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Kaemingk's GRE words

GRE Words

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
n rostrum
raised platform for speech-making; pulpit
n vagary
capricious happening; caprice; whim; CF. wander
n prosody
art of versification; study of the metrical structure of verse
aegis
shield; protection; defense
n unwonted
unaccustomed; unusual; Ex. He arrived with unwonted punctuality.
n repine
fret; complain; be annoyed; Ex. repine over the undone work
n inveigle
deceive; lead astray by deception; wheedle(cajole); Ex. inveigle her into n invidious designed to create ill will or envy; tending to rouse ill will or envy; Ex. invidious comparison
n patina
green crust on old bronze works or copper; tone slowly taken by varnished paintings varnish paint used to coat a surface with a glossy film; glossy coating produced by using this substance; Ex. nail varnish; V.
n stricture
severe and adverse criticism; critical comments; limit or restriction
s Shangri-la
imaginary remote paradise on earth; CF. Lost Horizon
s variegate
change the appearance of (by marking with different colors)
anodyne
drug that relieves pain or trouble; ÁøÅëÁ¦; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement
perspicuous
(of something) plainly expressed; easy to understand; Ex. perspicuous comments
s recreant
disloyal; cowardly; N: disloyal and cowardly person
n truculence
aggressiveness; ferocity; ADJ. truculent: aggressive; pugnacious; fierce
isotope
varying from of an element
syllogism
logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument
n patrician
noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian
n propinquity
nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship
n mendacious
lying; habitually dishonest; N. mendacity
pique
irritation; resentment from wounded pride (eg. loss in a contest); V: provoke; arouse; annoy; cause to feel resentment; Ex. pique her curiosity
punctilious
minutely attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points; stressing niceties of conduct or form; N. punctilio, punctiliousness: careful attention payed to every small exact detail
n subterfuge
stratagem(deceptive scheme); pretense; evasion; Ex. resort to a harmless subterfuge
obeisance
bow (to show respect and obedience)
paucity
scarcity; dearth
n taciturn
habitually silent; talking little
malodorous
foul-smelling
n lancet
small surgical tool for making incisions
ravel
fall apart into tangles; entangle; unravel or untwist
n incorporeal
without a material body; insubstantial
n turpitude
depravity; baseness; Ex. moral turpitude
n pellucid
transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand
s maleficient
doing evil; N. maleficience
n braggadocio
boasting
n recalcitrant
disobedient or resisting authority even after being punished; obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly; Ex. recalcitrant child
obdurate
stubborn; refusing to change one's belief
s pucker
gather into wrinkles or folds; N: wrinkle or fold
n nettle
irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome
perspicuity
clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
n husbandry
frugality; thrift; economy; agriculture; farming; Ex. animal husbandry; CF. husbandman
n welter
confusion; turmoil; confused mass; bewildering jumble; Ex. welter of data
n acetic
vinegary
n quixotic
idealistic but impractical; CF. Don Quixote
n piebald
of different colors; mottled; spotted in different colors (esp. in black and white); Ex. piebald horse; CF. pie+bald
n lode
metal-bearing vein(long deposit of an ore)
n staid
serious and sedate; sober; Ex. staid during the funeral ceremony
n titular
of a title; in name only; nominal; having the title of an office without the obligations; Ex. titular head of the company
n gourmand
epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink
n simian
monkeylike; N: ape or monkey
n halcyon
calm; peaceful; Ex. halcyon days
n ineffable
unutterable; not to be uttered; taboo; that cannot be expressed in speech; ineffectual not effective; not having a desired effect; weak
pachyderm
thick-skinned animal
n progeny
children; offspring; descendants
n rebus
representation of words in the form of pictures or symbols; puzzle in which pictures or letters stand for words; Ex. ``R U 18'' is a rebus for ``Are you 18''.
s effulgent
shining brightly; brilliant
n ligneous
like wood
n ciliated
having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash
n impolitic
not wise; not expedient; not politic
sycophant
servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man; ADJ. sycophantic
n testator
maker of a will; CF. testatrix
tactile
pertaining to the organs or sense of touch
n niggardly
meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. *****rd: stingy person
n somber
dark; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; CF. shadow
n sybarite
lover of luxury; person devoted to pleasure and luxury; CF. Sybaris: an ancient Greek city in Italy
n victuals
food; provisions; V. victual: provide with food
n mordant
biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; Ex. mordant pen/wit
s horoscope
diagram of the positions of stars at a given moment (eg. of a person's birth) used by astrologers
n stipple
paint or draw with dots or short strokes
n potentate
monarch; sovereign
n sidereal
relating to stars; Ex. sidereal day
analgesic
causing insensitivity to pain; N.
agog
highly excited; intensely curious
n primogeniture
seniority by birth; state of being the first-born child; right of the eldest child (to inherit the entire property of one or both parents)
n quotidian
daily; commonplace; customary; Ex. quotidian routine
n macerate
soften by soaking in liquid; waste away; Ex. macerate powdered wood to make paper
n seethe
be violently disturbed; boil; (of a liquid) move about wildly as if boiling; Ex. The nation was seething with discontent.
s scowl
frown angrily; N: angry frown
n rancor
long-lasting hatred; bitterness; Ex. negotiation without rancor; ADJ. rancorous
actuary
someone who advises insurance companies
obsequious
slavishly attentive; servile; full of servile compliance; sycophantic
n mincing
affectedly dainty(delicate); V. mince: cut (esp. meat) into very small pieces; walk with exaggerated primness; walk in an unnatural way, taking little short steps;
remonstrate
protest; objection; V. remonstrate: say in protest
lascivious
lustful
n suavity
urbanity; polish; ADJ. suave: smooth and courteous
n tertiary
third in order or rank
n supernumerary
person or thing excess of what is necessary; extra; ADJ: additional to the usual or necessary number
n putative
supposed; reputed; generally regarded as such; Ex. putative father of the child
n rarefied
made less dense (of a gas); V. rarefy: make less dense; N. rarefaction
aphasia
loss of speech due to injury or illness
n verisimilitude
appearance of truth; quality of appearing to be true or real; likelihood; Ex. verisimilitude of her performance as Lady Macbeth
n swathe
swath; wrap around; bandage; Ex. one's head swathed in bandages
nomenclature
terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things
partial
incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for something
n flotsam
drifting wreckage
indefatigable
tireless; untiring; showing no sign of getting tired
impetus
moving force; momentum; force of a moving body; incentive; stimulus; impulse
n variegated
(esp. of a flower or leaf) many-colored
n titter
nervous giggle; nervous laugh; V.
n ventral
abdominal
n olfactory
concerning the sense of smell
n mellifluous
(of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune
amalgamate
(of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body
n maelstrom
violent whirlpool; violent or tublent situation; CF. stream
n maudlin
effusively sentimental
penury
extreme poverty; stinginess; ADJ. penurious: very poor; stingy
n glower
scowl; glare; look or stare angrily
n uxorious
excessively submissive or devoted to one's wife; CF. uxor: wife
sanguine
optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red
n largess
generous gift (given to people who do not have enough)
pungent
stinging; acrid; sharp in taste or smell; (of speech or writing) caustic; N. pungency
n unguent
ointment
uniformity
sameness; monotony; ADJ. uniform: the same all over
n parquet
floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic like matter; CF. strip: long narrow piece
n occlude
shut; close; obstruct; Ex. A blood clot occluded an artery.
somatic
pertaining to the body; bodily; physical
n dally
trifle with; toy with; treat without the necessary seriousness; procrastinate; waste time
n symbiosis
interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; ADJ. symbiotic; CF. together + life
s malapropos
inappropriate; ADV.
n nugatory
worthless; futile
pugilist
boxer; CF. pugilism: boxing
obloquy
slander; disgrace; infamy
pecuniary
pertaining to money
viscous
(of a liquid) thick and sticky; gluey; viscid; CF. consistency
sedentary
requiring sitting; done while sitting; not moving from one place to another; settled; Ex. sedentary job/population
alimentary
supplying nourishment
n interloper
intruder; one who interferes
n garish
overbright in color; unpleasantly bright; gaudy
n propitiate
appease; conciliate; make peaceful; ADJ. propitiatory
n stentorian
(of the voice) extremely loud; CF. Stentor: a loud herald in the Iliad
n scintillate
sparkle; flash; be animated; be full of life; Ex. scintillating conversation
s jetsam
things thrown from a ship (to lighten the ship)
n stodgy
dull; stuffy; boringly conservative; Ex. stodgy book
n tessellated
mosaic; inlaid; Ex. tessellated pattern
n lumen
unit of light energy (one candle's worth)
n panegyric
formal praise; encomium; Ex. I don't deserve such panegyrics.
s penology
study of prison management and criminal rehabilitation
malefactor
evildoer; criminal
s phalanx
formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense)
n urbane
suave; refined in manner; elegant
s poise
good judgment with composure; balance; V: place in a carefully balanced position
ambulatory
able to walk
n vitriolic
causing sharp pain to the mind; caustic; corrosive; sarcastic; of vitriol; n vulpine like a fox; crafty
n necromancy
black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination; CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis
n vitreous
of glass; pertaining to or resembling glass; V. vitrify: change into glass; CF. petrify
n limpid
crystal clear
n sartorial
pertaining to tailors or tailoring; Ex. a man of great sartorial elegance; CF. sartor: tailor
n virulent
(of a disease or poison) extremely harmful or poisonous; (of a feeling) hostile; bitter; N. virulence; CF. virus; CF. venom
n pulmonary
pertaining to the lungs
n sinecure
well-paid position with little responsibility; CF. sine cure: without n skulduggery(skullduggery) dishonest behavior or action; Ex. skulduggery in the election
somnambulist
sleepwalker; V. somnambulate; N. somnambulism
n solder
repair or make whole by using a metal alloy; N: metal alloy (usually tin and lead) used in the molten state to join metallic parts
animadversion
critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval
n vegetate
live in a monotonous way (without interests or activity); CF. vegetation: plants of an area; CF. vegetarian; CF. vegan
n lugubrious
mournful; sorrowful
n tonsure
shaving of the head especially by person entering religious orders; V.
alluvial
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
n ichthyology
study of fish; CF. ichthyo-: fish
n larder
pantry; place where food is kept
n sonorous
resonant; producing a full deep sound; producing sound
n hackles
hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog; Ex. make someone's hackles rises
increment
increase
n piscatorial
pertaining to fishing; CF. Pisces
n actuate
motivate; activate; cause to act
n pulchritude
beauty; comeliness; ADJ. pulchritudinous
paramour
illicit lover
n imbroglio
complicated situation (as in a play); painful or complex misunderstanding (as in a play); entanglement; confused mass (as of papers); V. embroil
n floe
flat mass of floating ice
n pugnacity
combativeness; disposition to fight; ADJ. pugnacious: (of people) belligerent; combative in nature
n malapropism
comic misuse of a word; CF. Mrs. Malaprop
n supererogatory
superfluous; more than needed or demanded
n wastrel
waster; profligate
n somnolent
half asleep; drowsy; N. somnolence
remunerative
(of work) compensating; rewarding; profitable; well-paid; V. remunerate: n repast meal; feast; banquet
n nascent
incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent ability in music
progenitor
ancestor
agglomeration
collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. aggolmeate: jumbled mass; heap
prey
target of a hunt; victim; V: hunt and eat as prey; victimize; Ex. Cats prey on mice.
n sibylline
prophetic; oracular; N. sibyl: woman prophet (in the ancient world)
apropos
with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation; ADJ. ADV.
n patois
local or provincial dialect
n ribald
marked by vulgar lewd humor; wanton; profane; N. ribaldry: ribald language or joke
n hale
healthy
n legerdemain
sleight(dexterity) of hand; CF. light of hand
incommodious
not spacious; inconvenient
supercilious
haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing; CF. eyebrow, cilium
n mealymouthed
indirect in speech (when something unpleasant must be said); hypocritical; evasive
n raconteur
story-teller; one who tells stories with wit and skill
n ragamuffin
dirty child in torn clothes; person wearing tattered clothes
affected
artificial; pretended
vertigo
severe dizziness; giddiness
n furtive
stealthy; quiet and secret (trying to escape notice); sneaky; Ex. furtive glance
affidavit
written statement made under oath (for use as proof in a court of law)
acuity
sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing)
n proscenium
part of stage in front of curtain; front arch of a stage
annotate
comment; make explanatory notes
parry
ward off a blow; deflect; Ex. He parried the unwelcome question very skillfully; s parsimony stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious
n sylvan
pertaining to the woods or the country
n visage
face; appearance
nominal
in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint
n penumbra
partial shadow (in an eclipse); CF. almost shadow
perfidious
treacherous; disloyal; N. perfidy: treachery
n husband
use sparingly; conserve; save; Ex. husband one's energy; CF. house holder
n pundit
authority on a subject; expert; learned person
n pusillanimous
cowardly; lacking courage; fainthearted
n veracious
(of a person) truthful
n puissant
powerful; strong; potent; N. puissance: power
n physiognomy
face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features
vaunted
boasted; bragged; highly publicized; V. vaunt: boast; brag
n multifarious
varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities
n martinet
strict disciplinarian; person who demands total obedience to rules and orders; CF. Jean Martinet
pertinacious
holding tenaciously to an action; stubborn; persistent
n scintilla
trace; minute amount; shred; least bit; Ex. There is not a scintilla of truth; CF. spark
n prosaic
lacking in imagination; dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact(concerned with facts, not imagination or feelings); factual; CF. prose
soliloquy
talking to oneself (esp. in a play); CF. monologue: soliloquy; long speech by one person (often monopolizing a conversation)
askance
with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distruct); Ex. look askance at
n verdigris
green coating or patina on copper which has been exposed to the weather
jingoist
extremely aggressive and militant patriot; warlike chauvinist; N.
stratagem
deceptive scheme; clever trick
n piquant
pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; Ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help
n sunder
separate; part; CF. asunder
n untoward
unexpected and adverse; unfortunate or unlucky; Ex. untoward encounter
aperture
opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light
n nubile
marriageable; of marriageable age; CF. connubial
n pestle
tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl or mortar
n mendicant
beggar; ADJ: living as a beggar
n raiment
clothing; garments; Ex. I have no raiment fit to wear.
n prevaricate
lie; hide the truth (by equivocating)
n vainglorious
boastful; excessively conceited; N. vainglory: great vanity
n saturnine
morose; gloomy; Ex. Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance.
n roil
make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; disturb
n venial
(of a fault or sin) forgivable; trivial
n scad
a great quantity; Ex. scads of clothes
s parvenu
upstart; newly rich person
n histrionic
theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional; affected; of actors or acting; N. histrionics: histrionic behavior
n septic
of or causing sepsis; putrid; producing putrefaction; N. sepsis: poisoning of part of the body (producing pus)
n acrid
bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent
n umbrage
resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult; Ex. take umbrage at his rudeness
n minutiae
petty or trivial details; CF. minutia
n upbraid
reprimand; severely scold
n ineluctable
irresistible; not to be escaped; unavoidable
n lope
gallop slowly
n peroration
conclusion of an oration; perorating; V. perorate: conclude a speech; perspicacious (of someone) having insight; penetrating; astute
acme
peak; pinnacle; highest point
n quisling
traitor who aids invaders; CF. Vidkun Quisling
n suffuse
spread through or over (with a color or liquid); charge; Ex. A blush suffused her cheeks.
n protean
able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will
n quiescent
dormant; temporarily inactive; at rest; N. quiescence
natation
swimming
n sundry
miscellaneous; various; several; N. sundries: small miscellaneous items
n tensile
capable of being stretched; of tension; Ex. tensile rubber
n spoonerism
accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; Ex. ``Let me sew you to your sheet'' for ``Let me show you to your seat''; CF. William Spooner
n interregnum
period between two successive reigns or governments
n prate
talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly
n poultice
soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body
n pastiche
imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists
n verisimilar
having the appearance of truth or reality; probable or likely to be true; plausible
acumen
mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen
n stygian
unpleasantly dark; gloomy; hellish; deathly; CF. Styx: the chief river in the subterranean land of the dead
propulsive
driving forward; N. propulsion
s swamp
wetland; marsh; V: flood; overwhelm; drench in with liquid
n hortatory
encouraging; exhortive; marked by exhortation; CF. exhort
n fructify
bear fruit; produce fruit
n sardonic
scornfully mocking; disdainful; sarcastic; cynical; Ex. sardonic smile
n acidulous
slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic
n limn
draw; outline; describe; CF. line ?
adjutant
staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
n superannuated
retired or disqualified because of age; outmoded; obsolete
libidinous
lustful
n mawkish
mushy(sentimental) and gushy; icky-sticky sentimental; excessively and objectionably sentimental
n osseous
made of bone; bony
n pore
study industriously; ponder; scrutinize; Ex. pore over the book; N.
n roseate
rosy; optimistic; Ex. roseate views
n opalescent
iridescent; lustrous; like an opal; N. opalescence
n miasma
swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence; noxious atmosphere or influence
malediction
curse
n petulant
touchy; peevish; ill-tempered
impenitent
not repentant
n lineaments
features especially of the face; distinctive shape or contour of the face; n lithe flexible; supple; CF. limber
magniloquent
boastful; pompous
n surfeit
satiate; feed or supply to excess; stuff; indulge to excess in anything; n swarthy (of a skin or complexion) dark; dusky; Ex. swarthy Italian ?
n supine
lying on back; passive; inactive; Ex. The defeated pugilist lay supine; Ex. supine acceptance of the decision
apoplexy
stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain
n solecism
nonstandard grammatical construction; construction that is flagrantly
n prolixity
tedious wordiness; verbosity; ADJ. prolix: wordy; verbose; diffuse
n insalubrious
unwholesome; not healthful; Ex. insalubrious place
n querulous
given to complaining; complaining; fretful; whining
s slavish
of or like a slave; servile; showing no originality; copied very closely; Ex. slavish devotion/copy of the original obsequy funeral ceremony
n nib
beak(bill); pen point
n sagacious
wise; perceptive; shrewd; having insight; N. sagacity
aplomb
poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence
n inveigh
denounce; utter censure or invective; Ex. inveigh against the evils of drink
n moribund
dying; at the point of death; CF. death
n propitious
favorable; auspicious; advantageous; fortunate; Ex. propitious day/sign
n mulct
defraud a person of something; swindle; Ex. mulct the boy of his legacy
imponderable
weightless; that cannot undergo precise evaluation; CF. pound
n ossify
change or harden into bone; become hard and unchanging in one's ideas
n guffaw
boisterous laughter; V.
n prurient
having or causing lustful desires and thoughts; arousing immoderate sexual desire
oblique
indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); Ex. oblique reference
n meretricious
flashy; tawdry; attractive on the surface but of no real value; Ex. metericious argument/jewel; CF. prostitute
actuarial
calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
n vicissitude
change (esp. from good to bad); change of fortune; CF. the last emperor of China
n knave
untrustworthy person; rogue; scoundrel; jack; N. knavery
invective
abuse
n waif
homeless child or animal; Ex. waifs and strays
marital
pertaining to marriage
n manumit
emancipate; free from slavery or bondage
n insouciant
without concern or care; unconcerned; indifferent
transmute
transform; change; convert to something different
n regale
entertain
n jocund
merry
alacrity
cheerful promptness without reluctance
n imprecation
curse; swearword
n vise
vice; tool for holding work in place; clamping device
ambrosia
food of the gods
n harangue
long, passionate, and vehement speech; V.
n viscid
adhesive; gluey
n flit
fly; fly or move lightly or quickly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by; Ex. a bee flitting from flower to flower
pastoral
rural; of rural life; idyllic; of a pastor
n sluice
artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water (with a gate to regulate the flow)
n seine
seine net; net for catching fish
n plaudit
praise; enthusiastic approval; round(succession or series) of applause; polyglot speaking several languages; multilingual; Ex. polyglot person/society; N.
n palimpsest
parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased

Deck Info

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