10th Grade
Root Word and SAT
Vocabulary
aab-
: outside of, not
•
abstruse
•
adj. hard to understand; recondite;
esoteric: abstruse theories.
•
No one at the lecture could follow
the scientist’s abstruse theories
about the origins of the universe.
abdicate,
abnegation,
abridge,
abstract
absent
abnormal
abstinence
abolish
-age
•
:
state of
presage
•
n.
something that portends or
foreshadows an event
• v.
to foreshadow, predict, or forecast
•
Successful sales of the latest smart
phone may presage a rise in
technology stocks.
manage,
mortgage,
patronage,
pilgrimage,
visage
usage
sage
ac-, ad-
:
to, toward
•
adversity
•
n.
a condition marked by misfortune,
calamity, or distress; an unfortunate
event or circumstance
•
Many politicians describe their
struggle to overcome adversity in an
attempt to relate to constituents.
admit, admonish,
accelerate,
accessible
-al
-ial
:
like, pertaining to
•
peripheral
•
adj.
Not relating to the most important
part of something; incidental; minor;
on or near the periphery
•
The doctor chose to begin treating
the most serious trauma victims first,
leaving the peripheral cases to wait.
corporeal, social,
filial, economical,
editorial, celestial
ambi, amphi : both
•
ambivalent
•
adj.
undecided or simultaneously having
opposite or conflicting feelings, such
as love and hate
•
Susan couldn’t help but feel
ambivalent about being offered the
promotion over her best friend.
amphibious,
ambiguous,
amphitheater,
ambidextrous
-ance
-ence
•
:
state of
pestilence
n.
a deadly or virulent epidemic
disease; something that is
considered harmful, destructive, or
evil.
Advances in water purification,
sanitation, and antibiotic medicines
have limited the kinds of pestilence
faced by previous generations.
distance,
entrance,
difference,
eloquence
-ant
•
:
one who
savant
• n.
a person of profound or extensive
learning; learned scholar.
• Stephen Hawking is considered by
many to be one of the great savants
of modern science.
servant, assistant
anti•
:
against
antithesis
• n.
opposition, contrast; the direct
opposite.
• The brutal war crimes were the
antithesis of the government's
peacekeeping policy.
anticlimactic,
antipathy,
antipersonnel
anthropo : man/mankind
•
anthropomorphic
• adj.
ascribing human form or attributes to
a being or thing not human,
especially to a deity.
• The “Dog Whisperer” urges pet
owners to resist their
anthropomorphic tendencies.
anthropology,
misanthrope,
philanthropy
aud
aus
•
:
hear
auditory
• adj. pertaining to hearing, to the sense of
hearing, or to the organs of hearing.
• The doctor counseled his patient
that continuing to listen to extremely
loud music could impair auditory
function.
audition, auditor,
applause, laud
cata : lower in position
•
cataclysm
•
n.
any violent upheaval, especially one
of a social or political nature.
•
Many feel that a volcanic event in
Yellowstone National Park will be
the nation’s next great cataclysm.
catacomb,
catatonic,
catalepsy
circum : around
•
circumspect
•
adj.
watchful and discreet; cautious;
prudent; well-considered
• Though the caller seemed sincere
about my winning a valuable prize, I
remained circumspect.
circumference,
circular, circus,
circumnavigate
cis
cise
•
•
:
cut
excise
n.
an internal tax or duty on certain
commodities, as liquor or
tobacco, levied on their
manufacture, sale, or consumption
within the country.
• v.
to impose and excise
• The congressman questioned the
effect of excising products imported
from China on our nation’s
economy.
incision, precise,
incisor
clud
clus
:
shut
•
occlude
•
v.
to close, shut, or stop up (a
passage, opening, etc.).
•
Storm drains, occluded by debris,
could not handle the amount of
water generated by the storm.
include, exclude,
preclude
cor
cordis
:
heart
•
cordial
•
adj.
courteous and gracious; friendly;
warm; sincere
• I could not believe that Sally, my
mortal enemy since third grade, was
actually cordial on my birthday.
concord, discord,
courage
curro : run
•
concurrent
•
adj.
occurring or existing simultaneously
or side by side
•
Some students find time to finish
high school while concurrently
enrolling in some college courses.
occur, excursion,
courier
demo : people
•
demographics
•
n.
the statistical data of a population,
especially those showing average
age, income, education, etc.
•
The campaign studied the
demographics of the state and
focused their efforts on key cities
and neighborhoods.
democracy,
demagogue,
epidemic
derma : skin
•
hypodermic
•
adj.
introduced under the skin
•
He had seen them dozens of times
in the doctor’s office, but Larry
always felt faint at the thought of a
hypodermic needle being plunged
into his arm.
dermatology,
epidermis,
taxidermy
dia-
:
across, through
•
diagnosis
•
n.
the process of determining by
examination the nature and
circumstances of a diseased
condition
• Frustrated for months, Elizabeth
finally found a doctor who presented
her with a correct diagnosis and
treatment for her condition.
diagonal, diagram,
diameter, dialogue
dis-
:
not, undo
•
disingenuous
•
adj.
lacking in frankness, candor, or
sincerity; falsely or hypocritically
ingenuous; insincere
•
Many found the mayor’s remarks
disingenuous and decided to vote
for another candidate.
dismiss,
disrespect,
disallow, disarray
durus : hard
•
durable
•
adj.
able to resist wear, decay, etc., well;
lasting; enduring.
•
Modern automobile engines are
more durable than their
predecessors and require less
maintenance.
duration, endure
facio-/factum : make or do
•
façade
•
n.
the face of a building, especially the
main front
•
The façades of many new buildings
lack the character and distinction of
those from the last century.
factory,
manufacture
felix/felicis : happy
•
felicitous
•
adj.
well-suited for the occasion, as an
action, manner, or expression; apt;
appropriate
•
Gerald’s choice to wear short pants
to the picnic was particularly
felicitous, as temperatures soared to
record numbers that day.
felicity
fide : faith
•
infidel
•
n.
a person who has no religious faith;
unbeliever.
•
According to it’s members, anyone
not born into the restrictive faith
should be considered an infidel.
confide, fidelity,
confidante
fin :
end
•
definition
•
n.
the act of defining or making
definite, distinct, or clear.
•
The blurry image lacked definition
and no one was able to recognize
the face in the picture.
finish, confine,
finale, define, finite
folium : leaf
•
foliage
•
n.
the leaves of a plant, collectively or
leaves in general
• Many regard the foliage of the
eastern United States to be the most
beautiful, particularly in the Fall.
foliate, exfoliate,
folio
gradus : step or degree
•
gradation
•
n.
any process or change taking place
through a series of stages, by
degrees, or in a gradual manner.
•
Due to the gradation of our descent,
we did not realize the plane was
landing until moments before we
touched down.
grade, gradual,
graduate, degrade
hetero : opposite
•
heterogeneous
•
adj.
different in kind; unlike; incongruous.
•
My eclectic taste in music leads me
to choose a radio station with a
more heterogeneous playlist.
heterosexual,
heterodox,
heterozygous
homo : same
•
homogeneous
•
adj.
of the same kind or nature;
essentially alike.
•
Louise finds the homogeneous
nature of her book club member’s
personalities to be comforting.
homogenize,
homonym,
homophone
in-/im- :
not
•
impediment
•
n.
obstruction; hindrance;
obstacle.
•
The South African runner did not
allow his lack of legs to be an
impediment to competing in the
Olympic games.
inaction,
inefficient,
ineffectual,
imperturbable,
impregnable,
impossible
inter : between
•
interloper
•
n.
a person who interferes or meddles
in the affairs of others
•
Some regard Aunt Sally as an
interloper, but others view her as a
matchmaker.
international,
intersection,
interpersonal,
interlude,
intermission
ir- : not
•
irrevocable
•
adj.
not to be revoked or recalled;
unable to be repealed or annulled;
unalterable
•
Once implemented, the effects of
the budget cuts would be
irrevocable.
irresponsible,
irreversible
-ize : make
•
extemporize
•
v.
to speak extemporaneously;
to sing, or play on an instrument,
composing the music as
one proceeds; improvise.
•
Without his prepared notes, the
speaker was forced to extemporize
his speech.
fantasize,
materialize,
verbalize
jacio, ject : throw
•
projectile
•
n.
a body projected or impelled
forward, as through the air.
•
Soldiers are now able to fire
weapons capable of sending a
projectile two miles away.
eject, trajectory,
interject
kinesis : movement
•
kinetic
•
adj.
pertaining to motion; caused by
motion
•
The kindergarten teacher was
surprised her students’ kinetic
reaction to eating birthday cupcakes.
telekinetic,
kinesthetic,
kinesiology
loqu/locut : to speak or talk
•
loquacious
•
adj.
characterized by excessive talk;
wordy
• Some examples given for
vocabulary words are extremely
long, even loquacious, giving far
more description and example than
is practically useful in an activity
designed for high school students.
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lud-, lus- : play or mock
•
ludicrous
•
adj.
causing laughter because of
absurdity; provoking or deserving
derision; ridiculous; laughable
•
The students thought their principal
looked ludicrous in his chicken
Halloween costume.
allude, illusion
magnus : great or large
•
magnanimous
•
adj.
generous in forgiving an insult or
injury; free from petty
resentfulness or vindictiveness
•
Though hurt by her sister, Helen
made the magnanimous decision to
invite her to Thanksgiving dinner.
magnificent,
magnification,
magnate,
magnitude
mar : ocean
•
maritime
•
adj.
of or pertaining to the sea
•
The hurricane disrupted much of the
region’s maritime commerce.
marine, marsh
-ment : state of; act of
•
disillusionment
•
n.
a freeing or a being freed from
illusion or conviction;
disenchantment.
•
A wave of disillusionment crashed
over the concert-goers as they
realized the famous pop-star lipsynced all of her songs.
statement,
document,
filament,
firmament,
amazement,
contentment
met/meter : to measure
•
metronome
•
n.
a mechanical or electrical instrument
that makes repeated clicking sounds
at an adjustable pace, used for
marking rhythm, especially in
practicing music.
•
The rhythmic ticking of the
metronome helped the student play
the new musical piece.
metric, barometer,
thermometer,
kilometer
micro : small
•
microcosm
•
n.
human beings, humanity, society, or
the like, viewed as an epitome or
miniature of the world or universe.
•
The new online game created a
virtual world, a microcosm of
society, in which players could
interact.
microscope,
micron,
microorganism
mis- : wrong
•
misconstrue
•
v.
to misunderstand the meaning of;
take in a wrong sense; misinterpret.
•
Peter wanted to make a good
impression, but she seemed to
misconstrue his compliment.
misunderstand,
misfire,
misanthrope,
misinformation
naus : ship, boat
•
nautical
•
adj.
of or pertaining to sailors, ships, or
navigation
•
One nautical mile is slightly less
than one actual mile.
nautilus, nautiform
-ous : having quality of, like
•
scrupulous
•
adj.
having scruples; having or showing
a strict regard for what one
considers right; principled.
•
The league looks for scrupulous,
objective, responsible referees.
adventurous,
courageous,
fractious,
gregarious
petro : stone
•
petrified
•
adj.
converted into stone or a stony
substance.
•
The group travelled hundreds of
miles to see the famed petrified
forest in Arizona.
petrean (of rock),
petroglyph
poly : many
•
polyglot
•
n.
a person who speaks, writes, or
reads a number of languages.
polygon,
polynomial,
polytechnic,
polygamy
post : after
•
posterity
•
n.
succeeding or future generations
collectively
•
Politicians often talk about the
legacy we will leave to posterity.
postpone,
postdate,
postmortem,
posterior
primus : first
•
primordial
•
adj.
pertaining to or existing at or from
the very beginning
•
Paleontologists searched the
ancient riverbed for signs of
primordial life.
prime, primary,
primeval, primitive
scrib/scriptum : write
•
•
•
scrivener
n.
a notary or scribe
The oldest written record of the
medieval town was left by an
unknown scrivener.
manuscript,
transcribe,
transcript, scribble
sol : sun
•
solstice
•
n.
either of the two times a year when
the sun is at its greatest distance
from the celestial equator
•
People calling themselves modern
druids descend upon Stonehenge
during the summer solstice, hoping
for mystical healing.
solar, solunar
(having to do with
the rising and
setting of the sun
or phases of the
moon)
soph : knowledge, wisdom
•
sophomoric
•
adj.
intellectually pretentious,
overconfident, conceited, etc., but
immature
•
I thought the prank was funny but
others considered it sophomoric.
sophisticated,
philosophy
sub : under
•
subterfuge
•
n.
an artifice or expedient used to
evade a rule, escape a
consequence, hide something, etc.
•
He offered an complete explanation,
without guile or subterfuge.
submarine,
subterranean,
substandard,
subvert
super -
: above, extra
•
supercilious
•
adj.
haughtily disdainful or
contemptuous, as a person or a
facial expression
•
The maître d approached our
casually dressed party with a
supercilious air.
superior,
superscript,
supernatural,
superfluous
term/termin : end
•
interminable
•
adj.
incapable of being terminated;
unending
• The lecture seemed interminable,
and we had only been seated for
twenty minutes.
determine,
terminal,
terminate,
exterminate
terra : land
•
terrestrial
•
adj.
of or pertaining to land as distinct
from water.
•
Terrestrial meteorite impacts are
easier to locate than those that
strike areas covered in water.
terrain,
subterranean,
territory, terrarium
text : weave
•
context
•
n.
the parts of a written or spoken
statement that precede or follow a
specific word or passage, usually
influencing its meaning or effect
•
The article presented the mayor’s
words out of context, conveying a
very different message than the one
she had intended.
textile, pretext,
subtext, textual
-tion/-sion : state of, act of
•
volition
•
n.
a choice or decision made by the
will.
•
The chairman made it clear that his
resignation was of his own volition.
motion, fusion,
inclusion, friction,
vision
-tude : condition of
•
rectitude
•
n.
rightness of principle or conduct;
moral virtue
•
The district attorney has the
rectitude and courage to move
ahead with the investigation of the
powerful crime boss.
attitude, altitude,
fortitude
vers/vert : turn
•
vertigo
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