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SAT Vocabulary
Vocabulary found on SAT
229
Education
11th Grade
04/27/2011

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Term
Clarity 
Definition

clearness in thought or expression 

Term
capricious
Definition

unpredictable, changeable

Term
captious
Definition
ill-natured, quarrelsome
Term
carp
Definition
to complain
Term
cartography
Definition
study or creation of maps
Term
castigate
Definition
to scold, criticize severely
Term
catalyst
Definition
something that makes something happen without direct involvement
Term
catharsis
Definition
the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
Term
cavil
Definition

to quibble, raise trivial objections

Term
censure
Definition
to condemn severely for doing something bad
Term
chagrin
Definition
humiliation
Term
chicanery
Definition

trickery, deceitfulness

Term
chimerical
Definition
imaginary, given to fantasy
Term
choleric
Definition
hot-tempered, quick to anger
Term
circumvent      
Definition
to go around
Term
closefisted      
Definition
stingy, (opposite is openhanded: generous)
Term
coalesce
Definition

to come together as one

Term
cogitate
Definition

to ponder, think carefully about

Term
colloquial
Definition
ordinary, informal speech
Term
conscript
Definition
enlisted, drafted, enrolled
Term
corroborate
Definition
to confirm, back up with evidence
Term
coterie
Definition

a group of close associates or friends

Term
coy
Definition
shy, reluctant to make a commitment
Term
craven 
Definition
cowardly
Term
curmudgeon      
Definition
a greedy irascible, old person
Term
dearth
Definition
lack of, or shortage of
Term
debacle
Definition

a big disaster

Term
deft
Definition

skillful, adroit

Term
dehydrate
Definition
remove water
Term
deleterious
Definition
harmful
Term
demagogue
Definition
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.
Term
demography
Definition

statistical study of the characteristics of populations

Term
desalinate
Definition

to remove salt from something

Term
desiccate
Definition
to dry out
Term
diplomatic
Definition
tactful; good at negotiating
Term
discomfit
Definition
to frustrate, to confuse
Term
dither
Definition
to vacillate between choices; to tremble with excitement
Term
diurnal
Definition

occurring every day; occurring during the daytime

Term
divisive
Definition
creating conflict and disagreement
Term
draconian
Definition

severe, harsh, cruel

Term
ebullient
Definition
bubbling with excitement, exuberant
Term
eclectic
Definition

drawn from many sources

Term
effigy
Definition
a likeness of a person, usually one used to express hatred for that person
Term
egregious
Definition

extremely bad, flagrant

Term
elliptical
Definition

oval; missing a word or words; obscure

Term
endemic
Definition
native, restricted to a particular region or area, indigenous
Term
ephemeral
Definition
lasting a very short time
Term
equine
Definition

relating to horses, horse-like

Term
equivocal
Definition

ambiguous, intentionally confusing, capable of being interpreted many ways

Term
ersatz
Definition
serving as a substitute; synthetic, artificial
Term
ethereal
Definition
heavenly, light, insubstantial
Term
etymology
Definition
the study of words and their meanings
Term
euphonious      
Definition
pleasant-sounding, opposite of cacophonous; melodious
Term
evanescent
Definition
fleeting, vanishing, happening only for the briefest period
Term
evince
Definition
o demonstrate convincingly; to prove
Term
execrate
Definition
to curse, denounce
Term
exhume
Definition
to unbury; to dig out of the ground
Term
exonerate
Definition
to free completely from blame
Term
expeditious
Definition
prompt, speedy; to expedite
Term
expiate
Definition
to make amends, to atone
Term
expunge
Definition

to erase, obliterate, to blot out

Term
facile
Definition
fluent, skillful in a superficial way
Term
fecund
Definition

fertile, productive

Term
fervent
Definition
having intense feeling, enthusiastic; fervid
Term
feign
Definition
to pretend; to make a false representation of something
Term
flaccid
Definition
soft and limp
Term
florid
Definition
very fancy, usually refers to intangible objects, i.e., florid speech
Term
flout
Definition
to disregard something or someone out of disrespect
Term
ford
Definition
the shallow part of a river; to cross a river at the shallow part
Term
forensics
Definition
the art or study of argumentation and formal debate
Term
fortuitous      
Definition
accidental, occurring by chance
Term
fracas
Definition
a big fight
Term
furrow
Definition
a narrow groove made in the ground; to make wrinkles in the face
Term
gaffe
Definition
a social blunder, an embarrassing mistake, a faux pas
Term
galvanize
Definition
to startle into sudden activity; to revitalize
Term
gastronomy
Definition
the art of eating well
Term
germane
Definition
relevant, applicable, pertinent
Term
glower
Definition
to look or stare with sullen dislike or anger
Term
goldbrick
Definition
to swindle, to sell something worthless as if it were valuable; a swindle
Term
grandiloquent
Definition
using a lot of big, fancy words to sound impressive
Term
gratuitous      
Definition
given freely; uncalled for unjustified; unprovoked
Term
glut
Definition
surplus, overabundance
Term
hackneyed
Definition
overused, trite, stale
Term
harbinger
Definition

a forerunner, a signal of

Term
hedonism
Definition
the pursuit of pleasure as a way of life
Term
hegemony
Definition
leadership, especially of one nation over another
Term
hermetic
Definition
airtight, impervious to external influence
Term
homily
Definition
a sermon
Term
hubris
Definition
excessive pride
Term
humanist
Definition
one who has great concern for human welfare, values, and dignity; a student of the classics
Term
hybrid
Definition
formed, bred, or composed from different elements
Term
hypodermic
Definition
beneath the skin
Term
idiosyncratic
Definition
quirky, peculiar, eccentric
Term
ignominy
Definition
shame, disrepute, disgrace
Term
importune
Definition
to beg, urge, or insist persistently
Term
inane
Definition
silly, senseless
Term
incantation
Definition
a chant
Term
incarnate
Definition
in the flesh
Term
incensed
Definition
very angry
Term
inchoate
Definition
incomplete; only partially formed
Term
indignant
Definition
angry or insulted, especially as a result of something unjust or unworthy
Term
indolent
Definition
habitually lazy
Term
ineffable      
Definition
incapable of being expressed or described
Term
inexorable
Definition
relentless, inevitable, unavoidable
Term
inoculate
Definition
to protect against disease
Term
insouciant
Definition
nonchalant, light-hearted, carefree
Term
irascible
Definition

easily angered or provoked; irritable

Term
jaunt
Definition
a short pleasure trip
Term
jejune
Definition
lacking maturity or significance; irrelevant
Term
jettison
Definition
to throw or cast off
Term
jingoist
Definition
an excessively vigilant patriot; a bellicose chauvinist; a war-mongering nationalist
Term
jurisprudence      
Definition
the study of law
Term
karma
Definition
consequences of one's actions; fate, destiny
Term
kudos
Definition

honor, glory, acclaim, compliment

Term
lambaste
Definition
to assault violently with words
Term

lament

 

Definition

 to mourn

 

Term
laudatory
Definition
praising
Term
lax
Definition
not strict; careless or negligent
Term
lexicon
Definition
a glossary or dictionary
Term
limpid
Definition
transparent, clear, lucid
Term
liniment
Definition
a medicinal liquid or salve for rubbing on the skin
Term
liquidate
Definition
to get rid of; to settle a debt
Term
lugubrious
Definition
exaggeratedly mournful
Term
luminary
Definition
a person who has attained eminence in his/her field
Term
maudlin
Definition
silly and overly sentimental
Term
maverick
Definition
a nonconformist; a rebel
Term
mellifluous
Definition
flowing sweetly, usually refers to sounds of voices
Term
mendacious      
Definition
ying, dishonest
Term
meritorious
Definition
deserving praise or reward
Term
mirth
Definition
amusement or laughter
Term
misanthrope      
Definition
one who hates people
Term
mollify
Definition
to soften, soothe, pacify
Term
moribund
Definition
dying
Term

narcissism

Definition
excessive love of one's body or oneself
Term
nebulous
Definition
ague, hazy, indistinct
Term
neologism
Definition
a new word or phrase; a new usage of a word
Term
neophyte
Definition
a novice or beginner
Term
noisome
Definition
offensive or disgusting; stinking, noxious
Term
noxious
Definition
harmful, offensive
Term

nuance   

Definition
a subtle difference or distinction
Term
numerology
Definition
the study of numbers for the purposes of predicting the future
Term
obdurate
Definition
stubborn, insensitive, unyielding, resistant to persuasion
Term
obeisance
Definition
deep reverence; a bow or curtsy
Term
obfuscate
Definition
to darken or confuse
Term
obsequious
Definition
fawning, subservient, servile, excessively deferential
Term
odometer
Definition
instrument that measures how many miles one has traveled
Term
olfactory
Definition
pertaining to the sense of smell
Term
oligarchy
Definition
government by only a very few people
Term
ornate
Definition
very fancy, usually refers to tangible objects, e.g. ornate woodwork
Term
palliative
Definition
something that provides temporary relief without getting rid of the problem
Term
paltry
Definition
insignificant; worthless
Term
panacea
Definition
something that cures everything
Term
panache
Definition
flair, verve; dashing elegance
Term
paragon
Definition
a model of excellence
Term
peccadillo
Definition
a minor offense or error
Term
pedantic
Definition
boringly scholarly or academic; overly concerned with details
Term
penurious
Definition
extremely stingy, poor or miserly
Term
perfidy
Definition
treachery
Term
perfunctory
Definition
unenthusiastic, careless
Term
pernicious
Definition
deadly, extremely evil
Term
perquisite      
Definition
a privilege that goes along with a job; a perk
Term
philistine
Definition
a smugly ignorant person with no appreciation for intellectual or artistic matters
Term
piquant
Definition
pleasantly sharp in flavor; interestingly provocative or stimulating
Term
pique
Definition
to excite; to arouse an emotion or provoke to action
Term
plebeian
Definition
common, vulgar, low-class
Term
poignant
Definition
painfully emotional, extremely moving, sharp, or astute
Term
polemic
Definition
a powerful argument often made to attack or refute a controversial issue
Term
portent
Definition
an omen, a sign of something coming
Term
potentate
Definition
a person who possesses great power
Term
predilection      
Definition
a natural preference for something
Term

 preempt

Definition
   to seize something by prior right
Term

prescient 

Definition
  having knowledge of things before they exist or happen
Term

priggish 

Definition
  very fussy, self-righteous, high maintenance, usually refers to people
Term

profligate 

Definition
 extravagantly wasteful; wildly immoral
Term

prolific 

Definition
  abundantly productive, fruitful, or fertile
Term

promulgate

Definition
   to publicly or formally declare something
Term
prosaic
Definition
dull, unimaginative
Term

pugnacious 

Definition
  quarrelsome, combative, always ready to fight
Term

pulchritude

Definition
   physical beauty
Term

queue 

Definition
  a line; to line up
Term

quiescent

Definition
   motionless; at rest; still
Term

quintessential 

Definition
  being the most perfect example of
Term

quixotic 

Definition
  idealistic to a foolish or impractical degree, like Don Quixote
Term

quotidian  

Definition
 daily; everyday; ordinary
Term

raze 

Definition
  to completely destroy or level something
Term

rebuke 

Definition
  to criticize sharply
Term

recapitulate 

Definition
  to review or summarize
Term

recidivism 

Definition
   the act of repeating an offense
Term

redolent 

Definition
  fragrant
Term

renege 

Definition
  to go back on a bet or promise
Term

retrenchment

Definition
   cutting down or off, reduction
Term

rhetoric   

Definition
the study or art of using language well; the use of undue exaggeration
Term

sacrosanct      

Definition
sacred, held to be inviolable
Term

sanguine  

Definition
 cheerful, optimistic, hopeful
Term

sardonic  

Definition
 mocking, scornful
Term

saturnine 

Definition
  gloomy or taciturn
Term

scrupulous  

Definition
 strict, careful; hesitant for ethical reasons
Term

semantic 

Definition
  pertaining to the meaning of words or symbols
Term

semaphore   

 

Definition
a system of signaling, usually through the use of flags
Term

serendipity 

Definition
  accidental good fortune, discovering good things without looking for them
Term

skinflint  

Definition
 a mean, penny-pinching person
Term

smidgen   

Definition

  a very small amount

Term

somber 

Definition
  depressing, dismal, gloomy
Term

specious 

Definition
  deceptively plausible or attractive; misleading
Term

stand 

Definition
  a group of trees
Term

sublime 

Definition
  of great intellectual, moral, or spiritual value
Term

subsidy 

Definition
  a gift of money
Term

subterfuge  

Definition
 deceptive strategy used to conceal, escape, or evade
Term

supercilious 

Definition
  haughty, patronizing
Term
supplicate 
Definition
     to ask or beg humbly
Term

tenable 

Definition
  valid, capable of being argued successfully
Term

threadbare  

Definition
 falling apart, meager, poor, old
Term

truculent 

Definition
  fierce, cruel, savagely brutal
Term

turbid 

Definition
  unclear or opaque; lacking clarity or purity
Term

uncanny

 

Definition
extraordinary, mysterious, uncomfortably strange
Term

unilateral

Definition
   involving one side only; done on behalf of one side only
Term

usury  

Definition
 the practice of lending money at a high rate of interest
Term

vacuous 

Definition
  empty of content; lacking in ideas or intelligence
Term
vapid 
Definition
     dull, spiritless
Term

verdant 

Definition
  covered with green plants; leafy; inexperienced
Term

vernacular  

Definition
 everyday speech, slang, idiom
Term
vestige    
Definition
  a remaining bit of something, a trace
Term

vilify   

Definition
to say vile things about; to defame
Term

wane  

Definition
 to decrease in strength or intensity; to fade away; to decline in power
Term

wanton   

Definition
malicious, unjustifiable, unprovoked, egregious
Term
wizened      
Definition
shriveled, withered, shrunken
Term
zeitgeist     
Definition
 the mood or spirit of the times
Term
zenith 
Definition
     the highest point; peak; pinnacle
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