Princeton Book GRE Key Terms Group 4 Flashcards
acerbic (adj.)
having sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
aggrandize (verb)
to increase in intensity, power, influence, or prestige
alchemy (noun)
a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metas, especially base metals into gold (an alchemist is one who practices alchemy)
amenable (adj.)
agreeable; responsive or suggestion
anachronism (noun)
something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
astringent (noun)/(adj.)
having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue
contiguous (adj.)
sharing a border; touching; adjacent
convention (noun)
a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
credulous (adj.)
tending to believe too readily; gullible (noun form: credulity)
cynicism (noun)
an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness (adj. form: cynical)
decorum (noun)
polite or appropriate conduct or behavior (adj. form: decorous)
derision (noun)
scorn, ridicule, contemptuous, treatment (adj. form: derisive; verb form: deride)
desiccate (verb)
to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
dilettante (noun)
one with amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
disparage (verb)
to slight or belittle
divulge (verb)
to disclose something secret
fawn (verb)
to flatter or praise excessively
flout (verb)
to show contempt for, as n a rule or convention
garrulous (adj.)
pointless talkative; talking too much
glib (adj.)
marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
hubris (noun)
overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
imminent (adj.)
about to happen; impending
immutable (adj.)
not capable of change
impetuous (adj.)
lastly or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
indifferent (adj.)
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice
inimical (adj.)
damaging; harmful; injurious
intractable (adj.)
not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
intrepid (adj.)
steadfast and courageous
laconic (adj.)
using few words; terse
maverick (noun)
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
mercurial (adj.)
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
mollify (verb)
to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
neophyte (noun)
a recent convert; a beginner; a novice
obfuscate (verb)
to deliberately obscure; to make confusing
obstinate (adj.)
stubborn; hard-headed; uncompromising
ostentatious (adj.)
characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
pervade (verb)
to permeate throughout (adj. form: pervasive)
phlegmatic (adj.)
calm; sluggish; unemotional
plethora (noun)
an overabundance; a surplus
pragmatic (adj.)
practical rather than idealistic
presumptuous (adj.)
overstepping the bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); talking liberties
pristine (adj.)
pure; uncorrupted; clean
probity (noun)
adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
proclivity (noun)
a natural predisposition or inclination
profligate (adj.)
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant (noun form: profligacy)
propensity (noun)
a natural inclination or tendency; penchant
prosaic (adj.)
dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
pungent (adj.)
characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
quixotic (adj.)
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
quotidian (adj.-
occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
rarefy (verb)
to make or become thin, less dense; to refine
refulgent (adj.)
radiant; shiny; brillant
renege (verb)
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
sedulous (adj.)
diligent; persistent; hard-working
shard (noun)
a piece of broken pottery or glass
soporific (adj.)
causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
sparse (adj.)
thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals
spendthrift (noun)
one who spends money wastefully
subtle (adj.)
not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern
tacit (adj.)
IMPLIED; NOT EXPLICITY STATED
terse (adj.)
brief and concise in wording
tout (verb)
to publicly precise or promote
trenchant (adj.)
sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
unfeigned (adj.)
genuine; not false or hypocritical
untenable (adj.)
indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
vacillate (verb)
to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another
variegated (ade.)
multicolored; characterized by a variety of patched of different color
vituperate (verb)
to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; to berate
volatile (adj.)
readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive (noun form: volatility)
