M any English words contain letter combinations that reveal their origins and tell you something about their m eanings.These combinations are called roots. For the G RE, you don’t need to know that the root P H O N comes from Greek or that P O R T comes from Latin, but it’s useful to know that P H O N means “sound” and P O R T means “carry.”
THE KAPLAN ROOT LIST
The root list that follows contains about 175 roots, selected p rim arily for their usefulness as m em ory tools for G R E -level words. The root list includes both prefixes and bases. Suffixes are not included because they tell you more about the part o f speech of a w ord than about meaning.
Spellings of Roots
R oots often have variant spellings. L O C in interlocutor and L O Q in loquacious are really the same root.
Mutating Prefixes
M any prefixes have different forms depending on the letters they attach to. For example, A D - becomes A C- in front o f c, k, and q (accretion, acknowledge, acquiesce), AG- in front o fg (aggregate, aggrandize), AL- in front o f l (alleviate, allude), and so on. In addition, sometimes two distinct roots end up looking exactly the same in m odern English. For example, P O T means “d rin k” in potable, but it means “pow er” in om nipotent.
Using Roots to Build Vocabulary
You’ll learn more words in less tim e if you learn them in groups. O ne w ay o f learning words in groups is to use w ord roots. O nce you know, for example, that the root PLAC means “to please,” you have a hook for rem em bering the meanings o f sev eral words: placate, implacable, placid, placebo, and com placent.
Rooting Out Meanings
Sometimes you can use roots to figure out the m eaning o f an unfam iliar word. Suppose, for example, you com e across the w ord circum navigate and don’t know w hat it means. If you know that the root C IR C U M means “around” and that the root NAV means “ship, sail,” then you can guess that circum navigate means “to sail around,” as in “circum navigate the globe.”
The Trouble With Roots
B ut don’t get too excited. R oots offer the com mon heritage o f words thousands o f years old — but things have changed a lot. R oots don’t always point to the right w ay to go.
Example: affinity is o f the root FIN, m eaning end. B ut affinity means a kinship, or attractive force. Sometimes, the m eaning is close, but the spelling has gone haywire.
Example: cogen t is actually o f the root, ACT/AG (to do, to drive, to lead). C ogen t means “convincing” or “having the power to com pel.” These two are somewhat close in m eaning, but you can see w hat we mean about the spelling.
There are other problems w ith using roots to pinpoint a definition. Looking at the etym ology o f a w ord is a great trick i f you know Greek, Latin, or French. For example, D E M in G reek means “people.” D EM ocracy essentially means governm ent o f the people. N eat and tidy. R igh t? Sure, but first you w ould have to know w hat D E M means. It helps i f you study and learn w here there are exceptions.
Example: The w ord venal. The root VEN/VENT means “to com e” or “to move toward.” B ut venal means cor rupt or capable o f being bought. A dventure, convene, event, avenue, advent, and circum vent clearly spring from the root m eaning. Venal is a bit o f a stretch.
Example: The w ord pediatrician has PED for a root. PED has to do w ith the foot. B ut a pediatrician is a children’s doctor. A podiatrist is a foot doctor.
As it turns out, the etym ology o f a w ord is m erely a good trick. It can help you to figure out and rem em ber the m eaning o f a word. B ut it w o n ’t w ork every time, and it certainly can’t provide the basic definition o f a word. It m ay even put you on the w rong track.
So w h y bother? Because i f you don’t have a clue w hat a w ord means, you have to start somewhere. R oots are an efF IC acious place to begin (FIC: to do, to make).
COMMON ROOTS
T h e com m on roots are ex p lain ed h ere, in alp h ab etical order. For each root, w e ’ve pro vid ed definitions o f som e w ords co n tain in g th e root. For th e last w o rd in each list, w e u sed th e w o rd in a sam ple senten ce in stead o f defin in g it. See i f yo u can figu re o ut th e m ean in g o f the w o rd based on its root.
A : W ith o u t
am oral: neither m oral nor im m oral atheist: one w ho does not believe in God atypical: not typical
an on ym ou s: o f unknow n authorship or origin apathy: lack o f interest or em otion
atrophy: the wasting away o f body tissue anom aly: an irregularity
agnostic: one w ho questions the existence o f God The glob o f paint resting on the canvas was rather am orphous.
A B /A B S: off, aw ay from , ap art, dow n abduct: to take by force
abhor: to hate, detest
abolish: to do away w ith , make void
abstract: conceived apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances abnorm al: deviating from a standard abdicate: to renounce or relinquish a throne abstinence: forbearance from any indulgence o f
appetite
abstruse: hard to understand; secret, hidden
The behavior o f M aurice, the painter, was so aberrant that the dealer felt com pelled to not show his work.
A C / A C R : sharp, b itter
acid: something that is sharp, sour, or ill natured acute: sharp at the end; ending in a point
acerbic: sour or astringent in taste; harsh in tem per exacerbate: to increase bitterness or violence;
aggravate
acrid: sharp or biting to the taste or smell acrim onious: caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature M aurice, however, had a great deal o f financial acum en and convinced the dealer to accept his peculiarities.
ACT/A G : to do; to d riv e; to force; to lead agile: quick and w ell coordinated in movement;
active, lively
agitate: to move or force into violent, irregular action
litigate: to make the subject o f a lawsuit prod iga l: wastefully or recklessly extravagant p ed a go gu e: a teacher
sy n a gogu e: a gathering or congregation o f Jews for the purpose o f religious worship
The dealer hoped his exacting standards w ould not be compromised by his decision to w ork w ith M aurice.
A D /A L: to, tow ard, n ear
adapt: adjust or m odify fittingly
adjacent: lying near, close, or contiguous; adjoining addict: to give oneself over, as to a habit or pursuit adm ire: to regard w ith wonder, pleasure, and
approval
address: to direct a speech or w ritten statement to adhere: to stick fast; cleave; cling
adjoin: to be close or in contact w ith advocate: to plead in favor o f
The dealer, after w atching M aurice w ork a room, had to adm it that M aurice had no small am ount o f personal allure.
AL/ALI/ALTE R: other, an o th er alternative: a possible choice
alias: an assumed nam e; another name
alibi: the defense by an accused person that he was verifiably elsewhere at the tim e o f the crim e w ith w hich he is charged
alien: one born in another country; a foreigner alter eg o: the second self; a substitute or deputy altruist: a person unselfishly concerned for the
welfare o f others
a llegory: figurative treatm ent o f one subject under the guise o f another
O f course, M aurice being M aurice, he still m anaged to find him self in a serious altercation w ith a potential buyer.
A M : love
am ateur: a person w ho engages in an activity for pleasure rather than financial or professional gain
am atory: o f or pertaining to lovers or lovemaking am en ity: agreeable ways or manners
am orous: inclined to love, esp. sexual love
enam ored: inflamed w ith love; charm ed; captivated a m ity: friendship; peaceful harm ony
inam orata: a female lover
am iable: having or showing agreeable personal qualities
am icable: characterized by exhibiting good w ill It turned out, however, m uch to the dealer’s relief, that the potential buyer had also been a form er para m our o f M au rice’s.
A M B : to go; to w a lk
am bient: m oving freely; circulating
am bitious: desirous o f achieving or obtaining pow er pream ble: an introductory statement
ambassador: an authorized messenger or representative
am bulance: a w h eeled vehicle equipped for carrying sick people, usually to a hospital
am bulatory: of, pertaining to, or capable o f w alking am bush: the act o f lying concealed so as to attack by
surprise
peram bulator: one w ho makes a tour o f inspection on foot
The dealer decided to am ble over and see i f it was possible to smooth things over.
A M B /A M P H : b o th , m o re th an one, around am biguous: open to various interpretations
am phibian: any cold-blooded vertebrate, the larva o f w hich is aquatic, and the adult o f w h ich is terrestrial; a person or thing having a twofold nature
am bidextrous: able to use both hands equally w ell The dealer still felt am bivalent about the w isdom o f organizing the show in the first place.
A N IM : o f the life, m in d , soul, spirit unanim ous: in complete accord
an im osity: a feeling o f ill w ill or enm ity anim us: hostile feeling or attitude
equanim ity: m ental or em otional stability, esp. under tension
m agnanim ous: generous in forgiving an insult or in jury
M aurice becam e quite anim ated during a conversa tion w ith one o f the more w ell-heeled visitors to the gallery.
A N N U I/E N N I: y e a r
annual: of, for, or pertaining to a year; yearly anniversary: the yearly recurrence o f the date o f a
past event
a n n u ity: a specified incom e payable at stated intervals
p eren n ia l: lasting for an indefinite am ount o f time annals: a record o f events, esp. a yearly record “It feels like a m illenium since w e last met,” the dealer offered w arm ly as he shook M r. R ock eb eller’s hand.
A N TE : before
anterior: placed before
an tecedent: existing, being, or going before antedate: precede in tim e
antebellum : before the w ar (esp. the A m erican C ivil War)
antediluvian: belonging to the period before the biblical Flood; very old or old-fashioned Suddenly, the dealer was inform ed that a most presti gious potential client had arrived and was w aiting in the anteroom .
A N T H R O / A N D R : m an , h um an
anthropology: the science that deals w ith the origins o f m ankind
android: robot; m echanical man
m isanthrope: one w ho hates humans or m ankind philanderer: one w ho carries on flirtations
a ndrogynous: being both male and female androgen: any substance that promotes masculine
characteristics
anthropocentric: regarding man as the central fact o f the universe
The dealer im m ediately recognized him as the state’s most illustrious philanthropist.
A N T I: again st
antibody: a protein naturally existing in blood serum, that reacts to overcome the toxic effects o f an antigen
antidote: a rem edy for counteracting the effects o f poison, disease, etcetera
antiseptic: free from germs; particularly clean or neat antipathy: aversion
antipodal: on the opposite side o f the globe “Goodness, I hadn’t m eant to be antisocial,” Mr. R ock eb eller rejoindered.
A PO : aw ay
apology: an expression o f one’s regret or sorrow for having w ronged another
apostle: one o f the 12 disciples sent forth by Jesus to preach the gospel
apocalypse: revelation; discovery; disclosure a p ogee: the highest or most distant point
apocryphal: o f doubtful authorship or authenticity apostasy: a total desertion o f one’s religion,
principles, party, cause, etcetera
“You are the apotheosis o f graciousness,” the dealer groveled.
A R C H / A R C H I/ A R C H Y : ch ief, p rin cip al, ru le r architect: the devisor, maker, or planner o f anything archenem y: ch ief enem y
m onarchy: a governm ent in w h ich the supreme power is lodged in a sovereign
anarchy: a state or society w ithou t governm ent or law
oligarchy: a state or society ruled by a select group Fortunately, they were abruptly interrupted by some one not very high up in the gallery hierarchy.
A U T O : se lf
autom atic: self-m oving or self-acting autocrat: an absolute ruler
au ton om y: independence or freedom
“H elp!” the underling cried out. “M aurice is dead. There must be an a u top sy!” A nd so the gallery event came to a close.
BE: to b e; to have a p artic u lar q u ality ; to ex ist belittle: to regard something as less impressive than it
apparently is
bem oan: to express p ity for
bew ilder: to confuse or puzzle com pletely belie: to misrepresent; to contradict
A bigail was bem used by the flirtations o f the hand some young man to her right.
BEL/BELL: w ar
antebellum : before the w ar
rebel: a person w ho resists authority, control, or tradition
belligerent: w arlike, given to w aging w ar His bellicosity belied his charm.
BEN /BO N : good
benefit: anything advantageous to a person or thing ben ign : having a kindly disposition
benediction: act o f uttering a blessing ben evolen t: desiring to do good to others
bonus: something given over and above w hat is due bona fi d e : in good faith; w ithou t fraud
He is either, she thought, a true bon vivant, or a ben efi cen t man w ho prefers to hide his good works beneath a tacky exterior.
B I: tw ice, double
binoculars: involving two eyes biennial: happening every two years
bilateral: pertaining to or affecting two or both sides bilingual: able to speak one’s native language and
another w ith equal facility bipartisan: representing two parties
“You know,” A bigail’s friend w hispered in her ea r,“I have heard h e’s a bigam ist.” She paused. “Those poor wives.”
C A D /C ID : to fall; to hap p en b y chance accident: happening by chance; unexpected coincidence: a striking occurrence o f two or more
events at one time, apparently by chance decadent: decaying; deteriorating
cascade: a w aterfall descending over a steep surface recidivist: one w ho repeatedly relapses, as into crim e Pierre spoke w ith a lovely cadence.
C A N T /C E N T /C H A N T : to sing
accent: prom inence o f a syllable in terms o f pronunciation
chant: a song; singing
enchant: to subject to m agical influence; bew itch recant: to w ithdraw or disavow a statement incantation: the chanting o f words purporting to
have m agical power
in cen tive: that w h ich incites action
W h en the cantor stood up to sing, even Pierre was struck dumb.
CA P/CIP/CE PT: to tak e; to g e t capture: to take by force or stratagem
anticipate: to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee susceptible: capable o f receiving, adm itting,
undergoing, or being affected by something em ancipate: to free from restraint
p ercip ien t: having perception; discerning; discrim inating
p recep t: a com m andm ent or direction given as a rule o f conduct
An incipient awe filled the synagogue as the mesm er ized congregation listened.
C A P /C A PIT/C IP IT : h ead , h ead lo n g
capital: the city or tow n that is the official seat o f government
disciple: one w ho is a pupil o f the doctrines o f another
precipitate: to hasten the occurrence of; to bring about prem aturely
precipice: a cliff w ith a vertical face
capitulate: to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms
caption: a heading or title
Immediately after the service, one woman, acting precip itously, threw her arms around the cantor to thank him.
C A R D / C O R D / C O U R : h e a rt cardiac: pertaining to the heart
encourage: to inspire w ith spirit or confidence concord: agreem ent; peace, am ity
discord: lack o f harm ony betw een persons or things concordance: agreem ent, concord, harm ony
The cantor was cordial in his response, though clearly headed for a coronary.
C A R N : flesh
carnivorous: eating flesh
carnage: the slaughter o f a great num ber o f people carnival: a traveling am usement show
reincarnation: rebirth o f a soul in a new body incarnation: a being invested w ith a bodily form T hough nothing o f an intim ate carnal nature had occurred, M s. Levinsohn regretted her spontaneous display.
C A S T / C H A S T : cut
cast: to throw or hurl; fling
caste: a hereditary social group, lim ited to people o f the same rank
castigate: to punish in order to correct
chastise: to discipline, esp. by corporal punishment chaste: free from obscenity; decent
C hastened by the cantor’s surprised expression, Ms. Levinsohn determ ined she w ould have to control her impulsivity.
CED/CEED/CESS: to g o ; to y ie ld ; to stop an tecedent: existing, being, or going before con ced e: to acknow ledge as true, just, or proper;
admit
predecessor: one w ho comes before another in an office, position, etcetera
cessation: a tem porary or com plete discontinuance incessant: w ithou t stop
As M s. Levinsohn strolled home, her embarrassment began to recede.
C E N T R : cen ter
concentrate: to bring to a com mon center; to converge, to direct toward one point eccentric: off center
concentric: having a com m on center, as in circles or spheres
cen trifu ge: an apparatus that rotates at high speed to separate substances o f different densities using centrifugal force
centrist: o f or pertaining to moderate political or social ideas
She’d been accused m any times in her life o f being egocentric, and so had gotten used to the notion that she was often seen in an unflattering light.
C E R N / C E R T / C R E T / C R IM / C R IT : to separate; to ju d g e ; to distinguish ; to decide
discrete: detached from others, separate ascertain: to make sure of; to determ ine certitude: freedom from doubt
discreet: judicious in one’s conduct o f speech, esp. w ith regard to m aintaining silence about some thing o f a delicate nature
hypocrite: a person w ho pretends to have beliefs that she does not
criterion: a standard o f judgm en t or criticism Ms. Levinsohn had also suffered, she knew, recrim ina tions for her tendency to behave as she pleased. C H R O N : tim e
syn ch ron iz e: to occur at the same tim e or agree in tim e
ch ron ology: the sequential order in w hich past events occurred
anachronism : an obsolete or archaic form chronic: constant, habitual
chronom eter: a tim e piece w ith a mechanism to adjust for accuracy
It suddenly occurred to Ms. Levinsohn that to con struct a chronicle o f her constant missteps m ight help to bring her behavior under control.
C I R C U : around, on a ll sides
circum ference: the outer boundary o f a circular area circum stances: the existing conditions or state o f
affairs surrounding and affecting an agent circuit: the act o f going or m oving around circum am bulate: to w alk about or around circuitous: roundabout, indirect
It took m any hours, as she had underestimated how difficult it was for her to be circum spect.
C IS: to cut
scissors: cutting instrum ent for paper, etcetera p recise: definitely stated or defined
exorcise: to seek to expel an evil spirit by cerem ony incision: a cut, gash, or notch
incisive: penetrating, cutting
Still, M s. Levinsohn m anaged to be concise about the details o f her missteps.
C L A /C L O /C L U : shut, close
conclud e: to bring to an end; finish; to term inate claustrophobia: an abnorm al fear o f enclosed places disclose: to make know n, reveal, or uncover ex clusive: not adm itting o f something else; shutting
out others
cloister: a courtyard bordered w ith covered walks, esp. in a religious institution
p reclu d e: to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence o f
M s. Levinsohn was so horrified at the num ber o f inci dents in w h ich she had behaved inappropriately that she considered becom ing a recluse.
C L A IM /C L A M : to shout; to c ry out exclaim : to cry out or speak suddenly and
vehem ently
procla im : to announce or declare in an official w ay clam or: a loud uproar
disclaim : to deny interest in or connection w ith reclaim : to claim or demand the return o f a right or
possession
She considered calling the people w hom she’d offend ed to declaim her guilt.
C LI: to lean tow ard
declin e: to cause to slope or incline downward recline: to lean back
clim ax: the most intense point in the development o f something
p roclivity: inclination, bias disinclination: aversion, distaste
B ut her inclination to think o f her own needs first got in the way.
C O / C O L / C O M / C O N : w ith , to geth er connect: to bind or fasten together
coerce: to com pel by force, intim idation, or authority com patible: capable o f existing together in harm ony collide: to strike one another w ith a forceful impact collaborate: to w ork w ith another, cooperate conciliate: to placate, w in over
com m ensurate: suitable in measure, proportionate She sim ply promised herself that she w ould be more congenial in the future.
C R E / C R E S C / C R E T : to gro w
accrue: to be added as a m atter o f periodic gain creation: the act o f producing or causing to exist increase: to m ake greater in any respect
increm ent: som ething added or gained; an addition or increase
accretion: an increase by natural growth
H er enthusiasm for this idea reached a crescendo.
C R E D : to b eliev e; to trust incredible: unbelievable
credentials: anything that provides the basis for b elief credo: any form ula o f b elief
credu lity: willingness to believe or trust too readily credit: trustworthiness
She gave no other life goal any credence.
C R Y P : h id d en
crypt: a subterranean cham ber or vault
apocryphal: o f doubtful authorship or authenticity cryp tology: the science o f interpreting secret w ritings,
codes, ciphers, and the like
cryptography: procedures o f m aking and using secret w ritin g
To her few friends, however, she rem ained cryptic about her new approach to life.
C U B / C U M B : to lie dow n
cubicle: any small space or com partm ent that is partitioned off
succum b: to give away to superior force; yield incubate: to sit upon for the purpose o f hatching incum bent: holding an indicated position recum bent: lyin g down; reclining; leaning
Shortly thereafter, Ms. Levinsohn discovered that to be generous all the tim e was rather cum bersom e.
C U L P : b lam e
culprit: a person guilty for an offense culpable: deserving blam e or censure inculpate: to charge w ith fault m ea culpa: through m y fault; m y fault
She then decided to exculpate herself o f all w rong doing.
C O U R / C U R : ru n n in g ; a course recur: to happen again
curriculum : the regular course o f study
courier: a messenger, traveling in haste, bearing news excursion: a short jo u rn ey or trip
cursive: handw riting in flow ing strokes w ith the letters jo in ed together
concur: to accord in opinion; agree
incursion: a hostile entrance into a place, esp. suddenly
cursory: going rapidly over something; hasty; superficial
C oncurrently, she enrolled in a course, entitled “H ow To Get W h at You W ant O ut o f Life.”
DE: away, off, dow n, co m pletely, reversal
descen d: to move from a higher to a low er place decipher: to make out the m eaning; to interpret defile: to make foul, dirty, or unclean
defam e: to attack the good name or reputation o f deferential: respectful; to yield to judgm ent d elin eate: to trace the outline of; sketch or trace in
outline
D EM : peo p le
dem ocracy: governm ent by the people
epidem ic: affecting at the same tim e a large num ber o f people, and spreading from person to person en d em ic: peculiar to a particular people or locality p a n d em ic: general, universal
dem ographics: vital and social statistics o f populations To her, he was a dem agogue.
DI/DIA: ap art, th ro ugh
d ialogue: conversation betw een two or more persons diagnose: to determ ine the identity o f something
from the symptoms
dilate: to make w id er or larger; to cause to expand dilatory: inclined to delay or procrastinate
dich otom y: division into two parts, kinds, etcetera Ginny slipped on the diaphanous gown, hoping finally to garner his full attention.
D IC /D IC T/D IT : to say; to te ll; to use words dictionary: a book containing a selection o f the
words o f a language p redict: to tell in advance verdict: judgm ent, decree
indite: to compose or w rite, as in a speech interdict: to forbid; prohibit
B ut he m erely told her to move stage left, a direction she did not dare contradict.
D A C /D O C : to teach
doctor: someone licensed to practice m edicine; a learned person
doctrine: a particular principle advocated, as o f a governm ent or religion
indoctrinate: to im bue a person w ith learning docile: easily m anaged or handled; tractable didactic: intended for instruction
She had docum entation attesting to her great promise, after all.
D O G /D O X: opinion
orthodox: sound or correct in opinion or doctrine paradox: an opinion or statement contrary to
accepted opinion
dogm a : a system o f tenets, as o f a church
Ginny was nothing less than dogm atic on the subject o f her own excellence.
D O L: suffer, pain
cond olen ce: expression o f sympathy w ith one w ho is suffering
in d olen ce: a state o f being lazy or slothful d olefu l: sorrowful, m ournful
dolorous: full o f pain or sorrow, grievous Ginny occasionally suffered from the doldrums, though, as success was not exactly knocking on her door.
DIGN : w o rth
d ign ity: nobility or elevation o f character; worthiness dignitary: a person w ho holds a high rank or office d eign : to think fit or in accordance w ith one’s
dignity
cond ign : w ell deserved; fitting; adequate disdain: to look upon or treat w ith contempt Anxious to appear dignified, she moved to the spot w ith deliberate grace.
DIS/DIF: aw ay from , ap art, reversal, n ot
disperse: to drive or send off in various directions dissem inate: to scatter or spread w id ely; prom ulgate dissipate: to scatter wastefully
dissuade: to deter by advice or persuasion diffuse: to pour out and spread, as in a fluid Ginny w ished to disassociate herself from the other less talented players.
D O N /D O T/D O W : to give
don ate: to present as a gift or contribution pardon: kind indulgence, forgiveness
antidote: something that prevents or counteracts ill effects
anecdote: a short narrative about an interesting event en d ow : to provide w ith a perm anent fund
H er best role so far had been that o f a young d ow a ger in some N oel C ow ard-like play.
D U B : doubt
dubious: doubtful d u b iety: doubtfulness indubitable: unquestionable
G inny w ould not allow doubtfulness into her consciousness.
D U C / D U C T : to lead
abduct: to carry off or lead away conduct: personal behavior, w ay o f acting cond ucive: contributive, helpful
induce: to lead or move by influence induct: to install in a position w ith formal
ceremonies
p rod u ce: to bring into existence; give cause to She w ould not allow herself to feel reduced by small roles.
D U R : hard
endure: to hold out against; to sustain w ithout yielding
durable: able to resist decay
duress: compulsion by threat, coercion dour: sullen, gloom y
during: throughout the continuance or existence o f duration: the length o f tim e something exists Ginny only grew obdurate w hen asked to interpret a line incorrectly.
D YS: faulty, ab n o rm al
d ystrophy: faulty or inadequate nutrition or development
dyspepsia: im paired digestion
dyslex ia: an im pairm ent o f the ability to read due to a brain defect
dysfunctional: poorly functioning
Ginny did, however, suffer from constant dysphoria, in particular w h en playing a role she w ould not adm it was beneath her— w hich was just about always. EPI: upon
epidem ic: affecting at the same tim e a large num ber of people, and spreading from person to person ep ilogu e: a concluding part added to a literary w ork epiderm is: the outer layer of the skin
epigram : a w itty or pointed saying tersely expressed ep ithet: a word or phrase, used invectively as a term
of abuse
George was the ep itom e of handsomeness. EQ U : e q u al, even
equation: the act of m aking equal
adequate: equal to the requirem ent or occasion equidistant: equally distant
iniquity: gross injustice; wickedness
W om en had trouble m aintaining their equilibrium w hen he entered the room.
E R R : to w an d er
err: to go astray in thought or belief, to be mistaken error: a deviation from accuracy or correctness erratic: deviating from the proper or usual course in
conduct
arrant: dow nright, thorough, notorious erroneous: containing error
In fact, they often exhibited aberrant behavior around him.
ESCE: b eco m in g
adolescent: betw een childhood and adulthood obsolescent: becom ing obsolete
incandescent: glow ing w ith heat, shining convalescent: recovering from illness rem iniscent: rem inding or suggestive of
June, an aggressive wom an, w ould becom e quite acquiescent.
EU : goo d , w e ll
eu p hem ism : pleasant-sounding term for something unpleasant
eu log y: speech or w ritin g in praise or com m endation
eu gen ics: improvement of qualities of race by control of inherited characteristics
euthanasia: killing person painlessly, usually one w ho has an incurable, painful disease
eu p h on y: pleasantness of sound
She w ould lapse into a state of rapt euphoria. E/EF/EX: out, o ut of, from , form er, co m p letely
evad e: to escape from, avoid ex clude: to shut out; to leave out extricate: to disentangle, release
ex onerate: to free or declare free from blame expire: to com e to an end, cease to be valid efface: to rub or w ip e out; surpass, eclipse She w ould of course exhort George to be kind, w arm , and loving.
E X T R A : outside, beyo nd
extraordinary: beyond the ordinary
extract: to take out, obtain against person’s w ill extradite: to hand over (person accused of crime) to
state w here crim e was com mitted
extrasensory: derived by means other than known senses extrapolate: to estimate (unknown facts or values)
from know n data
B ut George clearly view ed June as extraneous. And so that was that.
FAB/FAM : speak
fa b le: fictional tale, esp. legendary affable: friendly, courteous
ineffable: too great for description in words; that w hich must not be uttered
fa m o u s: w ell known, celebrated defam e: attack good name o f Lola was an infam ous liar.
FAC/FIC/FIG/FAIT/FEIT/FY: to do; to m ake fa cto ry : building for manufacture o f goods fa ction : small dissenting group w ith in larger one,
esp. in politics
deficient: incom plete or insufficient
prolific: producing m any offspring or m uch output configuration: m anner o f arrangem ent, shape ratify: to confirm or accept by form al consent effigy: sculpture or m odel o f person
counterfeit: im itation, forgery
She was quite fa cile w hen it came to uttering falsehoods.
FE R : to b rin g ; to c a rry ; to b ear
offer: to present for acceptance, refusal, or consideration
confer: to grant, bestow
referendum : to vote on a political question open to the entire electorate
proffer: to offer
proliferate: to reproduce; produce rapidly
She could be vociferous too, especially w hen the lie was an im portant one.
FERV: to b o il; to bubble fe r v o r : passion, zeal fe r v id : ardent, intense
effervescen t: w ith the quality o f giving off bubbles o f gas
Then again, Lola was also quite fe r v e n t w hen speak ing the truth.
FID: faith, trust
confide: to entrust w ith a secret affidavit: w ritten statement on oath fid e lity : faithfulness, loyalty
fid u cia ry : o f a trust; held or given in trust
infidel: disbeliever in esp. the supposed true religion She had but one confidant w ith w hom she was always honest.
FIN : end
fin a l: at the end; com ing last
confin e: to keep or restrict w ith in certain limits; im prison
defin itive: decisive, unconditional, final infinite: boundless; endless
infinitesim al: infinitely or very small Lola felt a strange affinity for B rigitte.
FLAG/FLAM : to b urn fla m e : ignited gas
fla m m a b le: easily set on fire fla m b ea u : a lighted torch fla gra n t: blatant, scandalous
conflagration: large destructive fire B rigitte could be quite fla m b oya n t.
FLECT/FLEX: to b en d
deflect: to bend or turn aside from a purpose flex ib le: able to bend w ithout breaking
inflect: to change or vary pitch o f reflect: to throw back
gen u flect: to bend knee, esp. in worship She also spoke w ith an odd inflection.
FL U /FL U X : to flow
flu id : substance, esp. gas or liquid, capable o f flowing freely
flu ctu a tion : som ething that varies, rising and falling efflu en ce: flowing out o f (light, electricity, etcetera) conflu ence: m erging into one
m ellifluous: pleasing, musical
She w ore diamonds everywhere, as if to announce her affluence.
FO R E : before
fo resigh t: care or provision for future
fo resh a d ow : be w arning or indication o f (future event) fo resta ll: to prevent by advance action
forth righ t: straightforward, outspoken, decisive Lola could fo r etell that B rigitte was headed for trouble.
F O R T : chance
fo r tu n e : chance or luck in hum an affairs fo rtu n a te: lucky, auspicious
It was, Lola believed, fo rtu itou s that they had met.
F O R T : strength
fo r tify : to provide w ith fortifications; strengthen fo rtissim o: very loud
B ut it was fo rtitu d e that kept them together, as they really had nothing significant in common.
FR A /F R A C /F R A G /F R IN G : to b reak fra ctu re: breakage, esp. o f a bone fra gm en t: a part broken off fra ctiou s: irritable, peevish
refractory: stubborn, unmanageable, rebellious infringe: to break or violate (law, etcetera)
In fact, their relationship m ight have fra ctu red years ago if it hadn’t been for one im portant thing.
FU S: to p o ur
profu se: lavish, extravagant, copious
fu silla d e: continuous discharge o f firearms or outburst o f criticism
suffuse: to spread throughout or over from w ithin diffuse: to spread w id ely or thinly
infusion: infusing; liq uid extract so obtained
B rigitte and Lola share the same blood type, w hich was fortunate; w h en Lola needed a transfusion, B ritte volunteered a pint, earning effusive praise from her new best friend.
GEN: b irth , creatio n, race, k in d g en ero u s: giving or given freely
g en etics: study o f heredity and variation among animals and plants
g en d er: classification roughly corresponding to the two sexes and sexlessness
carcinogenic: producing cancer
congenital: existing or as such from birth p r o g en y : offspring, descendants
m iscegenation: interbreeding o f races W alter was a gen ia l little fellow.
G N /GN O : k n o w
agnostic: person w ho believes that existence o f God is not provable
ignore: to refuse to take notice o f
ignoram us: a person lacking knowledge, uninform ed recogn iz e: to identify as already known
in cognito: w ith one’s name or identity concealed p rogn osis: forecast, especially o f disease
diagnose: to make an identification o f disease or fault from symptoms
His cogn itive powers w ere advanced for his age.
G R A T : p leasin g gra tefu l: thankful
ingratiate: to bring oneself into favor gra tu ity: m oney given for good service graciou s: kindly, esp. to inferiors; m erciful
Still, one day, he was accused o f being an ingrate.
G R A D /G R E SS: to step progress: forward movement
aggressive: given to hostile act or feeling
degrade: to hum iliate, dishonor, reduce to lower rank digress: to depart from m ain subject
egress: going out; w ay out
This caused him to regress, ultim ately resulting in his inability to read until the age o f ten.
H E R/H E S: to stick
coherent: logically consistent; having waves in phase and of one wavelength
adhesive: tending to rem ain in m em ory; sticky; an adhesive substance
inherent: involved in the constitution or essential character of something
adherent: able to adhere; believer or advocate of a particular thing
h eredity: the qualities genetically derived from one’s ancestors and the transmission of those qualities The figure skating club was a cohesive group.
(H )E T E R O : different
heterosexual: of or pertaining to sexual orientation toward members of the opposite sex; relating to different sexes
heterogen eou s: of other origin: not originating in the body
heterodox: different from acknowledged standard; holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines The h eterogen eity of the group’s members, oddly enough, contributed to its harmony.
(H )O M : sam e
h om ogen eous: of the same or a sim ilar kind of nature; of uniform structure of composition throughout
h om on ym : one of two or more words spelled and pronounced alike but different in m eaning hom osex ual: of, relating to, or exhibiting sexual
desire toward a m em ber of one’s own sex anom aly: deviation from the com mon rule hom eostasis: a relatively stable state of equilibrium The club physician practices hom eopathy, the practice of using m inute dosages of substances that produce the symptoms of the disease being treated.
H Y P E R : over, excessive hyperactive: excessively active
h yperglycem ia : an abnorm ally high concentration of sugar in the blood
It w ould be hyperbole to claim that the members of the club never disagree, but it is true that their dis agreements are infrequent and swiftly resolved.
H Y P O : u n d er, b en eath , less than
h ypoderm ic: relating to the parts beneath the skin hypochondriac: one affected by extrem e depression of
m ind or spirits often centered on im aginary physical ailments
hypocritical: affecting virtues or qualities one does not have
O f course, the hypothesis of the club members as to w h y they get along is sim ply that they are all equally devoted to skating.
ID IO : o n e’s ow n
idiot: an utterly stupid person
idiom : a language, dialect, or style of speaking particular to a people
Paris’ habit o f w earing bright green shoes could be described as highly idiosyncratic.
IM /IN/EM /EN: in , into
em brace: to clasp in the arms; to include or contain en close: to close in on all sides
intrinsic: belonging to a thing by its very nature influx: the act of flowing in; inflow
im plicit: not expressly stated; im plied incarnate: given a bodily, esp. a human, form in digen ou s: native; innate, natural
Paris w ould attem pt to ingratiate him self by behaving in ways o f w hich he felt others w ould approve.
IM /IN : n o t, w ith o u t inactive: not active
innocuous: not harm ful or injurious
in d olen ce: showing a disposition to avoid exertion; slothful
im partial: not partial or biased; just in digen t: deficient in w hat is requisite
He w ould occasionally suffer indignities because of this approach.
IN T E R : b etw een , am ong
interstate: connecting or jo intly involving states interim : a tem porary or provisional arrangem ent;
m eantim e
interloper: one w ho intrudes in the dom ain o f others interm ittent: stopping or ceasing for a tim e
intersperse: to scatter here and there
W h en asked, “D on’t you have an original thought? D on’t you think?” Paris w ould quickly interject “Yes! O f course! W h at do you think?”
JE C T : to th ro w ; to th ro w dow n
inject: to place (quality, etcetera) w here needed in something
dejected: sad, depressed eject: to throw out, expel
conjecture: form ation o f opinion on incom plete inform ation
abject: utterly hopeless, hum iliating, or w retched B laine’s arrow followed a dangerous trajectory. JO IN / JU N C T : to m eet; to jo in
ju n ctio n : the act o f jo in in g; com bining adjoin: to be next to and joined w ith subjugate: to conquer
rejoinder: to reply, retort
ju n ta : (usually m ilitary) clique taking pow er after a coup d’etat.
H er conjugal relationship, you see, was unsatisfactory. J U R : to sw ear
p erju ry: w illful lying w h ile on oath abjure: to renounce on oath adjure: to beg or com mand
This is w h y she ended up in front o f a ju r y .
LECT/LEG: to select, to choose collect: to gather together or assemble elect: to choose; to decide
select: to choose w ith care
eclectic: selecting ideas, etcetera from various sources M idge had a predilection for tall men.
LEV: lift, lig h t, rise
relieve: to m itigate; to free from a burden alleviate: to make easier to endure, lessen
relevant: bearing on or pertinent to inform ation at hand
lev ee: em bankm ent against river flooding
H er friends noted this fact w ith considerable lev ity .
L O C /LO G /LO Q U : w ord, speech
dialogu e: conversation, esp. in a literary w ork elocution: art o f clear and expressive speaking p rologu e: introduction to poem , play, etcetera eu log y: speech or w ritin g in praise o f someone colloquial: o f ordinary or fam iliar conversation gran diloq u en t: pompous or inflated in language W henever M id ge m et a tall man, she w ould display a scintillating and loquacious side.
L U C / L U M / L U S: lig h t
illustrate: to make intelligible w ith examples or analogies
illum inate: to supply or brighten w ith light illustrious: highly distinguished
translucent: perm itting light to pass through lackluster: lacking brilliance or radiance lucid: easily understood, intelligible
H er countenance would, in fact, becom e lum inous. L U D /L U S: to p lay
allude: to refer casually or indirectly
illusion: something that deceives by producing a false impression o f reality
ludicrous: ridiculous, laughable
d elu d e: to mislead the m ind or judgm ent of, deceive elu d e: to avoid capture or escape defection by p relu d e: a prelim inary to an action, event, etcetera
U ltim ately, the conversation w ould lead to a roman tic interlude.
LU T/LA V /LU V : to w ash
lavatory: a room w ith equipm ent for washing hands and face
dilu te: to make thinner or w eaker by the addition o f w ater
p o llu te: to make foul or unclean d elu ge: a great flood o f w ater
antediluvian: before the biblical flood; extrem ely old Afterwards, M idge w ould engage in a ritual ablution, so as to be ready for her next tall paramour.
M A G /M A J/M A X : b ig
m a gn ify: to increase the apparent size o f
m agnitude: greatness o f size, extent, or dimensions m axim um : the highest amount, value, or degree
attained
m agnanim ous: generous in forgiving an insult or injury
m axim : an expression o f general truth or principle C. J.W arn er’s m agniloquent m anner put off all o f his employees.
M A L/M A LE : b ad , ill, evil, w ro n g
m alfunction: failure to function properly m alicious: full o f or showing m alice
m align: to speak harm ful untruths about, to slander m alady: a disorder or disease o f the body
m alfeasance: m isconduct or w rongdoing often com m itted by a public official
m alediction: a curse
O f course, his m alodorousness, w hich m ade it difficult to stand near him , didn’t help.
M A N : h an d
m anual: operated by hand
m anufacture: to make by hand or m achinery em ancipate: to free from bondage
m anifest: readily perceived by the eye or the understanding
m andate: an authoritative order or command
Oddly, however, C. J. W arner considered it m andatory that each o f his employees w ear cologne.
M IN : sm all
m inute: a unit o f tim e equal to one-sixtieth o f an hour, or sixty seconds
m inutiae: small or trivial details
m iniature: a copy or m odel that represents som ething in greatly reduced size dim inish: to lessen
d im inution: the act or process o f dim inishing A m inim al am ount w ould do.
M IN : to p ro ject, to h an g over
em in ent: tow ering above others; projecting im m inent: about to occur; im pending p rom in en t: projecting outward
p reem in en t: superior to or notable above all others Still, no m atter how he or his employees smelled, C. J. had a m inatory effect on everyone he met.
M IS/M IT : to send
transmit: to send from one person, thing, or place to another
em issary: a messenger or agent sent to represent the interests o f another
interm ittent: stopping and starting at intervals rem it: to send m oney
rem ission: a lessening o f intensity or degree
It’s safe to say all w ho worked for C. J. prayed for his d em ise.
M IS C : m ix ed
m iscellaneous: made up o f a variety o f parts or ingredients
m iscegenation: the interbreeding o f races, esp.
m arriage betw een w h ite and nonw hite persons prom iscu ou s: consisting o f diverse and unrelated parts
or individuals
W h ile it is true that emotions are generally m iscible, w hen it came to the staff o f C. J. W arner, there were no m ixed feelings.
M O N / M O N IT : to rem in d ; to w arn
m on u m en t: a structure, such as a building, tower, or sculpture, erected as a m em orial
m onitor: one that admonishes, cautions, or reminds su m m on : to call together; convene
adm onish: to counsel against something; caution rem onstrate: to say or plead in protect, objection, or
reproof
C. J. him self had a p rem on ition one day.
M O R P H : shape
am orphous: w ithou t definite form; lacking a specific shape
m etam orphosis: a transformation, as by m agic or sorcery
anthropom orphism : attribution o f hum an characteris tics to inanim ate objects, animals, or natural phenom ena
C. J. changed from an endom orph to an ectom orph w ith in a few weeks.
M O R T : death
im m ortal: not subject to death
m orbid: susceptible to preoccupation w ith unwholesom e matters
He grew m oribund shortly thereafter.
M U T : change
com m ute: to substitute; exchange; interchange m utation: the process of being changed
transm utation: the act of changing from one form into another
perm uta tion : a com plete change; transformation U pon his death, it was agreed that C. J. was better off, as he was im m utable, and w ould have driven everyone crazy forever.
N AT/N AS/N AI: to b e b o rn
natural: present due to nature, not to artificial or m an-m ade means
n ative: belonging to one by nature; inborn; innate n aive: lacking worldliness and sophistication; artless cogn ate: related by blood; having a com mon ancestor renaissance: rebirth, esp. referring to culture
At four years old, N icole had an innate sense o f her own power.
N IC /N O C /N O X : h arm
innocent: uncorrupted by evil, m alice, or w rongdoing
noxious: injurious or harm ful to health or morals obnoxious: highly disagreeable or offensive innocuous: having no adverse effect; harmless She could also be a tad pern iciou s in her demands.
N O M : ru le , order
astronom y: the scientific study of the universe beyond the earth
econ om y: the careful or thrifty use of resources, as of incom e, materials, or labor
ga stron om y: the art or science of good eating tax onom y: the science, laws, or principles of
classification
B eatrix loved her a u ton om y.
N O M / N Y M / N O U N / N O W N : n am e
sy n o n ym : a word having a m eaning sim ilar to that of another word of the same language
a n on ym ou s: having an unknow n or unacknowledged name
n om inate: to propose by name as a candidate nom enclature: a system of names; systematic nam ing acronym : a word form ed from the initial letters of a
name
She was, in fact, becom ing somewhat ignom inious in her play group, as she had a nasty habit of grabbing toys.
N O V /N E O /N O U : n e w
n ovice: a person n ew to any field or activity renovate: to restore to an earlier condition innovate: to begin or introduce something new neologism : a n ew ly coined word, phrase, or
expression
n eop h yte: a recent convert
nouveau riche: one w ho has lately becom e rich Hers was a n ovel technique.
N O U N C / N U N C : to announce announce: to proclaim p ron ou n ce: to articulate
renounce: to give up, especially by formal announcem ent
She w ould d en ou n ce the other four-year-olds in her group and declare the toys hers for safekeeping until they m ended their ways.
O B/O C /O F/O P: tow ard, to, again st, co m pletely, over obese: extrem ely fat, corpulent
obstinate: stubbornly adhering to an idea, inflexible obstruct: to block or fill w ith obstacles
oblique: having a slanting or sloping direction obstreperous: noisily defiant, unruly
obtuse: not sharp, pointed, or acute in any form obfuscate: to render indistinct or dim ; darken
Jerem y was obsequious in the presence of his spiritual leader.
O M N I: all
om nibus: an anthology o f the works o f one author or o f w ritings on related subjects
om nipresent: everyw here at one time om nipotent: all powerful
His leader, he was convinced, had great powers o f om niscience.
PAC/PEAC: peace
appease: to bring peace to
p a cify: to ease the anger or agitation o f pacifier: something or someone that eases the
anger or agitation o f
p a ct: a form al agreem ent, as betw een nations George considered him self a pacifist.
PAN: all, everyone
panoram a: an unobstructed and w ide v iew o f an extensive area
p a n egyric: form al or elaborate praise at an assembly p a n o p ly: a w id e-rangin g and impressive array or
display
p a n th eon : a public building containing tombs or m em orials o f the illustrious dead o f a nation p a n d em ic: widespread, general, universal
The p an dem on iu m that typically accompanies w ar made him cringe.
PA R : eq u al
p ar: an equality in value or standing
p a rity: equally, as in am ount, status, or character apartheid: any system or caste that separates people
according to race, etcetera disparate: essentially different
He disparaged all those w ho supported aggressive action overseas.
P A R A : n e x t to, beside
parallel: extending in the same direction
parasite: an organism that lives on or w ith in a plant or anim al o f another species, from w h ich it obtains nutrients
p a rod y: to im itate for purposes o f satire parable: a short, allegorical story designed to
illustrate a m oral lesson or religious principle p aragon: a m odel o f excellence
paranoid: suffering from a baseless distrust o f others G eorge’s best friend joined the paramilitary, mistaken ly assuming he w ould never see battle.
PAS/PAT/ PATH: feelin g , sufferin g, disease sym p a th y: harm ony or o f agreem ent in feeling em path y: the identification w ith the feelings or
thoughts o f others
com passion: a feeling o f deep sympathy for someone struck by misfortune, accom panied by a desire to alleviate suffering
dispassionate: devoid o f personal feeling or bias im passive: showing or feeling no em otion
sociopath: a person w hose behavior is antisocial and w ho lacks a sense o f m oral responsibility He was badly hurt in action, w hich only served to fuel G eorge’s antipathy for war.
PAU /PO /PO V/PU: few, little, poor
p o o r: having little or no money, goods, or other means o f support
p o v er ty : the condition o f being poor
p a u city: smallness o f quantity; scarcity; scantiness p a u p er: a person w ithou t any personal means o f
support
pu silla n im ou s: lacking courage or resolution
George felt that wars could im poverish a society o f its resources.
PED: ch ild , ed ucatio n p ed a go gu e: a teacher
pediatrician: a doctor w ho p rim arily has children as patients
en cyclop ed ia : book or set o f books containing articles on various topics, covering all branches o f know ledge or o f one particular subject
He w ould behave as i f he belonged on a pedestal and becom e quite p ed a n tic w hen he explained his ideas.
PED/POD: foot
p ed a l: a foot-operated lever or part used to control p ed estria n : a person w ho travels on foot
ex p edite: to speed up the progress o f
im p ed e: to retard progress by means o f obstacles or hindrances
p o d iu m : a small platform for an orchestra conductor, speaker, etcetera
antipodes: places diam etrically opposite each other on the globe
There w ere m any im pedim ents to G eorge’s happiness.
PEN /PU N : to p ay; to com pensate
p en a l: o f or pertaining to punishment, as for crimes p en a lty : a punishm ent imposed for a violation o f law
or rule
p u n itive: serving for, concerned w ith, or inflicting punishment
p en a n ce: a punishm ent undergone to express regret for a sin
p en iten t: contrite
repine: to fret or complain
B ut he continued to think he could rail at others w ith im p u n ity.
PEND/PENS: to h an g; to w e ig h t; to p ay d ep en d : to rely; to place trust in
stipend: a periodic paym ent; fixed or regular pay com pensate: to counterbalance, offset
indispensable: absolutely necessary, essential, or requisite
appendix : supplementary m aterial at the end o f a text
appendage: a lim b or other subsidiary part that diverges from the central structure
Finally, the p en d u lu m began to sw ing in another direction.
PE R : co m p letely
persisten t: lasting or enduring tenaciously
perforate: to make a w ay through or into something p erp lex : to cause to be puzzled or bew ildered over
w hat is not understood
p eru se: to read w ith thoroughness or care perfu n ctory: perform ed m erely as routine duty pertin aciou s: resolute
N atalie, a perspicacious young wom an, entered his life and quickly got the picture.
PER I: around
perim eter: the border or outer boundary o f a two dim ensional figure
p eriscop e: an optical instrum ent for seeing objects in an obstructed field o f vision
peripatetic: w alking or traveling about; itinerant George, she realized, had only a peripheral under standing o f his own beliefs.
PET/PIT: to go; to seek; to strive appetite: a desire for food or drink com p ete: to strive to outdo another for
acknow ledgm ent
p etitio n : a form ally drawn request soliciting some benefit
im petuous: characterized by sudden or rash action or em otion
p etu la n t: showing sudden irritation, esp. over some annoyance
N atalie decided this was a propitious tim e to deter m ine w hat was really bothering George.
PH IL: love
p h iloso p h y: the rational investigation o f the truths and principles o f being, knowledge, or conduct ph ilatelist: one w ho loves or collects postage stamps p h ilo lo g y : the study o f literary texts to establish their
authenticity and determ ine their m eaning bibliophile: one w ho loves or collects books He seem ed honest and so N atalie did not suspect George o f being a philanderer.
PLA C : to p lease
pla cid : pleasantly calm or peaceful
p la ceb o: a substance w hich has no pharm acological effect but w hich acts to placate a patient who believes it to be a m edicine
im placable: unable to be pleased com placent: self-satisfied, unconcerned com plaisant: inclined or disposed to please N atalie, not even slightly interested in p lacating George, sim ply asked “W h at’s really bugging you? It can’t ju st be war.”
PLE: to fill
com p lete: having all parts or elements d ep lete: to decrease seriously or exhaust the
supply o f
su p plem en t: something added to supply a deficiency im plem ent: an instrum ent, tool, or utensil for
accom plishing w ork replete: abundantly supplied
George sighed and replied, “I suppose there are a plethora o f reasons for m y rage.”
PLEX/PLIC/PLY: to fold; to tw ist; to ta n g le; to ben d com plex : composed of m any interconnected parts replica: any close copy or reproduction
im plicit: not expressly stated, im plied
im plicate: to show to be involved, usually in an incrim inating m anner
duplicity: deceitfulness in speech or conduct, double dealing
supplicate: to make hum ble and earnest entreaty He lowered his head and added, “I choose not to be too explicit.”
PO N /PO S/PO U N D : to p u t; to p lace
com pon en t: a constituent part, elem ental ingredient ex pose: to lay open to danger, attack, or harm ex pound: to set forth in detail
ju x ta p ose: to place close together or side by side, esp. for contract
repository: a receptacle or place w here things are deposited
“I am a p rop on en t of speaking honestly,” N atalie replied encouragingly.
P O R T : to c a rry
im port: to bring in from a foreign country export: to transmit abroad
portable: easily carried deportm ent: conduct, behavior disport: to divert or amuse oneself im portune: to urge or press w ith excessive
persistence
“You p u rp ort to be a pacifist, but I suspect there is more than ju st that at w ork.”
P O ST : after
posth u m ou s: after death posterior: situated at the rear
p o sterity: succeeding in future generations collectively
p o st fa cto: after the fact
“W ell, it’s certainly not postpartum depression,” he joked.
P R E : before
precarious: dependent on circumstances beyond one’s control
p recociou s: unusually advanced or m ature in m ental developm ent or talent
prem on ition : a feeling of anticipation over a future event
p resen tim en t: foreboding
p reced en t: an act that serves as an example for subsequent situations
p recep t: a com mandm ent given as a rule of action or conduct
“M y prerequisite for helping you face your true prob lems,” N atalie responded haughtily, “is that you crack no pathetic jokes.”
PR EH EN D /PRISE: to tak e; to g e t; to seize surprise: to strike w ith an unexpected feeling of
w onder or astonishment enterprise: a project undertaken
reprehensible: deserving rebuke or censure com prise: to include or contain
reprisals: retaliation against an enem y apprehend: to take into custody
“Fine, go ahead,” George smiled. “C onduct a com pre hen sive investigation into m y psyche.”
P R O : m u ch , for, a lo t prolific: highly fruitful
p rofu se: spending or giving freely
prod iga l: wastefully or recklessly extravagant p rod igiou s: extraordinary in size, am ount, or extent p roselytiz e: to convert or attem pt to recruit p rop ou n d : to set forth for consideration p rovid en t: having or showing foresight
“P rovidence at work,” N atalie replied dryly. “I just received the text for Psychology 101 in the m ail.”
