Name ______________________________________________________________ Spelling/Vocabulary Midterm
Vocabulary Word – Definition
Part of Speech
Sentence
Synonyms
Root Word, Meaning, Origin (For Greek and Latin Words)
Agitated – to be annoyed, irritated, disturbed, or bothered
Adjective and Verb
Verb – Mrs. Spencer agitated Mr. Taylor when she kept interrupting his class.
Adj – We followed the agitated horse around the barn to make sure he wouldn’t run away
Annoyed, irritated, disturbed, bothered
Anomalies – something that stands out; something that is abnormal or doesn’t fit in
Noun
The doctors discovered many physical anomalies after reviewing Paelen’s test results.
Abnormalities, irregularities, differences, oddities
Anthropology – the study of human races, origins, societies, and cultures
Noun
Because I am very interested in learning about humans and different cultures, I will major in anthropology when I
go to college.
Sociology, folklore, human studies
Ology, study, Greek
Aquarium – a glass tank or bowl in which fish or other aquatic animals live
Noun
He loved to sit and watch the fish swim back and forth in the aquarium.
Fishbowl, marine exhibit, aquatic museum, fish tank
Aqua/aqu, water, Latin
Aquatic – living or taking place in water
Adjective
Water polo is my favorite aquatic sport.
Marine, oceanic, sea, watery
Aqua/aqu, water, Latin
Aqueduct – a channel that has been built to carry water over long distances
Noun
Our drinking water is carried from the mountains through the large aqueduct until it finally makes its way to us.
Channel, conduit, course, water passage
Aqua/aqu, water, Latin
Aquifer – an underground layer of rock that water continually moves through
Noun
The homesteaders dug their well right above the aquifer in order to get a clean and steady supply of water.
Water conductor, water filter
Aqua/aqu, water, Latin
Audible – able to be heard
Adjective
I turned the volume of my phone up so that it would be audible over the loud music of the party.
Hearable, loud, perceptible
Aud, hear, Latin
Audience – a group of people who have gathered to watch a performance or public event
Noun
The audience gave a standing ovation to the orchestra at the conclusion of the performance.
Congregation, fans, spectators, listeners, viewers
Aud, hear, Latin
Audition – an interview for a particular role or job as a singer, actor, dancer, or musician, consisting of a
performance
Noun (could also be a verb if you are auditioning for a role)
Even though Megan rehearsed for the lead role in the school play, she was still very nervous before the audition.
Tryout, interview, trial
Aud, hear, Latin
Auditorium – the part of a theater, concert hall, or other public building in which the audience sits.
Noun
The auditorium was packed with people an hour before the play began.
Assembly hall, concert hall, theater
Aud, hear, Latin
Authorization – the act of allowing, approving, or authorizing
Noun
The CRU never gave Paelen the authorization to leave the facility.
Permission, allowance, dispensation, consent
Autobiography – a person’s life story written by that person
Noun
Abe Lincoln’s autobiography is one of the most read pieces of nonfiction literature.
Life story, journal, diary, memoir
Blazed – to burn brightly
Verb
The flamed blazed from the top of the temple.
Gleamed, illuminated, glowed, flared
Bridle – the headpiece that is placed on a horse’s muzzle used for controlling or steering
Noun
The golden bridle broke freely off of Pegasus.
Restraint, reign, muzzle mask, headpiece
Cacophony – a mixture of various unpleasant sounds; harsh sounds
Noun
The barking dogs, car alarms, and sirens made up the cacophony of the city.
Harshness, noise, discord
Phon, sound, Greek
Calligraphy – the art of making beautiful handwriting
Noun
The bride paid extra money to have her invitations written in golden calligraphy.
Longhand, scrawl, pen script, chirography
Campaign – an organized course or operation of action to achieve a particular goal
Noun
She started a campaign to become class president.
Cause, movement, operation, quest
Clutching – To grip with hands or claws
Verb
Paelen was clutching the bridle as he fell down to earth.
Grasping, gripping, holding, seizing
Conscience – the part of the mind that tells you certain actions are right or wrong
Noun
Even though I didn’t want to fail the test, my conscience just wouldn’t allow me to cheat.
Morals, principles, censor
Sci, to know, Latin
Conscientious – very careful about doing what you are supposed to do; concerned with doing something correctly
Adjective
Tim is very a conscientious student, who works hard and takes pride in his work.
Thorough, careful, meticulous, particular
Sci, to know, Latin
Contentment – a state of happiness and satisfaction
Noun
I was filled with contentment after I got an A on the test I studied so hard for.
Fulfillment, satisfaction, pleasure, complacency, delight
Contradict – to say the opposite of something that someone else has said; to deny the truth
Verb
No matter what my brother would say, I would always find a way to contradict him.
Counter, deny, negate, counteract, disprove
Dehydrate – to lose water or moisture; to become dry
Verb
Running a marathon without drinking water will likely dehydrate a runner.
Drain, dry out, parch, dry up
Hydr, water, Greek
Descended – to move or fall downward
Verb
Pegasus descended from the sky and landed on Emily’s roof.
Plummeted, lowered, plunged, cascaded, declined, dropped
Dictate – to speak or read something to a person who writes it down
Verb
The politician would dictate her speech to her assistant, who would type it later.
Compose, say, talk, verbalize, deliver
Distinct – something that stands out; recognizably different in nature from something else of a similar type
something that is distinguishable by the sense
Adjective
I smell a distinct odor in my last period class after the kids have been in gym class.
Specific, particular, apparent, clear, recognizable
Edict – an official order given by a person with power or by someone with authority
Noun
The King announced to his people the edict that all townspeople must pay 5% taxes on all items.
Proclamation, law, commandment, amendment, announcement
Etymology – the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout
history
Noun
One example of etymology is the study of Greek and Latin roots.
Word study, derivation, phrase history
Ology, study, Greek
Extinguish – to put out
Verb
The Nirads wanted to extinguish the flame, but Jupiter put up a great defense.
Quench, end, smother, douse
Familiarizing – to get to know something or someone better
Verb
The kitten was familiarizing herself with the house after they brought her home for the first time.
Acquainting, learning, enlightening, accustoming
Fleeing – to escape danger or evil
Verb
Paelen was seen fleeing from Olympus because he was scared.
Escaping, flying, bolting,
Geology – the scientific study of the history of Earth, especially as recorded by rocks
Noun
Geology has determined that the approximate age of the Earth is 4.54 billion years old.
Rock study, earth study
Ology, study, Greek
Gesture – movement/action to express thought or emotion
Noun and Verb
Noun – Giving the stray dog food was a nice gesture.
Action, expression, indication, sign
Verb – Mrs. Spencer kept gesturing the students to quiet down during the performance.
Act out, signal, wave
Graphic – shown or described in a very clear way, used especially to refer to things that are unpleasant or
shocking
Adjective
I had to change the channel because I couldn’t bear to look at the graphic car crash on the news.
Detailed, stirring, expressive, striking, descriptive, illustrative
Horrendous – extremely unpleasant, horrifying, or terrible
Adjective
On the news this morning was a story about a horrendous car crash.
Horrifying, terrible, atrocious, ghastly, gruesome
Hydrant – an upright pipe with a spout, nozzle, or other outlet, usually in the street, for drawing water from a main
pipe, especially for fighting fires
Noun
The firefighters hooked up a large hose to the fire hydrant and started to spray the burning house with water.
Faucet, fireplug, spigot, spout
Hydr, water, Greek
Hydroelectric – related to electricity that is made from the energy of falling water
Adjective
Water that is released from the Bonneville Dam turns many turbines, large wheels, and makes hydroelectric
energy
Water power, water energy
Hydr, water, Greek
Inscription – words that are written, cut, or carved into a surface
Noun
The little girls traced her hands along the inscription on the tombstone.
Engraving, caption, carving, signature, chiseling
Manipulated – to handle or control typically in a skillful manner (physical); to influence cleverly or unfairly
(mental)
Verb
Paelen manipulated his body in order to squeeze through the ventilation system.
Altered, handled, changed, influenced
Marina – a small harbor where small boats can dock
Noun
We looked out at the marina, watching the sailboats come and go.
Harbor, boatyard, pier
Mar/mer, sea, Latin
Marine – related to the sea; existing in or produced by the sea
Adjective
The oil spill near the Gulf Coast harmed many marine animals and plants.
Aquatic, nautical, coastal, oceanic
Mar/mer, sea, Latin
Maritime – on or near the sea
Adjective
The Chesapeake Bay is known for its maritime industries such as fishing and crabbing.
Coastal, Nautical, Oceanic, sea
Mar/mer, sea, Latin
Memento – an object that is a reminder of a person, place, or event; a souvenir
Noun
I kept the ticket stub to the first baseball game I ever went to as a memento to always remind me of the fun time I
had.
Souvenir, keepsake, token
Mem, mindful/recall, Latin
Memoir – a written account in which someone describes past experiences
Noun
The explorer’s memoir contained fascinating information about his discoveries, as well as his personal daily
activities.
Account, diary, journal, narrative
Mem, mindful/recall, Latin
Memorable – very good or interesting and worth remembering
Adjective
My first time visiting New York City was the most memorable trip of my life.
Unforgettable, eventful, important, monumental
Mem, mindful/recall, Latin
Memorialize – to do or create something that causes people to remember an important person, thing, or event
Verb
Mount Rushmore memorializes four of the greatest US presidents.
Celebrate, commemorate, glorify
Mem, mindful/recall, Latin
Nirad – a mythical beast with grey marble skin, hands hard as stone, four arms, and bead-black eyes
Noun
The Nirad successfully extinguished the Flame of Olympus.
Beast, monster, creature
Olympus – the home of the 12 Olympians (Mount Olympus)
Noun
Jupiter did his best to defend Olympus from the Nirads.
Temple, headquarters, home, Mount Olympus
Paelen – The Roman God of Thieves
Noun
Paelen wanted to steal Pegasus’s bridle and flee the battle with the Nirads.
Roman God, Thief, Robber
Particular – Specifically focused on one thing; the main thing; to give full attention to
Adjective
I went to the store looking for a particular flavor of gum.
Certain, specific, special, precise, distinct, singular
Pegasus – a mythical white horse with wings
Noun
Pegasus used his golden hooves to fight the Nirads.
Stallion, horse, buck
Phonograph – a machine that reproduces sound (music) by placing a needle in contact with a grooved rotating
disk; a record player
Noun
We listened to some old records on the phonograph.
Record player, graphophone, stereo
Phon, sound, Greek
Prescription – a written message from a doctor that officially tells a patient what medicine to take and when to
take it
Noun
When I had bronchitis, the doctor wrote me a prescription.
Instruction, direction, remedy, doctor’s note
Pried (pry) – to pull, move, or open with force; to interfere
Verb
Paelen pried the vending machine open to get sugary treats.
Jimmied, separated, intruded, busted, opened, hoisted
Progressed – to move forward or onward toward a destination or goal
Verb
As the night progressed, Emily found herself more ill due to her infected leg.
Advanced, developed, proceeded, continued
Quiver – to shake or tremble due to fear or anxiousness
Verb
The thought of running through a graveyard at night makes me quiver.
Shake, shudder, tremor, tremble
Resenting – to feel bitterness or indignation at a circumstance, action, or person
Verb
Paelen was resenting Agent J for not releasing him to go find Pegasus.
Envying, disliking, begrudging
Savored – to take in or enjoy, especially dealing with taste, smell, or moment
Verb
Pegasus savored every moment he was able to spend with Emily.
Cherished, preserved, enjoyed
Science – the study of the natural world based on facts learned through experiments and observations
Noun
My favorite subject in school is science because I love learning about the world around us.
Information, material world, body of knowledge
Sci, to know, Latin
Shivering – to shake or tremble with cold, fear, excitement, etc .
Verb
I was shivering during the entire football game because I forgot my winter coat.
Shaking, Quaking, Rattling, Trembling
Shrieking – to utter a loud, sharp, shrill cry
Verb
The girl was shrieking after she fell of her bike.
Screaming, yelling, squealing, crying, shouting
Stallion – a large, male horse
Noun
The stallion galloped through the field.
Horse, buck, mustang
Suspicious – to show concern; to express curiosity; inclined to suspect
Adjective
The man standing in the dark alley seemed very suspicious.
Mysterious, skeptical, disbelieving, untrustworthy, curious
Telegram – a message sent by a telegraph and then delivered in written or printed form; sometimes referred to as
a wire or cable
Noun
The quickest way to communicate in the 1800’s was by sending a telegram, which would take many days to be
delivered to the recipient.
Postcard, message, teletype, signal
Tersely – sparing in the use of worse; using few words
Adverb
I tersely spoke to my mother when I was upset with her.
Briefly, concisely, shortly, abruptly
Transcript – an official written, printed, or typed copy of words that have been previously spoken or recorded
Noun
I couldn’t wait to receive my college transcript in the mail after graduation!
Official document, record, manuscript, minutes, reproduction
Treacherous – guilty of or involving betrayal or deception; dangerous and unsafe
Adjective
The walk through New York City at night proved to be treacherous.
Menacing, dangerous, hazardous, unsafe, fearful
Twinge – a sudden, sharp pain; a mental or emotional pang
Noun
I felt a twinge in my neck when I woke up this morning; I must have slept on it wrong.
Pain, ache, pang, throb
Ventilation – A vent system that carries air through a building
Noun
Paelen can contort his body to travel through the ventilation system.
Duct work, air system, passageway
Vicious – Deliberately cruel or violent
Adjective
The vicious Nirads attacked Pegasus with plans to kill him.
Malicious, evil, cruel, brutal
Visionary – a person with original ideas about what the future will or could be like
Noun
Steve Job’s futuristic thinking and creativity made him the most well known visionary of our time.
Dreamer, theorist, idealist
Vis/vid, see/look, Latin
Vista – a pleasing view, especially one seen through a long, narrow opening
Noun
We enjoyed the beautiful vista of the mountains through the front window of the cottage.
Landscape, panorama, scenery, sight
Vis/vid, see/look, Latin
Visualize – form a mental image of something; imagine
Verb
Even though I had never been there, I could visualize the crystal blue beaches of Hawaii in my mind.
Create, envision, imagine
Vis/vid, see/look, Latin
Whinnying – a neigh; a cry of a horse
Verb
Emily could hear Pegasus whinnying with pain from the kitchen of her apartment.
Crying, neighing, squealing
Wrath – Strong, stern, or fierce anger; punishment as the consequence of anger
Noun
Prometheus could feel the wrath of Zeus after he disobeyed him.
Anger, fury, punishment, rage
Xylophone – a musical instrument played by striking a row of metal bars of different lengths with one or more
small wooden plastic mallets
Noun
She could hear her baby sister banging away on her xylophone.
Instrument, marimba, vibraphone
Phon, sound, Greek