Week of February 16th, 2010
Words from Mathematics:
Equivalent (adj) – Having the same value, purpose, job etc. as a person or thing of a different kind.
Example: I had no dollar bills on me so I offered him the equivalent amount in quarters.
Inverse (adj) – If there is an inverse relationship between two amounts, one gets bigger at the same rate as the other gets smaller.
Example: Clearly, the amount of money people save increases in inverse proportion to the amount they spend.
Ordinal (noun) – One of the numbers, such as first, second, third etc. which shows the order of things.
Example: The ordinal number designates the order of sequence of an item.
Probability (noun) – How likely something is, sometimes calculated in a mathematical way.
Example: The probability of winning the lottery is really very low.
Variable (noun) – Something that may be different in different situations, so that you cannot be sure what will happen.
Example: There are too many variables in the experiment to predict the result accurately.
Week of December 7th, 2009
Words from Greek History:
Draconian (adj) - Cruel, strict or severe
Example: He approved of using draconian measures to control population growth.
Narcissism (noun) - Excessive preoccupation of self and a lack of empathy towards others.
Example: He spent hours in front of the mirror and worked out at the gym every day driven purely by narcissism.
Platonic (adj) - A relationship that is friendly, rather than romatic.
Example: John assured Mary that his relationship with Susan was purely platonic.
Spartan (adj) - marked by strict self-discipline and self-denial, simplicity, frugality and avoidance of luxury and comfort.
Example: As Sally looked around the cabin she considered it very spartan accommodations.
Stoic (noun) - Someone who does not show their emotions, apparently indifferent to pleasure or pain.
Example: Bruce sat there with a stoic expression on his face as the policeman talked to him about the details of the crash.
Week of November 30th, 2009
FID, FI (trust):
Affidavit (noun) - a written statement that you swear is true, for use as proof in a court of law.
Example: He was asked to sign a written affidavit of the incident he witnessed.
Confidant (noun) - someone you tell your secrets to or who you talk about personal things.
Example: He found in his friend Sue a true confidant.
Defiant (adj) - Clearly refusing to do what someone tells you to do.
Example: The child had become out of control and defiant to all authority.
Fidelity (noun) - Loyalty to a spouse, person or organization.
Example: The counselor discussed the importance of marital fidelity with Joshua and Susan.
Infidel (noun) - An offensive word used for someone who has a different religion from you.
Example: He considered them a bunch of infidels and showed them no respect.
Week of November 23rd, 2009
Extra (beyond, outside)
Extracurricular (adj) - Activites that are not a part of the regular courses a student is taking in school or college.
Example: If his grades don't improve he'll have to cut out some of his extracurricular activites.
Extraneous (adj) - not belonging to or related to a particular subject or problem.
Example: Such details are extraneous to the matter in hand.
Extraordinary (adj) - out of the ordinary, more than usual, surprising, exceptional.
Example: She was a woman or extraordinary taste.
Extrapolate (verb) - to use facts about the present to make a guess about the future, or use a facts about something,
or some group to make a projection about something else, or another group.
Example: It is possible to extrapolate future developments from current trends.
Extravagant (adj) - lacking moderation; extremely or unreasonably excessive or expensive.
Example: He was used to living an extravagant lifestyle.
Week of November 16th, 2009
CANT, CHANT (sing):
Accentuate (verb) - To make something more noticeable.
Example: The photograph seemed to accentuate his blue eyes.
Disenchanted (adj) - Disappointed with someone or something and no longer believing that they are good.
Example: By that time I was becoming disenchanted with the whole idea.
Enchanted (noun) - The quality of being very pleasant and attractive.
Example: She deeply appreciated the enchantment of the poetry.
Incentive (noun) - Something that encourages you to do a better job, work harder, begin a new project, etc.
Example: As an added incentive the person with the most sales will receive a big bonus.
Recant (verb) - To formally and publicly withdraw a statement of belief
Example: She refused to recant the statments she made in her speech.
Week of November 9th, 2009
Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 VER (true, truth):
Veracity (noun) – The fact of being true or correct.
Example: Has anyone checked the veracity of these documents?
Veraciously (adverb) – Marked by truth
Example: He veraciously recounted the events of the story.
Verdict (noun) – An official decision made in a court of law, especially about whether someone is guilty of a crime or how a death happened.
Example: After a week the jury still had not reached a verdict.
Verify (verb) – To discover whether something is correct or true.
Example: She was asked to look over the documents and verify that all the information was correct.
Veritable (adjective) – A word used to emphasis a description of someone or something.
Example: The area is a veritable paradise for those who love walking and swimming.
Week of November 2nd, 2009
PED, POD (foot):
Centipede (n) – a small creature like a worm with a lot of very small legs
Example: She encountered many interesting insects on her travels including centipedes.
Expedite (verb) – to make a process or action happen more quickly.
Example: We need to expedite things quickly before matters get out of hand.
Impediment (noun) – a physical problem that makes speaking, hearing or moving difficult; or a situation or event that makes it difficult or impossible for someone or something to succeed or make progress.
Example(s): 1- Valerie met once a week with a therapist to overcome her speech impediment. 2- War is one of the greatest impediments to human progress.
Pedestrian (noun) – someone who is walking, especially along a street or other place used by cars.
Example: There were signs posted at the intersection warning cars to watch for pedestrians.
Podiatrist (noun) – a doctor who takes care of people’s feet and treats foot diseases.
Example: Tom’s family doctor referred him to a podiatrist to treat the problems he was having with his foot.
Week of May 18, 2009
HER, HES (stick or get stuck);
Adherent (n) – someone who supports a particular belief, plan, political party, etc.
Example: The ant-globalization movement is attracting new adherents to its principles.
Adhesive (n) – a substance such as glue that you use to stick two things together.
Example: Home Depot sell sturdy adhesive tape.
Cohesive (adj) – connected or related in a reasonable way to form a whole.
Example: Historically, sport has been a cohesive force in international relations.
Incoherent (adj) – not expressed or organized clearly, and therefore difficult to understand.
Example: That movie was full of incoherent messages.
Inherent (adj) – a quality that is inherent in something is a natural part of it and cannot be separated from it.
Example: I’m afraid the problems you mention are inherent in the system.
Week of March 9, 2009
PEND, PENS (hang, weigh, or pay);
Appendage (n) – Something that is connected to a larger or more important thing.
Example: Human arms are appendages to the human body.
Expend (v) – To use or spend a lot of energy etc. in order to do something.
Example: People of different ages expend different amounts of energy.
Pensive (adj.) – Thinking a lot about something, especially because you are worried or sad.
Example: Danielle looked pensive after Joe asked her to Sadies unexpectedly.
Propensity (n) – A natural tendency to behave in a particular way.
Example: He seems to have a propensity for breaking things.
Stipend (n) – An amount of money paid regularly to someone, especially a priest, as a salary or as money to live on.
Example: Father Richards had a stipend that he receives bi-weekly.
Week of March 2, 2009
LUD, LUS (sport, play, laugh);
Allude (v) – To mention something or someone indirectly
Example: Rick didn’t want to discuss his past, though he alluded darkly to some bad things that happened.
Collusion (n) – A secret agreement that two or more people make in order to do something dishonest.
Example: Partners in crime organize collusions.
Interlude (n) – A period of time between two events or situations, during which something different happens.
Example: A brief interlude of peace before a return to the battlefield.
Ludicrous (adj) – Completely unreasonable, stupid, or wrong.
Example: Driving when you are under the influence is a ludicrous idea.
Prelude (n) – If an event is a prelude to a more important event, it happens just before it and makes people expect it.
Example: Living together as a prelude to marriage is now considered acceptable in many countries.
Week of February 23, 2009
FIG (Shape, form, feign);
Configuration (n) – Formal or technical, the shape or arrangement of the parts of something.
Example: The configuration of an IPod Touch is very complex.
Disfigure (verb) – To spoil the appearance that something naturally has.
Example: His face had been disfigured in an accident.
Effigy (n) – A statue of a famous person.
Example: There is an Effigy of Walt Disney at Disneyland Park.
Figment (n) – Something that you imagine is real, but does not exist.
Example: Brian’s hallucinations were so real; however he knew they were a figment of his imagination.
Figuratively (adj) – A figurative word or phrase is used in a different way from its usual meaning, to give you a particular idea or picture in your mind.
Example: He’s my son, in the figurative sense of the word.
Week of February 16th, 2009
DOM (house, master);
Domain (n) – An area of activity, interest, or knowledge, especially one that a particular person, or organization deals with.
Example: This problem is outside the domain of medical science.
Domestic (adj) – Relating to or happening in one particular country and not involving any other countries.
Example: The booming domestic economy was the topic of the news.
Domicile (n) – The place where someone lives.
Example: Military service entails frequent changes of domicile.
Domination (n) – An act or instance of dominating.
Example: Hitler’s Blitzkrieg called for total domination of Europe.
Predominate (v) – If one type of person or thing predominates in a group or area, there is more of this type than any other.
Example: Pine trees predominate in this area of forest.
Source: Longmans dictionary
Week of February 9, 2009
TURB (confuse, agitate);
Disturbance (n) – Something that interrupts what you are doing, or the act of making this happen.
Example: There were disturbances in the crowd as fans left the stadium.
Perturbed (adj) – Being worried about something that happened or will happen.
Example: William looked a little perturbed.
Turbine (n) – An engine or motor in which the pressure of a liquid or gas moves a special wheel around.
Example: Air Force is trying to create a jet that contains a turbine.
Turbulent (adj) – A situation or period of time in which there are a lot of sudden changes.
Example: There were some turbulent times during the French Revolution.
Source: Longmans dictionary
Week of February 2nd, 2009
CIS (cut, or cut down);
Concise (adj) – Short, with no unnecessary words.
Example: Your summary should be as clear and concise as possible.
Decisive (adj) – An action, event, etc. that has a big effect on the way that something develop.
Example: Women can play a decisive role in the debate over cloning.
Excise (n) – The government tax that is put on the goods that are produced and used inside a country.
Example: The excise is high at the moment for tobacco.
Incisor (n) – One of the eight flat teeth at the front of your mouth.
Example: Sherry is going to the dentist to straighten out one of her incisor teeth.
Precision (n) – The quality of being very exact or correct.
Example: The work was carried out with military precision.
Source: Longmans dictionary
Week of January 19, 2009
ANTHROP (human being);
Anthropogenic (adj) – Of or relating to the study of the origins and development of humans.
Example: Cavemen are used as a Anthropogenic example of the origin of humans.
Anthropoid (adj) – An anthropoid animal, such as an ape, looks like a human.
Example: Apes and monkeys are anthropoid examples that some feel help prove the theory of evolution.
Anthropology (n) – The scientific study of people and origins.
Example: Harvard has a great anthropology program that many students may be interested in.
Misanthropic (adj) – Someone who doesn’t like other people and prefers to be alone.
Example: In his later years, Howard Hughes was often described as a misanthropic person.
Philanthropy (n) – The practice of giving money and help to people who are poor or in trouble.
Example: Robin Hood is a good example of a philanthropist person, he believed it was better to give than receive.
Source: Longmans dictionary
Week of January 12, 2009
VIC or VINC: (to conquer)
Convince (v) – To make someone feel certain that something is true.
Example: Her arguments didn’t convince everyone, but changes were made.
Conviction (n) – A very strong belief or opinion
Example: A woman of strong political convictions.
Invincible (adj) – Too strong to be destroyed or defeated.
Example: Young athletes think of themselves as invincible.
Provincial (adj) – Relating to or coming from the parts of a country that are not near the capital.
Example: My family came from a province in Germany.
Victimize (v) – To treat someone unfairly because you do not like them, their beliefs, or the race they belong to.
Example: The men claim they have been victimized because of their political activity.
Source: Longmans dictionary
Week of January 5th, 2009
TEND, TENT (stretch or spread):
Contentious (adj) – causing a lot of argument and disagreement between people.
Example: Animal welfare did not become a contentious issue until the late 1970’s.
Distended (v) – to swell or make something because of pressure from inside.
Example: The blizzard caused the pumpkin to be distended.
Extend (v) – to continue for a longer period of time, or to make something last longer.
Example: Management has agreed to extend the deadline.
Portend (v) – to be a sign that something is going to happen, especially something bad.
Example: Strange events that portend disaster.
Tendon (n) – a thick strong-like part of your body that connects a muscle to a bone.
Example: Michael Robinson had an Achilles tendon injury.
Source: Longmans dictionary
Week of December 15, 2008
SUB (under or beneath);
Subconscious (adj) – Feelings, desires etc that are hidden in your mind and affect your behavior, but you do not know that you have them.
Example: Subconsciously, he blames himself for the accident.
Subjugate (v) – To defeat a person or group and make them obey you.
Example: The native population was subjugated and exploited.
Subliminal (adj) – Affecting your mind in a way that you are not conscious of.
Example: That billboard had a subliminal message to the younger generation.
Substandard (adj) – Not as good as the average, and not acceptable.
Example: Their house was substandard compared to their neighbors house.
Subversion (n) – Secret activities that are intended to damage or destroy the power or influence of a government or established system.
Example: O.J. was jailed for subversion.
Source: Longmans dictionary
Week of December 8, 2008
Words of Mythology;
Achilles (n) – A weak part of someone’s character, which could cause them to fail at something.
Example: I think Frank’s vanity is his Achille’s heel.
Herculean (adj) – Needing great strength or determination.
Example: Defeating the dragon is a Herculean task.
Nemesis (n) – An opponent or enemy that is likely to be impossible for you to defeat, or a situation that is likely to be impossible for you to deal with.
Example: In the final he will meet his old nemesis, Darth Vader.
Pandora’s Box (n) – To do or start something that will cause a lot of other problems.
Example: The report could open up a Pandora’s Box of claims from similar cases.
Trojan horse (n) – Something that seems ordinary but that is used to hide someone’s real intentions.
Example: These investment arrangements could be Trojan horses for anti-competitive monopolies.
Source: Longmans dictionary
Words of the Week