

The legislative body of the United States is

called Congress.

Lethal

Adjective

Capable of
producing death

The spider bite was poisonous and lethal.

Liability

Noun

The state of being

legally responsible
for something

The homeowners take on any liability

regarding the state of their property, which
is why it is recommended to purchase
homeowners insurance.

Lobbyist

Noun

A person who is
paid to lobby
political
representatives on
a specific topic

The environmental lobbyist insisted she

meet with the congressman to discuss the
pending legislation on climate change.

Locale

Noun

Where an event or
story takes place

They chose a tropical island as the locale for

their wedding.

Magnetic

Adjective

Possessing an
extraordinary
ability to attract

The playboy successfully attracted women

because of his magnetic personality.

Magnitude

Noun

Size, extent, or
importance of
something

The magnitude of the storm shocked the

town it hit.

Malfunction

Verb; Noun

Verb: To stop
working
completely

Verb: The computer malfunctioned because

of a virus.

because of a
design failure
Noun: Failure to
function properly
due to a design
error
Mandatory

Adjective

Required to be
done or

Noun: The computers were sent back to the

manufacturers at the first sign of
malfunction.

The mandatory evacuation required

everyone to exit the building.

abided by
Maneuver

Manufacture

Noun; Verb

Verb; Noun

Noun: Movement
that requires
dexterity

Noun: The daredevil pulled an amazing

maneuver to jump through a flaming hoop
with a motorcycle.

Verb: Move
skillfully or
carefully

Verb: A sports car is an easier vehicle to

maneuver than is a truck.

Verb: Make on a
large scale using
machinery

Verb: The firm manufactured its product in

China, but sold it exclusively in Australia.

Noun: The making

of articles on a
large scale using
machinery

Noun: The manufacture of many so-called

domestic products is actually carried out
abroad.

Margin

Noun

amount by which a
thing is won or falls
short; edge

The foot race was won by a margin of only a

second.

Marginal

Adjective

Unimportant or
irrelevant

His efforts were marginal at best because he

didnt care about the issue.

Martial

Adjective

inclined or
disposed to war or
the military

After the coup, martial law was enforced.

Marshal

Noun

An officer

The general decided to marshal his forces

and take the peninsula.

Maternal

Adjective

Related through
the mother's side
of the family

He inherited the baldness gene from his

maternal grandfather.

Mature

Adjective;
Verb

Adjective: Fully
developed
physically

Adjective: Mature adults are sometimes

referred to as seniors.

Verb: To go
through a
developmental
process
Maximum

Adjective;
Noun

Verb: As his children matured, he began to

feel older in spirit.

Adjective: Greatest
allowable amount
or value

Adjective: The maximum number of people

allowed in the elevator is posted above the
floor buttons.

Noun: The greatest

possible or
allowable amount,
extent, degree, or
number

Noun: Production levels are near their

maximum.

Mechanism

Noun

System of parts
working together
in a machine

The main mechanism to make a car run is

the engine.

Median

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Situated
in the middle

Adjective: The median state in the United

States is Kansas, as it is situated directly in
the middle of the country.

Noun: A middle
point, part, plane,
or line
Medium

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Of
average size;
Neither large nor
small

Noun: Acreages ranged from one to fifty-two

with a median of twenty-four.
Adjective: The teenager wore a medium
shirt because he was of average build.
Noun: The tribe's primitive valuables such as
beads acted as a medium of exchange.

Noun: Means of
doing something
Methodology

Noun

A body of
methods, rules,
and postulates
employed by a
discipline

He blamed the failure of their research on

poor methodology.

Metropolitan

Adjective,
Noun

Adjective: Making
up a large area
urban area
Noun: A person
who lives in a city

Migrant

Noun;
Adjective

Noun: A person
who moves from
one area or nation
to another
Adjective: Moving
from one area or
nation to another

Adjective: Water restrictions were imposed

on Saturday in the metropolitan area.
Noun: London is often considered a city of
trendy metropolitans.

Noun: The migrants all moved to one side of

the boat and the vessel tipped over.
Adjective: Migrant workers are the
backbone of the agriculture community, as
they are willing to work seasonally.

Migrate

Verb

Move from one

Birds migrate south for the winter.
region or habitat to
another

Millennium

Noun

A period of a
thousand years

The Crusades happened over a millennium

ago.

Mimic

Verb

To imitate a person

Talking parrots mimic their owners speech.

Miniature

Noun

A thing that is
much smaller than
normal

The collector has a miniature figurine of

every canine breed.

Minimum

Noun;
Adjective

Noun: The smallest Noun: The minimum the company required

amount or quantity investors to put down was $200,000.
possible
Adjective: The city wanted to raise the
Adjective: Smallest minimum wage to help out its lowest paid
or lowest
workers.

Minus

Preposition; Preposition: With

Adjective;
the subtraction of
Noun
Adjective: Showing
subtraction
Noun: An amount
below zero

Minute

noun; verb;
adjective

noun: period of
sixty seconds

Preposition: He left the restaurant minus his

hat.
Adjective: Five minus three equals two.
Noun: A minus sign in front of a number
indicates an outflow of funds.

Noun: She waited 45 minutes to speak with

civil servant.

verb: summarize
occurrences during
a meeting
adjective: a tiny
amount

Verb: The Secretary shall minute the

proceedings of each meeting.
Adjective: This recipe calls for only a minute
amount of salt.

Miracle

Noun

An extraordinary
event manifesting
divine intervention

It was a miracle that she survived falling into

the frozen lake.

Mobility

Noun

The ability to move

freely or be easily
moved

Crutches help people who have limited

mobility after spraining their ankles.

Modest

Adjective

Showing a
He was a modest man, refusing to take any
moderate or
credit for the enterprise.
humble estimate of
one's merits

Modify

Verb

To change in form
or character

The salespeople of the firm modify their

behavior around clients.

Momentous

Adjective

Having great or
lasting importance

A 50th wedding anniversary is considered a

momentous occasion.

Monitor

Noun; Verb

Noun: A device
used for observing
and checking

Noun: The heart monitor allowed the

doctors to check the patients vitals.

Verb: Observing
and checking the
quality over time
Monochrome

Adjective;
Noun

Verb: Equipment was installed to monitor air

quality.

Adjective: Showing
in only one shade
of color

Adjective: The images are displayed on

monochrome screens on the flight deck.

The control of an
industry by one
company

Any business with over 60% of the market

share of any product or service has a
monopoly.

Noun: The photograph was shown in

Noun: A painting or monochrome for effect.
drawing in
different shades of
a single color
Monopoly

Noun

Morale

Noun

Moral principles,
teachings, or
conduct

The team is playing well and their morale is

high.

Mortality

Noun

The state of being

subject to death

A small stroke made the man question his

mortality.

Multiple

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Involving
several parts,
elements, or
members

Adjective: He suffered multiple injuries in

the accident.
Noun: Thirty-six is a multiple of six.

Noun: A number
that is divisible by
another number
without leaving
any remainders
Mute

Adjective;
Noun; Verb

Adjective: Not
having the ability
to or the
willingness to talk
Noun: A person
who cannot or
does not speak

Adjective: They hugged each other in mute

sympathy.
Noun: The mute communicated with sign
language.
Verb: Her footsteps were muted by the thick
carpet.

Verb: To decrease
the volume of a
particular sound
Mutual

Adjective

Shared between
two or more
people or groups

My father hated him from the start, and the

feeling was mutual.

Naval

Adjective

Pertaining to the
navy

The navy has a naval fleet to dispatch to war

at a moments notice.

Navigation

Noun

Planning and
pursuing a course
from one place to
another

Our car has a GPS navigation system.

Neutral

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Not
taking sides

Adjective: The parents tried to stay neutral

in the fight between their children.

noun: vehicle gear

in which no power

is sent to the
engine

Noun: When being towed, you should put

your car in neutral.

Notorious

Adjective

Famous or wellknown, typically

for some bad
quality or deed

The rapper was notorious for making

amazing albums about his bad behavior.

Novelty

Noun

Quality of being
new, original, or
unusual

Cellphones are no longer the novelty they

were 30 years ago.

Null

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Not
having legal
validity

Adjective: The new government program

was declared null and void.

noun: zero

Noun: All the values on the computer were

null.

Nutritious

Adjective

Providing
nourishment

The granola bar was a nutritious substitute

for her daily candy bar.

Obedience

Noun

The state or act of

complying with
authority

The kennel master required obedience from

all his canine charges.

Obesity

Noun

Condition of being
grossly fat or
overweight

There is a growing problem with American

childhood obesity due to the amount of
sugar in childrens diets.

Obsess

Verb

To preoccupy a
persons thoughts

The girl was obsessed with her favorite

singer and went to his recording studio to
make an effort to visit him.

Obtrusive

Adjective

Tending to push
self-assertively
forward

We used less obtrusive colors in the

bedrooms.

Obtuse

Adjective

Occupy

Verb

1. More than
90 degrees
and less
than 180
degrees
2. Not alert in
perception
Reside or use
space

1. The triangles angle was obtuse,

which meant the other two were
less than 90 degrees combined.
2. The man was obtuse regarding
women and could never figure out
when one liked him.
The tenants occupied the basement
apartment while the owners lived above
them.

Odor

Noun

A pleasant or
unpleasant smell

The odor of freshly baked bread would drift

through the building each day because we
were next to a bakery.

Offset

Noun; Verb

Noun: Acts to
counterbalance
something else

Noun: In framing the door, the inept

carpenter left an offset of one inch.

Verb: To make up
for something or
counteract it

Verb: Gains in one area offset losses in

another.

Omen

Noun

Noun: Event
regarded as a
portent of good or
evil

It was a bad omen when I walked under a

ladder on the way to work.

Optical

Adjective

Pertaining to or
making light that is
visible

Optical illusions are what cause people to

see mirages in the desert.

Optimal

Adjective

Best or most
favorable

The optimal human body temperature is

98.6.

Orientation

Noun

The placement or
direction of
something

Students will generally attend a formal

school orientation before their first day of
classes.

Orthodox

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Following the
conventional or
customary rules or
laws of faith, social
behavior, or beliefs

Adjective: His methods were not always

orthodox and in line with the company
policy.
Noun: The orthodox women of that religion
go about heavily veiled.

Noun: A person
who follows
conventional or
customary rule or
beliefs
Outpatient

Noun

Patient treated at a
hospital but does
not stay overnight

The insurance companies track outpatients

in the hospital system to determine whether
the treatment they receive works.

Output

Noun; Verb

Noun: Production

Noun: The quality of the output from the

printer is very good.

Verb: To produce

Verb: Computers output data very quickly.

Outrageous

Adjective

Shockingly bad or
excessive

The price tag for the skiing trip was

outrageous, but the couple paid it anyhow
for their perfect getaway.

Overlap

Verb; Noun

Verb: To extend
over and cover a
part of

Verb: The roof shingles overlap each other.

Noun: There is some overlap in the
requirements.

Noun: An edge that

partially overlays
something else
Overrun

Verb; Noun

Verb: Spread over

or occupy in large
numbers
Noun: The act of a
person or thing
exceeding an
expected or
allowed time or
cost

Parallel

Adjective;
Noun;
Verb;
Adverb

The office was overrun by mice, so they laid

out mousetraps overnight.
Noun: The overrun wound up costing the
company thousands of dollars.

Adjective: Side by
side and having the
same distance
continuously
between them

Adjective: The road runs parallel to the

Mississippi River.

Noun: Person or
thing that is similar
to another

Verb: The increase in the quality of wines has

paralleled the rise of interest in food.

Noun: She draws a parallel between

personal destiny and social forces.

verb: be side by
side with
something and
always keep the
same distance
Parameter

Noun

Fact or
circumstance that
limits
how a thing is done

We need to optimize the system and

improve its operational parameters and
designs.

Parasite

Noun

An organism that
lives on or inside
another larger
organism; the host
organism is either
harmed or suffers
no advantage

Ringworm is a parasite that attacks most

domestic animals and is easily transmittable
to humans.

Particular

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Used to
single out an
individual member
of a specified
group or class

Adjective: She is very particular about

cleanliness.
Noun: A clerk took the womans particulars.

Noun: A detail
Particulate

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Pertaining to or
made up of
individual particles
noun: a substance
that is made up or
individual particles

Partisan

Noun;
Adjective

Noun: A person
that strongly
supports a person,
group, or cause
Adjective: Showing
extremely biased
support for a
cause.

Patent

Noun;
Adjective;
Verb

Noun: Exclusive
right granted to an
inventor to
produce or sell
inventions
Adjective: Easily
recognizable
Verb: Obtain a
patent for an
invention

Adjective: A pond has far more organic

particulate matter than a chemically
maintained swimming pool.
Noun: Exposure to carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide, and particulates were all well within
the current exposure recommendations.

Noun: The partisans stormed the Bastille in

1789.
Adjective: The partisan committee was deaf
to the other sides issues and would only
adopt their agenda.

Noun: He took out a patent for his new

software design.
Adjective: She was smiling with patent
insincerity.
Verb: An invention is not your own until it is
patented.

Patron

Noun

Person who gives

financial or other
support to a
person,
organization,
cause, or activity

She is a well-known patron of the arts.

Patronize

Verb

To frequent as a
customer; to act in
a condescending
way towards
someone

They patronize the library regularly.

Noun: A person
walking along a
road

Noun: The road is so dangerous that

pedestrians avoid it.

Pedestrian

Noun;
Adjective

Adjective:
Commonplace,
unimaginative
Peer

Verb; Noun

Verb: Look keenly

Noun: Person who
belongs to the
same age group

The headmistress spoke to her new teacher

in a patronizing manner, shaking the pour
womans confidence.

Adjective: The citizens of the town were

disappointed by their pedestrian lives.

Verb: The postman peered through the

window to see whether anyone was home.
Noun: The scientist collaborated with his
peers to come up with a solution for his
hypothesis.

Penalty

Noun

Punishment for
breaking a rule or
law

The penalty for breaking the law in different

countries varies.

Penetrate

Verb

To pass through or
go into something

Using a drill, the carpenter was able to

penetrate the wall.

Pentagon

Noun

five-sided
geometric figure

The headquarters of the Department of

Defense is shaped like a pentagon.

Perceive

Verb

to observe
something by using
the senses

Her boyfriend could always perceive when

she was lying, by the flush in her cheeks.

Perish

Verb

To die

The familys pet gerbil perished in the house

fire.

Persecute

Verb

To oppress people
because of their
religious beliefs or
race

The Trail of Tears was a time in American

History when Native Americans were being
persecuted openly.

Petition

Noun; Verb

Noun: Formal
written request

Noun: The petition for the rally was not filed

on time.

Verb: Make a
formal request
with respect to a
particular cause

Verb: Workers petitioned the boss for better

working conditions after too many
workplace accidents.

Noun: A step in a
process

Noun: The parents assumed their teenage

daughter was going through a phase when
she announced that she was going vegan.

Phase

Noun; Verb

Verb: Carry out in

gradual stages

Phony

Pinnacle

Adjective;
Noun; Verb

Noun; Verb

Verb: Most schools in the 1960s gradually

phased out their dress codes.

Adjective: Not
genuine

Adjective: He bought a phony watch with a

designer logo.

Noun: A fraudulent
person or thing

Noun: A phony or a quack will take you for

every dollar you have.

Verb: To make
something seem
true when it is
false

Adverb: She phonily claimed that she

wanted to work hard, when she was really
lazy.

Noun: A spire on a
roof

The president of the United States is at the

pinnacle of his career.

Verb: The most

successful point

The bell tower pinnacled the old church.

Pint

Noun

A measurement of
a liquid

In a pub, a pint is a way to order a beer, as it

is the size of the glass.

Plague

Noun; Verb

Noun: An epidemic
disease causing a
high rate of
mortality

The bubonic plague swept through Europe

during the Middle Ages killing so many
people it is often referred to as the Black
Death.

Verb: Cause
continual trouble

She is plagued by frequent migraines.

Plaintiff

Noun

A person who
initiates a lawsuit
against another
person

The plaintiff sued the defendant when the

defendant would not pay his share of the
investment.

Plausible

Adjective

Seeming
reasonable or
probable

The excuse that The dog ate my homework

no longer seemed plausible to the teacher.

Plead

Verb

Make an emotional
appeal

The boss let the employees plead their case

before firing them.

Polygon

Noun

A many-sided
geometric figure

The sides of the polygon may be arranged in

any order.

Potent

Adjective

Having great
power, influence,
or effect

The beer in Europe is more potent than

America because it has a higher alcoholic
content.

Precaution

Noun

Care taken in
advance; foresight

Pedestrians should take precautions when

crossing the street.

Precipitation

Noun

Water that falls to

the earth as hail,
mist, rain, sleet, or
snow

Heavy precipitation in hotter and wetter

climates can lead to humidity and then rain
in the summer.

Precursor

Noun

Something that
happens before
something else

The delicious appetizer was a precursor to

the main dinner course.

Predator

Noun

An animal that
lives by killing and
eating other
animals

Cats are natural predators of mice and small

birds.

Predisposition

Noun

The state of being

likely to behave in
a particular way

The inmates had a predisposition towards

violence, so putting them together increased
the likelihood of a fight breaking out.

Preface

Noun; Verb

Noun: Introduction
to a book or
speech

Noun: It was an abrupt question, made

without even the preface of a greeting.

Verb: Introduce an
action or speech

Verb: The book is prefaced by a quotation

from Stephen King.

Preferential

Adjective

Giving advantage

Parents unknowingly show preferential

treatment towards their own children over
others.

Premature

Adjective

Happening earlier
than expected

Too much exposure to the sun can cause the

premature aging of skin.

Premium

Noun;
Adjective

Noun: Amount paid Noun: Customers are reluctant to pay a

for insurance
premium for organic fruit.
Adjective: Of very
good quality

Adjective: Premium ice cream is made from

real cream and not soy substitute.

Preoccupied

Adjective

Completely
engrossed in
thought

The clerk was preoccupied with a customer

and could not help anyone else.

Prestige

Noun

Distinction
attached to a
person or thing

The business award had significant prestige

attached to its name.

Prevalence

Noun

The state of
occurring
frequently or

The prevalence of obesity in adults is causing

an epidemic of early onset diabetes.

being common
Previous

Adjective

Existing or
occurring before
something else in
time or order

The previous tenant destroyed the carpet

and the owner failed to replace it before the
new tenant moved in.

Primate

Noun

A member of the
most developed
and intelligent
group of mammals

Jane Goodall has long been an advocate of

safe treatment of primates in their natural
habitats.

Prime

Noun

A number that can

only be divided by
itself and one

Thirteen is a prime number because it can

only be divided by itself and one.

Primitive

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Not
developed

Adjective: We share many primitive

responses with animals.

Principal

Probe

Adjective;
Noun

Noun; Verb

Noun: Person
belonging to a
nonindustrial
society or culture

Noun: Reports of travelers and missionaries

described contemporary primitives.

Adjective: First in
order of
importance

Adjective: Her principal complaint was the

inequality of pay for officers of the same
rank.

Noun: Person with

highest authority

Noun: The principal of the firm made

changes to the corporate policy.

Noun: Slender
medical instrument
used for
exploration

The doctor used a probe during the delicate

brain surgery. Verb: The doctor probed the
patients abdomen as he complained of
severe abdominal pain.

Verb: Physically
explore or
examine, usually
by hand or with an
instrument
Proceeds

Noun

Money obtained
from an event or
activity

Product

Noun

Something made
The companys revenue was generated from
or grown to be sold the products it sold.
or used

Profile

Noun; Verb

Noun: Side view of

a person's face
Verb: To present a
description of
someone

Profit

Noun; Verb

Noun: A financial
gain
Verb: To obtain a
financial advantage
or benefit

The proceeds from the auction went to the

orphanage.

Noun: The actor had a great side profile.

Verb: Profiling is how the FBI catches serial
killers.

Noun: The company made a profit this year.

Verb: We are profiting from the newest
product line.

Profitability

Noun

Ability of a
business to make a
profit

The profitability of the company is

determined by whether it earns more than it
spends.

Progressive

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Happening
gradually or in
stages

Adjective: The candidate saw a progressive

decline in popularity.

Noun: A person
advocating for
social reform
Project

Noun; Verb

Noun: Planned
work or activity
finished over a
period of time

Noun: People tend to present themselves

either as progressives or traditionalists on
this issue.

Noun: The group worked on a research

project together for school.
Verb: The company projected a 10% loss on
next quarters revenue.

Verb: Estimate
something on the
basis of present
trends
Pronounced

Adjective

Clearly seen or
apparent

The witchs pronounced wart scared the

Munchkins.

Prospect

Noun; Verb

Noun: Likelihood of
some future event
occurring

Noun: The prospect of facing his parents

after failing his bar exam had him avoiding
going home for the holidays.

Verb: Search for

mineral deposits in
an area

Verb: Prospecting for gold in California was

so popular during the mid-1800s that the
time was referred to as The Gold Rush.

Prosper

Verb

To be financially
successful

The writer was unable to prosper as a

journalist and had to seek employment
elsewhere.

Prudent

Adjective

Care, caution, and

good judgment

Prudent women can avoid unsavory

gentlemen by obtaining character
references.

Publicity

Noun

Something that
attracts the
attention of the
public

Bad publicity for celebrities can make them

notorious.

Pursue

Verb

Follow in order to
catch or attack

To achieve happiness, one must pursue her

hopes and dreams.

Quadrant

Noun

A 90-degree arc
that is
representative of
one fourth of the
circumference of a
circle.

In quadrant I on an X and Y graph, the data

point x and y are always positive.

Quadrilateral

Noun

A geometric figure
that is two
dimensional and
has four sides

It has the form of a quadrilateral, elongated

from the northwest.

Quadruple

Verb;
Adjective;
Noun

Verb: To make four

times as great

Verb: Oil prices quadrupled in the 1970s.

Adjective: Four
times as great
Noun: A quantity
that is four times
as great as another
quantity

Adjective: The quadruple murder left the

town in shock.
Noun: When presses are made in a double
wide, two-reel machine, it is known as a
quadruple.

Qualify

Verb

To be entitled to
something or to fit
the requirements
of something

To qualify for a home loan, a borrower must

have good credit.

Quotient

Noun

Result obtained by
dividing one
quantity by
another

The first, and most important, is that the

quotient is placed above the dividend.

Racist

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Person
who believes that a
particular race is
superior to another

Adjective: We still have certain people who

are racist in attitudes.

Noun: a person
who believes that a
particular race is
superior to another

Noun: People live in fear of being called

racists.

Radian

Noun

A unit of angular
measurement that
is equal to the
angle between two
radii and that
surrounds a
section of a circle's
circumference.

The inverse of the radius of the circle equals

the curvature in radians / m.

Radius

Noun

A straight line that

extends from the
center of a circle to
the edges

The radius of a circle is used to determine

the area along with Pi.

Rapid

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Moving,
occurring, or acting
in a swift manner

Adjective: They lost three workers in rapid

succession.

Noun: Part of a
river in which
water moves very
fast

Noun: The adventurers wanted a challenge,

so they took a boat down the rapids.

Rare

Adjective

Not occurring very

often

The fan owned an extremely rare baseball

card.

Rate

Noun; Verb

Noun: Quantity
measured with
respect to another
measured quantity

Noun: The rate of exchange from franc to

pound is favorable today.

Verb: Assign a
standard or value
to

Verb: The students rated each other by

grades to determine who would be class
valedictorian.

Rating

Noun

Classification
according to grade
or rank

Rotten Tomatoes reviews every movie and

ranks each one with a percentage score.

Ratio

Noun

A proportional
relationship
between

The party had a higher ratio of men to

women attending it.

two different
numbers or
amounts

Reactor

Noun

Person or thing
that reacts or
undergoes a
reaction

The core reactor stabilized after an initial

overheating.

Rear

Verb

to raise the young

into adulthood

The cat reared her kittens under a tree in the

backyard.

Recall

Verb; Noun

Verb: To bring back

from memory

Verb: The car manufacturer recalled a

specific product line of cars due to a defect
in the engine.

Noun: The action

of remembering
something
experienced
Recruit

Verb; Noun

Noun: The company recently sent out a

recall on its latest crib model.

Verb: Enlist in the

armed forces

Verb: We recruit our toughest soldiers from

the desert tribes.

Noun: Person
newly enlisted in
the armed forces

Noun: The newest recruit was constantly

being hazed by his peers.

Rectangle

Noun

A figure with four

sides and four right
angles

A square can be a rectangle, but rectangle

cannot always be a square.

Reflex

Noun; Verb

Noun: Action
performed as a
response to
stimulus

Noun: It is a standard reflex to duck when a

ball is thrown at your head.
Adjective: When someone sneezes, it is a
reflex action.

Verb: Performed
without conscious
thought as a
response to
stimulus
Regimen

Noun

A regulated system
or plan used to
promote health or
treat illness or
injury

To lose weight, it helps to stick to a dietary

regimen.

Reluctant

Adjective

Unwilling to do
something

People are reluctant to vote for government

representatives who want to raise their
taxes.

Remainder

Noun

The leftovers from

something

The remainder of the year was filled with

holiday parties.

Remedy

Noun; Verb

Noun: Medicine or
treatment for a
disease or injury

The remedy for the common cold is rest and

fluids.

Verb: Sets right an

undesirable
situation
Replicate

Verb;
Adjective

Verb: Make an
exact copy of

The coder was unable to replicate his

previous work as it was too complex.

Adjective:
Duplicated, copied,
or reproduced
Reptilian

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective:
Characteristic of
reptiles

Adjective: He was a reptilian villain with no

redeeming qualities.
Noun: A crocodile is reptilian.

Noun: Animal
belonging to the
reptile class
Reservation

Noun

Act of withholding
something

He had reservations about taking the job

offer.

Resign

Verb

To accept
something
reluctantly

Nixon was the only president of the United

States to resign in office.

Responsive

Adjective

Responding to
something

The patient was responsive to sound and

touch after waking from a coma.

Revenue

Noun

Money that a
business makes

The company generated enough revenue to

start research and development on a second
line of product.

Revise

Verb

Verb: Reconsider in
light of further
evidence

Verb: He refused to revise his statement to

the police officer regarding the car accident
after it became apparent he had been
inebriated when the accident occurred.

Revitalize

Verb

Imbue with new

life

Gentrification revitalized the neighborhood,

but also increased the price of rent.

Revival

Noun

Improvement in
the condition of
something

The city is showing signs of revival.

Rhombus

Noun

Equal-sided
parallelogram

Across the tiled floor, they saw nothing but

rhombuses filled with hearts.

Rival

Noun; Verb

Noun: Person or
thing competing
for the same object
or goal as another

Noun: The rival for the throne lost his head

in a battle, and the rebellion was over.
Verb: Their many restaurants served dishes
rivalling the best to be found in Europe.

Verb: To engage in
rivalry
Sanitary

Adjective

Hygienic and clean

Sanitary hand wipes are found in most

hospitals today.

Scale

Noun; Verb

Noun: Set of
numbers used to
measure or
compare the level
of something

Noun: She weighed herself on the scale

every day while on her diet.
Verb: They scaled the side of the mountain
as a personal challenge.

Verb: To climb up a
steep surface
Scatter

Verb; Noun

Verb: To cause to
go in different
directions
Noun: Small,
dispersed amount
of something

The marbles were scattered on the ground

while the children were playing.
A scattering of leaves lay over the grass after
the heavy wind.

Scenario

Noun

Imagined sequence
of possible events

There were only a few scenarios in which the

hero came out alive.

Secular

Adjective;
Noun

adjective: not
concerned with
religious or
spiritual matters

Adjective: American politics are supposed to

be secular, but the religious right has
changed the conversation.

noun: not subject

to or bound by
religious rule

Noun: Most priests were seculars, living in

the world and working amongst ordinary
people.

Secure

Adjective;
Verb

Adjective: Free
from danger or
attack
Verb: Fix or attach
something firmly

Segment

Noun; Verb

Noun: Part of a
figure, in
geometry, cut off
by a line
intersecting it

Adjective: Please check to ensure that all

nuts and bolts are secure.
Verb: The button was easily secured onto
the dress with a piece of thread.

Noun: A large segment of the local

population believes in the Divine.
Verb: People of different ethnicities are
segmented into groups when participating in
surveys.

Verb: Divide
something into
separate parts or
sections
Seminar

Noun

Meeting or
conference for
discussion or
training

Employees were required to attend a

seminar to enhance their project
management skills.

Sequence

Noun; Verb

Noun: The
following of one
thing after another

Noun: The content of the program should

follow a logical sequence.

Verb: Arrange in a
particular order

Verb: The librarians decided how misfiled

books could be sequenced on the shelves.

Session

Noun

Meeting or series
of meetings of an
official body

After the court was in session, no one could

enter.

Shortfall

Noun

Amount that is
lacking

There is a shortfall in milk production this

season.

Siege

Noun; Verb

noun: military
operations that
surround a place to
force surrender

Noun: Troy withstood a siege for ten years.

Verb: Any
prolonged effort to
overcome
resistance

Verb: In an effort to capture the city, the

armed forces lay siege to it for several
weeks.

Skeptic

Noun

Someone who
doubts something
is true

People are taught to be skeptics around the

supernatural.

Sketch

Noun; Verb

Noun: An
unfinished drawing
or painting

Noun: The sketch fetched twice as much at

the auction than originally estimated.

Verb: To make a
rough drawing
Slope

Noun; Verb

Noun: Measure of
the steepness of a
line

Verb: The police hired an artist to sketch the

murderer.

Noun: A slope of 30 degrees is less steep

than a slope of 60 degrees.
Verb: The garden sloped down to a stream

Verb: Be inclined
from a horizontal
or vertical line
Solicit

Verb

To approach with a
request or plea

Solution

Noun

Noun:

Sophisticated

Adjective

Restaurants do not like it when their patrons

are unwelcomely solicited while they are
trying to enjoy their meal.
1. There are no easy solutions to
marital problems.
2. She made a solution of baking soda
and water.

1. The act of
solving a
problem
2. Liquid
mixture in
which the
minor
component
(the
solute) is
uniformly
distributed
within the
major
component
(the
solvent)
Having or showing The wife of the television mogul was highly
much worldly
sophisticated and did a lot of his networking
knowledge or
at events.
cultural refinement

Specific

Adjective;
Noun

Adjective: Clearly
defined or
identified

Adjective: The doctor gave the patient

specific instructions on how to care for the
wound.

Noun: A precise
detail

Noun: I wish Id put more thought into the

specifics.

Spectator

Noun

Person who
watches, but does
not participate

The spectators annoyed the rival team by

making too much noise while the team was
calling its plays.

Sphere

Noun

Noun: Round, solid

figure with every
point on its surface
equidistant from
its center

Noun: All points on a sphere are the same

distance from the center.

Spiteful

Adjective

Showing
maliciousness

The older brother was particularly spiteful

towards his youngest sibling for receiving so
much of his parents affection.

Sponsor

Noun; Verb

Noun: One who

assumes
responsibility for
another person or
group over a
period of time

Noun: The Congressman was the leading

sponsor of the bill.
Verb: She wished to thank all the people
who sponsored her.

Verb: To act as a
sponsor
Square

Noun;
Adjective;
Verb

Noun: Figure with

four equal straight
sides and four right
angles
Adjective: Having
the shape of a
square

Noun: She tore a bit of cloth into a four-inch

square.
Adjective: The couple bought a square dining
table for their living room.
Verb: Seven squared equals forty-nine.

Verb: Multiply a
number by itself
Stench

Noun

Strong and
unpleasant smell

The stench from the bog was terrible.

Stimulus

Noun

Something causing
a response or
reaction

The pay raise was a stimulus for production.

strain

verb; noun

verb: to work
exceptionally hard

Verb: On cold days, you are more likely to

strain a muscle.

noun: force
tending to stretch
something to a
damaging degree

Noun: The strain of working too hard on the

pending project put the employee in the
hospital.

Verb: Walk with

long steps

Verb: The models strode down the catwalk

as the fashion critics furiously scribbled
notes.

Stride

Verb; Noun

Noun: A long,
decisive step

Noun: The mans stride was significantly

longer than the womans.

Stringent

Adjective

Rigorous and strict

There were stringent rules against

unauthorized persons being in the building

Strive

Verb

Make great efforts

towards
achievement

After failing miserably, he strove to make

things right with his boss.

Sturdy

Adjective

Strongly built

The sturdy bookshelves were built with extra

care to hold the weight of the hardback
books.

Subscriber

Verb

person who
regularly receives a
publication

The magazine subscriber cancelled his

subscription after the prices were raised.

Substantial

Adjective

of considerable
importance

A substantial number of people commute to

work each day.

Substantiate

Verb

Establish by proof
or competent
evidence

The prosecutor wanted to substantiate the

evidence in the case before going to trial.

Suffice

Verb

Be enough or
adequate

Suffice it to say, the students lost their case

and could not leave school early on Fridays.

Superb

Adjective

Excellent

The cake had a superb flavor that had people

asking for seconds.

Superficial

Adjective

Existing on the
surface

Magazines are focused on selling superficial

items to consumers.

supplement

noun; verb

noun: something
that enhances
something else
when added to it

Noun: The handout is a supplement to the

official manual.
Verb: She took the job to supplement her
husbands income.

verb: to complete
or add to
surface

noun;
adjective;
verb

noun: the outer

part

Noun: Whales come up to the surface of the

water to breathe.

adjective: relating
to the outer part of
something

Adjective: Some animals cling to the surface

film on water, seemingly able to walk on
water.

verb: rise up

Verb: The children did not surface from their

game until late in the day.

surpass

verb

exceed; be greater
than

Great leaders do their best to surpass their

predecessors.

surplus

noun;
adjective

noun: excess of
production or
supply over
demand

Noun: The small country managed to have a

trade surplus of $2.5 million.
Adjective: She picked up her boots in an
army surplus store.

adjective: more
than what is
needed or used
sustain

verb

to support
something or keep
it going

The organizers could not sustain the influx of

people coming into the event.

symptom

noun

subjective
indication of a
disorder or disease

He knew he was coming down with

something when he starting showing flu-like
symptoms.

tactic

noun

a method used to
achieve a shortterm goal

The guy changed his tactics when he realized

his pickup lines werent working.

tactile

adjective

relating to the
sense of touch

The thick brushstrokes give the painting a

tactile quality.

tangent

noun;
adjective

noun: straight line

that touches a
curve at a point,
but if extended,
does not cross it at
that point

Noun: He noticed that he could draw three

straight lines, or tangents, that each touched
all three circles.
Adjective: Her mind went off on a tangent.

adjective: touching,
but not
intersecting, a
curve
tedious

adjective

tiresome by reason
of length,
slowness, or
dullness

The movie was so tedious that after an hour,

the audience was asleep.

tentative

adjective

not certain or fixed

The interview was tentative because the

hiring managers were not sure whether the
candidate would be a good fit for the
company.

terminate

verb

bring to an end

The company decided to terminate the

relationship with the consultant.

terrestrial

adjective;
noun

adjective: relating
to the Earth

Adjective: Increased ultraviolet radiation

may disrupt terrestrial ecosystems.

noun: an
inhabitant of the
earth

Noun: An alien meeting an earthling would

be meeting a terrestrial.

territory

noun

any tract of land

Fences are put up to mark boundaries

around territories.

terrorism

noun

violence
committed
because of a
political view or
purpose

They have been arrested for acts of

terrorism.

testimony

noun

evidence given by a The witness recanted his testimony after his

witness in court
alibi fell apart.
during a trial

threshold

noun

any point of
entering or
beginning

The groom carried his bride across the

threshold of their new home.

thrive

verb

grow or develop
well

Plants thrive on sunlight, water, and good

soil.

times

preposition

multiplied by

Five times five can also be said as squaring

the number five.

titanic

adjective

very strong or large He blew the problem up to titanic

proportions.

torture

noun; verb

noun: the practice

of inflicting severe
pain
verb: to inflict
severe pain

total

toxic

noun; verb

noun;
adjective

Noun: The torture of political prisoners is

forbidden under the Geneva Convention.
Verb: The military regime was notorious
because it tortured suspected drug dealers.

noun: the sum of

everything

Noun: The total cost of everything I bought

was $2000.

verb: to determine
the total of

Verb: They were left with debts totaling

$10,000.

noun: poisonous
substances

Noun: Toxics should not be kept under the

kitchen sink, but rather out of the reach of
children.

adjective:
poisonous

Adjective: Toxic waste pollutes the

environment if not disposed properly.

trait

noun

an individual
characteristic or
quality

Blue eyes are a definitive trait that can be

traced back to a single ancestor.

transmit

verb

to send from one

person, place, or
thing to another

Satellites transmit signals from space to

Earth.

trauma

noun

a deeply
distressing or
disturbing
experience

The woman experienced a trauma as a child

and now relives it in her nightmares.

treasury

noun

the storage of
funds or money

The fees are deposited into the state's

treasury.

triangle

noun

three-sided
polygon

A triangle has three angles that add up to

180 degrees.

triple

adjective;
verb; noun

adjective:
consisting of three
parts, things, or
people

Adjective: The gymnast performed a triple

somersault in her routine.

verb: a thing that is

three times as
large as usual

Verb: The new gum triples the flavors and

lasts longer.
Noun: The batter hit the ball down the third
base line for a triple.

noun: become
three times as
much
trivial

adjective

of little value or
importance

The issue was trivial compared to the other

problems the company was facing.

ultimate

adjective;
noun

adjective:
happening at the
end of the process

Adjective: Their ultimate aim was to receive

year-end bonuses.

noun: the best of

its kind

Noun: We bought the ultimate in fashion

design.

underlying

adjective

something
positioned beneath
something else

Management could not determine what the

underlying crisis at the factory was that
made the workers want to strike.

undermine

verb

to weaken
something

The co-worker tried to undermine her

colleagues work because she was jealous.

unison

noun

notes played or
sung in the same
pitch; harmonious
agreement

The choir sang in perfect unison so it was

impossible to distinguish any one voice.

unparalleled

adjective

unequaled or
unmatched

The singers voice was unparalleled to those

of her peers in the industry.

unwarranted

adjective

not justified or
authorized

The force the police used to enter the

building was unwarranted.

utilize

verb

to put to use

The nursing staff felt joy in their work

because they were being utilized to their
fullest extent.

vacancy

noun

unoccupied
position or job

The unemployed worker applied for the

vacancy of dishwasher at the restaurant.

validity

noun

having legal force;

effective or binding

The validity of her statement could not be

confirmed by anyone else and was therefore
nullified.

variable

adjective;
noun

adjective: able to
be changed or
adapted

Adjective: The quality of hospital food is

highly variable.

noun: element,
feature, or factor
that is liable to
change
vector

noun; verb

noun: any quantity

with both a
magnitude and a
direction

Noun: There are too many variables involved

to make any meaningful predictions.

Noun: A vector quantity has magnitude and

direction.
Verb: The hurricane was vectoring towards
the Florida Keys.

verb: direct to a
desired point
venture

noun; verb

noun: a risky
journey or
undertaking

Noun: The man went into a business venture

with his best friend because they trusted
each other.

verb: go
somewhere that
may be dangerous

Verb: She ventured out into the blizzard.

vessel

noun

container or
receptacle

The vessel returned to port with a hole in

the side.

viable

adjective

practicable or
reasonable

There was no viable alternative to the

solution the director proposed.

vicinity

noun

the surrounding
area

For safety reasons, the children were not

allowed to play around the vicinity of the
junkyard.

victim

noun

person who suffers

from an injurious
action

Victims facing their attackers in court often

feel they are brutalized a second time.

victor

noun

winner in a contest
or battle

The loser challenged the victor to a rematch.

virgin

noun;
adjective

noun: person who

is nave, innocent,
or inexperienced

Noun: She was a virgin in the ways of the

world before leaving home for college.

adjective: not yet

touched, used, or
exploited

Adjective: The airplane was to embark on its

virgin flight.

volume

noun

amount of space
occupied by an
object measured in
three dimensions

The volume of a cube can be calculated by

multiplying length times height times width.

width

noun

measurement of
something from
side to side

A tree grows in width as it ages.

witty

adjective

being clever and

funny

Everyone laughed at her witty comment.

yield

verb; noun

verb: to produce
something

Verb: The experiment yielded strange results

that the scientist used to make his amazing
discovery.

noun: the full

amount of an
agricultural or
industrial product

Noun: The corn yield was poor because of a

locust infestation.