A
- agent(noun): something which acts or acts upon something elseag
- +
- The travel agent helped her purchase the tickets.
- agitate(verb): to excite, to disturb, to stir up
- auditorium(noun): a place where one goes to hear something
- audit+ orium
- The band played in the school auditorium
- amicable(adjective): friendly
- animate(verb): to give spirit or support, to supply movement
- annuity(noun): money payable yearly
- anniversary(noun): the yearly celebration of an event
- perennial(adjective): enduring, persisting for several years
- augment(verb): to increase, to add to
- benevolent
- benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle
- The doctor removed a benign tumor from my neck and I went home the same day.
- bibliography
- biology
- brief
- abbreviate(verb): to shorten
- How does one abbreviate the word “Minnesota”?
- brevity(noun): short or concise expression
- The politician gave short speeches and he became known for his brevity.
cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid
- deceive (verb): to cause or allow someone to believe something is true when it is actually false; to mislead
- capable(adjective): having the ability to do something; having the traits necessary to perform some action
- capacious (adective): containing a great deal
- captive (noun, adjective): a person held against his or her own will; held prisoner
- capture (verb): to gain control of, to gain by effort
- occasion(noun): an opportunity; a happening, instance or celebration
- concept(noun): an idea
- succeed (verb): to follow after another, to do well
- exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than
- recess (noun): an indentation, a temporary break
- chronicle (noun): a historical account arranged in order of time
- chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time
- exclaim (verb): to speak loudly, to cry out in surprise
- proclaim (verb): to declare loudly
- diagnose (verb): to recognize (diseases) by symptoms
- dia + gnose
- The patient was diagnosed with Lyme’s disease.
- agnostic (noun): one who believes that any ultimate reality is unknowable
- recognize (verb): to know, to identify
- corpse (noun): a dead body
- corpse
- A corpse was found floating in the river.
- corpulent (adjective): having a large body
- incorporate (verb): to unite into one being
- corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group
- create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination
- accretion (verb): growth by gradual addition
- increase (verb): to grow in size or amount
- credulous (adjective): too ready to believe
- incredible (adjective): unbelievable, amazing
- discourse (noun, verb): a conversation, to talk
- course (noun, verb): forward movement, movement from point to point; to run along a path
- course
- Blood courses through your veins with every beat of your heart.
- occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
- current (adjective, noun): happening now, up to date; the movement of water
- indicate (verb): to show, to point out
- dictate (verb): to speak for a person to record, to issue an order
- predict (verb): to say what will happen in the future
- addict (verb): to be devoted to something in an obsessive manner
- doctrine (noun): something that is taught, dogma
- doctr + ine
- We learned about the doctrine of “manifest destiny” in our American history class.
- docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught
- document (noun): an official paper
- orthodox (adjective): holding conventional beliefs
- ortho + dox
- I don’t know if my interpretation of that book is orthodox or not.
- dogma (noun): an established opinion
- dog + ma
- Some people find the dogma associated with that organization disturbing.
- paradox (noun): a statement that seems to contradict itself but contains some truth
- decent (adjective): conforming to standards, good, kind
- dignity (noun): quality of being worthy, noble, honored
- educate(verb): to train, to provide schooling for
- induct (verb): to install in office or to enroll in military service
- deduct (verb): to subtract
- deduce (verb): to make a decision or draw a conclusion by reasoning
- produce (verb, noun): to bring forward, to make to bear or yield; something made or grown
- seduce(verb): to persuade (especially into doing something wrong), to tempt
- induce(verb): to persuade, cause, or bring about by artificial means.
- medieval (adjective): relating to the Middle Ages (500 – 1500 AD)
- faint(adjective, verb): indistinct, not clearly perceived, weak; to lose consciousness from lack of blood to the brain
- faint
- There is a faint odor of apples in this room.
- Some people faint at the sight of blood.
- feign (verb): to pretend
- feign
- The child feigned illness in an attempt to avoid the test.
- fiction (noun): something produce from imagination, an invented story
- figure (noun): shape, pattern, drawing
- figment (noun): a thing that does not exist, something made up
- feasible(adjective): capable of being done
- feature(noun, verb): the appearance or form of a person or object; to picture or portray
- factory(noun): a place where things are made or built
- difficult (adjective): hard to do, troublesome, hard to understand
- fact (noun): something known to be true
- fact
- It’s a fact that the world is round.
- effect (noun): a change caused by something, a result, influence
- refer (verb): to classify within a general category, to send or direct to another source
- infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from facts or ideas, to guess
- fidelity (noun): the quality of being faithful, accuracy
- confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret
- superfluous (adjective): extra, more than is needed
- influence (verb, noun): to have an effect on something; the ability to affect something indirectly
- fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth style, liquid
- flu + id
- The ink my new pen is quite fluid and flows evenly across the page.
- fluctuate (verb): to shift back and forth, to move erratically
- format
- formulate (verb): to prepare from a set of steps (formula), to devise
- The chemist formulated a new way of making dish detergent.
- fragment (noun): a piece broken off, a part of something
- frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong
- frail
- Be careful! That chair is frail
- gingerly (adverb, adjective): careful
- indigenous (adjective): native, having been born in a specific area or environment
- geography
- categorize
- grade (noun): a stage in a process, a mark indicating quality
- Ali hopes to receive a passing grade on his midterm exam.
- progress (verb, noun): to move forward; forward movement
- Mina progressed to the next level in her French language program.
- There hasn’t been much progress made in getting the house built — only the frame is up.
- degree (noun): a step or stage in a process, a rank, a level of intensity
- There is a high degree of stress associated with being a police officer.
- graphic
- graffitti (noun): drawings or writing on a wall
- Many people find the graffitti on the subway trains disturbing.
- hesitate (verb): to hold back a decision, to waver
- adjacent
- jettison (verb): to throw away, to cast off
- The captain of the sinking ship jettisoned the cargo.
- reject(verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept
- David was rejected by two schools before he found a school that accepted him.
- conjugal (adjective): of marriage, marital relationship
- junction (noun): the place at which two things join
(noun): a school for higher learning, a group of people having a common purpose
- college
- legal (adjective, noun): based on law; conforms to law
- league(noun): a group of people, an association
- leag + ue
- There are fifty people participating in the bowling league.
(verb): to gather, to bring together
- collect
- eligible (adjective): qualified, worthy to be chosen
(adverb): nearby, relative to a certain area
- locally
- logic
(adjective): allowing some light to shine through
- translucent
- illuminate(verb): to provide with light, to make lighter, to make clear
- illustrate(verb): to explain by using pictorial examples, to show by using visual examples
(noun): the act of handling or running something, usually a business.
- management
(verb): to remember an important event through ceremony or observation
- commemorate
- memory(noun): the ability to recall past events
- mention(verb): to cite, to speak about, to refer to
- minute(adjective, noun): tiny, very small; sixty seconds
- min + ute
- Even though the speck of dirt on the camera lens was minute, it ruined the photograph.
- Terry will be finished in one minute.
- minuscule(adjective): very small
(verb): to accept, to confess, to allow entry
- admit
- missive (noun): a letter to be sent
(verb): to take off or to take away
- remove
- mobile(adjective): able to move
- motion(noun): act of moving, action
(adjective): belonging to a place by birth, indigenous
- native
- pregnant (adjective): having a child developing in the womb, “with child”
- naive (adjective): lack of experience, not knowledgeable of the world
- nominate
- synonym (noun): a word with a similar meaning to another word in the same language
- novelty
- novice (noun): a newcomer, a beginner, someone new to something
- operate
- opus (noun): a musical composition
- opus
- Vivaldi’s opus number three is not as well known as is other compositions.
(adjective, noun): calm, bearing pain without complaint; a person under medical care
- patient
- sympathy (noun): sharing another person’s feelings, the ability to feel for another person’s suffering
- pathology (noun): the study of diseases
(verb): to hinder, to slow down
- impede
- pedestal (noun): a support for a column or other structure, a base for something
- pedest + al
- Johannes put the vase on a pedestal.
- pedestrian (noun): a person walking
- podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground, a place at which to speak in front of an audience
- pod + ium
- The professor walked up to the podium and spoke into the microphone.
(verb): to drive away or push back
- repel
- pulse (noun): the regular action of blood through arteries
- pulse
- The nurse felt for the patient’s pulse in his neck.
- suspend(noun): to hang from, to interrupt, to stop
- ponder(verb): to think about, to weigh in one’s mind
-
- phan + tom
- The children told horror stories about phantoms and ghosts.
(noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost.
- phantom
- fantasy(noun): a creation of the imagination that cannot be real, a daydream
(noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom
- philosopher
(adjective) relating to speech sounds
- phonetic
(verb): to portray, to represent
- depict
(verb): to bring in from a foreign country
- import
- portage (noun) the labor of carrying boats across land
(verb, noun): to respond, to answer; a response
- reply
- implicate (verb): to involve, to incriminate
- ply (noun): a layer
- ply
- Two ply tissue paper is stronger than one ply.
(noun): a place occupied by something
- position
- postpone (verb): to put off to a later time
- posture (noun) the position of a body
(noun): study of how the mind works
- psychology
- inquire
- exquisite (adjective): carefully selected, marked by beauty
- quest (noun): a search, the act of seeking
- quest
- At four in the morning Quincy went out on a quest for ice cream.
- query (verb, noun): to ask questions, a question
- query
- The lawyer queried the witness.
- I have a query about the origins of the English language.
(verb, adjective): to change from good to bad
- corrupt
- rupture (verb): to break or burst
- interrupt (verb): to stop, to break in (usually with questions)
(adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself
- conscious
- scribble (verb): to write quickly or carelessly
- scribb + le
- He scribbled a note in his notebook.
- script(noun): handwriting, something written
- script
- Sometimes her script is hard to read.
- describe(verb): to say what something is like
- sentimental(adjective): marked by feeling or emotion
- sequence
- consecutive (adjective): following in an unbroken order
- ensue (verb): to happen afterward
- society
- solitary
- isolate (verb): to separate from others, to place something by itself
- i +
- The sick cat was isolated from the other animals.
sol + uble
- solve
- absolute (adjective): complete, unrestricted, perfect
- The babysitter has absolute authority over the children while their parents are away.
- soluble (adjective): able to disperse in liquid
- Sugar is soluble in water.
- spectator
- despise (verb): to hate, tolook down on
- Marguerite despises people who are cruel to animals.
- auspicicious (adjective): favorable
- au +
- The thousand dollar donation made for an auspicious beginning.
- espionage (noun): using spies or observers
- respiration
- inspire (verb): to stimulate, to fill with a feeling or desire
- Students are often inspired by their teachers.
- stature
- establish (verb): to found, to start, to make firm
- e +
- Southampton College was established in 1963.
- stance (noun): a way of standing, a position, an attitude
- A person’s stance is very important in the games of golf and baseball.
- restrain
- constrict (verb): to squeeze, to make narrow
- Marvin felt constricted by the suit and tie he wore to the meeting.
- stringent (adjective): strict, tight, severe
- There are stringent rules and regulations one must follow when operating a child care center.
- prestige (noun): respect for a person or a thing
- destroy
- misconstrue (verb): to interpret, analyse, or understand something incorrectly; misunderstand
- Do not misconstrue his actions to mean he likes you — being pleasant to customers is part of his job.
- obstruct (verb): to block, prevent, hinder
- The fallen tree obstructed the roadway and blocked traffic for hours.
tact, tang con + tig + uous
- tactilely
- tangible (adjective): able to be perceived by touch, physically real
- Many people want tangible proof of something before they believe it to be true.
- contiguous (adjective): touching, next in a sequence
- The United States has forty-eight contiguous states.
- contingent (adjective): possible, dependent on something else
- extensive
- contend (verb): to strive or reach for, to argue
- The two fighters contended for the heavy-weight championship title.
- retain
- continue (verb): to keep going, to remain
- The movie is scheduled to continue until midnight.
- content (noun, adjective): something contained, held; satisfied
- I can’t tell what the content of this can is until I open it.
- tenacious (adjective): holding or sticking to something
- exterminate
- terminal (adjective): relating to an end
- Margot has been diagnosed with a terminal disease and has been given only six months to live.
- territory
- terrain (noun): the physical features of an area
- There is some very rough terrain in the White Mountain area of New Hampshire.
- attest
- testify (verb): to make a statement based on personal knowledge
- The witness testified at the trial.
- thermometer
- thermal (adjective): relating to the presence of heat
- Lisa bought some thermal underwear to take with her when she goes skiing.
- torment
- torsion (noun): twisting of a body or an organ by an external force along an axis
- The torsion of the bolt will help release the wheel.
- contort (verb): to twist into an abnormal shape
- The actor contorted her face into an evil grin and scared the audience.
- attract
- train (verb): to teach or to cause to do something
- Yvette trained her dog to perform tricks.
- treaty (noun): a formal agreement
- The rebels and the new government signed a treaty calling for peace.
uni V
- unite
- unison (noun): at the same time, at the same pitch
- The two singers sang in unison.
- vacant
- vacuum (noun): empty space, isolation from outside influence
- Some people seem to live in a vacuum and they have no knowledge of current events.
- convene
- invent (verb): to create through thought or imagination
- Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and other devices.
- prevent (verb): to act ahead of, to keep from happening
- Lamont prevented a disastrous fire by calling the fire department the moment he smelled smoke.
- verify
- veracity (noun): truthfulness, accuracy
- Daphne is known for her veracity and honesty.
- verbalize
- verve (noun): enthusiasm
- The cheerleaders showed verve and school spirit at the football game.
- versatile
- revert(verb): to go back, to return (to an original state)
- The land slowly reverted to a wild state after it was abandoned.
- video
- review (verb): to look at again, to re-examine
- Marsha reviewed for the test by re-reading her class notes.
- visible (adjective): able to be seen
- Sometimes the moon is visible during the day.
- indivisible(adjective, noun): cannot be separated
- vital
- revive (verb): to return to life
- After spending a day in the sun, I was revived by a glass of water.
- vocal
- revoke (verb): to call back, to withdraw
- Karl’s license was revoked because he was caught driving 20 miles over the speed limit.
- revolve
- revolt (verb): to rebel, to turn against, to feel disgust
- It was the peasants who revolted during the French Revolution.
- Cooked carrots revolt some people.
- evolution (noun): the process by which something develops
- Darwin and other natural scientists have developed theories of evolution.
(verb): to turn around
(adjective): uttered by the voice, producing sound
(adjective): necessary for life
- vit + al
- The cancer had not yet spread to her vital organs and she was given an excellent chance for a full recovery.
(noun): television or recorded movies
- vid + eo
- Patricia rented a video and watched it on her television.
(adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful
(verb): to express in words, to put into words
(verb): to confirm that something is true
(verb): to assemble, to come together
(adjective): empty, not occupied, free
(verb) to make one, to join together
- unite
- The two small companies united and became one large business.
(verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest
(noun, verb): agony, pain; to cause recurring pain
- tor + ment
- The torment Jean’s nightmares caused made him seek professional help.
- The guards tormented the prisoners.
(noun) a device for measuring heat
- thermo + meter
- I took my temperature with a thermometer.
(verb): to provide proof, to say something is true
(noun): area of land
- territ + ory
- This area is considered to be Canadian territory.
(verb): to kill off, to get rid of
- ex + term + in + ate
- The Schaeffer’s hired a company to exterminate the cockroaches living in their house.
(verb): to keep, to hold in place
- re + tain
- Blanche retained her Alaskan residence since she will return there when she is finished with school.
(adjective): large in area, wide
(adverb): related to the sense of touch
(verb): to ruin, to pull down
(verb): to hold back, to prevent from doing
(noun): height of a body, importance of position
(noun): breathing
(noun): a person who watches or observes
(verb): to find an answer
- solve
- The professor asked the student to solve the problem and show her answer on the board.
(adjective): being alone
(noun): community, the relationship among individuals living or working in a common area, companionship
- societ + y
- Sometimes what is best for a society is not always good for an individual living in that society.
(adjective): to lie next to
- ad + jac + ent
- You won’t have a long walk between classes because the engineering building is adjacent to the chemistry laboratories.
(adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown
grade (verb): to place things in classes or sets, to classify
(noun): a science that describes the earth’s surface
(noun): the shape and size of something, the arrangement of something
- form + at
- The format of this class will be half lecture and half class participation.
(adjective): short
- brief
- Anand gave a brief lecture on the rain forest.
(noun): the study of life
(noun): a list of written works
(adjective): marked by goodwill