Princeton Book GRE Key Terms Group 3 Flashcards
acumen (noun)
keen, accurate judgement or insight
adulterate (verb)
to reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
amalgamate (verb)
to combine several elements into a whole (noun form: amalgamation)
archaic (adj.)
outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive, time
aver (verb)
to state as a fact; to declare or assert
bolster (verb)
to provide support or reinforcement
bombastic (adj.)
pompous; grandiloquent (noun form: bombast)
diatribe (noun)
a harsh denunciation
dissemble (verb)
to disguise or conceal; to mislead
eccentric (adj.)
departing from norms or conventions
endemic (adj.)
characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region or people
evanescent (adj.)
tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing
exacerbate (verb)
to make worse or more severe
fervent (adj.)
greatly emotional or zealous (noun form: fervor)
fortuitous (adj.)
happening by chance or accident
germane (adj.)
relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
grandiloquence
pompous speech or expression (adj. form: grandiloquent)
hackneyed (adj.)
rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
halcyon (adj.)
calm and peaceful
hedonism (noun)
devotion to pleasurable pursuits, especially to the pleasures of the senses (a hedonist is someone who pursues pleasure)
hegemony (noun)
the consistent dominance of one state or group over others
iconoclast (noun)
one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or instituitons
idolatrous (adj.)
given to intense or excessive devotion to something (noun form: idolatry)
impassive (adj.)
revealing no emotion
imperturbable (adj.)
marked by extreme calm, impassivity, and steadiness
implacable (adj.)
not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
impunity (noun)
immunity from punishment or penalty
inchoate (adj.)
in an initial stage; not fully formed
infelicitous (adj.)
unfortunate; inappropriate
insipid (adj.)
lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge
loquacious (adj.)
extremely talkative (noun form: loquacity)
luminous (adj.)
characterized by brightness and the emission of light
malevolent (adj.)
having or showing often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred (noun form: malevolence)
malleable (adj.)
capable of being shaped or formed; tractable; pilable
mendacity (noun)
the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty (adj. form: mendacious)
meticulous (noun)
characterized by extreme care and precision; attentive to detail
misanthrope (noun)
one who hates all other humans (adj. form: misanthropic)
mitigate (verb)
to make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
obdurate (adj.)
unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
obsequious (adj.)
exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
occlude (verb)
to obstruct or block
opprobrium (noun)
disgrace; contempt; scorn
pedagogy (noun)
the profession or principles of teaching or instructing
pedantic (adj.)
overly concerned with the trivial details of learning or eduction; show-offish about one’s knowledge
penury (noun)
poverty; destitution
pervasive (adj.)
having the tendency to permeate or spread thoughout
pine (verb)
to yearn intensely; to languish; to lose weight
pirate (verb)
to illegally use or reproduce
pith (noun)
the essential or central part
pithy (adj.)
precise and brief
placate (verb)
to appease; to clam by making concessions
platitude (noun)
a superficial remark, especially one offered as meaningful
plummet (verb)
to plunge or drop straight down
polemical (adj.)
controversial; argumentative
prodigal (adj.)
recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
profuse (adj,)
given or coming forth abundantly; extravagant
proliferate (verb)
to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
queries (noun)
questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind; reservations
querulous (adj.)
prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
rancorous (adj.)
characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment (noun form: rancor)
recalcitrant (adj.)
obstinately defiant od authority; difficult to manage
repudiate (verb)
to refuse to have anything to do with; to disown
rescind (verb)
to invalidate; to repeal; to retract
rhetoric (noun)
the art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
salubrious (adj.)
promoting health or well-being
solvent (adj.)
able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
specious (adj.)
seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausible but false
spurious (adj.)
lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
subpoena (noun)
court order requiring appearance and/oor testimeony
succulent (adj.)
brief, concise
superfluous (adj.)
exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
surfeit (verb)/(noun)
an overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to excess
tenacity (noun)
the quality of adherence or persistence to something valued; persistent determination (adj. form: tenacious)
tirade (noun)
a long and extremely critical speech; a harsh denunciation
transient (adj.)
fleeting; passing quickly; brief
zealous (adj.)
fervent; ardent; impassioned, devoted to a cause (a zealot is a zealous person)
