Upper Intermediate Vocabulary TOEFL Test Practice

Below is a list of words that often appear on theTOEFL test. The underlined sections of a word provide links to definitions of that word s respective roots, prefixes and suffixes. Sentences are provided as examples of word usage.

A act, ag react (verb): to act in response to something o re + act o How did he react when he heard the news? y agent (noun): something which acts or acts upon something else ag + ent o The travel agent helped her purchase the tickets. y active (adjective): involving movement, moving about o act + ive o Joan is an active child. y agitate (verb): to excite, to disturb, to stir up o agit + ate o The washing machine agitates the load of laundry. aud, audit, aur y audible ( adjective): can be heard o aud + ible o Your voice is barely audible over the sound of the train whistle. y auditorium (noun): a place where one goes to hear something o audit+ orium o The band played in the school auditorium y auricular o aur + ic + ul + ar o The auricular ability of the cat is well-known. am, ami y amorous (adjective): loving
y

amor + ous The actor played an amorous role. amiable (adjective) friendly, agreeable o ami + able o He seems to be an amiable man. amicable (adjective): friendly o amic + able o The two neighbors came to an amicable decision about the fence.
o o

I would like to buy some perennial plants.

anim animal (noun): a living creature o anim + al o A dog is an animal. y animate (verb): to give spirit or support, to supply movement o anim + ate o The artist animated the cartoon. y animosity (noun): hostility, ill will o animos + ity o There isnt any animosity between us. ann, annu, enni y annals (noun): record of events, historical records o ann + al + s o The annals of the organization are kept in notebooks. y annual (adjective): yearly o annu + al o She is planning on going to the companys annual meeting. y annuity (noun): money payable yearly o annu + ity o Joan is going to invest her annuity in the stock market. y anniversary (noun): the yearly celebration of an event o anni + vers + ary o Johns parents will celebrate their wedding anniversary in April. y perennial (adjective): enduring, persisting for several years o per + enn + ial
y

auc, aug, aut y author (noun): one that originates or creates, a writer o auth + or o Susan met the author of this book. y augment (verb): to increase, to add to o aug + ment o He had to augment his salary by taking another job. y auction (noun): a sale of goods to the highest bidder o auct + ion o I bought this car at the auction. B bene biblio y benevolent y benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle o The doctor removed a benign tumor from my neck and I went home the same day. brev + ity y bibliography
y y y y

biology brief abbreviate (verb): to shorten o How does one abbreviate the word Minnesota? brevity (noun): short or concise expression o The politician gave short speeches and he became known for his brevity.

C cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid y deceive (verb): to cause or allow someone to believe something is true when it is actually false; to mislead o de + ceive o The criminal deceived many people into believing she was honest.
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capable (adjective): having the ability to do something; having the traits necessary to perform some action o cap + able o Jose is a very capable lawyer. y capacious (adective): containing a great deal o capac + ious o You have a capacious library with many unusual books. y captive (noun, adjective): a person held against his or her own will; held prisoner o cap+ tive o The captives were taken to the jail. o Geoff had a captive audience. y accident (noun): an unplanned event o ac + cid + ent o Dont get upset about minor accidents and errors. y capture (verb): to gain control of, to gain by effort o capt + ure o In the game of chess, the object is to capture the king. y occasion (noun): an opportunity; a happening, instance or celebration o oc + cas + ion o Did you have an occasion to speak with your professor? y receive (verb): to take in, to acquire o re + ceive o Imelda received many letters in the mail today. y concept (noun): an idea o con + cept o The concept of using computers in the classroom is relatively new. ceas, cede, ceed, cess y predecessor (noun): a person who has previously occupied a position that another has taken over o pre + de + cess + or o I hope I can live up to my predecessors reputation. y succeed (verb): to follow after another, to do well
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suc + ceed To succeed as a student, one must study. recede (verb): to move back, to withdraw o re + cede o The water receded five days after the flood. concede (verb): to accept as true, to yield, to allow o con + cede o I conceded to her point of view. exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than o ex + ceed o The driver exceeded the speed limit by ten miles an hour. recess (noun): an indentation, a temporary break o re + cess o The children were given a recess from the lessons. deceased (adjective): dead o de + ceas + ed o The deceased person will be cremated rather than buried.
o o

chron chronic (adjective): marked by a long period of time, recurrence o chron + ic o Gabrielle has a chronic back disorder and cannot lift heavy objects. y chronicle (noun): a historical account arranged in order of time o chron + icle o The teacher asked us to read a chronicle on the Revolutionary War. y chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time o chrono + log + ical o The text book listed the presidents in chronological order. clam, claim y acclaim (verb): praise o ac + claim o The restaurant is acclaimed for its desserts. y exclaim (verb): to speak loudly, to cry out in surprise o ex + claim
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The children exclaimed hurray when they heard there would be no classes tomorrow. y clamor (noun, verb): n. noise, v. to make noise o clam + or o The children clamored for more ice cream. y proclaim (verb): to declare loudly o pro + claim o The president of the university proclaimed March 21 to be a holiday in honor of the schools award winning faculty. cogn, gnos y cognizant (adjective): aware o cogniz + ant o The man was cognizant of the danger of walking through the park at night. y diagnose (verb): to recognize (diseases) by symptoms o dia + gnose o The patient was diagnosed with Lymes disease. y agnostic (noun): one who believes that any ultimate reality is unknowable o ag + gnost + ic o John is unsure of the reality of god and considers himself to be an agnostic. y recognize (verb): to know, to identify o re + cogn + ize o I thought I recognized your face from somewhere. corp y corpse (noun): a dead body o corpse o A corpse was found floating in the river. y corpulent (adjective): having a large body o corp + ul + ent o The corpulent politician jabbed a fat finger in the air. y incorporate (verb): to unite into one being o in + corp + or + ate
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The artist incorporated paint, photographs, and fabric into her artwork. y corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group o corp + or + ate o The corporate structure allowed many people to work as a group. cre, cresc, cret y crescent (noun, adjective): a narrow curved shape; a quarter moon or smaller o cresc + ent o The crescent moon could be glimpsed through the clouds. y create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination o cre + ate o The musician created a new musical arrangement. y accretion (verb): growth by gradual addition o ac + cret + ion o The accretion of dirt on windows is sometimes hard to detect. y increase (verb): to grow in size or amount o in + crease Alfonse wishes he could find a way to increase his salary. cred y credible (adjective): can be believed, reasonable o cred + ible o The witness gave a credible account of the accident. y credulous (adjective): too ready to believe o cred + ul + ous o The credulous child believed the story about flying horses. y incredible (adjective): unbelievable, amazing o in + cred + ible o Makiko said she just saw an incredible horror movie. cour, cur, curr, curs y excursion (noun): a trip o ex + curs + ion
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o The father planned an excursion to the zoo for his children. discourse (noun, verb): a conversation, to talk o dis + course o The discourse between the speaker and the audience was informal. courier (noun): a messenger o couri + er o The courier gave the message to the secretary. course (noun, verb): forward movement, movement from point to point; to run along a path o course o Blood courses through your veins with every beat of your heart. occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind o oc + cur o It just occurred to me that tomorrow is your birthday. current (adjective, noun): happening now, up to date; the movement of water o curr + ent o Is this information current or out of date?

D dic, dict, dit y dictionary (noun): a book of definitions o dict + ion + ary o Juliana looked up the word in the dictionary. y condition (noun): the state of something or someone o con + dit + ion o Is your car in good condition? y indicate (verb): to show, to point out o in + dic + ate o The gas gauge indicates that we are almost out of gas. y dictate (verb): to speak for a person to record, to issue an order o dict + ate o The lawyer dictated the letter to her secretary. y predict (verb): to say what will happen in the future
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pre + dict Joseph predicts that he will get married in ten years. y addict (verb): to be devoted to something in an obsessive manner o ad + dict o Leslie is addicted to betting on the horse races. doc, doct y doctor (noun): a person who has received the highest degree a university offers, a physician o doct + or o Andre is going to medical school so that he can be a doctor like his mother. y doctrine (noun): something that is taught, dogma o doctr + ine o We learned about the doctrine of manifest destiny in our American history class. y docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught o doc + ile o Mrs. Galindez wants to buy a docile dog for her son. y document (noun): an official paper o docu + ment o The library houses many government documents in its collection. dog, dox y orthodox (adjective): holding conventional beliefs o ortho + dox o I dont know if my interpretation of that book is orthodox or not. y dogma (noun): an established opinion o dog + ma o Some people find the dogma associated with that organization disturbing. y paradox (noun): a statement that seems to contradict itself but contains some truth o para + dox
o o

The paradox of the matter is that I want to see the opera but I also want to stay home.
y

dec, dign y decorate (verb): to make something look attractive or suitable o dec + or + ate o Linda decorated her apartment with paintings and plants. y decent (adjective): conforming to standards, good, kind o dec + ent o This magazine contains a decent article on home improvement. y dignity (noun): quality of being worthy, noble, honored o dign + ity o I havent yet had the dignity and honor of being grand marshall of the parade. duc, duct y conduct (verb, noun): v. to lead or guide, n. a persons behavior o con + duct o Jared was conducted into the doctors office by the nurse. o Arnelles conduct was inexcusable and she should apologize to the class. y educate (verb): to train, to provide schooling for o e + duc + ate o The school tries to educate its students to be productive members of society. y induct (verb): to install in office or to enroll in military service o in + duct o Mindy was inducted into the army last month. y deduct (verb): to subtract o de + duct o The salesperson deducted five dollars off the purchase price of the radio. y deduce (verb): to make a decision or draw a conclusion by reasoning o de + duce

I deduced from the trail of crumbs and the empty milk carton that the children were home. produce (verb, noun): to bring forward, to make to bear or yield; something made or grown o pro + duce o The lawyer produced new evidence at the trial. o The produce from the farm will go to the market next week. seduce (verb): to persuade (especially into doing something wrong), to tempt o se + duce o Money and power have been known to seduce many honest people. induce (verb): to persuade, cause, or bring about by artificial means. o in + duce o If a child swallows poison, it is suggested that vomiting should be induced.
o

E ev, et
y

eternal (adjective): not effected by time, without beginning or end, ceaseless o etern + al o The lecture seemed eternal and many in the audience had fallen asleep. medieval (adjective): relating to the Middle Ages (500 1500 AD) o med + ieval o There are many styles to medieval architecture and a building built in 500 AD looks different from one built in 1000 AD.

F fict, feign, fain y faint (adjective, verb): indistinct, not clearly perceived, weak; to lose consciousness from lack of blood to the brain o faint o There is a faint odor of apples in this room. o Some people faint at the sight of blood.
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feign (verb): to pretend o feign o The child feigned illness in an attempt to avoid the test. fiction (noun): something produce from imagination, an invented story o fict + ion o The excuse Marvin just gave for not doing his homework is pure fiction.

fig effigy (noun): a figure representing a disliked person. o e f + fig + y o The children made an effigy of their nasty neighbor. y figure (noun): shape, pattern, drawing o fig + ure o The figure Louise drew on the paper looks nothing like an apple. y figment (noun): a thing that does not exist, something made up o fig + ment o Ghosts and monsters are figments of an active imagination. fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea y fashion (noun, verb): the form of something, style; to give shape or form to o fash + ion o The current fashion is hair worn short. y feasible (adjective): capable of being done o feas + ible o The engineer thought that building the bridge across the river was a feasible project. y feature (noun, verb): the appearance or form of a person or object; to picture or portray o feat + ure o Lisettes best feature is her eyes. y factory (noun): a place where things are made or built o fact + ory o There is a boat factory near the river.
y

difficult (adjective): hard to do, troublesome, hard to understand o di + fic + ult o The test was difficult and I answered only eight of the ten questions. fact (noun): something known to be true o fact o Its a fact that the world is round. effect (noun): a change caused by something, a result, influence o e + fect o The suns effect on human skin is known to be harmful. fertile (adjective): productive, bearing or capable of bearing fruit in large quantities o fert + ile o The land by the river is quite fertile and many crops are grown there. refer (verb): to classify within a general category, to send or direct to another source o re + fer o The patient was referred to a physical therapist for additional treatment. infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from facts or ideas, to guess o in + fer o Sometimes a reader has to infer from the facts presented in an article what the main idea is about. diffident (adjective): hesitant in acting, shy o dif + fid + ent o The diffident student would not speak in front of the class. fidelity (noun): the quality of being faithful, accuracy o fid + el + ity o The fidelity of this video reproduction is quite good. confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret o con + fide o Joan confided in her friend and told her a secret.

fer
y

fid
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flu, fluct, flux y fluent (adjective): capable of moving with ease, able to speak another language o flu + ent o The dancer had a fluent body. o Juanita is fluent in several languages. y superfluous (adjective): extra, more than is needed o super + flu + ous o Three cherries on my piece of cake is superfluous; I only needed one. y influence (verb, noun): to have an effect on something; the ability to affect something indirectly o in + flu + ence o It was Johns success as a musician that influenced my decision to take guitar lessons. y fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth style, liquid o flu + id o The ink my new pen is quite fluid and flows evenly across the page. y fluctuate (verb): to shift back and forth, to move erratically o fluctu + ate o My body temperature has been fluctuating all day sometimes Im hot and sometimes Im cold. form fract, frag, frai y format y formulate (verb): to prepare from a set of steps (formula), to devise o The chemist formulated a new way of making dish detergent.
y y

o o

frail Be careful! That chair is frail

G gen, gin y generally (adverb): in a general manner, usually, with regard to the whole not specifics o gen + er + al + ly o Generally, Lance leaves work at 5:00 p.m. y gingerly (adverb, adjective): careful o gin + ger + ly o Paulette picked up the antique vase gingerly and placed it on the shelf. y indigenous (adjective): native, having been born in a specific area or environment o in + di + gen + ous o The tomato plant is indigenous to South America. ge de + gree y geography
y y

categorize

fracture (verb, noun): to break, to crack; a broken bone o fract + ure Miguel fractured his arm while skiing. fragment (noun): a piece broken off, a part of something o frag + ment o It bothers me that I can remember only a fragment of the poem rather than the whole piece. frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong
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grade (noun): a stage in a process, a mark indicating quality o Ali hopes to receive a passing grade on his midterm exam. y progress (verb, noun): to move forward; forward movement o Mina progressed to the next level in her French language program. o There hasnt been much progress made in getting the house built only the frame is up. y degree (noun): a step or stage in a process, a rank, a level of intensity o There is a high degree of stress associated with being a police officer. graph, graf H y graphic y graffitti (noun): drawings or writing on a wall

Many people find the graffitti on the subway trains disturbing.

y

(noun): a school for higher learning, a group of people having a common purpose college legal (adjective, noun): based on law; conforms to law o leg + al o Jared is working as a legal secretary for two lawyers in New York o Is it legal to own fireworks in Massachusetts or is there a law against them? league (noun): a group of people, an association o leag + ue o There are fifty people participating in the bowling league.

her, hes y adhere (verb): to stick o ad + here o Paper often adheres to wet surfaces. y hesitate (verb): to hold back a decision, to waver o hesit + ate o Dont hesitate to call me if you need help. J jac, ject, jet re + ject y adjacent y jettison (verb): to throw away, to cast off o The captain of the sinking ship jettisoned the cargo. y reject (verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept o David was rejected by two schools before he found a school that accepted him. jug, junct, just y adjust (verb): to change or adapt to fit or match something o ad + just o Jared has to adjust to his new work schedule. y conjugal (adjective): of marriage, marital relationship o con + jug + al o One should think seriously before entering a conjugal relationship. y junction (noun): the place at which two things join o junct + ion o Deborahs house is at the junction of Hill and Maple streets. L lex, leg
y o o

lect
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y y

col + lect The little girl collected wildflowers for her mother. (verb): to gather, to bring together collect
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legible (noun): readible, clear enough to read o leg + ible o His handwriting is quite legible. eligible (adjective): qualified, worthy to be chosen o e + lig + ible o Now that Geoffrey is eighteen he is eligible to vote.

loc
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loc + al + ly The vegetables are grown locally. (adverb): nearby, relative to a certain area locally
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col + lege Yolanda is going to college to become a lawyer.

log
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log + ic Simone is taking a class in logic and she is learning about how to reason. (noun): the study of reason logic
o o

y y

The American Revolution is commemorated every Fourth of July. (verb): to remember an important event through ceremony or observation commemorate
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luc
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y y

trans + luc + ent The sheet of paper is translucent when held close to a lightbulb. (adjective): allowing some light to shine through translucent
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memory (noun): the ability to recall past events o mem + or + y o Geanine has an excellent memory and she can recall things that happened years ago. mental (adjective): related to the mind o ment + al o Laurens mental abilities must be quite good if she achieved a perfect score without even studying. mention (verb): to cite, to speak about, to refer to o ment + ion o The instructor forgot to mention that the class was cancelled.

ment
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illuminate (verb): to provide with light, to make lighter, to make clear o il + lum + in + ate o The lamp illuminates the room. illustrate (verb): to explain by using pictorial examples, to show by using visual examples o il + lustr + ate o Christopher illustrated his idea on piece of paper for everyone to see.

min minor (adjective): lesser, less important o min + or o The knife slipped and Marcelle received a minor cut. y minute (adjective, noun): tiny, very small; sixty seconds o min + ute o Even though the speck of dirt on the camera lens was minute, it ruined the photograph. o Terry will be finished in one minute. y minuscule (adjective): very small o minusc + ule o The minuscule gem was very hard to see without magnifying glasses. mit, miss
y y o

M man
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man + age + ment This store is under new management. (noun): the act of handling or running something, usually a business. management
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mem
y o

com + mem + or + ate

ad + mit

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y y

I must admit that even though you didnt like the movie I did. (verb): to accept, to confess, to allow entry admit
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missive (noun): a letter to be sent o miss + ive o Missives were more common one hundred years ago. Today, people use the telephone. mob, mov, mot
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pregnant (adjective): having a child developing in the womb, with child o pre + gn +ent o Lindas dog is pregnant and it will have its puppies in November. naive (adjective): lack of experience, not knowledgeable of the world o nai + ve o When Olivia went to New York ten years ago she was naive, but now she is a well-seasoned traveler.

nom re + move The waiter removed the dirty dishes from the table. (verb): to take off or to take away remove
o o y

y y

nomin + ate Vittorio nominated Mary for class president. (verb): to name for office nominate
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mobile (adjective): able to move o mob + ile o Many people drive their mobile homes from North to South, following the warm weather. motion (noun): act of moving, action o mot + ion o Many people find the motion of a rocking chair soothing.

synonym (noun): a word with a similar meaning to another word in the same language o syn + onym o The word fair is a synonym for the word just.

nov
y

N nasc, nat, gnant, nai

y

y y

nat +ive Turkeys are native to North America. (adjective): belonging to a place by birth, indigenous native
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y y

novel + ty After six months the novelty of Pierres new car is starting to wear off. (noun): something new novelty
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nascent (adjective): just born o nasc + ent o The nascent kittens curled up with their mother.

novice (noun): a newcomer, a beginner, someone new to something o nov + ice o Bjorn is a novice when it comes to playing poker or other card games.

O oper
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y y

oper + ate People are advised not to operate heavy machinery after drinking alcohol. (verb): to work, to perform operate
o o

y y

im + pede The shackles and chains impeded the prisoners escape. (verb): to hinder, to slow down impede
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opus (noun): a musical composition o opus o Vivaldis opus number three is not as well known as is other compositions.

P pat
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pedestal (noun): a support for a column or other structure, a base for something o pedest + al o Johannes put the vase on a pedestal. pedestrian (noun): a person walking o pedestr + ian o As soon as the cars stopped, the pedestrians crossed the street. podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground, a place at which to speak in front of an audience o pod + ium o The professor walked up to the podium and spoke into the microphone.

pod pati + ent Josiah was patient as he waited in line for concert tickets. Amelia has been a patient of Dr. Gustafs for ten years. (adjective, noun): calm, bearing pain without complaint; a person under medical care patient
o o o y

y y

pel
y

passion (noun): a strong feeling or emotion o pass + ion o Barbara has a passion for motorcycle racing. sympathy (noun): sharing another persons feelings, the ability to feel for another persons suffering o sym + path + y o Ching-wei expressed his deepest sympathy when hearing of Mrs. Martins death. pathology (noun): the study of diseases o patho + log + y o Blaise is studying pathology because he wants to learn about diseases.

y y

re + pel Does Margos new jacket repel water? (verb): to drive away or push back repel
o o

ped
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pulse (noun): the regular action of blood through arteries o pulse o The nurse felt for the patients pulse in his neck. pend, pond y suspend (noun): to hang from, to interrupt, to stop o sus + pend o The light was turned on by a string suspended from the light fixture. y ponder (verb): to think about, to weigh in ones mind
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pond + er Levi pondered the possibility of going to medical school.

port
y

phan, fan
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y y

phan + tom The children told horror stories about phantoms and ghosts. (noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost. phantom
o o

y y

im + port Fyodor imports caviar and other products from Russia. (verb): to bring in from a foreign country import
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fantasy (noun): a creation of the imagination that cannot be real, a daydream o fantas + y o When Miguel was a child he had a fantasy about being a doctor on the planet Jupiter.

portage (noun) the labor of carrying boats across land o port + age o Bill said that he had a five mile portage on his last canoe trip.

pli, ply
y

phil
y

philo+ soph + er Plato wrote about the Greek philosopher Socrates. (noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom philosopher
o o

y y

re + ply Did Marco reply to Emilys invitation? Lynn received a negative reply from her parents and she will not be going to the party. (verb, noun): to respond, to answer; a response reply
o o o

phon
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phonet + ic The phonetic alphabet is useful when studying languages or linguistics. (adjective) relating to speech sounds phonetic
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implicate (verb): to involve, to incriminate o im + plic + ate o The thief was implicated in three burglaries. y ply (noun): a layer o ply o Two ply tissue paper is stronger than one ply. pon, pos
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pict
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de + pict In the movie the character was depicted as evil. (verb): to portray, to represent depict
o o

y y

posit + ion What position does Ian hold at his mothers company? (noun): a place occupied by something position
o o

postpone (verb): to put off to a later time o post + pone

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o The baseball game was postponed because of the storm. posture (noun) the position of a body o post + ure o Denise has terrific posture her back is straight and strong. y

psych
y

cor + rupt The politician was corrupted by power and money. The corrupt judge was arrested for accepting a bribe. (verb, adjective): to change from good to bad corrupt
o o o

psycho + log + y Lynette studies psychology because she is interested in how people think and feel. (noun): study of how the mind works psychology
o o

rupture (verb): to break or burst o rupt + ure o The water bed ruptured and the water flowed onto the floor. interrupt (verb): to stop, to break in (usually with questions) o inter + rupt o Its impolite to interrupt someone while they are speaking.

Q quir
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S sci
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y y

in + quire Debbie inquired about employment opportunities at the factory. (verb): to ask about inquire
o o

y y

con + sci + ous Gerturde was conscious of everything even though she appeared asleep. (adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself conscious
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exquisite (adjective): carefully selected, marked by beauty o ex + quis + ite o Everyone noticed the exquisite diamond Toni was wearing. quest (noun): a search, the act of seeking o quest o At four in the morning Quincy went out on a quest for ice cream. query (verb, noun): to ask questions, a question o query o The lawyer queried the witness. o I have a query about the origins of the English language.

R rupt
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science (noun): a system of knowledge o sci + ence o Claire enjoys science, especially biology. scrib, scrip y scribble (verb): to write quickly or carelessly o scribb + le o He scribbled a note in his notebook. y script (noun): handwriting, something written o script o Sometimes her script is hard to read. y describe (verb): to say what something is like o de + scribe o The scientist described his experiment to the class. sent, sens
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sensation (noun): ability to feel due to stimulation o sens + at + ion o Jamal felt a tingling sensation in his arm after he hit his elbow on the table. sentimental (adjective): marked by feeling or emotion o senti + ment +al o Lauren has a sentimental attachment to that quilt because her great grandmother made it.

sequ
y

y y

sequ + ence The sequence of events were as follows: first we had dinner, then we went to the movies, and then we went fo ice cream. (noun): a continuous series sequence
o o

consecutive (adjective): following in an unbroken order o con + secut + ive o Terri was elected team captain three consecutive years in a row. y ensue (verb): to happen afterward o en + sue o After a disagreement in the restaurant, a fight ensued in the parking lot. soci solv, solu y society solitary isolate (verb): to separate from others, to place something by itself o i+ o The sick cat was isolated from the other animals. sol + uble y solve y absolute (adjective): complete, unrestricted, perfect
y y

The babysitter has absolute authority over the children while their parents are away. y soluble (adjective): able to disperse in liquid o Sugar is soluble in water. spec, spi spicic + ious y spectator y despise (verb): to hate, tolook down on o Marguerite despises people who are cruel to animals. y auspicicious (adjective): favorable o au + o The thousand dollar donation made for an auspicious beginning. y espionage (noun): using spies or observers o e + spion + age o Espionage is often depicted in mystery movies and novels. spir stab, stat y respiration y inspire (verb): to stimulate, to fill with a feeling or desire o Students are often inspired by their teachers. sta + nce y stature y establish (verb): to found, to start, to make firm o e+ o Southampton College was established in 1963. y stance (noun): a way of standing, a position, an attitude o A persons stance is very important in the games of golf and baseball. strain, strict string + ent y restrain y constrict (verb): to squeeze, to make narrow o Marvin felt constricted by the suit and tie he wore to the meeting. y stringent (adjective): strict, tight, severe o There are stringent rules and regulations one must follow when operating a child care center.
o

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prestige (noun): respect for a person or a thing o pre + stige o There is a lot of prestige associated with occupying a political position. stru, stroy ob + struct y destroy y misconstrue (verb): to interpret, analyse, or understand something incorrectly; misunderstand o Do not misconstrue his actions to mean he likes you being pleasant to customers is part of his job. y obstruct (verb): to block, prevent, hinder o The fallen tree obstructed the roadway and blocked traffic for hours. T tact, tang con + tig + uous y tactilely y tangible (adjective): able to be perceived by touch, physically real o Many people want tangible proof of something before they believe it to be true. y contiguous (adjective): touching, next in a sequence o The United States has forty-eight contiguous states. y contingent (adjective): possible, dependent on something else o con + ting + ent o Armands move to a new apartment is contingent on his getting a raise. tend, tens tain, ten y extensive y contend (verb): to strive or reach for, to argue o The two fighters contended for the heavy-weight championship title. con + tent y retain y continue (verb): to keep going, to remain o The movie is scheduled to continue until midnight. y content (noun, adjective): something contained, held; satisfied
y

o I cant tell what the content of this can is until I open it. tenacious (adjective): holding or sticking to something o ten + ac + ious o Kareem is tenacious and he will stick with a subject until he understands it. term terr y exterminate y terminal (adjective): relating to an end o Margot has been diagnosed with a terminal disease and has been given only six months to live. test y territory y terrain (noun): the physical features of an area o There is some very rough terrain in the White Mountain area of New Hampshire. therm y attest y testify (verb): to make a statement based on personal knowledge o The witness testified at the trial. tor y thermometer y thermal (adjective): relating to the presence of heat o Lisa bought some thermal underwear to take with her when she goes skiing. con + tort y torment y torsion (noun): twisting of a body or an organ by an external force along an axis o The torsion of the bolt will help release the wheel. y contort (verb): to twist into an abnormal shape o The actor contorted her face into an evil grin and scared the audience. tract, trai treat + y y attract y train (verb): to teach or to cause to do something y

16

o Yvette trained her dog to perform tricks. treaty (noun): a formal agreement o The rebels and the new government signed a treaty calling for peace.

The land slowly reverted to a wild state after it was abandoned.

U uni V unite unison (noun): at the same time, at the same pitch o The two singers sang in unison. vac ven, vent y vacant y vacuum (noun): empty space, isolation from outside influence o Some people seem to live in a vacuum and they have no knowledge of current events. pre + vent y convene y invent (verb): to create through thought or imagination o Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and other devices. y prevent (verb): to act ahead of, to keep from happening o Lamont prevented a disastrous fire by calling the fire department the moment he smelled smoke. ver verb, verv y verify y veracity (noun): truthfulness, accuracy o Daphne is known for her veracity and honesty. vers, vert: y verbalize y verve (noun): enthusiasm o The cheerleaders showed verve and school spirit at the football game. vid, vis y versatile y revert (verb): to go back, to return (to an original state)
y y

vis + ible y video y review (verb): to look at again, to re-examine o Marsha reviewed for the test by re-reading her class notes. y visible (adjective): able to be seen o Sometimes the moon is visible during the day. y indivisible (adjective, noun): cannot be separated o in + di + vis + ible o The Pledge of Allegiance mentions that the United States is an indivisible nation. vit, viv voc, voke y vital y revive (verb): to return to life o After spending a day in the sun, I was revived by a glass of water. volv, vol y vocal y revoke (verb): to call back, to withdraw o Karls license was revoked because he was caught driving 20 miles over the speed limit. e + vol + ut + ion y revolve y revolt (verb): to rebel, to turn against, to feel disgust o It was the peasants who revolted during the French Revolution. o Cooked carrots revolt some people. y evolution (noun): the process by which something develops o Darwin and other natural scientists have developed theories of evolution. (verb): to turn around y re + volve y The earth revolves around the sun. (adjective): uttered by the voice, producing sound
17

voc + al Parrots are known to be very vocal birds. (adjective): necessary for life y vit + al y The cancer had not yet spread to her vital organs and she was given an excellent chance for a full recovery. (noun): television or recorded movies y vid + eo y Patricia rented a video and watched it on her television. (adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful y vers + at + ile y When used correctly, a computer can be a versatile tool. (verb): to express in words, to put into words y verb + al + ize y Sometimes it is difficult to verbalize ones feelings. (verb): to confirm that something is true y ver + ify y The police officer verified Arthurs identity by asking for his drivers license. (verb): to assemble, to come together y con + vene y The meeting convened at 2:00 p.m. and lasted until 5:00 p.m. (adjective): empty, not occupied, free y vac + ant y The hotel has only one vacant room left. (verb) to make one, to join together y unite y The two small companies united and became one large business. (verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest y at + tract y The spilled sugar attracted flies and ants. (noun, verb): agony, pain; to cause recurring pain y tor + ment y The torment Jeans nightmares caused made him seek professional help.
y y

y The guards tormented the prisoners. (noun) a device for measuring heat y thermo + meter y I took my temperature with a thermometer. (verb): to provide proof, to say something is true y at + test y Malcolm can attest to Shielas honesty since he has known her for ten years. (noun): area of land y territ + ory y This area is considered to be Canadian territory. (verb): to kill off, to get rid of y ex + term + in + ate y The Schaeffers hired a company to exterminate the cockroaches living in their house. (verb): to keep, to hold in place y re + tain y Blanche retained her Alaskan residence since she will return there when she is finished with school. (adjective): large in area, wide y ex + tens + ive y There are extensive farm fields located in the plain states. (adverb): related to the sense of touch y tact + ile + + ly y Some people are tactilely oriented while others are visually oriented. (verb): to ruin, to pull down y de + stroy y The house was destroyed by the fire. (verb): to hold back, to prevent from doing y re + strain y The dog was restrained by the trainers grip on its leash. (noun): height of a body, importance of position y stat + ure y Im reluctant to say she was short, but she was of rather small stature.

18

(noun): breathing y re + spir + at + ion y Respiration becomes increasingly difficult the higher one climbs. (noun): a person who watches or observes y spect + at + or y There were over a thousand spectators at the local baseball game. (verb): to find an answer y solve y The professor asked the student to solve the problem and show her answer on the board. (adjective): being alone y solit + ary y There was a solitary bather on the beach. (noun): community, the relationship among individuals living or working in a common area, companionship y societ + y y Sometimes what is best for a society is not always good for an individual living in that society. (adjective): to lie next to y ad + jac + ent y You wont have a long walk between classes because the engineering building is adjacent to the chemistry laboratories. (adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown y graph + ic y Dominic is planning to study graphic art. grade (verb): to place things in classes or sets, to classify y cate + gor + ize y The professor asked her students to categorize the plants they found. (noun): a science that describes the earths surface y geo + graph + y y The geography of New York varies from the sandy shores to rocky mountains. (noun): the shape and size of something, the arrangement of something y form + at
19

The format of this class will be half lecture and half class participation. (adjective): short y brief y Anand gave a brief lecture on the rain forest. (noun): the study of life y bio + log + y y In biology class the students learned about how the human body works. (noun): a list of written works y biblio + graph + y y Olaf listed a brief bibliography at the end of his paper. (adjective): marked by goodwill y bene + vol + ent y The Salvation Army is known as a benevolent society for its acts of charity. re + volt re + voke re + vive re + view re + vert verve ver + ac + ity in + vent vacu + um uni + son train tors + ion therm + al test ify terr + ain term + in + al con + tin + ue con + tend tang + ible mis + con + strue con + strict stabl + ish in + spire de + spise ab + sol + ute sol + ate soljett + ison graph + itti pro + gress grad, gress, gree gor form + ul + ate ab + brevi + ate brevbio, biben + ign
y

Free TOEFL Exercises Advanced English Vocabulary Roots

The following is a list of roots for English vocabulary. The list is displayed so that the root with its definition is shown first, then the source of the root (Latin, Greek, etc.) with the source word s definition, and then last is an example of the root as used in a word and the word s definition. The sample words are linked to additional words with the same root.

B
y

bene, ben: good, well, gentle o Latin, bene: good o benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle bio, bi: life o Greek, bios: life o biography (noun): a book written about a persons life bibli, biblio: book o Greek, biblion: book o bibliophile (noun): a person who likes or collects books brev: short o Latin, brevis: short o abbreviate (verb): to shorten

A
y

act, ag: do, act, drive o Latin, agere: to drive, lead, act, do o active (adjective): moving about am, ami: love, like o Latin, amare: to love o amorous (adjective): loving anim: mind, life, spirit, anger o Latin, animus: spirit o animal (noun): a living creature annu, enni: yearly o Latin, annuus: yearly o annual (adjective): yearly auc, aug, aut: to originate, to increase o Latin, augere: to originate, increase o augment (verb): to increase, to add to aud, audit, aur: hear o Latin, audire: to hear o audible (adjective): can be heard
20

C
y

cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid: to take, to seize, to hold o Latin, capere: to seize o receive (verb): to take in, to acquire ceas, cede, ceed, cess: go, yield o Latin, cedere: to go o exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than chron: time o Greek, khronos: time o chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time or sequence clam, claim: shout o Latin, clamare: to call out, shout

o y

clamor (verb): to make noise

y

dogma (noun): an established opinion

cogn, gnos: know to know o Latin, cognoscere: to know o recognize (verb): to know, to identify corp: body o Latin, corpus: body o corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group cre, cresc, cret: grow o Latin, crescere: to grow o create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination cred: trust, believe o Latin, credere: to believe o incredible (adjective): unbelievable cour, cur, curr, curs: run, course o Latin, currere: run o occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind

dec, dign: suitable o Latin, decere: to be suitable o decent (adjective): conforming to standards, suitable, good duc, duct**: lead o Latin, ducere: to draw or lead o conduct (verb): to lead or guide (noun) a persons behavior o ** ducere is one of the most prolific sources of English words

E
y

ev, et: time, age o Latin, aevum: lifetime o medieval (adjective): related to the Middle Ages (500 1500 AD)

F
y

D
y

fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea: make do, do o Latin, facere make, do o difficult (noun): hard to do, troublesome fer: bear, carry o Latin, ferre: bear, carry o infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from looking at facts, to guess fict, feign, fain: shape, make, fashion o Latin, fingere: shape, make o fiction (noun): something produced from imagination, an invented story

dic, dict, dit: say, speak o Latin, dicere: to say o indicate (verb): to show, to point out doc, doct: teach, prove o Latin, docere: to teach o docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught dog, dox: thought, idea o Greek, dokein: seem, think
21

fid: belief, faith o Latin, fidere: to trust o confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret fig: shape, form o Latin, figura: form, shape, figure o figurem (noun): shape, pattern, drawing (verb) decide, plan, decipher flu, fluct, flux: flow o Latin, fluere: to flow o fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth easy style (noun) a liquid form: shape o Latin, forma: beauty, shape, form o format (noun): the shape and size of something fract, frag, frai: break o Latin, frangere: to break o frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong, weak

o y

category (noun): a class or set in which a thing is placed

grad, gress, gree: step, go, move o Latin, gradus: step o degree (noun): a step or stage in a process graph, graf: write, draw o Greek, graphein: write, scratch, carve o graphic (adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown

H
y

her, hes: to stick o Latin, haerere: to stick o adhere (verb): to stick

J
y

jac, ject, jet: to throw o Latin, jacere: to throw, to lie o reject (verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept jug, junct, just: to join o Latin, jungere: to join o junction (noun): a place at which two things join

G
y

gen, gin: to give birth, kind o Greek, genus: birth o generate (verb): to produce, to create geo: earth o Greek, ge: earth o geography (noun): a science that describes the earths surface gor: to gather, to bring together o Greek, ageirin: to gather
22

L
y

lex, leag, leg: law o Latin, lex: law o legal (adjective): based on law lect, leg, lig: choose, gather, select, read o Latin, legere: to choose o collect (verb): to gather, to bring together

y y

loc: place, area o Latin, locare: to place o location (noun): a place, a position occupied log: say, speech, word, reason, study o Greek, logos: speech, word, reason o logic (noun): the study of reason, reasoning luc, lum, lust: light o Latin, lucare: shine o Latin, lumen: light o Latin, lustrare: light-up o translucent (adjective): permitting some light to come through

o y

admit (verb): to accept, to allow entry

mob, mov, mot: move o Latin, movere: move o motion (noun): act of moving, action

N
y

nasc, nat, gnant, nai: to be born o Latin, nasci to be born o nascent (adjective) just born nom, nym: name o Latin, nomen: name o nominate (verb): to name for office nov: new o latin, novus: new o novice (noun): a beginner or newcomer

M
y y

man: hand, make, do o Latin, manus: hand o manage (verb): to handle with skill, to be able to do O mem: recall, remember o Latin, memor: mindful o memory (noun): the ability to recall or to bring to mind ment: mind o Latin, mens: mind o mental (adjective): related to the mind min: little, small o Latin, minuere: to lessen o minor (adjective): less important, lesser
y

oper: work o Latin, opus: work o operate (verb): to work, to perform

P
y

pat, pass: feel, suffer o Latin, pati: suffer o passion (noun): a strong feeling or emotion path: feel o Greek, pathos: feeling o sympathy (noun): sharing another persons feelings

mit, miss: send o Latin, mittere: put, send

23

ped: foot o Latin, pes: foot o impede (verb): to hinder, to slow down
y

o o

Latin, portare: carry import (verb): to bring in from a foreign country

pod: foot o Greek, pous: foot o podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground pel, puls: drive, push o Latin, pellere: to drive, push, beat o repel (verb): to drive away or push back pend, pond: to hang, weigh o Latin, pendere: to hang, to weigh o append (verb): to add or correct phan, phas, phen, fan, phant, fant: show, make visible o Greek, phainein: show o phantom (noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost R phil: love o Greek, philos: loving o philosopher (noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom phon: sound o Greek, phone: voice, sound o phonetic (adjective): related to speech sounds pict: paint, show, draw o Latin, pingere: to paint o picture (verb): to paint or draw

pli, ply: fold o Latin, plicare: fold o reply (verb): to respond, to answer pon, pos: put, place o Latin, ponere: to lay down, put, place o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time psych: mind o Greek, psukhe: soul, spirit o psychology (noun): study of how the mind works

Q
y

quir, quis, quest, quer: seek, ask o Latin, quaerere: seek, ask o query (verb): to ask questions

rupt: break o Latin, rumpere: break o rupture (verb): to break or burst

S
y

sci, scio: to know o Latin, scire: to know o conscious (adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself scrib, scrip: write o Latin, scribere: to write

y y

port: carry
24

o y

script (noun): handwriting, something written

sent, sens: feel, think o Latin, sentire: feel o sentiment (noun): a thought prompted by feeling
y

stab, stat: stand o Latin, stare: to stand o stature (noun) height of a standing body, importance of position strain, strict, string, stige: bind, pull o Latin, stringere: to bind or pull tight o constrict (verb) to squeeze, to make narrow stru, struct, stroy: build o Latin, struere: to build o destroy (verb): to ruin, to pull down

sequ, secut, sue: follow o Latin, sequi: to follow o sequence (noun): a continuous series
y

sist: to withstand, make up o Latin, sistere: to make a stand o insist (verb): to be firm about something needed, to demand T soci: to join, companions o Latin, sociare, socius: to join, a companion o sociable (adjective): inclined to seek friendship, companionship sol: alone o Latin, solus: alone, single o solitary (adjective): being alone solv, solu, solut: loosen, explain o Latin, solvere: too loosen, release o solve (verb): to find an answer spec, spi, spic, spect: look o Latin, specere: look, look at o spectator (noun): a person who watches spir: breath, soul o Latin, spirare: breathe o respiration (noun): breathing
25

tact, tang, tig, ting: touch o Latin, tangere: to touch o tactile (adjective): related to the sense of touch tele: far away o Greek, telos: end o telepathy (noun): communication from one mind to another without verbal or written communication tend, tens: stretch o Latin, tendere: to stretch o contend (verb): to strive or reach for, to argue tain, ten, tent, tin: hold, keep, have o Latin, tenere: to hold o retain (verb): to keep, to hold in place term: end, boundary, limit o Latin, terminusm: limit, boundary o exterminate (verb): to kill off, to get rid of

terr: earth o Latin, terra: earth o territory (noun): area of land test: see, witness o Latin, testis: witness o attest (verb): to provide proof, to say something is true therm: heat o Greek, therme: heat o thermometer (noun): a device for measuring heat tor, tors, tort: twist o Latin, torquere: twist o torsion (noun): twisting of the body tract, trai, treat: pull, draw o Latin, trahere: pull o attract (verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest

ver: true o Latin, venus: true o verify (verb): to confirm that something is true verb, verv: word o Latin, verbum: word o verbalize (verb): to express in words, to put into words vers, vert: turn,change o Latin, versare: to turn o versatile (adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful vid, vie, vis: see o Latin, videre: to see; Latin, videre: to separate o visible (adjective): able to be seen o divide (verb): to separate vit, viv: live o Latin, vivere: to live o vital (adjective) necessary for life voc, voke: call o Latin, vocare: call, voice o vocal (adjective): spoken or uttered by the voice volv, volt, vol: roll, turn o Latin, volvere: to roll, turn o revolve (verb): to turn around

U
y y

uni: one o Latin, unus: one o unite (verb): to make one, to join together
y

V
y

vac: empty o Latin, vacare: to be empty o vacant (adjective): empty, not occupied ven, vent: come o Latin, venire: to come o convene (verb): to assemble, to come together
26

Free Vocabulary Examples for TOEFL Test

Prefixes and suffixes were originally words themselves but they are now groups of letters added to words or to roots to create new words. Prefixes [pre (before) + fix (fasten) = fasten before] are groups of letters placed before words or roots. Prefixes modify or extend the meanings of words and roots. Following is a list of commonly used prefixes and sample vocabulary.

A
y

a-, ac-, ad-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward, near, in addition to o aside (adverb): to or toward the side  a + side o accompany (verb): to go with someone as a companion  ac + com + pan + y o adjust (verb): to correct, to move closer to a correct position  ad + just o affix (verb): to attach to something, to fasten  af + fix o aggression (noun): hostile behavior towards someone or something  ag + gress + ion o allocate (verb): to distribute to specific people or for specific purposes  al + loc + ate o annihilate (verb): to destroy  an + nihil + ate o associate (verb): to join with  as + soci + ate o attend (verb): to look after, to go to  at + tend a-, an- not, without o apolitical (adjective): without interest in politics  a + polit + ic + al
27

anemia (noun): the condition (disease) of not having enough red blood cells  an + em + ia ab-, abs- away from, off o abrupt (adjective): unexpected change  ab + rupt o absolve (verb): to be set free from ones actions or obligations  ab + solve ante- before o anterior (adjective): before or near the front  ante + rior
o

antiagainst antipathy (noun): dislike, opposite feeling  anti + path + y auto- self o automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines  auto + mot + ive
o

B
y

bi- two
o o

biped (noun): a two-footed animal  bi + ped biennial (adjective): happening every two years bi + enni + al

C
y

cat-, cata-, cath- down, with o category (noun): a class or set to which a thing belongs  cate + gor + y o catalogue (noun): a book or pamphlet that lists and describes  cata + log + ue o catheter (noun): a medical device used to transfer fluids cath +eter circum- around

circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation  circum + vent co-, cog-, col-, com-, con-, cor together, with o cohesiveness (noun): the ability to stick together  co + hes + ive + ness o cognate (adjective): related, similar in nature  cog + nate o collaborate (verb): to work together  col + lab + or + ate o commitment (noun): to entrust, to put into a place  com + mit + ment o convenient (adjective): handy, nearby  con + veni + ent o correct (verb): to set right, to be right  cor + rect contra- against, opposite o contradict (verb) to state the opposite  contra + dict
o

en-, em- put into o enamor (verb): to cause to love, to put someone into love  en + am + + or o empower (verb): to give power, to put into power em + pow + er epi-, upon, beside, over o epilogue (noun): the concluding section of a play or literary work  epi + logue extra- beyond o extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal  extra + ordin + ary il-, im-, in-, ir, not, in o illegible (adjective): cannot be read  il + leg + ible o imposter (noun): someone who poses as someone else  im + post + er o inaction (noun): lack of motion, idle  in + act + ion o irresolute (adjective): uncertain about hot to act, undecided, not having a solution  ir + re + solute in-, im-, il- in, into o instead (adverb): in place of, an alternative  in + stead o import (verb): to bring into a country from another country  im + port inter- between, among o interject (verb): to throw something (usually a comment) between other things  inter + ject intro- into

I
y

D
y

de- to do the opposite, to take away from o decrease (verb): to grow smaller, to become less  de + cre + ase di-, dif-, dis- apart, separate, two, opposite, not o divide (verb): to separate into two or more parts  di + vide o differ (verb): to be unlike  dif + fer dis- not, opposite of, exclude o distrust (verb): to have no confidence or trust  dis + trust e-, ex- out, out of, from o emit (verb) to send out  e + mit o expel (verb): to force out ex + pel
28

E
y

introspection (noun): to look into ones own thoughts and feelings  intro + spect + ion

overwork (verb): to have too much work  over + work

P
y

M
y

mal- bad o malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly  mal + funct + ion mis- wrong o misconduct (noun): wrong doing, bad behavior  mis + con + duct mono- one o monologue (noun): a dramatic performance or speech given by one actor  mono + logue multi- many o multiply (verb): to increase in number  multi + ply non- not, no o nonsense (noun): something that has no meaning or makes no sense  non + sense ob-, oc-, of-, op- toward, against, in the way o obtain (verb): to gain or get, to get a hold of  ob + tain o occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind  oc + cur o offer (verb): to attempt to give, to propose, to try to hand out  of + fer o oppose (verb): to be against, to stand in the way of something  op + pose over- excessive, above
29

N
y

para- beside o paradox (noun): a statement that seems true and contradictory at the same time  para + dox per- through o persecute (verb): to go after, to pursue  per + secute post- after o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay  post + pone pre- before o precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of  pre + cede pro- for, foward o propel (verb): to push forward  pro + pel re- back, again o readmit (verb): to allow in again  re + ad + mit retro- backward o retrospect (noun) to look back at past events  retro + spect se- apart, move away from o secede (verb): to withdraw from an organization  se + cede semi- half o semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year  semi + annu + al sub-, suc-, suf-, sup-, sur-, sus under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above, up

R
y

O
y

S
y

submarine (adjective): underwater  sub + mar + ine o succeed (verb): to do well, to come after  suc + ceed o suffice (verb): to be enough  suf + fice o support (verb): to hold up, too keep up  sup + port o survive (verb): to live, to live through something, to exist  sur + vive o sustain (verb): to keep up, to hold up,  sus + tain super- over, above o superimpose (verb): to place something on top of something else  super + im + pose syn-, sym- together, at the same time o synchronous (adjective): happening at the same time  syn + chron + ous o sympathy (noun): sharing another persons feelings, compassion  sym + path + y
o

uni + form

Advanced English Lessons Vocabulary for TOEFL Test

Suffixes are groups of letters attached to the ends of roots, words, and word groups. Suffixes serve a grammatical function. A suffix can indicate what part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) the word belongs to. Suffixes can also change and extend the meaning. The following suffixes are grouped beneath the grammatical function they perform. NOUNS Nouns perform the function of naming. Nouns name persons, places animals or things, as well as groups, ideas and qualities. In a sentence, nouns can be subjects, objects, or appositives. A
y y

T
y

trans- across, beyond, change o transform (verb): to change shape  trans + form tri- three o tripod (noun): a three-legged stand  tri + pod un- not, against, opposite o unceasing (adjective): never ending, continuous  un + ceas + ing uni- one o uniform (adjective): having the same form or consistency
30

U
y

-acy, -cy -age o Noun: activity, or result of action  courage : having the spirit to overcome fear  cour + age -al ,el, ul o Noun: action, result of action  referral : the action of directing a person to another place, person or thing  re + ferr + al -an o Noun: person  artisan : a craftsperson

 y

arti + san

-ance, -ence o Noun: action, state, quality or process  resistance : the action of opposing something  re + sist + ance  independence: the state of not being under the control of others, free, self-governing  in + de + pend + ence -ancy, -ency o Noun: state, quality or capacity  vacancy : an empty room or position  vac + ancy  agency: the capacity to exert power or influence, a position or person that performs a function  ag + ency -ant, -ent o Noun: an agent, something that performs the action  disinfectant : an agent that destroys germs, somthing that cleans  dis + in + fect + ant  dependent: a thing supported by another, a thing determined by another  de + pend + ent -ate o Noun: state, office, fuction  candidate : a person nominated for an office or position  candid + ate -ation o Noun: action, resulting state  specialization : the result of being distinguished by one quality or ability  spec + ial + iz + ation -dom
31

Noun: place, state of being  wisdom : possessing knowledge  wis + dom Noun: person or thing that does something  porter : a person who carries things  port + er  collector: a person who collects or gathers things  col + lect + or Noun: an amount or quanity that fills  mouthful : an amount that fills the mouth  mouth + ful

E
y

-er, -or
o

F
y

-ful
o

I
y

D
y

-ian, an o Noun: related to, one that is  pedestrian : a person who walks  ped + estr + ian  human: a person  hum + an -ia o Noun: names, diseases  phobia : an illogical fear of something  phob + ia -iatry o Noun: art of healing  psychiatry : branch of medicine that deals with the mind and emotions  psych + iatry -ic, ics o Noun: related to the arts and sciences  arithmetic : a branch of math that usually deals with non-negative numbers

 arithm + et + ic economics: the social science related to studying business  eco + nom + ics

-ity, ty
o

-ice
o

Noun: act  malice : the desire to do evil  mal + ice Noun: material made for, activity, result of an activity  flooring : a material made for floors  floor + ing  swimming: the activity of swimming or moving through water  swim(m) + ing  building: the result of making a structure  build + ing Noun: condition or action  abduction : the action of carrying someone away by force  ab + duct + ion Noun: doctrine, belief, action or conduct  formalism : a belief in sticking to prescribed forms or artistic styles  form + al + ism Noun: person or member  podiatrist : a foot doctor  pod + iatr + ist Noun: product or part  graphite : a black material used in making pencils  graph + ite
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Noun: state or quality  lucidity : clear thinking  luc + id + ity  novelty: something new or unusual  nov + el + ty Noun: condition  native : a person born in a specific place  nat + ive Noun: condition or result  document : an official paper usually showing proof or evidence of something  docu + ment Noun: state, condition, quality  kindness : the quality of being kind or nice  kind + ness Noun: condition or activity  valor : bravery, courage  val + or Noun: place for, serves for  territory : an area around a place  territ + ory Noun: status, condition  relationship : the state of being related or connected to something or someone

-ive
o

-ing
o

M
y

-ment
o

N
y

-ion
o

-ness
o

O
y

-ism
o

-or
o

-ory
o

-ist
o

S
y

-ite
o

-ship
o

re + lat + ion + ship

-er, -or
o

U
y

-ure
o

Noun: act, condition, process, function  exposure : the condition of being exposed or unprotected  pos + ure Noun: state, condition, result of an activity  society : companionship  soci + et + y  victory: the result of winning something  vict + or + y

Verb: action  ponder : to think about  pond + er  clamor: to make noise, to call for loudly  clam + or Verb: cause  specify : to name or indicate in detail  spec + ify Verb: present participle  depicting : showing, describing with images or pictures  de + pict + ing Verb: cause  fantasize : to dream about something, to create images in the mind  fant + as + ize act


I
y

Y
y

-ify
o

-y
o

-ing
o

VERBS Verbs make statements about nouns, ask questions, give commands, or show states of being. Verbs can be active or passive. Verbs also show tense or time of action. INDEX: A E I U A y -ate o Verb: cause to be  graduate : to give a degree to, to pass from one stage to the next  gradu + ate E y -ed o Verb: past tense  attained : something that has been reached or grasped  at + tain + ed y -en o Verb: to cause to become  moisten : to cause to become moist or damp  moist + en
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-ize
o

U
y

-ure
o

Verb: conjecture : to come to a conclusion by supposition or guesswork  con + ject + ure

ADJECTIVES Adjectives describe or modify nouns. Adjectives tell the reader more about the noun used in the sentence. INDEX: A E F I L O Y A y -able, -ible o Adjective: worth, ability  solvable : able to be solved or explained

 y

 solv + able incredible: not able to be believed, amazing  in + cred + ible y

Adjective: having the quality of  terraced : having terraces or steps  terrac + ed Adjective: material  silken : made from silk, a fiber produced by worms  silk + en Adjective: comparative  brighter : more light  bright + er Adjective: superlative  strongest : having the most strength  strong + est Adjective: having, giving, marked by  fanciful : marked by imagination  fanci + ful Adjective: quality, relation  generic : related to a whole group  gener + ic Adjective: having the qualities of  projectile : something thrown with an outside force  pro + ject + ile Adjective: activity  cohering : the act of sticking together  co + her + ing Adjective: having the character of

-al, -ial, -ical o Adjective: quality, relation  structural : related to the physical make up of a thing  struct + ure + al  territorial: related to nearby or local areas  territ + or + ial  categorical: related to a category, aboslute  cate + gor + ical -ant, -ent, -ient o Adjective: kind of agent, indication  important : marked by worth  im + port + ant  dependent: determined or relying upon something else  de + pend + ent  convenient: at hand, easy to use  con + ven + ient -ar, -ary o Adjective: resembling, related to  spectacular : related to something that is eyecatching or amazing  spectac + ul + ar  unitary : related to units or single groups representing quantities  unit + ary -ate o Adjective: kind of state  inviolate : not disturbed, pure  in + viol + ate -ed
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-en
o

-er
o

-est
o

F
y

-ful
o

I
y

-ic
o

-ile
o

-ing
o

E
y

-ish
o

newish : modern, recent  new + ish -ive, -ative, -itive o Adjective: having the quality of  festive : having the quality of a festival or party  fest + ive  cooperative : being able or willing to work with another person or thing  co + oper + ative  sensitive: easily felt, responsive to the senses  sens + itive


L
y

-less
o

Adjective: without, missing  motiveless : a reason for someone to do something  mot + ive + less

O
y

-ous, -eous, -ose, -ious o Adjective: having the quality of, relating to  adventurous : characterized by the desire to seek new experiences or risks  ad + vent + ur + ous  courageous : characterized by courage, brave  cour + ag + eous  verbose: having more words than needed  verb + ose  fractious: characterized by being difficult or troublesome  fract + ious -y
o

Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. INDEX: F L W F y -fold o Adverb: in a manner of, marked by  fourfold : being four times as great  four + fold L y -ly o Adverb: in the manner of  fluently : marked by ease of movement, effortlessly smooth  flu + ent + ly W y -ward o Adverb: in a direction or manner  homeward : toward home  home + ward y -wise o Adverb: in the manner of, with regard to  timewise : with regard to time  time + wise
y

Noun: state or quality o privacy: the state of being alone  priv + acy o infancy: the state of being a baby or young child  in + fan + cy

Y
y

Adjective: marked by, having  hungry : having hunger, marked by a desire  hungr + y
35

ADVERBS