GRE Major Tests Chapter 11

Question 1

Antiquated

Answer 1

outdated, old-fashioned

ex) Music cassettes are considered antiquated nowadays.

Question 2

Choleric

Answer 2

easily angered

ex) The choleric baby would not stop crying.

Question 3

Diorama

Answer 3

model of scene

ex) Gloved hands holding the camera, and it becomes obvious that I’am part of a diorama.

Question 4

Fecund

Answer 4

fertile, intellectually productive

ex) The computer programmer was a fecund person who could quickly identify and solve problems.

Question 5

Inebriation

Answer 5

drunkenness, intoxication

ex) To one end of the bar, populated entirely by men in various stages of inebriation were the restrooms.

Question 6

Marshal

Answer 6

to gather together

ex) The soldier marshaled all his courage and ran towards the enemy.

Question 7

Parity

Answer 7

equality

ex) Because both playoff teams are great, the party of the championship games is going to make for exciting television.

Question 8

Profound

Answer 8

having deep meaning

ex) The speakers profound words made me think about my future.

Question 9

Servile

Answer 9

overly submissive, groveling

ex) Because she has a servile disposition, Janet is a great nurse.

Question 10

Usurp

Answer 10

take someone’s position (usually by force)

ex) You must be crazy with this attempt to usurp the ship’s captain.

Question 11

Apathetic

Answer 11

indifferent, uninterested

ex) Although James was apathetic with his classes, he loved playing football.

Question 12

Chronicler

Answer 12

person who records historical information

ex) I hear of Sherlock everywhere since you became his chronicler.

Question 13

Dirge

Answer 13

mournful song

ex) As the dirge was played on the church piano, the widow and her children wept.

Question 14

Felicitous

Answer 14

apt, well-suited for the occasion

ex) I hope I have given you a felicitous answer for your question.

Question 15

Ineffable

Answer 15

cannot be expressed in words.

ex) The joy I experienced at the birth of my first child was ineffable.

Question 16

Marsupial

Answer 16

pouched mammal (like a kangaroo)

ex) Study reveals extinct marsupial lion may have had the strongest bite among mammals.

Question 17

Parochial

Answer 17

narrow-minded

ex) Parochial attitudes.

Question 18

Profundity

Answer 18

depth

ex) The profundity of his thoughts.

Question 19

Skeptical

Answer 19

doubting

ex) My friends looked at me skeptically when I told them I would be a millionaire by the age of thirty.

Question 20

Utilitarian

Answer 20

useful

ex) The bed is comfortable and also includes utilitarian features like drawers and bookshelves.

Question 21

Apathy

Answer 21

lack of interest or emotion

ex) Because of voter apathy, there is a very short line at the polls today.

Question 22

Circuitous

Answer 22

indirect

ex) My boss asked me to simplify the circuitous language for the average reader.

Question 23

Disapprobation

Answer 23

disapproval

ex) Jack showed disapprobation for his daughter’s poor grades by taking her car keys.

Question 24

Fervor

Answer 24

passion

ex) The woman’s spiritual fervor led her to leave her husband and become a nun.

Question 25

Inept

Answer 25

incompetent, unskilled

ex) Although she had gone to cooking school for two years, she was still an inept cook.

Question 26

Martinet

Answer 26

person who believes in strict discipline

ex) The prison warden is viewed as a martinet because of his strict management of the correctional facility.

Question 27

Parody

Answer 27

a mockery

ex) Do you think the singer will laugh when he hears my parody of his song?

Question 28

Proletarian

Answer 28

member of the working class, workers without high status

ex) If she had no money, she was a proletarian.

Question 29

Skirmish

Answer 29

minor battle

ex) They skirmished over the property.

Question 30

Utopian

Answer 30

a believer in an ideal world

ex) It’s a utopian dream.

Question 31

Apocryphal

Answer 31

of doubtful origin

ex) The old man often shared apocryphal ghost stories with anyone who would listen.

Question 32

Circumlocution

Answer 32

using too many words

ex) As a politician, the senator had no problem using circumlocution to make his responses sound honest.

Question 33

Discern

Answer 33

to distinguish one thing from another

ex) We must discern between truth and lies.

Question 34

Fickle

Answer 34

unpredictable

ex) Because he is such a fickle man, he will probably never settle down with one woman.

Question 35

Inertia

Answer 35

inactivity, lethargy

ex) Because of the patients inertia and failure to complete physical therapy, the ankle injury has worsened.

Question 36

Masochist

Answer 36

person who intentionally inflicts pain on himself

ex) Sarah does not like enduring or observing pain so she definitely is not a masochist.

Question 37

Parry

Answer 37

ward off, avoid

ex) He parried questions from reporters outside the building.

Question 38

Prolific

Answer 38

producing a lot

ex) Every team in the league wanted the prolific soccer player.

Question 39

Sluggard

Answer 39

slow-moving, lethargic person

ex) I’m waiting for those sluggards to bring my steak.

Question 40

Vacillate

Answer 40

waver, hesitate

ex) You will miss a great opportunity if you vacillate.

Question 41

Appease

Answer 41

pacify, calm down, make peace with

ex) A simply apology will appease my wounded pride and make me feel better.

Question 42

Circumscribe

Answer 42

limit

ex) As soon as the doctor got into power, he immediately began to circumscribe the rights of the people.

Question 43

Discord

Answer 43

disagreement

ex) We discorded commonly on two points.

Question 44

Finesse

Answer 44

skill

ex) The winner of the chess match displayed his finesse in the game.

Question 45

Inevitable

Answer 45

cannot be avoided

ex) At school, it is inevitable that a sick child will give a cold to a healthy child.

Question 46

Matriarchy

Answer 46

society governed by women

ex) During the matriarchy, women had the power.

Question 47

Parsimonious

Answer 47

economical, frugal, the quality of being careful with money or resources

ex) To save money, the parsimonious old men always bought used clothes.

Question 48

Proponents

Answer 48

promoters, supporters

ex) He is a proponent of women’s rights.

Question 49

Smelt

Answer 49

refine an ore

ex) Tin smelting.

Question 50

Vacuous

Answer 50

empty, meaningless

ex) Her life was just one vaucous day after another.