SAT/ACT College Prep Vocab Quiz Terms and Dates

SAT/ACT College Prep – Vocab Quiz Terms and Dates

Quiz # 1 – Jan 18/19

1. abate - to reduce in amount, degree, or intensity

2. aplomb - self-confident assurance; poise

3. avarice - greed

4. brevity - briefness

5. dogmatic - characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproved or unprovable principles

6. drab - faded or dull in appearance

7. egalitarian - characterized by a belief in equal political, economic, social, and civil rights for all people

8. empirical - guided by practical experience and not theory; relying on information derived from observation or experiment

9. feign - to give a false appearance

10. frugal - stingy; unwilling to expend financial resources; thrifty

11. furtive - sneaky; characterized by stealth

12. implacable - impossible to appease or calm down

13. jaded - weary; cynical; spiritless

14. mollify - to calm in temper or feeling; soothe

15. nominal - existing in name only

16. nuance - a subtle or slight degree of difference

17. olfactory - relating to the sense of smell

18. orthodox - adhering to what is traditional

19. perfidy - deliberate breach of trust; treachery

20. pertinent - having logical, precise relevance to the matter at hand

21. plausible - seemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; credible

22. quixotic - idealistic without regard to practicality

23. refute - to prove to be false or erroneous; overthrow an argument by proof

24. self-effacing - not drawing attention to oneself; modest

25. slovenly - untidy as in dress or appearance

26. taciturn - untalkative; silent; shy

27. ubiquitous - omnipresent

28. urbane - polite, refined, and elegant in manner or style

29. vitriolic - bitterly scathing; caustic

30. zeal - enthusiastic and unyielding devotion to a cause

Quiz 2 – Feb 1/2

1. abstruse – difficult to understand
2. acolyte – a devoted, zealous follower
3. polemic – a controversial argument, particularly one refuting a particular doctrine or belief
4. platitude – a trite or banal remark or statement, especially one made as if it were original or significant
5. complacent – content; self-satisfied; unmotivated due to success
6. dilapidated – in a state of ruin or disrepair; falling apart
7. allusion – an indirect reference
8. austere – somber and grave
9. onerous – burdensome
10. maladroit – inept; clumsy
11. inhibit – to prevent an occurrence
12. unorthodox – breaking with tradition, convention, or accepted practice
13. mellifluous – flowing with sweetness or honey; smooth and sweet
14. innocuous – benign; harmless; having no adverse effect
15. inert – unable to move or act; sluggish in action or motion
16. licentious – lacking moral discipline or restraint, especially in sexual conduct
17. soporific – sleep inducing
18. stigmatize – to characterize or brand as ignominious or disgraceful
19. prescience – foresight; knowledge of actions before they occur
20. quagmire – a difficult or impossible situation, hard to extricate from
21. pedantic – concern for book learning or formal rules
22. perplex – to confuse or fill with confusion or doubt
23. incite – to provoke or urge on
24. pristine – remaining in a pure or untouched state
25. esoteric – intended for or understood by a small or exclusive group
26. ambiguous – open to more than one interpretation
27. ambivalent – vacillating between two different or opposing choices
28. oblique – devious and misleading
29. convivial – fond of feasting or drinking; sociable
30. fortuitous – happening by accident or chance

Quiz 3 – Feb 15/16

1. abhorrent – repulsive; repugnant; loathsome
2. abrupt – unexpectedly sudden
3. apt – exactly suitable
4. autonomy – independence
5. bane – a cause of death, destruction, or ruin
6. brash – hasty or unthinking; impetuous
7. chasten – to correct by punishment or reproof; take to task
8. cogent – appealing to intellect or powers of reasoning
9. convey – to take or carry from one place to another; to communicate or impart
10. deficient – inadequate
11. denounce – to condemn openly as being evil or reprehensible
12. devour – to eat up greedily
13. dissolute – lacking moral restraint; indulging in sensual pleasures or vices
14. endorse – to give approval to; to condone or sanction
15. finite – having bounds; limited
16. fledgling – a young or inexperienced person
17. implicit – implied or understood though not directly expressed
18. inane – lacking sense or substance
19. juxtapose – to place side by side for the purpose of comparing
20. jocular – characterized by joking
21. lugubrious – mournful; gloomy; esp in an exaggerated way
22. manifold – many and varied; of many kinds
23. manifest – to make something clearly apparent to the sight or understanding
24. nebulous – cloudy, misty, or hazy
25. ostracize – to exclude from a group
26. pluralism – a condition of society in which numerous distinct ethnic, religious, or cultural groups coexist within one nation.
27. pathos – the use of emotion for persuasive purposes
28. prolific – producing abundant works or results
29. retract – to take back or withdraw a formal statement
30. rancor – bitter and long-lasting resentment

Quiz 4 – March 1/2

1. acclaim – to praise enthusiastically
2. acumen – keenness of judgement or insight
3. arcane – known or understood by only a few
4. cerebral – appealing to or requiring the use of intellect
5. chagrin – annoyance or embarrassment caused by failure or disappointment
6. caustic – bitter, corrosive; causing a burning sensation
7. largesse – liberality in bestowing gifts, often in a condescending or elitist manner
8. myriad – composed of numerous diverse elements or facets
9. misanthrope – one who hates or distrusts mankind
10. rebuke – to criticize or reprove sharply
11. plaintive – expressing sorrow; mournful or melancholy
12. solicitous – full of desire; eager
13. presumptuous – going beyond what is proper; excessively bold or forward
14. prodigious – impressively great in size, force, or extent
15. tactile – perceptible to the sense of touch
16. tenuous – having little substance; flimsy
17. retort – to reply in a quick, caustic, or witty manner
18. resplendent – brilliant; dazzling
19. toady – a flatterer; sycophant; henchman
20. vindicate – to justify or prove the worth of, especially in the light of later developments
21. stymie – to act as an obstacle or obstruction
22. subtle – not immediately obvious
23. subjective – particular to a given person; based on personal opinion; biased
24. vignettes – brief descriptive sketches; short stories; anecdotes
25. surrogate – one who takes the place of another
26. surreptitious – secretive; stealthy; sneaky
27. succinct – clear, precise, not using excess wordiness
28. unequivocal – admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; clear and unambiguous
29. hackneyed – overused; cliché; trite
30. galling – vexing; disturbing; shocking

Quiz 5 – March 22/23

1. acerbic – sour or bitter in tone or character; stinging
2. adroit – skillful; adept
3. aesthetic – beautiful in an outward, physical way
4. aloof – reserved; remote; inattentive
5. belligerent – hostile or aggressive
6. bombastic – pompous and arrogant in speech or writing
7. boon – a benefit; windfall
8. charismatic – possessing personal magnetism or charm
9. capricious - characterized by or subject to whim; impulsive and unpredictable
10. chicanery – deception by trickery or sophistry
11. contrite – feeling regret and sorrow for one’s sins or offenses; penitent
12. decorum – appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
13. dichotomy – division into two usually contradictory parts or opinions
14. digress – to get off topic
15. epitome – a representative or an example of a class or type
16. empathy – identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, motives
17. elicit – to bring or draw out
18. duplicity – deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech
19. fathom – to penetrate to the meaning or nature of; to comprehend
20. hamper – to prevent the free movement, action, or progress of
21. hyperbole – deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or effect
22. indignation – strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting
23. jovial – cheery; convivial; good-nature
24. neophyte – a recent convert to a belief; a noob
25. niche – a situation or an activity specially suited to a person’s particular interests or abilities
26. opaque – impenetrable by light; impossible to fathom or understand
27. parody – intentional mockery
28. proficient – marked by an advanced degree of competence
29. usurp – to take power by force
30. verbose – talkative; wordy

Quiz 6 – April 5/6

1. maritime – of, relating to, or adjacent to the sea
2. insolent – rude and disrespectful
3. insidious – working or spreading harmfully in a subtle or stealthy manner
4. overwrought – excessively nervous or excited; agitated
5. paradox – a contradictory statement or situation that must still be true
6. utilitarian – practical; stressing usefulness over other values
7. veracity – truthfulness
8. evocative – tending or having the power to draw forth or bring out something latent or hidden
9. strident – loud, harsh; discordant
10. relinquish – to give up or abandon
11. reticent – shy
12. risqué – suggestive of or bordering on impropriety and sexuality
13. redress – to set right; remedy
14. precept – a rule or principle prescribing a course of action or conduct
15. plethora – an abundance
16. panache – dash; verve; liveliness; flair
17. ornate – elaborately decorated
18. malaise – a vague feeling of discomfort, like the beginning of an illness
19. malleable – easily changed and controlled by other forces
20. interloper – one who interferes with the affairs of others; a meddler
21. gist – the central idea; the essence
22. havoc – widespread destruction
23. histrionic – excessively dramatic or emotional
24. galvanize – to spur to action
25. enigma – something that is puzzling, ambiguous, mysterious, or inexplicable
26. exonerate – to free from a responsibility, obligation, or task
27. ethereal – intangible; characterized by lightness
28. exemplary – worthy of imitation
29. discern – to perceive with the eyes or intellect; detect
30. prototype – an original form or instance that serves as a model on which later stages are based or judged

Quiz 7 – April 19/20

1. Pliable – receptive to change; adaptable
2. acrimonious – bitter and sharp in language or tone; rancorous
3. anecdote – a short account of an interesting or humorous event
4. arduous – difficult
5. condescending – having patronizingly superior behavior or attitude; looking down on others
6. copious – large in number; abundant
7. deft – skillful
8. derisive – mocking; jeering
9. emphatic – forceful or definite in expression or action
10. ennui – boredom
11. enthrall – to hold spellbound; captivate
12. flourish – to grow well or luxuriantly; to thrive; to make bold, sweeping movements
13. fluctuate – to vary irregularly
14. idyllic – simple and carefree; perfect
15. innuendo – an indirect or subtle, usually derogatory implication in expression; an insinuation
16. judicious – sound and unbiased in judgement; objective
17. loquacious – talkative; verbose
18. malicious – deliberately harmful; sinister
19. meticulous – extremely careful and precise
20. ostracize – to exclude from a group
21. parity – sameness; equivalence
22. pensive – deeply thoughtful
23. petulant – unreasonably irritable or ill-tempered; peevish
24. sycophant – one who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people
25. tactless – bluntly inconsiderate or indiscreet
26. tenacious – holding persistently to something, such as point of view or faith
27. trepidation – fear
28. gloat – to feel or express great, often malicious, pleasure or self-satisfaction
29. indelible – impossible to remove or erase; permanent
30. inevitable – impossible to avoid or prevent

Quiz 8 – Latin Prefixes– May ¾

Prefix / Meaning / Examples
A- / not, without / amoral,APATHY,ANOMALY
AB-, ABS- / away from, off, apart / abrupt,ABSCOND,ABSTRACT
AD-, AC-, AN-, AS- / toward, against / advent, accurate,ANNOTATE, assent
AMBI-, AMB- / around, about, on both sides / AMBIGUOUS,AMBIVALENT
ANTE- / before, in front of, early / antecede, antedate, antebellum
ARCH / main, chief / archangel, archbishop, archenemy
BI- / two / bifurcate, biannually
BENE- / well / BENEFACTOR, benefit, beneficial
CIRCUM-, CIRA- / around, about / circumflex, circumference, circa
CIS- / on this side of / cislunar, cisalpine
CON- / with, together / concur, concede,CONSCRIPT
COM-, COR-, COL- / together, with, very / COMPRISE, corrode, colleteral
CONTRA- / against / contradict, controversy, contravene
COUNTER- / against / counterfeit, counterclockwise
DE- / down, down from, off, utterly / deformed, defoliate, descend, depress
DEMI- / half, partly belongs to / demisemiquaver, demigod
DIS-, DI-, DIF- / apart, in different directions / DIGRESS, divorce, dispute,DISCERN
DU-, DUO- / two / duet, duplicate
EM- EN- / in, into / embrace, enclose
EX-, E-, EF-, EC- / out, out of, from, away / EXTOL, event, expel, evade,ELUCIDATE
EXTRA-,EXTRO- / outside of, beyond / extraordinary, extrovert,EXTRAPOLATE
FORE / before / forestall, forgo, forebear
IN-, I-, IL-, IM-, IR- / in, into, on, toward, put into, / incision, impel, impulse, irrigate,
not, lacking, without / illegal, ignominious, impure, immoral,
(same as above) / immodest, indecent,INCOHERENT
INDU-, INDI- / a strengthened form of IN- / indigent
INFRA- / below, beneath, inferior to,after / infrared, infrasonic
INTER-, INTEL- / among, between, at intervals / intercede, intercept, intellect
INTRA- / in, within, inside of / intramural, intravenous
INTRO- / in, into, within / introduce, introspective
JUXTA / near, beside / juxtapose, juxtaposition
MAL-, MALE- / evil, badly / malformed, malicious, malaise, maladroit
MEDI-, MEDIO- / middle / median, mediocre
MILLI-, MILLE- / thousand / millennium, millimeter
MONO- / one / MONARCH, MONOTONE
MULTI-, MULTUS- / much, many / multifaceted, multiply, multilevel
NE- / not / neuter,NEUTRAL
NON- / not (less emphatic than IN or UN) / nonresident, nonconformity
NUL-, NULL- / none, not any / nullify, nullification
OB-, OF-, OC-, / toward, against, across, down, for / oblong,OBDURATE, offer, occasion, occur
OP-, O- / toward, against, across, down, for / oppose, opposite, omit, offer
OMNI- / all, everywhere / omniscient, omnivorous
PED-, PEDI- / foot / pedestrian, pedicure
PER-, PEL- / through, by, thoroughly, away / PERMEATE, perfidy, pellucid
POST- / behind, after (in time or place) / postpone, postnatal, postorbital
PRE- / before, early, toward / precedent, precept, preposition
PRO-, PUR- / before, for, forth / proceed, purport, pursue,PROLONG
QUADRI-, QUADR- / four times, four fold / quadriceps, quadrisect, quadrangle
RE-, RED- / back, again, against, behind / repel,RELEGATE, redeem, redemption
RETRO- / backwards, behind / retrogressive, retrofit, retrograde
SE-, SED- / aside, apart, away from / secure, seduce, seclude, sedition, select
SEMI- / half / semicircle, semiprivate
SINE / without / sinecure
SUB-, SUC-, SUF- / under, beneath, inferior, / suffer,SUBMISSIVE, succumb,
SUG-, SUM-, SUP- / less than, in place of, secretly / suggest, subtract, suffuse, support
SUR-, SUS- / (same as above meanings) / suspend, surplus
SUBTER- / beneath, secretly / subterfuge
SUPER-, SUPRA- / over, above, excessively / SUPERFICIAL, SUPERCILIOUS
SUR- / over, above, excessively / surcharge, surtax, surplus, surrealism
TRANS-, TRA- / across, over, beyond, through / transoceanic, transgression, transit, transition
TRI- / three / triangle, triceps
ULTRA- / beyond, on other side / ultrasound, ultraconservative
UN- (Old English) / no, not, without / unabashed, unashamed

Quiz 9 – Latin Suffixes – May 17/18

Suffix / Meaning / Examples
-ABLE, -ABLY / able to, capable of being. / unalienable, insuperable
-ACY / state or quality of being / intricacy, democracy
-AGE / belonging to, related to / marriage, acreage, postage
-AL / pertaining to, act of / infinitesimal,EPHEMERAL
-ANA / sayings, writtings, facts of / Americana
-AN, -ANT, -ENT / one who is / charlatan, blatant, strident
-ANCE / act of, state of being, thing that / ABEYANCE
-ARY / belonging to, a relation to. / hereditary, subsidiary
-ATE / having / alienate, incarnate, insensate
-ATION, -ITION / the act of, result of / alteration, compilation, nutrition
-AR / relating to, like; the nature of / singular, polar, vicar, scholar
-BULUM, -BLE / means, instrument, place / fable, stable
-CIDE, -CIDAL / killer; having power to kill / insecticide, suicidal
-CRAT, -CRACY / to govern / bureaucracy, plutocracy
-CULUM, -CLE / means, instrument, place / curriculum, fulcrum
-EN / to become, or cause to be / darken, weaken
-ENCE / act, fact, quality, state / conference, excellence, despondence
-ENCY / state of being / clemency, dependency
-ER, -OR / one who / interlocutor, volunteer
-ENT / has, shows, or does / circumvent,INADVERTENT
-ERY, -RY / a place to/for; occupation of / tannery, vinery, dentistry, jewelry
-ESCE / becoming / obsolescent,COALESCE
-FY / to make, cause to be, or become / CLARIFY, horrify
-HOOD / state, quality; group of / childhood, priesthood
-IAN / belonging to, a relation to / vulgarian, plebian
-IER / a person concerned with / soldier
-IBLE / able to be. / susceptible, flexible
-IC / pertaining to / ASCETIC,PROSAIC,ENDEMIC
-ICE / state or quality of being / avarice
-IL, -ILE / having to do with / docil, missile, civil, fossil
-ION / the act or result of, one who / legion, opinion
-IUM, -Y, -CE, -GE / the act of / colloquium, colloquy, refuge
-CIUM, -TIUM, -GIUM / something connected with the act / consortium, compendium
-ISH / of, or belonging to; like / devilish, boyish, foolish, bookish
-IST / a person who does, makes, practices / ALTRUIST, artist
-ITIOUS / having the nature of. / nutritious, seditious
-ITUDE, (-TUDE) / state of being. / verisimilitude, aptitude
-ITY / state, character, condition / ANIMOSITY,stability
-IVE / one who, that which is / pensive,ELUSIVE, deductive
-LESS / (OE) without, lacking. / relentless, tireless
-LIKE / characteristic of; suitable for / manlike, childlike, godlike
-LY / specified manner, extent, direction / harshly, hourly
-MEN / result, or means / acumen, specimen
-MENTUM, -MENT / result, or means of an act / armament, impediment, moment
-NESS / state, quality of being / greatness. sadness
-OON / one who / buffoon
-OR / act, or condition of / error, terror,PRECURSOR
-ORY / relating to, thing which, place where / AMBULATORY, laboratory
-OSE, -OUS / having, full of, characterized by / IMPERVIOUS, unctuous, perilous
-SHIP / quality, condition, state of / fellowship, friendship
-SOME / like, tending to be / tiresome, lonesome
-TION / state of that which / convocation, commotion
-TUDE / state of being / verisimilitude, aptitude
-ULUS, -ULOUS / tending to / CREDULOUS, pendulous
-URE / state or act of / CENSURE, tenure
-UUS, -UOUS / tending to / INNOCUOUS
-VOROUS, -VORE / eating, feeding on / omnivorous, herbivore
-WISE / direction, manner, in regard to / clockwise
-Y / state of being. / nullity,APATHY