⧠ abash (v)
to cause to feel embarrassed or ashamed : I was abashed at the sight of her photograph.
Form: abashed = embarrassed, unabashed = confidently unashamed Don’t confuse with: bash ((v) hit forcefully; (n) a lively party)
Mnemonic: Abash means to make bashful.
⧠ alacrity (n)
cheerful eagerness : Howard accepted our invitation to brunch with alacrity.
Synonyms: ardor, fervor, dispatch
Don’t confuse with: anachronism (something out of place in time), clarity (clearness)
⧠ apathy (n) a- without + pathos suffering, emotion
lack of interest or concern : Although Glen was happy and excited about the trip, Philip’s glum apathy tempered everyone’s mood.
Form: apathetic = lacking interest or concern Synonyms: indifference, dispassion, languor
Root family: [a-, an-] amorphous (lacking definite shape), anarchy (lack of hierarchical government)
Root family: [path, pati, pass] sympathy (feeling of sorrow for the misfortunes of another), pathology (the science of the causes and course of diseases), empathy (the ability to share the feelings of others), antipathy (hostility)
Don’t confuse with: antipathy (hostility)
⧠ apprehensive (adj) prehendere to grasp, to seize
anxious that something bad might happen : Kyra was apprehensive about entering the abandoned house.
Form: apprehension = fear that something bad might happen; the taking of a criminal suspect into custody Synonyms: fretful, disquieted
Root family: [prehens] comprehensive (thorough and complete), reprehensible (morally objectionable)
Root family: [ard, ars] arsonist (one who illegally sets fires)
Don’t confuse with: arbor (a shady alcove covered by trees or climbing plants), barter (exchange of goods or services for payment instead of money)
Mnemonic: Ardor is a burning passion (ardere = to burn).
⧠ callous (adj)
emotionally insensitive to the suffering of others : He showed callous disregard of the pain that we were going through.
Form: callousness = disregard for the suffering of others Synonyms: ruthless, inhumane, sadistic
Don’t confuse with: callowness (immaturity)
⧠ catharsis (n)
the process of purging unwanted or unhealthy emotions : After a frustrating day at the office, kickboxing class offers a welcome catharsis.
Form: cathartic = providing an elimination of unwanted emotions Synonyms: purgation, venting
Don’t confuse with: catheter (a tube inserted into the body to remove fluid), catechism (a summary of questions and answers summarizing the principles of the Christian religion)
⧠ complacent (adj) com- (intensive) + placent pleasing
smugly and uncritically satisfied with one’s situation : A nation should not be complacent about its security.
Form: complacency = smug self-satisfaction
Root family: [plac] placate (to appease), implacable (unable to be pleased), placid (peaceful) Don’t confuse with: complaisant (willing to please)
Mnemonic: One who is complacent is satisfied with his or her place in the world, but one who is complaisant wants to please (plais).
⧠ ebullient (adj) e- out + bullire to boil
full of cheerful energy : Jennifer was ebullient about her acceptance to Brown.
Form: ebullience = cheerful energy
Don’t confuse with: emollient (a skin softening agent)
Mnemonic: Someone who is ebullient lets the joy bubble out (e- out + bullire to boil).
⧠ effusive (adj) e- out + fusus poured
freely expressive, particularly of emotions; pouring out : Julie was effusive in her greeting, hugging each of us like a mother bear.
Forms: effusion = an outpouring, usually of emotion
Root family: [fus, fund, found] confuse (to cause to become perplexed), confound (to fail to distinguish different elements), diffuse (spread out over a large area), fusion (the process of joining two things into a single entity), profuse (abundant), transfusion (a transfer, usually of blood, from one person or animal to another), refuse (to reject)
Don’t confuse with: elusive (difficult to find, catch, or achieve)
given reluctantly or resentfully : Although his opponents hate to compete against him, they give him grudging respect.
Root family: [grudg, grouch] grouchy (irritable and bad-tempered), begrudge (to envy someone’s enjoyment of something) Don’t confuse with: dredging (cleaning a riverbed by scooping)
⧠ indifferent (adj)
having no particular concern or interest : The king was indifferent to the suffering of his own people.
Form: indifference = lack of concern or interest
Synonyms: insouciant, nonchalant, dispassionate, apathetic Don’t confuse with: not different
Mnemonic: People tend to be indifferent about those things that they think make no difference in the world.
Usage: See usage note at nonchalant in section 8.
⧠ inhibited (adj)
reluctant to act or restrained from acting in a natural way, usually because of self-consciousness : Faith felt inhibited in front of her classmates, but was very much a free spirit with her friends.
Forms: inhibit = to restrain or hinder, inhibition = self-conscious reluctance to behave naturally, uninhibited = free- spirited
Synonyms: reticent, diffident
Don’t confuse with: inhabited (occupied as a living space by a person, animal, or group)
⧠ palpable (adj) palpare to touch gently
perceivable by touch; so intense as to seem touchable : The tension in the room was palpable.
Form: palpate = to touch gently, especially to diagnose a medical condition
Mnemonic: When you go the doctor with stomach pains, the doctor palpates your stomach with his or her palm to feel the pain.
⧠ qualitative (adj)
pertaining to the quality of something rather than a measurable quantity : There has been a qualitative change in the mood of the workers ever since the new contract was signed.
⧠ resigned (adj) re- back + signare to sign officially
reluctantly accepting of an undesirable situation : We were resigned to the fact that Ms. Davis, our favorite teacher, would be absent for several weeks.
Form: resignation = reluctant acceptance of an undesirable situation Synonyms: forbearing, stoical, acquiescent, compliant
Root family: [re-] recluse (a person who lives a solitary lifestyle), renounce (to give up or put aside publicly), regress (to return to a less developed state), relegate (to place in a lower rank)
Root family: [sign] consign (to deliver into another’s custody), designate (to appoint officially), signature (a person’s name written as an official identification mark), significant (noteworthy), assign (to allocate officially)
⧠ vehement (adj) vehere to carry
showing intense feeling : The lawyer’s accusation was met with a vehement denial.
Form: vehemence = intense feeling Synonym: ardent
Root family: [veh, vect] vehicle (a mechanical transportation device; a means of expression), vector (a quantity with magnitude and direction; a means of transmitting disease), convection (the circulation of air by heating and cooling)
Don’t confuse with: violent (physically forceful)
interminable
acer, acr bitter, sharp acrid, exacerbate, acrimonious, acerbic act, agi, age to act, to perform action, exacting, agent, agenda, exigent, agile
acu sharp acute, acumen, acuity, acupuncture
ad- to, toward, for advance, advocate, aspire, allude, acquiesce, adhere agog leading, teaching demagogue, pedagogy, synagogue
agon struggle agony, antagonistic, protagonist, agonize
-al (adj) like, pertaining to personal, ephemeral, comical, conventional
(n) the act of denial, refusal, perusal
altr, alter, ulter other alter ego, altruism, altercation, alternate, adulterate ambi-, amphi- both ambidextrous, ambivalent, ambiguous, amphibian ami, amic friend amiable, amicable, inimical, amity, enemy
ana- backward, mixed up anagram, anachronism, anabolism, analect
-ance, -ence (n) act, quality, being tolerance, reticence, temperance, nonchalance, ambivalence anima life, spirit, mind animate, unanimous, magnanimous, equanimity, inanimate,
pusillanimous
ante- before ante, antecedent, antebellum, antedeluvian, antedate, anterior anthro humankind anthropology, misanthrope, philanthropist, anthropomorphism anti- against anticlimactic, antipathy, antagonistic, antidote, antithesis apo- away, from, not apology, apostrophe, apocryphal, apostasy, apogee, apologetics apt, ept well-suited aptitude, inept, apt, adapt, adept
arbit judge arbitration, arbitrary, arbiter
arch ancient archaeology, archive, archaic, archaeopteryx
chief, most important archrival, architect, archipelago, archetype
govern, rule anarchy, monarch, hierarchy, oligarchy
-ation (n) act of, result of imitation, saturation, cultivation, recitation, conflagration audi to hear auditory, audition, audience, auditorium, audio, audit
auto- self automatic, autobiography, autocracy, autotroph
bellum, belli war, fighting belligerent, antebellum, bellicose, rebellious
bene, bon good beneficiary, benign, benediction, benefactor, bon mot
bi- two, twice bisect, biannually, bifurcate, binomial
bio- life biology, biography, biome, bioluminescence, symbiosis
cad, cid, cas to fall decay, decadent, casualty, recidivist, cascade
(intensive) consummate, condone, conflagration, complacent
cogn, conn to know recognize, connoisseur, reconnoiter, cognizant, incognito, cognoscenti contra- against contradiction, incontrovertible, contrary, contraband, contravene cor, cour heart cardiac, cordial, concord, discord, courage
cred to trust incredible, discredit, credence, incredulous, credible, credit crim judgment, offense crime, discriminating, criminal, incriminate, recrimination crit judge critic, criteria, critique, diacritic, hypocritical
crypt, cryph hidden cryptic, apocryphal, encryption, decrypt, cryptogram
culpa blame culprit, exculpate, culpable, mea culpa
cur, cour to run course, discursive, cursory, incur, precursor, courier
de- down, from, away descend, indefatigable, denigrate, detract, decadent, condescend deca-, deci- ten; one-tenth decade, decathlon; decimeter, decimal, decibel
delet, deli to destroy, to eliminate delete, deleterious, indelible
dem people democracy, demographics, epidemic, demagogue
dext, droit right-handed, skilled dexterity, ambidextrous, adroit
di- apart, away diverge, digress, diversion, diffident, diffuse
dia- through diagonal, diameter, diaphanous, diatribe
dic, dict to declare dictate, vindictive, dictum, malediction, dictatorial dign, dain worthy dignity, indignation, disdain, deign
dis- apart, away disband, discrepancy, discernment, disparate, disseminate, discriminate
against, not discredit, disquiet, disconcerting, disinterested, disdain doc, dox, doct to teach indoctrinate, orthodox, docile, doctrinaire, paradox
domin, domit to dominate dominate, indomitable, domineering, predominant, domain, dominion
duc to lead, to carry conduction, induce, conduct, ductile, produce dupl, duo twofold duplicate, duo, duplicity, duplex, dual, duality
e-, ex- out emit, evanescent, extemporaneous, emigrate, exonerate, extol
-en (v) to make harden, frighten, dampen
(adj) made of golden, woolen, wooden
en- cause to be, in endanger, entangle, enrage, envelop epi- upon, in addition epidemic, epidermis, epicenter, epilogue
equi, equa the same equal, equanimity, equilateral, equilibrium, equivocate esthe perceive, discern anesthetic, aesthetic, synesthesia, aesthete
eu- good eulogy, euphemism, euphonious, euphoria, eugenics
extra- beyond, outside extraneous, extraterrestrial, estranged, extravagant, extracurricular fac, fec, fic to make, to do factory, efficacy, facilitate, facile, benefactor, munificent
fer, pher to bear, to carry fertile, infer, deference, coniferous, aquifer, pheromone ferv to boil, to bubble effervescent, fervent, fervid, fever
-ful (adj) full of suspenseful, tactful, mirthful, wrongful, deceitful funct, fung to perform function, perfunctory, defunct, dysfunctional, fungible fus, found to pour effusive, diffuse, profuse, confound, confuse, refuse gen race, kind homogeneous, progenitor, heterogeneous, indigenous to create, to be born generate, genetic, disingenuous, progeny, congenital
geo- earth geography, geology, geometry
grad, gress to walk progress, digress, regress, egress
grand great grandeur, grandiose, grandiloquent, aggrandize
graph write, draw, study geography, biography, orthography, cartography, demographics grat pleasing, thankful gratitude, gratuitous, gratuity, ingrate, ingratiate
greg flock congregation, gregarious, aggregate
her, hes to stick adhesive, adherent, cohesive, inherent, coherent -hood (n) state of being childhood, statehood, adulthood
hyper over, above hyperactive, hyperbole, hyperventilate, hyperextend
hypo under hyposensitive, hypoglycemic, hypochondria, hypothesis,
hypothalamus
idio unique idiosyncrasy, idiom, idiot
-ify to make solidify, ossify, vilify, fortify, diversify, edify, petrify imper, emper to command imperial, imperious, empire, imperative
in-, ir-, il-, im- not irrelevant, inert, intractable, insuperable, inscrutable, incongruous in, into, toward intrude, inundate, infer, incisive, insurgent, impetuous, indoctrinate inter- between, among international, intervene, interloper, intermittent
intro- into introspective, introduction, introverted
ir anger irritated, irascible, irate, ire
-ism (n) belief, quality of realism, fatalism, pragmatism, polytheism, narcissism -ist (n) one who is or does pacifist, conformist, narcissist, pragmatist
-ity (n) quality, instance of curiosity, futility, adversity, celebrity, passivity
-ive (adj) quality offensive, obtrusive, corrective, ruminative, evocative, elective -ize (v) to make polarize, satirize, fraternize, lionize, scrutinize, civilize, sanitize ject throw eject, conjecture, objective, subjective, reject
jud judge judiciary, judicious, adjudicate, prejudice
jur, jus to give an oath perjury, abjure, conjure
mal bad, badly malicious, malevolent, malady, malediction, malign, maladjusted, malodorous
med, mod middle median, medium, modicum, mediocre, mediation
-ment act of, state of being resentment, enticement, discernment, refinement, bereavement merc payment commerce, mercenary, commercial, mercantilism, merchandise meta- change, beyond metaphysics, metamorphose, metabolism
mis- wrong mistake, misapprehension, misprint, misfit, mislead
mit, miss to send mission, intermittent, unremitting, submit, emit, permit
moll soft mollusk, mollify, emollient
mono- one monotone, monolith, monotonous, monologue, monopoly
morph shape metamorphosis, amorphous, polymorphic, morphology
multi- many multiply, multinational, multicolor
muni, muner to share community, munificent, immunity, remuneration, commune
mut to change mutation, commute, immutable
nat, nas, nai born prenatal, innate, natural, nascent, renaissance -ness (n) quality of, state of soreness, callousness, boldness, fondness noc, nox harmful noxious, innocuous, obnoxious, innocent
nom, nomen, nym name nominate, ignominious, pseudonym, anonymous, nomenclature
non- not nonfiction, nonprofit, nonsense
null, nihil nothing nil, nihilism, annul, annihilate
nunc, nounc to declare announce, denounce, renounce, enunciate, pronounce
omni- all omnivore, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent
onus, oner burden onus, exonerate, onerous
ortho right, straight, strict orthodontist, orthodox, orthogonal, orthopedics -ous (adj) full of gracious, voracious, garrulous, superfluous, gratuitous,
homogeneous
pac, peas peace pacify, appease, pact, pacifist
palp to touch palpate, palpable, palpitate
pan- everything, all panorama, pandemic, pantheon, panoply, panacea para- beside, distinct from parallel, paradox, paradigm, paralegal, paramedic
path, pass to suffer passion, sympathy, empathy, apathetic, antipathy, dispassionate, patient
patr father patriarch, patronize, compatriot, patronage
pecc to sin impeccable, peccadillo, peccant
ped child pediatrician, pedagogy, pedantic
ped, pod foot pedestrian, podiatrist, impede, expedite pel, pul to drive, to force repel, compulsion, impulsive, repulsive, dispel per- through, throughout permeable, impervious, permit, permeate, pervasive thoroughly perfect, peruse, perturb, perpetuate, perfunctory
phren, fren mind, delirium frenzy, frenetic, phrenology, schizophrenia, frantic
plac to please placate, placid, implacable, complacent
plaud, plaus to clap, show approval applaud, plausible, plaudits, explode
ple to fill complete, complement, deplete, replete, supplement, compliant plic, ply to fold complicated, complicit, explication, implication
pol city, citizen metropolis, cosmopolitan, policy, politics, police, polite
pond, pend weight, hanging pendant, ponderous, impending, propensity, pendulum, dependent pos to place position, juxtapose, posit, disposition, appose, oppose
post- after postscript, postdoctoral, posthumous
poten strength, power potent, impotent, despot, potentate, omnipotent, potency pre- before precede, premonition, precedent, prescience, premeditated,
precocious
prehens to grasp comprehend, apprehensive, reprehensible, prehensile, comprehensive pro- forward propel, protracted, reciprocate, provocative, prophecy, progeny,
profuse
prodig lavish prodigious, prodigal, prodigy
proper, propr one’s own property, propriety, expropriation, proprietor, appropriate pug, pugn to fight pugnacious, impugn, pugilist, repugnant
punct, pung point, sharp punctual, punctilious, poignant, punctuation, punctilio
to prick puncture, compunction
puni, peni to punish punish, penitent, punitive, penitentiary, punishment quies, quiet to rest quiet, quietude, acquiesce, quiescence, disquiet
radic root radical, eradicate, radish
rap, rav, rept to seize enrapt, rapture, surreptitious, rapacious, ravenous, ravage
re- back return, reciprocate, revoke, recluse, refute, renounce
again repaint, reconsider, replenish, resurgence
rect right, straight correct, rectify, direct, rectangle
rud untrained rude, erudite, rudiment, rudimentary
rupt broken rupture, erupt, interrupt, corrupt
sacer, secr to make holy sacred, sacrifice, sacrilege, sacrosanct, consecrate sanct holy sanctify, sanction, sanctuary, sacrosanct, sanctimonious
sang blood sanguinary, consanguineous, sanguine, sangfroid
-some (adj) causing, tending fearsome, worrisome, bothersome
son sound sonic, dissonance, assonance, consonant, resonate
spect, spic to look inspect, introspective, circumspect, conspicuous, speculation
spir to breathe respiration, aspire, conspire, expire
spers to scatter or sprinkle disperse, aspersion, interspersed
stat, stag, stan to stand, to stay stationary, stagnate, static, constant, apostasy
strait, strict to bind, to confine strict, constrict, stringent, straitened, strangle, restriction, distress stru, stroy, stry to build construct, construe, destroy, industry, obstruct
sub- under submarine, surreptitious, subjugate, subvert, subdued, somber
sum highest summit, consummate, summa cum laude, summary
super- over, above superior, superlative, superfluous, supercilious, insuperable surg, surr to rise surge, insurgent, resurrection, resurgence
sym-, syn- together, same synthesize, synchronize, symbiosis, sympathy, idiosyncrasy, synonym tace, taci to be silent tacit, reticent, taciturn
tang, tact, tag to touch tangible, tangential, tactile, integral, tactful tele- from a distance teleport, telephone, telekinesis, telecast, telemetry temper to restrain temperate, temperance, temper, temperature
tempo time tempo, extemporaneous, contemporary, temporary
ten to stretch, to make thin extend, tense, tenuous, attenuate, pretentious
ten, tain to hold retain, tenacious, obtain, retention, untenable, detention term to end terminate, interminable, indeterminate, exterminate, terminal terr earth terrestrial, disinter, extraterrestrial, subterranean, terrain thes, thet, them to construct synthesis, prosthesis, epithet, anathema
-tion, -sion (n) action discussion, incantation, revelation, convention (n) quality, state discretion, consternation, trepidation
tract to pull tractor, extract, abstract, tractable, protracted, retract, detractor trans- to a different place transport, transient, transplant, transcribe
across, through transparent, translucent, transcend, transaction trit rubbed, worn trite, attrition, contrite, detritus
troph nourishment autotroph, atrophy, eutrophic, allotrophic trunc, trench to cut truncate, trenchant, truncheon, trunks trus, trud to push intrude, abstruse, extrude, obtrusive, intrusive
turb to disturb disturb, perturb, turbulence
un- not unspoken, unassuming, unfettered, unstinting, unabridged
umbra shade umbrella, somber, adumbrate, umbrage, penumbra
unda, ound wave undulate, inundate, abundance, abound, redundant under- beneath underground, undernourished, undermine, underestimate uni- one unified, universe, uniformity, united, unilateral, unanimity vac, void empty, void vacuum, vacuous, evacuate, devoid, avoid
ver true verify, verisimilitude, verities, aver
verb word verbal, verbatim, verbose, proverb, verbiage
vert, vers to turn convert, diversion, diverse, aversion, versatility, adversary, vertex vid, vis to see invisible, revision, individual, video
vigil awake vigilant, vigil, invigilate, vigilante
vil worthless vile, vilify, reviled
vinc, vanq, vict to conquer victory, vanquish, invincible, convince, conviction, evict viva, vita to live revive, viable, convivial, vivid, vivacious
voc, vok to call, to give voice to vocal, advocate, revoke, vociferous, provocative, equivocate, evocative vol (> volvere) to roll revolve, revolution, convoluted, evolve, volume, voluble
(> velle) to wish volunteer, volition, benevolent, malevolent
(> volare) to fly volatile, volley
vor to devour carnivore, omnivore, voracious, herbivore