S.A.T. Review Words Abbreviations: lit.-literal, fig.-figurative ABBREVIATE Shorten--can apply to many things besides words. ABSTEMIOUS Refusing to indulge, usually in drinking; from ABSTAIN. ABSTRACT Obscure; also, a written summary of a longer work. AESTHETIC Having to do with art or artistic quality. AMASS Accumulate; from A- (first meaning) and MASS. Verb. AMBIGUOUS Having more than one meaning; hence, unclear. AMBIVALENCE Uncertainty about choice or commitment; "wishy-washy." AMBIVALENT Adj. form or AMBIVALENCE. AMORPHOUS Lit. shapeless, formless; fig., unclear, hard to follow. ANARCHY Lack of government; disorder; belief in having no government. ANGULAR Lit. with angles; fig. thin and bony, awkward-looking. APATHETIC Uncaring; insensitive; indifferent. APPREHENSIVE Concerned about the future; worried; scared. ARROGANCE Obnoxious pride, often unaware. ARTICULATE Adj.-Speaking clearly. Verb.-To speak clearly. ASCETIC Extremely abstemious; avoiding society, like a monk or hermit. ASSESS Lit.-determine the value of; fig.-analyze. ASSIDUOUS Extremely careful and diligent; with close attention to detail. ASSUAGE Soothe; calm down; mollify. ATROPHY Wither away, usually because of disuse or uselessness. AUGMENT Help by adding to; supplement. AUTHORITATIVE Lit.-from the proper authority; fig.-certain or sure, because of authority behind it. BENEVOLENT Having good will; kind; charitable or generous. BENIGN Kind or good; medical (as benign tumor) not cancerous. BIAS Choosing one party or group over another, usually unfair. BIZARRE Highly unusual, weird, usually with sense of distortion. CANDOR Frank honesty; CANDID is adj. form. CENSOR To refuse to allow something to be published, usually legally. Do not confuse with next word. CENSURE Reprimand or discipline by a legal authority. (Occasionally, the Senate will censure a member for wrongdoing.) CHAOTIC Disordered. From CHAOS. CIRCUMSPECT Very careful in conduct; lit.-looking around, watchful. COERCION Forcing someone to act against his will; from COERCE. COLLABORATE To work together to produce something; can be positive in in sense of cooperate, or negative in sense of conspire. COMBUSTIBLE Lit.-highly flammable; fig.-provocative. COMMENSURATE Given in fair portions. COMPLACENT Self-satisfied, often with sense of indifference. CONDESCEND To lower oneself, usually in sense of status. Often with negative tone. CONFLAGRATION Lit.-a fire; fig.-argument; battle. CONSPIRACY A plot, usually a secret plan to change power of some kind, such as overthrow a government. CONTAMINATE Pollute; poison or infect; may be fig. in sense of ideas. CONTEMPT Strong lack of respect. CONVICTION Lit.-judgment of guilty; fig.-strongly held belief. DAWDLE To take one's time aimlessly, dally. DEARTH Lit.-famine; fig.-profound lack. DEBILITATE To make abnormally weak. DEFERENCE From DEFER, to yield or refer to respectfully. DELETERIOUS Harmful. DENOUNCE Publicly accuse and vilify. DESECRATE Deface or destroy a holy object or place, usually with evil intent; lit.-to change from holy to ordinary use. DESPOT Ruthless dictator, tyrant (accent on first syllable). DETER Stop or hinder. DIGRESSION Discussing something other than the subject at hand, in speech or in writing. DILAPIDATED Rundown, falling apart, usually refers to structures. DILIGENT Hard-working, usually with sense of care as well. DILUTE To weaken in strength; lit.-mixtures, fig.-ideas. DIMINUTION Becoming or growing smaller. DISCERN Ably perceptively to choose or note differences. DISCORD Lit.-lack of harmony in sound. Fig.-quarrelsome attitude. DISCRIMINATE To choose carefully or tastefully (positive). To choose with regard to appearances only (negative). DISDAIN Contempt; dislike or hatred for someone. DISPARITY Unfair difference. DISSUADE To persuade someone not to do something or change mind. DIVERSE Distinct, having different forms. DOMINEER To rule in a coercive manner. ECCENTRIC Lit.-not rotating around a fixed center; fig.-distinctly and personally peculiar. ECCENTRICITY Noun., state of being eccentric. EFFERVESCENT Lit.-bubbling or upwelling; fig.-lively, outgoing. ELOQUENCE Speaking with effective ability. EMACIATED Extremely thin, as a result of malnutrition or starving. EMBELLISH Lit.-to make more beautiful; fig.-to add unnecessary details. ERRATIC Lit.-in a zigzag or aimless path; fig.-unpredictable. EXPEDITE To hasten the results, to make things go more quickly. EXPLICIT Plain and clearly expressed with no hidden meanings. EXPUNGE Erase, eradicate, remove all records of. EXTRICATE To release, get untangled, both lit. and fig. FALLACIOUS Logically flawed, mistaken. FALLOW Usually adj., to be allowed to remain unseeded. Sometimes fig. in sense of not developing an idea or project for awhile with the idea of returning to it later. FASTIDIOUS Excessively attentive to detail, fussy. FLAGRANT Openly scandalous or misbehaving. FRIVOLITY Lack of seriousness. FURTIVE Secret, undercover, sneaky. GLUTTONOUS Overindulgent in food. GUILE Deceit. GULLIBLE Easily convinced or deceived, incredulous. HUMID Very moist, especially air. ARID is a close antonym. HYPOCRITICAL Adj. of HYPOCRITE; pretending to believe one thing while actually practicing different beliefs. ILLUMINATE To light up, both lit. and fig. (in sense of revealing truth). IMMUNE Not susceptible to disease. Sometimes fig. in sense of being able to resist popular fads or ideas. IMPARTIAL Unbiased; choosing or judging without special favor to either side. IMPLICATION From IMPLY, related to IMPLICIT. What is figured out from a statement which is not directly stated. The result of "reading between the lines." INCLINED Lit.-slanted, sloping; fig.-having a tendency toward. INDEFATIGABLE Tireless, unable to make tired. INDIFFERENT Having no concern for ("I could care less.) INDOLENT Lazy. INEVITABLE Unable to be avoided; bound or destined to happen. INFER To figure out an implication. INFLATED Lit.-expanded by pumping air into it; fig.-too large or overstated; not having the value it should. INNOCUOUS Harmless, or appearing harmless. INNOVATE To make or discover something new. INOPPORTUNE Poorly timed; improper time or occasion for something. INSIPID Bland, flavorless; both lit. and fig. INSOLVENCY Unable to buy or pay bills, having no money, bankruptcy. INTRACTABLE Unable to be convinced, led, or taught. JETTISON Eject; throw out or away. LABYRINTH A maze. Also fig. in sense of difficult situation which seems hard or impossible to escape from. LANGUID Listless, not prone to activity, weak in action; lazy. LENIENCY Being mild in punishment, merciful, indulgent. LEVITY Lightheartedness, happy humor. LOATH Adj. reluctant, unwilling. LUCID Clear, usually referring to an explanation. Verb ELUCIDATE. MAR To deface or disfigure. MISER Hoarder of money; one who does not like to spend money. MISERY Poor or pathetic condition (NOT related to MISER). MONOTONY Lit.-repetition of the same sound or tone; fig.-boredom, due to lack of change in situation. OBJECTIVE Noun.-purpose or goal. Adj.-impartial, not having to do with personal tastes or inclinations. OBSCURE Unclear, shadowy, both lit. and fig. OPAQUE Not allowing light to pass through. Fig.-(sometimes) hard to understand. PIOUS Showing religious behavior; reverential. PRATTLE Talking on and on about nothing important. PRECOCIOUS Developing before the natural season; often with respect to children who show abilities or maturity unexpected in one so young. PRODIGAL Wasteful, profligate in spending (money, time, strength). PRODIGIOUS Very large, excessive. PROFUSION Plenty, abundance, abundant supply. PROLIFIC Lit.-fertile, producing many offspring; fig.-productive. PROVINCIAL Lit.-relating to a province; fig.-narrow, uncultured. RECALCITRANT Unsubmissive, unwilling, rebellious. REFUTE Argue against; logically disprove. RESCIND To repeal or nullify, usually in legal sense. RESIGNATION Lit.-voluntarily quitting a position or job; fig.-submitting passively; from RESIGN. RESOLUTION Lit.-agreed-upon course of action (often legislative) fig.-determination. From RESOLVE. RESPITE (Accent on first syllable, noun) rest, break in activity. RESTRAINT Lit.-The act of or something binding or holding back; fig.- self-control. REVERE Hold in high esteem, honor. SCANTY Small, of small amount or size. SEQUESTER Hide, conceal, keep from contact with others (often legal as in a SEQUESTERED jury). SERVILE Slavish; excessively submissive. SKEPTICAL Having serious doubts about things (often with respect to questions of belief). SQUALOR Miserable or filthy poverty. SQUANDER Waste; spend wastefully. STAGNANT Lit.-not moving (hence stale or decaying); fig.-not taking action (hence unchanging). STATIC Standing still, unchanging. Also radio interference. SUBTLE Clever, crafty, ingenious, penetrating; also keenly discriminating (as a subtle difference). The B is silent. SUPERFICIAL Only dealing with the surface or appearances; trivial. TACITURN Quiet (refers to person or personality); from TACIT. TENTATIVE Adj.-trial or preliminary; hesitant (as though making a trial or try for the first time). TERMINATE Finish, end. UNIFORM Adj.-identical or having same character (literally, "one form"). VALID Legally supported; logically sound. VENERATE Respect and honor; worship; view as holy; (especially as a result of wisdom and experience). VILIFY Say very bad things about, (literally "make vile). VIRTUOSO Someone very talented and skilled, usually in music. VIRULENT Lit.-disease-causing (like VIRUS); fig.-bitter, malignant. VULNERABLE Susceptible; open to attack; easily exploited. ***************************************************** Prefix Sample Words Basic Meaning a- astern, askew in direction of a-, an- * amoral, anarchy without ab-, a-, abs- * abject, abstract, aversion from, away ad-, ac-, af-, al-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward admit, affect, appeal, accept, attain ante- * antedate before anti-, ant- * anti-aircraft, antonym against, opposite be- behead, beleaguer about, away bi- binary, binomial two cata- catalogue, catastrophism down, completely circum- * circumlocution around com-, co-, con-, cor-, col-, etc. * together, with common, cooperate, connect, corroborate, collect contra- contraindicate against, opposite de- * destruction, defuse away, from, off di- dimeter, dioxide two dia- dialogue, diameter across, apart dis-, di-, dif- * disrupt, divest, different away, opposite of eu- * euphemism (Eugene) good, well, happy ex-, e-, ef- * exit, eradicate, effect (E pluribus unum) from, out of extra- extramarital, extraneous extra, outside for- forbid, forswear completely fore- forefront, forebears before, front hyper- hyperactive over, excessive hypo- hypodermic under, below in-, im- * inflammable, impulse in, within in-, im-, ir-, il- * incompetent, impossible, irresponsible, illegal not inter- * intercept between, among intro-, intra- introduce, intramural within, inward mis- * mistake, misspell badly, lack of non- nonstandard not, without ob-, oc-, of-, op- * obscure, occlude, offense, oppose against omni- * omniscient, omnibus all over- overdo, overreach over, too much para- parameter, paramilitary alongside peri- perimeter, periscope around, near pre- * prescribe, predict before pro- * promotion, proscribe, pronoun, pro-life forth, favoring, replacing pro- * prologue, prophet before post * postpone, postlude after re- redo, refuse, recede back, again sub-, sup-, sus- * submarine, support, sustain under, below super-, sur- * supersede, supernumerary, survey above, beyond over, on syn-, sys-, sym-, syl- synonym, system, symphony, syllogism same, together trans- transit, transport across un- * uninflammable, undo, un-American not, opposed to ******************************************************************** Root Sample Words Basic Meaning act-, ag- actor, agent do anthrop- misanthrope human, mankind arch-, archae- archangel, archive, archaeology old, chief astr-, aster- astronomy, disaster star aud-, audit- audible, audition hearing auto- automobile, autocrat self belli- * bellicose, rebellion war ben-, bene- * benefit good, well bio- biogenesis, biography life cap-, cept-, cip- * capture, accept, except, recipient take, seize capit- capitulate, per capita head ced-, ceed-, cess- recede, succeed, abcess go, yield chrom- chromatic, monochrome color chron- synchronize time clo-, clu-, clau- * preclude, cloture, claustrophobic close, shut cred- credo, incredible belief, faith cogn- incognito, cognate know cosm- cosmic, microcosm world, universe crac-, crat- plutocracy, democrat power, rule cur-, curr-, curs- occur, curriculum, cursory run, course cycl- tricycle, cyclone (Cyclops) wheel dem-, demo- demographics, epidemic people dic-, dict- * predict, indicate, dictionary speak, word dox-, doc- * orthodox, doctrine, document teach, say duc- * conduct, seduce, ductile lead, pull equ- equal, Equator equal, same equ- equestrian horse fac-, fact-, fect-, fic- make, do artifice, factory, infect, fictive fer- offer, transfer (Christopher) carry, bear flu-, fluct-, flux- fluid, fluctuate, influx liquid frag-, fract- * fragment, fractional break gen- * genealogy, genesis, gene, generic race, birth, kind geo- geography earth gon- polygon, diagonal angle gram-, graph- telegram, graphite write gress-, grad- regress, graduate, retrograde step, go homo- homogenize same hydr- hydraulic, anhydrous water, liquid jac-, ject- interject, adjacent throw leg-, lig-, lect-, lex- legible, elect, lexicon, eligible read, choose log- * logic, biology word, study loqu-, locu- * loquacious, elocution speech magn- magnify (Charlemagne) great, large mal- * malodorous, malady bad, sick man-, manu- manipulate, manufacture hand metr-, meter- geometry, thermometer measure micr- microbe small mit-, miss- transmit, missionary, missile send mob-, mot- mobile, motile move morph- morphology, metamorphosis shape, form neo- neoclassical, neologism new nom- * autonomy, nominate, nomenclature onym- pseudonym name, word ortho- orthodox, orthodontist straight, correct pac- * pacify peace, peaceful pass- * passion, compassion feeling, suffer path- * pathology, sympathy feeling, suffer ped- impede, pedestrian foot pel-, puls- expel, impulse drive, force pend-, pens- suspend, suspense hang, weigh phil- philately, Anglophile (Philadelphia) love, lover phon- phonetics, Francophone ear, hearing phot- photon, photography light poly- polygamy, polygon many pon-, pos- deponent, deposit, postpone put, place port- portable, export, important carry, bear proto- prototype, proton first, original psych- psychology, psychopath soul, mind qui-, que- * query, request, require ask, seek sacr-, secr-, sanc- * sacrosanct, desecrate, secret holy, hidden scop- microscopic see scrib-, script- * scribble, scribe, manuscript write sent-, sens- sensible, sensitive, consent feel soph- sophistry, philosophy (Sophia) wise, wisdom spec- * spectrum, circumspect, speculate see spir- conspire, inspire, spirit breath, breathe struct- structure, construction build tain-, ten-, tent-, contain, content, tenable, continent, tension tin- * hold, contain, stretch tele- telephone, teleology distant the- theology, theist god therm- thermal, thermos heat tract- tractor, intractable pull, draw uni- unique, universe, unicycle one vad-, vas- invade, evasive go ven-, vent- vent, advent, venue, convene come vers-, vert * convertible, conversation, reverse turn vid-, vis- video, advise, visor see vok-, voc- * invocation, provoke call zo- zoo, protozoan life, animal ***************************************************** Noun-forming Suffix Sample Words -al withdrawal -ance, -ence reliance, independence -ant, -ent servant, incumbent -dom serfdom, boredom -er baker, doer -hood falsehood, neighborhood -ion junction, admission, incision -ist chemist -ity quality, municipality -ment firmament, judgment -ness happiness, kindness -or actor, successor -ure nature, investiture, signature -y hierarchy, polyphony ******************************************************** Adjective-forming Suffix Sample Words -able, -ible incredible, laudable -al final, chemical -ant, -ent independent, relevant -ary literary, primary -ful wonderful, graceful -ial providential, partial -ic atomic, alcoholic -ive tentative, adhesive -ly daily, friendly -ous vacuous, serious, carnivorous -some cumbersome, tiresome ********************************************************** Verb-forming Suffix Sample Words -ate rejuvenate, equivocate -en strengthen, brighten -fy, -ify magnify, glorify -ize realize, oxidize