Free SAT Vocabulary Words with StudyMinder Flash Cards

The Free Trial version of StudyMinder Flash Cards comes with 1,000 SAT vocabulary words and definitions that you can print out or study on your computer with the Flash Cards program.

When you order the registered version of StudyMinder Flash Cards, you get another 4,200 words, for a total of 5,200 SAT vocabulary words. 

The SAT vocabulary words are arranged in order from most common to least common. As you go through the words they become gradually more difficult, as they are less frequently used in modern American English. The first 1,000 SAT words and definitions - the most common  - are the ones included with the Free Trial version of StudyMinder Flash Cards.

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SAT Vocabulary Words 4,001 to 5,200

SAT Words Group 81

• oratorio - n. a musical composition for voices and orchestra based on a religious text
• perfidy - n. betrayal of a trust
• rhapsody - n. an epic poem adapted for recitation
• galvanic - j. pertaining to or producing electric current by chemical action
• omnivorous - j. feeding on both plants and animals
• propellant - j. tending to or capable of propelling
• satirize - v. ridicule with satire
• tamp - v. press down tightly
• leaven - v. cause to puff up with a leaven
• retrench - v. make a reduction, as in one's workforce
• colloquialism - n. a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
• ostracism - n. the act of excluding someone from society by general consent
• statecraft - n. wisdom in the management of public affairs
• toady - n. a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
• translucence - n. the quality of allowing light to pass diffusely
• preempt - v. take the place of or have precedence over
• soothsayer - n. someone who makes predictions of the future (usually on the basis of special knowledge)
• amour - n. a usually secretive or illicit sexual relationship
• creamery - n. a workplace where dairy products (butter and cheese etc.) are produced or sold
• gumption - n. fortitude and determination
• abnegation - n. renunciation of your own interests in favor of the interests of others
• extensible - j. capable of being protruded or stretched or opened out
• ossify - v. cause to become hard and bony
• uproarious - j. marked by or causing boisterous merriment or convulsive laughter
• extrajudicial - j. beyond the usual course of legal proceedings; legally unwarranted
• glazier - n. someone who cuts flat glass to size
• introversion - n. (psychology) an introverted disposition; concern with one's own thoughts and feelings
• warmonger - n. a person who advocates war or warlike policies
• hallow - v. render holy by means of religious rites
• fulmination - n. the act of exploding with noise and violence
• despond - v. lose confidence or hope; become dejected
• introvert - n. (psychology) a person who tends to shrink from social contacts and to become preoccupied with their own thoughts
• athwart - a. at right angles to the center line of a ship
• castigation - n. a severe scolding
• commingle - v. mix or blend
• submersion - n. the act of putting something under water
• arabesque - n. position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind and arms outstretched in a conventional pose
• nuptial - j. of or relating to a wedding
• descendent - n. a person considered as descended from some ancestor or race
• curmudgeon - n. a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
• baneful - j. exceedingly harmful
• coquette - n. a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men
• effeminacy - n. the trait of being effeminate (derogatory of a man)
• gluttonous - j. given to excess in consumption of especially food or drink
• liniment - n. a medicinal liquid that is rubbed into the skin to relieve muscular stiffness and pain
• litigate - v. engage in legal proceedings
• preeminence - n. high status importance owing to marked superiority
• recidivist - n. someone who is repeatedly arrested for criminal behavior (especially for the same criminal behavior)
• sextet - n. a musical composition written for six performers
• moralize - v. interpret the moral meaning of

SAT Words Group 82

• slothful - j. disinclined to work or exertion
• eulogize - v. praise formally and eloquently
• apprise - v. make aware of
• multiform - j. occurring in or having many forms or shapes or appearances
• violator - n. someone who violates the law
• embolism - n. occlusion of a blood vessel by an embolus (a loose clot or air bubble or other particle)
• foreknowledge - n. knowledge of an event before it occurs
• vacillate - v. move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern
• magnetize - v. make magnetic
• buffoonery - n. acting like a clown or buffoon
• prohibitionist - n. a reformer who opposes the use of intoxicating beverages
• turpitude - n. a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice
• floe - n. a flat mass of ice (smaller than an ice field) floating at sea
• hypercritical - j. inclined to judge too severely
• boll - n. the rounded seed-bearing capsule of a cotton or flax plant
• lode - n. a deposit of valuable ore occurring within definite boundaries separating it from surrounding rocks
• epicurean - j. displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses
• excoriation - n. severe censure
• recognizance - n. (law) a security entered into before a court with a condition to perform some act required by law; on failure to perform that act a sum is forfeited
• protoplasm - n. the substance of a living cell (including cytoplasm and nucleus)
• fulminate - v. come on suddenly and intensely
• knavery - n. lack of honesty; acts of lying or cheating or stealing
• legerdemain - n. an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers
• distill - v. undergo condensation; change from a gaseous to a liquid state and fall in drops
• darkling - j. uncannily or threateningly dark or obscure
• divestiture - n. an order to an offending party to rid itself of property; it has the purpose of depriving the defendant of the gains of wrongful behavior
• poetics - n. study of poetry
• appall - v. strike with disgust or revulsion
• fungible - j. of goods or commodities; freely exchangeable for or replaceable by another of like nature or kind in the satisfaction of an obligation
• coagulant - n. an agent that produces coagulation
• orate - v. talk pompously
• sophistical - j. plausible but misleading
• Anglophobia - n. dislike (or fear) of Britain and British customs
• presentment - n. a show or display; the act of presenting something to sight or view
• Decalogue - n. the biblical commandments of Moses
• extemporaneous - j. with little or no preparation or forethought
• ramose - j. having branches
• surveyor - n. an engineer who determines the boundaries and elevations of land or structures
• advert - v. make reference to or call attention to
• stratum - n. one of several parallel layers of material arranged one on top of another (such as a layer of tissue or cells in an organism or a layer of sedimentary rock)
• contour - n. a feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of anything having a complex structure
• assessor - n. an official who evaluates property for the purpose of taxing it
• pitfall - n. an unforeseen or unexpected or surprising difficulty
• enshrine - v. enclose in a shrine
• elapse - v. pass by
• burgess - n. a citizen of an English borough
• shriek - v. utter a shrill cry
• viscount - n. a British nobleman who ranks below an earl and above a baron
• deviance - n. deviate behavior
• adhesion - n. the property of sticking together (as of glue and wood) or the joining of surfaces of different composition

SAT Words Group 83

• excitation - n. the state of being emotionally aroused and worked up
• inscribe - v. write, engrave, or print as a lasting record
• pervade - v. spread or diffuse through
• typify - v. embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of
• reminiscence - n. a mental impression retained and recalled from the past
• adherent - n. someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another
• generality - n. the quality of being general or widespread or having general applicability
• scribe - n. someone employed to make written copies of documents and manuscripts
• synod - n. a council convened to discuss ecclesiastical business
• objector - n. a person who dissents from some established policy
• morphology - n. the branch of biology that deals with the structure of animals and plants
• verity - n. an enduring or necessary ethical or religious or aesthetic truth
• excretion - n. waste matter (as urine or sweat but especially feces) discharged from the body
• actuary - n. someone versed in the collection and interpretation of numerical data (especially someone who uses statistics to calculate insurance premiums)
• bask - v. be exposed
• misinterpret - v. interpret in the wrong way
• disentangle - v. extricate from entanglement
• vagary - n. an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.)
• shunt - n. implant consisting of a tube made of plastic or rubber; for draining fluids within the body
• plod - n. the act of walking with a slow heavy gait
• waft - v. blow gently
• inroad - n. an encroachment or intrusion
• hawthorn - n. a spring-flowering shrub or small tree
• breech - n. opening in the rear of the barrel of a gun where bullets can be loaded
• forage - n. the act of searching for food and provisions
• forecourt - n. the outer or front court of a building or of a group of buildings
• predominance - n. the quality of being more noticeable than anything else
• transferable - j. legally transferable to the ownership of another
• medallion - n. an award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event
• squatter - n. someone who settles on land without right or title
• fissure - v. break into fissures or fine cracks
• kingship - n. the dignity or rank or position of a king
• bodice - n. part of a dress above the waist
• transverse - j. extending or lying across; in a crosswise direction; at right angles to the long axis
• disinfectant - n. an agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease
• microscopy - n. research with the use of microscopes
• talon - n. a sharp hooked claw especially on a bird of prey
• conformation - n. acting according to certain accepted standards
• homologous - j. having the same evolutionary origin but not necessarily the same function
• venous - j. of or contained in or performing the function of the veins
• intracellular - j. located or occurring within a cell or cells
• domicile - n. (law) the residence where you have your permanent home or principal establishment
• disfigure - v. mar or spoil the appearance of
• infest - v. invade in great numbers
• minutia - n. a small or minor detail
• circumscribe - v. restrict or confine
• scruple - n. an ethical or moral principle that inhibits action
• perturb - v. disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed
• deface - v. mar or spoil the appearance of
• abeyance - n. temporary cessation or suspension

SAT Words Group 84

• indigestion - n. a disorder of digestive function characterized by discomfort or heartburn or nausea
• well-to-do - j. in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich
• platitude - n. a trite or obvious remark
• wile - n. the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them)
• denizen - n. a plant or animal naturalized in a region
• impersonate - v. pretend to be someone you are not; sometimes with fraudulent intentions
• regale - v. provide with choice or abundant food or drink
• confectionery - n. a confectioner's shop for making or selling candy
• perceptible - j. capable of being perceived by the mind or senses
• punctual - j. acting or arriving or performed exactly at the time appointed
• subjugate - v. make subservient; force to submit or subdue
• chastise - v. censure severely
• stagnate - v. stand still
• demur - v. take exception to
• annotate - v. add explanatory notes to or supply with critical comments
• chafe - v. become or make sore by or as if by rubbing
• constrict - v. become tight or as if tight
• admittance - n. the act of allowing someone to enter
• fracas - n. noisy quarrel
• indescribable - j. defying expression or description
• rivet - v. hold (someone's attention)
• contort - v. twist and press out of shape
• grovel - v. show submission or fear
• augur - n. (ancient Rome) a religious official who interpreted omens to guide public policy
• encumber - v. hold back
• ruminate - v. reflect deeply on a subject
• connive - v. encourage or assent to illegally or criminally
• impertinent - j. improperly forward or bold
• volition - n. the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
• vignette - n. a brief literary description
• wrangle - v. to quarrel noisily, angrily or disruptively
• defile - v. place under suspicion or cast doubt upon
• coalesce - v. fuse or cause to grow together
• divest - v. reduce or dispose of; cease to hold (an investment)
• inaudible - j. impossible to hear; imperceptible by the ear
• irreparable - j. impossible to repair, rectify, or amend
• prevaricate - v. be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
• subjection - n. forced submission to control by others
• imitator - n. someone who copies the words or behavior of another
• bungle - v. spoil by behaving clumsily or foolishly
• impale - v. kill by piercing with a spear or sharp pole
• hibernation - n. the torpid or resting state in which some animals pass the winter
• indiscreet - j. lacking discretion; injudicious
• torpor - n. a state of motor and mental inactivity with a partial suspension of sensibility
• minion - n. a servile or fawning dependant
• fluster - v. cause to be nervous or upset
• canvass - v. get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
• stratagem - n. an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade
• forbearance - n. good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
• punctilious - j. marked by precise accordance with details

SAT Words Group 85

• schism - n. division of a group into opposing factions
• shard - n. a broken piece of a brittle artifact
• idealize - v. consider or render as ideal
• pith - n. soft spongelike central cylinder of the stems of most flowering plants
• disavow - v. refuse to acknowledge; disclaim knowledge of; responsibility for, or association with
• invert - v. reverse the position, order, relation, or condition of
• fete - v. have a celebration
• byway - n. a side road little traveled (as in the countryside)
• jocular - a. with humor
• ensnare - v. take or catch as if in a snare or trap
• provident - j. providing carefully for the future
• fishmonger - n. someone who sells fish
• irascible - j. characterized by anger
• scythe - n. an edge tool for cutting grass; has a long handle that must be held with both hands and a curved blade that moves parallel to the ground
• separable - j. capable of being divided or dissociated
• truculent - j. defiantly aggressive
• miser - n. a stingy hoarder of money and possessions (often living miserably)
• dehydrate - v. lose water or moisture
• plenary - j. full in all respects
• seditious - j. rebellious; in opposition to a civil authority or government
• writhe - v. to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)
• appertain - v. be a part or attribute of
• asterisk - n. a star-shaped character * used in printing
• convalescence - n. gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury
• inadmissible - j. not deserving to be admitted
• oblong - j. deviating from a square or circle or sphere by being elongated in one direction; resembling a rectangle or an ellipse
• reducible - j. capable of being reduced
• brazier - n. large metal container in which coal or charcoal is burned; warms people who must stay outside for long times
• scurvy - n. a condition caused by deficiency of ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
• stringency - n. conscientious attention to rules and details
• telepathy - n. apparent communication from one mind to another without using sensory perceptions
• interlocutor - n. a person who takes part in a conversation
• perquisite - n. an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of employment (especially if it is regarded as a right)
• promissory - j. relating to or having the character of a promise
• icily - a. in a cold and icy manner
• recapitulate - v. summarize briefly
• salience - n. the quality of standing out strongly and distinctly
• hexagon - n. a six-sided polygon
• distillation - n. a purified liquid produced by condensation from a vapor during distilling; the product of distilling
• foreshore - n. the part of the seashore between the high-water mark and the low-water mark
• ruffian - n. a cruel and brutal fellow
• bursar - n. the treasurer at a college or university
• culvert - n. a transverse and totally enclosed drain under a road or railway
• determinate - j. precisely determined or limited or defined; especially fixed by rule or by a specific and constant cause
• doublet - n. a man's close-fitting jacket; worn during the Renaissance
• asexual - j. not having or involving sex
• convergent - j. tending to come together from different directions
• seance - n. a meeting of spiritualists with an attempt to communicate with spirits
• centurion - n. (ancient Rome) the leader of 100 soldiers
• statuette - n. a small carved or molded figure

SAT Words Group 86

• coniferous - j. of or relating to or part of trees or shrubs bearing cones and evergreen leaves
• laddie - n. a male child (a familiar term of address to a boy)
• refractory - j. stubbornly resistant to authority or control
• interdict - n. a court order prohibiting a party from doing a certain activity
• amphibious - j. operating or living on land and in water
• encumbrance - n. a charge against property (as a lien or mortgage)
• Excellency - n. a title used to address dignitaries (such as ambassadors or governors); usually preceded by 'Your' or 'His' or 'Her'
• rejuvenation - n. the act of restoring to a more youthful condition
• cathode - n. a negatively charged electrode that is the source of electrons entering an electrical device
• interpolation - n. a message (spoken or written) that is introduced or inserted
• prelate - n. a senior clergyman and dignitary
• intestate - j. having made no legally valid will before death or not disposed of by a legal will
• signification - n. the message that is intended or expressed or signified
• globular - j. having the shape of a sphere or ball
• hypnotize - v. induce hypnosis in
• Calvinism - n. the theological system of John Calvin and his followers emphasizing omnipotence of God and salvation by grace alone
• diurnal - j. having a daily cycle or occurring every day
• kilowatt - n. a unit of power equal to 1000 watts
• abbess - n. the superior of a group of nuns
• coagulation - n. the process of forming semisolid lumps in a liquid
• chromatic - j. able to refract light without spectral color separation
• laxative - j. stimulating evacuation of feces
• indemnify - v. secure against future loss, damage, or liability; give security for
• ascendant - n. position or state of being dominant or in control
• reliquary - n. a container where religious relics are stored or displayed (especially relics of saints)
• conformance - n. correspondence in form or appearance
• gouge - v. force with the thumb
• regress - v. get worse or fall back to a previous condition
• splice - v. join the ends of
• dauntless - j. invulnerable to fear or intimidation
• inestimable - j. beyond calculation or measure
• abhorrence - n. hate coupled with disgust
• meritorious - j. deserving reward or praise
• inglorious - j. not bringing honor and glory
• rigmarole - n. a long and complicated and confusing procedure
• verbose - j. using or containing too many words
• vivacity - n. characterized by high spirits and liveliness
• voluble - j. marked by a ready flow of speech
• lyre - n. a harp used by ancient Greeks for accompaniment
• obdurate - j. stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
• sagacity - n. the quality of being wise and sound in judgment
• quintessence - n. the most typical example or representative of a type
• expeditious - j. marked by speed and efficiency
• insensible - j. unresponsive to stimulation
• sufferance - n. patient endurance especially of pain or distress
• tactician - n. a person who is skilled at the details of planning
• treasonable - j. having the character of, or characteristic of, a traitor
• aspersion - n. an abusive attack on a person's character or good name
• foreclose - v. subject to foreclosing procedures; take away the right of mortgagors to redeem their mortgage
• upbraid - v. express criticism towards

SAT Words Group 87

• irresolute - j. uncertain how to act or proceed
• obsolescent - j. becoming obsolete
• guzzle - v. drink greedily or as if with great thirst
• undergarment - n. a garment worn under other garments
• grandiloquent - j. puffed up with vanity
• leonine - j. of or characteristic of or resembling a lion
• pungency - n. a strong odor or taste property
• carouse - v. engage in boisterous, drunken merrymaking
• sycophant - n. a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
• edify - v. make understand
• simper - v. smile affectedly or derisively
• colander - n. bowl-shaped strainer; used to wash or drain foods
• conciliate - v. come to terms
• curable - j. curing or healing is possible
• delectation - n. a feeling of extreme pleasure or satisfaction
• urbanity - n. polished courtesy; elegance of manner
• disinherit - v. prevent deliberately (as by making a will) from inheriting
• chary - j. characterized by great caution and wariness
• avidity - n. a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
• disconsolate - j. sad beyond comforting; incapable of being consoled
• dissemble - v. behave unnaturally or affectedly
• liberality - n. the trait of being generous in behavior and temperament
• mellifluous - j. pleasing to the ear
• munificence - n. liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
• peevish - j. easily irritated or annoyed
• pellucid - j. transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity
• perfidious - j. tending to betray; especially having a treacherous character as attributed to the Carthaginians by the Romans
• piteous - j. deserving or inciting pity
• tyro - n. someone new to a field or activity
• supplicant - n. someone who prays to God
• gourd - n. bottle made from the dried shell of a bottle gourd
• geniality - n. a disposition to be friendly and approachable (easy to talk to)
• inmost - j. situated or occurring farthest within
• liquefy - v. make (a solid substance) liquid, as by heating
• repast - v. to eat or feast
• usury - n. the act of lending money at an unreasonable rate of interest
• valediction - n. a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class)
• diabolic - j. extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell
• joust - n. a combat between two mounted knights tilting against each other with blunted lances
• coddle - v. cook in nearly boiling water
• onrush - n. a forceful forward rush or flow
• asperity - n. harshness of manner
• correlative - j. mutually related
• imperturbable - j. not easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure
• impiety - n. unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god
• logician - n. a person skilled at symbolic logic
• luminescent - j. emitting light not caused by heat
• parley - n. a negotiation between enemies
• phosphorescence - n. a fluorescence that persists after the bombarding radiation has ceased
• propitiate - v. make peace with

SAT Words Group 88

• protuberance - n. the condition of being protuberant; the condition of bulging out
• codicil - n. a supplement to a will; a testamentary instrument intended to alter an already executed will
• anthracite - n. a hard natural coal that burns slowly and gives intense heat
• bigamy - n. having two spouses at the same time
• forbear - v. resist doing something
• jugular - j. relating to or located in the region of the neck or throat
• noisome - j. causing or able to cause nausea
• rhetorician - n. a person who delivers a speech or oration
• sagacious - j. acutely insightful and wise
• tautology - n. useless repetition
• tincture - n. (pharmacology) a medicine consisting of an extract in an alcohol solution
• rend - v. tear or be torn violently
• burgeon - v. grow and flourish
• acerbity - n. a sharp sour taste
• antedate - v. establish something as being earlier relative to something else
• bevel - n. a hand tool consisting of two rules that are hinged together so you can draw or measure angles of any size
• perspicacious - j. acutely insightful and wise
• sinecure - n. an office that involves minimal duties
• solecism - n. a socially awkward or tactless act
• unction - n. excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm
• eon - n. the longest division of geological time
• desperado - n. a bold outlaw (especially on the American frontier)
• ceremonious - j. rigidly formal or bound by convention
• admonitory - j. expressing disapproval especially serving as warning
• eatable - j. suitable for use as food
• hirsute - j. having or covered with hair
• honorarium - n. a fee paid for a nominally free service
• misanthropy - n. a disposition to dislike and mistrust other people
• nutritive - j. of or providing nourishment
• sibilant - n. a consonant characterized by a hissing sound (like s or sh)
• skiff - n. any of various small boats propelled by oars or by sails or by a motor
• tannery - n. workplace where skins and hides are tanned
• wantonness - n. the quality of being preoccupied with or exhibiting lustful desires
• philander - v. have amorous affairs; of men
• efface - v. remove completely from recognition or memory
• trammel - v. place limits on (extent or access)
• moccasin - n. soft leather shoe; originally worn by Native Americans
• paroxysm - n. a sudden uncontrollable attack
• preponderant - j. having superior power and influence
• garble - v. make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story
• underling - n. an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
• tarry - v. leave slowly and hesitantly
• bibliophile - n. someone who loves (and usually collects) books
• fumigate - v. treat with fumes, expose to fumes, especially with the aim of disinfecting or eradicating pests
• hanger-on - n. someone who persistently (and annoyingly) follows along
• misrule - n. government that is inefficient or dishonest
• ocular - j. of or relating to or resembling the eye
• penitential - j. showing or constituting penance; to be sorry
• perspicacity - n. the capacity to assess situations or circumstances shrewdly and to draw sound conclusions
• pestilential - j. likely to spread and cause an epidemic disease

SAT Words Group 89

• saturnine - j. bitter or scornful
• academician - n. an educator who works at a college or university
• postdate - v. be later in time
• rondo - n. a musical form that is often the last movement of a sonata
• peccadillo - n. a petty misdeed
• jabber - n. rapid and indistinct speech
• stanchion - n. any vertical post or rod used as a support
• factious - j. dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion)
• heartrending - j. causing or marked by grief or anguish
• iciness - n. coldness due to a cold environment
• luxuriate - v. become extravagant; indulge (oneself) luxuriously
• obfuscate - v. make obscure or unclear
• prehensile - j. adapted for grasping especially by wrapping around an object
• tantalize - v. harass with persistent criticism or carping
• venial - j. easily excused or forgiven
• eugenic - j. pertaining to or causing improvement in the offspring produced
• substantiation - n. additional proof that something that was believed (some fact or hypothesis or theory) is correct
• quaff - v. to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
• cantonment - n. temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
• cauterize - v. burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent
• dolorous - j. showing sorrow
• expostulate - v. reason with (somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion
• incorporeal - j. without material form or substance
• prefatory - j. serving as an introduction or preface
• reprobate - n. a person without moral scruples
• ruminant - n. any of various cud-chewing hoofed mammals having a stomach divided into four (occasionally three) compartments
• bestride - v. get up on the back of
• captious - j. tending to find and call attention to faults
• malapropism - n. the unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar
• pertinacious - j. stubbornly unyielding
• polytheism - n. belief in multiple Gods
• faun - n. ancient Italian deity in human shape, with horns, pointed ears and a goat's tail; equivalent to Greek satyr
• defame - v. charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
• nectarine - n. a variety or mutation of the peach that has a smooth skin
• declamation - n. vehement oratory
• declamatory - j. ostentatiously lofty in style
• micrometer - n. a metric unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter
• penetrable - j. capable of being penetrated
• plenipotentiary - n. a diplomat who is fully authorized to represent his or her government
• raillery - n. good-natured teasing or ridicule; banter
• taxidermy - n. the art of mounting the skins of animals so that they have lifelike appearance
• cupidity - n. extreme greed for material wealth
• metronome - n. clicking pendulum indicates the exact tempo of a piece of music
• splenetic - j. of or relating to the spleen
• termagant - n. a scolding nagging bad-tempered woman
• disinter - v. dig up for reburial or for medical investigation; of dead bodies
• agglomerate - j. clustered together but not coherent
• dulcet - j. extremely pleasant in a gentle way
• homonym - n. two words are homonyms if they are pronounced or spelled the same way but have different meanings
• convolution - n. the action of coiling or twisting or winding together

SAT Words Group 90

• refract - v. to deflect from a straight path
• satiate - v. fill to satisfaction
• ambidextrous - j. equally skillful with each hand
• metonymy - n. substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself (as in 'they counted heads')
• licit - j. sanctioned by custom or morality especially sexual morality
• bungler - n. someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence
• dissuasion - n. persuading not to do or believe something; talking someone out of a belief or an intended course of action
• hindmost - j. located farthest to the rear
• inapt - j. not elegant or graceful in expression
• nonpareil - j. eminent beyond or above comparison
• reproof - n. an act or expression of criticism and censure
• toilsome - j. characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
• lexicography - n. the act of writing dictionaries
• lingual - j. consisting of or related to language
• ablution - n. the ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels
• cadenza - n. a brilliant solo passage occurring near the end of a piece of music
• corpulence - n. the property of excessive fatness
• lachrymose - j. showing sorrow
• perspire - v. excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin
• abridgment - n. a shortened version of a written work
• alienable - j. transferable to another owner
• astringent - n. a drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals
• regicide - n. the act of killing a king
• altruist - n. someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being
• cajolery - n. flattery intended to persuade
• deist - n. a person who believes that God created the universe and then abandoned it
• mismanage - v. manage badly or incompetently
• patronymic - n. a family name derived from name of your father or a paternal ancestor (especially with an affix such as -son in English or O'- in Irish)
• amortize - v. liquidate gradually
• corpuscle - n. either of two types of cells (erythrocytes and leukocytes) and sometimes including platelets
• grantee - n. a recipient of a grant
• underbid - v. bid lower than a competing bidder
• covey - n. a small collection of people
• deliquesce - v. melt or become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air
• matricide - n. the murder of your mother
• perfumery - n. store where perfumes are sold
• persiflage - n. light teasing
• beatitude - n. one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with 'beatus' (blessed)
• animadversion - n. harsh criticism or disapproval
• comestible - n. any substance that can be used as food
• incompressible - j. incapable of being compressed; resisting compression
• serration - n. a row of notches
• vaporizer - n. a device that puts out a substance in the form of a vapor (especially for medicinal inhalation)
• lionize - v. assign great social importance to
• optometry - n. the practice of an optometrist
• aggress - v. take the initiative and go on the offensive
• outskirt - n. a part of the city far removed from the center
• molt - n. periodic shedding of the cuticle in arthropods or the outer skin in reptiles
• aggrandize - v. add details to
• evanesce - v. disappear gradually

SAT Words Group 91

• knickknack - n. a small inexpensive mass-produced article
• countercharge - n. a charge brought by an accused person against the accuser
• deforest - v. remove the trees from
• discolor - v. cause to lose or change color
• clangor - n. a loud resonant repeating noise
• cloture - v. terminate debate by calling for a vote
• dawdler - n. someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind
• demagnetize - v. make nonmagnetic; take away the magnetic properties (of)
• finical - j. exacting especially about details
• garrote - n. an instrument of execution for execution by strangulation
• misapprehend - v. interpret in the wrong way
• persuadable - j. being susceptible to persuasion
• intercept - v. seize on its way
• Anglo-Saxon - n. a person of Anglo-Saxon (especially British) descent whose native tongue is English
• contrive - v. come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
• transpire - v. come about, happen, or occur
• overtone - n. (usually plural) an ulterior implicit meaning or quality; a hint
• superimpose - v. place on top of
• condensation - n. the process of changing from a gaseous to a liquid or solid state
• facsimile - n. an exact copy or reproduction
• granule - n. a tiny grain
• alkali - n. a mixture of soluble salts found in arid soils and some bodies of water; detrimental to agriculture
• testator - n. a person who makes a will
• gastritis - n. inflammation of the lining of the stomach; nausea and loss of appetite and discomfort after eating
• intersperse - v. place at intervals in or among
• qualm - n. uneasiness about the fitness of an action
• embroil - v. force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action
• enthuse - v. cause to feel enthusiasm
• coffer - n. a chest especially for storing valuables
• crevice - n. a long narrow depression in a surface
• protrude - v. extend out or project in space
• cull - v. remove something that has been rejected
• engross - v. consume all of one's attention or time
• exasperate - v. make furious
• self-respect - n. the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
• legging - n. a garment covering the leg (usually extending from the knee to the ankle)
• contravene - v. go against, as of rules and laws
• aperture - n. a device that controls amount of light admitted
• impracticable - j. not capable of being carried out or put into practice
• sol - n. (Roman mythology) ancient Roman god; personification of the sun; counterpart of Greek Helios
• alder - n. wood of any of various alder trees; resistant to underwater rot; used for bridges etc
• knead - v. make uniform
• bawl - v. shout loudly and without restraint
• emigrant - n. someone who leaves one country to settle in another
• able-bodied - j. having a strong healthy body
• bronchitis - n. inflammation of the membranes lining the bronchial tubes
• disallow - v. command against
• adduce - v. show evidence for something
• reversion - n. a reappearance of an earlier characteristic
• vagrant - n. a wanderer who has no established residence or visible means of support

SAT Words Group 92

• tout - v. advertise in strongly positive terms
• encore - n. an extra or repeated performance; usually given in response to audience demand
• heterogeneity - n. the quality of being diverse and not comparable in kind
• pecuniary - j. relating to or involving money
• antenatal - j. occurring or existing before birth
• phonology - n. the study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis and classification of its phonemes
• flue - n. a conduit to carry off smoke
• clothier - n. a merchant who sells men's clothing
• conscript - n. someone who is drafted into military service
• apothecary - n. a health professional trained in the art of preparing and dispensing drugs
• polygon - n. a closed plane figure bounded by straight sides
• dragoon - v. compel by coercion, threats, or crude means
• assignee - n. (law) the party to whom something is assigned (e.g., someone to whom a right or property is legally transferred)
• incisor - n. a tooth for cutting or gnawing; located in the front of the mouth in both jaws
• amputate - v. remove surgically
• attune - v. adjust or accustom to; bring into harmony with
• convulsion - n. violent uncontrollable contractions of muscles
• excitable - j. easily excited
• intoxicate - v. make drunk (with alcoholic drinks)
• emblazon - v. decorate with heraldic arms
• masquerade - v. pretend to be someone or something that you are not
• dislocate - v. move out of position
• inconsiderable - j. too small or unimportant to merit attention
• gratify - v. make happy or satisfied
• suffuse - v. cause to spread or flush or flood through, over, or across
• foible - n. a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
• vex - v. be a mystery or bewildering to
• light-hearted - j. carefree and happy and lighthearted
• mislay - v. place (something) where one cannot find it again
• perusal - n. reading carefully with intent to remember
• dispossess - v. deprive of the possession of real estate
• patronize - v. be a regular customer or client of
• vicissitude - n. a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something
• efficacious - j. marked by qualities giving the power to produce an intended effect
• convivial - j. occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
• exigency - n. a pressing or urgent situation
• narrow-minded - j. lacking tolerance or flexibility or breadth of view
• disclaim - v. make a disclaimer about
• underrate - v. make too low an estimate of
• entwine - v. tie or link together
• accost - v. to approach and speak to someone boldly or aggressively
• percolate - v. spread gradually
• desecrate - v. violate the sacred character of a place or language
• adjudge - v. declare to be
• gesticulate - v. show, express or direct through movement
• luminary - n. a celebrity who is an inspiration to others
• remonstrate - v. argue in protest or opposition
• interpose - v. be or come between
• indigestible - j. digested with difficulty
• insuperable - j. incapable of being surmounted or excelled

SAT Words Group 93

• trestle - n. a supporting tower used to support a bridge
• twinge - n. a sharp stab of pain
• travail - v. work hard
• plaudit - n. enthusiastic approval
• rankle - v. gnaw into; make resentful or angry
• congeal - v. become gelatinous
• impute - v. attribute or credit to
• bric-a-brac - n. miscellaneous curios
• intercession - n. a prayer to God on behalf of another person
• invariable - j. not liable to or capable of change
• multifarious - j. having many aspects
• reprove - v. take to task
• weal - n. a raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip); characteristic of many allergic reactions
• singe - v. burn superficially or lightly
• fetter - n. a shackle for the ankles or feet
• convulse - v. move or stir about violently
• rivulet - n. a small stream
• baize - n. a bright green fabric napped to resemble felt; used to cover gaming tables
• nunnery - n. the convent of a community of nuns
• optician - n. a worker who makes glasses for remedying defects of vision
• pucker - v. become wrinkled or drawn together
• beseech - v. ask for or request earnestly
• confectioner - n. someone who makes candies and other sweets
• germinate - v. cause to grow or sprout
• inculcate - v. teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
• insolent - j. marked by casual disrespect
• stupor - n. marginal consciousness
• abrogate - v. revoke or abolish by authority
• armful - n. the quantity that can be contained in the arms
• extrude - v. form or shape by forcing through an opening
• inflammable - j. easily ignited
• sear - v. become superficially burned
• encamp - v. live in or as if in a tent
• cravat - n. neckwear worn in a slipknot with long ends overlapping vertically in front
• disconcert - v. cause to lose one's composure
• accredit - v. grant credentials to
• burgher - n. a member of the middle class
• teetotal - j. practicing complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages
• herbaceous - j. characteristic of a nonwoody herb or plant part
• scabbard - n. a sheath for a sword or dagger or bayonet
• ail - v. be ill or unwell
• embezzle - v. appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
• connote - v. involve as a necessary condition of consequence; as in logic
• betroth - v. give to in marriage
• abscond - v. run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
• baste - v. cover with liquid before cooking
• epistle - n. a book of the New Testament written in the form of a letter from an Apostle
• freemason - n. a member of a widespread secret fraternal order pledged to mutual assistance and brotherly love
• preferment - n. the act of making accusations
• capillary - n. any of the minute blood vessels connecting arterioles with venules

SAT Words Group 94

• distemper - n. any of various infectious viral diseases of animals
• prickle - v. cause a stinging or tingling sensation
• remunerate - v. make payment to; compensate
• flax - n. fiber of the flax plant that is made into thread and woven into linen fabric
• left-handed - j. ironically ambiguous
• abscess - n. symptom consisting of a localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue
• conjugal - j. of or relating to marriage or to the relationship between a wife and husband
• juridical - j. relating to the administration of justice or the function of a judge
• gendarme - n. a French policeman
• crustacean - n. any mainly aquatic arthropod usually having a segmented body and chitinous exoskeleton
• gosling - n. young goose
• attenuate - v. become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
• denominate - v. assign a name or title to
• evidential - j. serving as or based on evidence
• natal - j. relating to or accompanying birth
• grenadier - n. an infantryman equipped with grenades
• coincident - j. occurring or operating at the same time
• cognate - j. related in nature
• typography - n. the craft of composing type and printing from it
• antiquary - n. an expert or collector of antiquities
• marauder - n. someone who attacks in search of booty
• luminosity - n. the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light
• somatic - j. affecting or characteristic of the body as opposed to the mind or spirit
• steppe - n. extensive plain without trees (associated with eastern Russia and Siberia)
• concordance - n. an index of all main words in a book along with their immediate contexts
• acetic - j. relating to or containing acetic acid
• fission - n. a nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy
• imminence - n. the state of being imminent and liable to happen soon
• conjugate - j. joined together especially in a pair or pairs
• continence - n. voluntary control over urinary and fecal discharge
• benefice - n. an endowed church office giving income to its holder
• jaundice - n. yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes caused by an accumulation of bile pigment in the blood; can be a symptom of gallstones or liver infection or anemia
• deprave - v. corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
• transferee - n. someone who transfers or is transferred from one position to another
• gradation - n. relative position in a graded series
• egoism - n. concern for your own interests and welfare
• belay - n. something to which a mountain climber's rope can be secured
• intestacy - n. the situation of being or dying without a legally valid will
• coalescence - n. the union of diverse things into one body or form or group; the growing together of parts
• diphthong - n. a vowel sound that starts near the articulatory position for one vowel and moves toward the position for another
• quarto - n. the size of a book whose pages are made by folding a sheet of paper twice to form four leaves
• commissariat - n. a stock or supply of foods
• orthogonal - j. relating to or composed of right angles
• tortuous - j. of or pertaining to the nature of a tort (wrongdoing for which a legal action for damages may be brought)
• nebula - n. an immense cloud of gas (mainly hydrogen) and dust in interstellar space
• utilitarianism - n. doctrine that value is determined by usefulness; especially as elaborated by Jeremy Bentham and James Mill; the aim was said to be the greatest happiness for the greatest number
• necrosis - n. the localized death of living cells (as from infection or the interruption of blood supply)
• herbarium - n. a collection of dried plants that are mounted and systematically classified for study
• hypotenuse - n. the side of a right triangle opposite the right angle
• unbelief - n. a rejection of belief

SAT Words Group 95

• matriculate - v. enroll as a student
• syllabic - j. of or relating to syllables
• sequent - j. in regular succession without gaps
• apposition - n. the act of positioning close together (or side by side)
• odorous - j. having a natural fragrance
• luminescence - n. light not due to incandescence; occurs at low temperatures
• consignee - n. the person to whom merchandise is delivered over
• durance - n. imprisonment (especially for a long time)
• inadvisable - j. not prudent or wise; not recommended
• domineer - v. rule or exercise power over (somebody) in a cruel and autocratic manner
• emaciate - v. grow weak and thin or waste away physically
• bedeck - v. decorate
• turbid - j. (of liquids) clouded as with sediment
• conviviality - n. a jovial nature
• gossamer - j. characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
• impecunious - j. not having enough money to pay for necessities
• inexpressible - j. defying expression
• out-of-the-way - j. out of the ordinary
• penury - n. a state of extreme poverty or destitution
• raconteur - n. a person skilled in telling anecdotes
• equable - j. not easily irritated
• excusable - j. easily excused or forgiven
• odium - n. state of disgrace resulting from detestable behavior
• overproduction - n. too much production or more than expected
• parsimonious - j. excessively unwilling to spend
• protract - v. lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer
• deportment - n. (behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people
• impermeable - j. preventing especially liquids to pass or diffuse through
• torpid - j. slow and apathetic
• incise - v. make an incision into by carving or cutting
• demerit - n. a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually given in school or armed forces
• enfeeble - v. make weak
• rumple - v. become wrinkled or crumpled or creased
• corporeal - j. having material or physical form or substance
• mealy-mouthed - j. hesitant to state facts or opinions simply and directly as from e.g. timidity or hypocrisy
• maltreat - v. treat badly
• arraign - v. call before a court to answer an indictment
• chasten - v. correct by punishment or discipline
• bereave - v. deprive through death
• perforate - v. make a hole or holes in something
• importune - v. beg persistently and urgently
• dally - v. waste time
• elocution - n. an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture
• impetuosity - n. rash impulsiveness
• impious - j. lacking piety or reverence for a god
• periodicity - n. the quality of recurring at regular intervals
• undulate - v. move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
• wretchedness - n. a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune
• anteroom - n. a large entrance or reception room or area
• expatiate - v. add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing

SAT Words Group 96

• impudence - n. an impudent statement
• kind-hearted - j. having or proceeding from an innately kind disposition
• retouch - v. alter so as to produce a more desirable appearance
• depopulate - v. reduce in population
• choleric - j. quickly aroused to anger
• happy-go-lucky - j. cheerfully irresponsible
• unutterable - j. very difficult to pronounce correctly
• conjoin - v. make contact or come together
• enrapture - v. hold spellbound
• transfigure - v. change completely the nature or appearance of
• archaism - n. the use of an archaic expression
• procrastinate - v. postpone or delay needlessly
• interrogative - j. relating to the use of or having the nature of an interrogation
• legionary - n. a soldier who is a member of a legion (especially the French Foreign Legion)
• pommel - n. handgrip formed by the raised front part of a saddle
• proscenium - n. the part of a modern theater stage between the curtain and the orchestra (i.e., in front of the curtain)
• proscription - n. rejection by means of an act of banishing or proscribing someone
• reconcilable - j. capable of being compatible or in agreement with
• rookery - n. a breeding ground for gregarious birds (such as rooks)
• stygian - j. gloomy and dark; hellish
• profiteer - n. someone who makes excessive profit (especially on goods in short supply)
• monosyllable - n. a word or utterance of one syllable
• slake - v. satisfy a craving; quench
• providential - j. peculiarly fortunate or appropriate; as if by divine intervention
• adulterate - v. corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
• divination - n. the art or gift of prophecy (or the pretense of prophecy) by supernatural means
• gainsay - v. take exception to
• manacle - v. confine or restrain with or as if with manacles or handcuffs
• obstreperous - j. noisily and stubbornly defiant
• witticism - n. a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
• aide-de-camp - n. an officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer
• cygnet - n. a young swan
• extempore - j. with little or no preparation or forethought
• irruption - n. a sudden sharp increase in the relative numbers of a population
• liege - n. a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service
• littoral - j. of or relating to a coastal or shore region
• obloquy - n. state of disgrace resulting from public abuse
• payee - n. a person to whom money is paid
• pinioned - j. bound fast especially having the arms restrained
• tempter - n. a person who tempts others
• wittingly - a. with full knowledge and deliberation
• bole - n. a soft oily clay used as a pigment (especially a reddish brown pigment)
• cudgel - n. a club that is used as a weapon
• sententious - j. concise and full of meaning
• abase - v. cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
• blazon - v. decorate with heraldic arms
• dexterous - j. skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands
• excrescence - n. (pathology) an abnormal outgrowth or enlargement of some part of the body
• extirpate - v. pull up by or as if by the roots
• coagulate - v. change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state

SAT Words Group 97

• egress - n. the act of coming (or going) out; becoming apparent
• extenuate - v. lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
• inundation - n. the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
• iridescence - n. the visual property of something having a milky brightness and a play of colors from the surface
• magistracy - n. the position of magistrate
• nugatory - j. of no real value
• oaken - j. consisting of or made of wood of the oak tree
• perambulate - v. walk with no particular goal
• poncho - n. a blanket-like cloak with a hole in the center for the head
• propinquity - n. the property of being close together
• triennial - j. occurring every third year or lasting 3 years
• unwonted - j. out of the ordinary
• federate - v. unite on a federal basis or band together as a league
• bemuse - v. cause to be confused emotionally
• preordain - v. foreordain or determine beforehand
• balsam - n. an ointment containing a fragrant resin
• zephyr - n. a slight wind (usually refreshing)
• blaspheme - v. speak of in an irreverent or impious manner
• expiate - v. make amends for
• landholder - n. a holder or proprietor of land
• calculable - j. capable of being calculated or estimated
• calumny - n. an abusive attack on a person's character or good name
• contusion - n. an injury that doesn't break the skin but results in some discoloration
• deprecate - v. belittle
• petrify - v. change into stone
• presentiment - n. a feeling of evil to come
• redound - v. have an effect for good or ill
• suggestible - j. susceptible or responsive to suggestion
• suppliant - j. humbly requesting
• tricolor - n. a flag having three colored stripes (especially the French flag)
• truculence - n. stubborn and defiant aggressiveness
• weak-kneed - j. lacking will power or resolution
• bewilder - v. cause to be confused emotionally
• becalm - v. make steady
• curtsy - v. bend the knees in a gesture of respectful greeting
• aseptic - j. free of or using methods to keep free of pathological microorganisms
• desuetude - n. a state of inactivity or disuse
• disavowal - n. denial of any connection with or knowledge of
• Gordian - j. extremely intricate; usually in phrase 'Gordian knot'
• grantor - n. a person who makes a grant in legal form
• intercessor - n. a negotiator who acts as a link between parties
• lactation - n. the production and secretion of milk by the mammary glands
• occluded - j. closed off
• pertinacity - n. persistent determination
• protrusion - n. the act of projecting out from something
• remonstrance - n. the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest
• shiftless - j. lacking or characterized by lack of ambition or initiative; lazy
• stripling - n. a juvenile between the onset of puberty and maturity
• superabundance - n. a quantity that is more than what is appropriate
• ostracize - v. avoid speaking to or dealing with

SAT Words Group 98

• nostrum - n. hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; once sought by the alchemists
• peregrination - n. traveling or wandering around
• gyroscope - n. rotating mechanism in the form of a universally mounted spinning wheel that offers resistance to turns in any direction
• cadaverous - j. very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
• discrepant - j. not in agreement
• endurable - j. capable of being borne though unpleasant
• gladden - v. make glad or happy
• intemperance - n. excess in action and immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites, especially in passion or indulgence
• intoxicant - n. a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent; a drug that can produce a state of intoxication
• putrefaction - n. a state of decay usually accompanied by an offensive odor
• supernumerary - n. a person serving no apparent function
• therefore - a. (in formal usage, especially legal usage) for that or for it
• addle - v. mix up or confuse
• purvey - v. supply with provisions
• privateer - n. a privately owned warship commissioned to prey on the commercial shipping or warships of an enemy nation
• dolt - n. a person who is not very bright
• gnash - v. grind together, of teeth
• malinger - v. avoid responsibilities and duties, e.g., by pretending to be ill
• preexist - v. exist beforehand or prior to a certain point in time
• enervate - v. weaken mentally or morally
• pamphleteer - n. a writer of pamphlets (usually taking a partisan stand on public issues)
• abrade - v. wear away
• anode - n. a positively charged electrode by which electrons leave an electrical device
• cadge - v. ask for and get free; be a parasite
• disjunctive - j. serving or tending to divide or separate
• fagged - j. drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
• incandescence - n. the phenomenon of light emission by a body as its temperature is raised
• interposition - n. the action of interjecting or interposing an action or remark that interrupts
• joggle - n. a slight irregular shaking motion
• kinsfolk - n. people descended from a common ancestor
• macrocosm - n. everything that exists anywhere
• naphtha - n. any of various volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixtures; used chiefly as solvents
• plenteous - j. affording an abundant supply
• plutocracy - n. a political system governed by the wealthy people
• prate - n. idle or foolish and irrelevant talk
• sanguinary - j. accompanied by bloodshed
• virago - n. a noisy or scolding or domineering woman
• illumine - v. make lighter or brighter
• ramify - v. have or develop complicating consequences
• acidify - v. turn into an acid
• augury - n. an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come
• bombardier - n. the member of a bomber crew responsible for using the bombsight and releasing the bombs on the target
• consumptive - j. afflicted with or associated with pulmonary tuberculosis
• herbivorous - j. feeding only on plants
• interrogatory - j. relating to the use of or having the nature of an interrogation
• moonbeam - n. a ray of moonlight
• percolator - n. a coffeepot in which boiling water ascends through a central tube and filters back down through a basket of ground coffee beans
• pusillanimous - j. lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution; contemptibly fearful
• gibe - n. an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect
• imprecation - n. a slanderous accusation

SAT Words Group 99

• kerchief - n. a square scarf that is folded into a triangle and worn over the head or about the neck
• cession - n. the act of ceding
• penurious - j. excessively unwilling to spend
• amatory - j. expressive of or exciting sexual love or romance
• bulrush - n. tall rush with soft erect or arching stems found in Eurasia, Australia, New Zealand, and common in North America
• electrolysis - n. removing superfluous or unwanted hair by passing an electric current through the hair root
• gaucherie - n. the quality of being rustic or gauche
• inconstant - j. likely to change frequently often without apparent or cogent reason; variable
• ligature - n. something used to tie or bind
• luxuriance - n. the property of being lush and abundant and a pleasure to the senses
• mendicant - j. practicing beggary
• munificent - j. very generous
• obtrude - v. thrust oneself in as if by force
• palliate - v. lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
• sebaceous - j. containing an unusual amount of grease or oil
• sentience - n. the readiness to perceive sensations; elementary or undifferentiated consciousness
• sequestrate - v. set apart from others
• vernal - j. of or characteristic of or occurring in spring
• wavelet - n. a small wave on the surface of a liquid
• chronometer - n. an accurate clock (especially used in navigation)
• clairvoyance - n. apparent power to perceive things that are not present to the senses
• euphony - n. any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds
• hussar - n. a member of a European light cavalry unit; renowned for elegant dress
• pharmacopoeia - n. a collection or stock of drugs
• rarefy - v. lessen the density or solidity of
• virulence - n. extreme harmfulness or hostility
• lave - v. wash or flow against
• induct - v. admit as a member
• suborn - v. incite to commit a crime or an evil deed
• variegate - v. make something more diverse and varied
• limn - v. trace the shape of
• enfranchise - v. grant freedom to; as from slavery or servitude
• purloin - v. make off with belongings of others
• sluggard - n. an idle slothful person
• arboreal - j. of or relating to or formed by trees
• arrogate - v. make undue claims to having
• assonance - n. the repetition of similar vowels in the stressed syllables of successive words
• contiguity - n. the attribute of being so near as to be touching
• drachma - n. formerly the basic unit of money in Greece
• frankincense - n. an aromatic gum resin obtained from various Arabian or East African trees; formerly valued for worship and for embalming and fumigation
• palpitate - v. cause to throb or beat rapidly
• phonogram - n. any written symbol standing for a sound or syllable or morpheme or word
• streamlet - n. a small stream
• tercentenary - n. the 300th anniversary (or the celebration of it)
• unfeigned - j. not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed
• well-bred - j. of good upbringing
• conferee - n. a person on whom something is bestowed
• antonym - n. a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other
• abominate - v. find repugnant
• adulteration - n. being mixed with contaminating material to make impure; the product of adulterating

SAT Words Group 100

• chastisement - n. verbal punishment
• cogitate - v. consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind
• descry - v. catch sight of
• ductile - j. capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out
• efflorescence - n. a powdery deposit on a surface
• exigent - j. requiring precise accuracy
• gyrate - v. to wind or move in a spiral course
• hypnotism - n. the act of inducing hypnosis
• sybarite - n. a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses
• adjacency - n. the attribute of being so near as to be touching
• benignity - n. the quality of being kind and gentle
• benison - n. a spoken blessing
• bight - n. a broad bay formed by an indentation in the shoreline
• discontinuance - n. the act of discontinuing or breaking off; an interruption (temporary or permanent)
• freethinker - n. a person who believes that God created the universe and then abandoned it
• man-eater - n. a person who eats human flesh
• percipient - j. characterized by ease and quickness in perceiving
• retrogression - n. passing from a more complex to a simpler biological form
• scintillate - v. be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity
• unicellular - j. having or consisting of a single cell
• brigand - n. an armed thief who is (usually) a member of a band
• brogan - n. a thick and heavy shoe
• isothermal - j. of a process or change taking place at constant temperature
• mnemonics - n. a method or system for improving the memory
• oakum - n. loose hemp or jute fiber obtained by unraveling old ropes; when impregnated with tar it was used to caulk seams and pack joints in wooden ships
• philologist - n. a humanist specializing in classical scholarship
• spheroid - n. not perfectly round; a shape that is generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes
• aver - v. report or maintain
• scintilla - n. a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
• lacerate - v. cut or tear irregularly
• adumbrate - v. describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
• actuate - v. put in motion or move to act
• bowdlerize - v. edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
• complaisant - j. showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
• compressible - j. capable of being compressed or made more compact
• cynosure - n. something that strongly attracts attention and admiration
• declension - n. the inflection of nouns and pronouns and adjectives in Indo-European languages
• devilry - n. wicked and cruel behavior
• diplomatist - n. an official engaged in international negotiations
• disbeliever - n. someone who refuses to believe (as in a divinity)
• dutiable - j. subject to import tax
• frizzle - v. fry something until it curls and becomes crisp
• imperviousness - n. the quality of being impenetrable (by people or light or missiles etc.)
• pauperism - n. a state of extreme poverty or destitution
• quietus - n. euphemisms for death (based on an analogy between lying in a bed and in a tomb)
• recrudescence - n. a return of something after a period of abatement
• repine - v. express discontent
• valorous - j. having or showing exceptional or heroic courage
• inebriate - v. become drunk or drink excessively
• convoke - v. call together

SAT Words Group 101

• panegyric - n. a formal expression of praise
• transfuse - v. impart gradually
• boatswain - n. a petty officer on a merchant ship who controls the work of other seamen
• bromine - n. a nonmetallic heavy volatile corrosive dark brown liquid element belonging to the halogens; found in sea water
• consonance - n. the property of sounding harmonious
• dissentient - j. disagreeing, especially with a majority
• genealogist - n. an expert in genealogy
• subtend - v. be opposite to; of angles and sides, in geometry
• aggrieve - v. infringe on the rights of
• introspect - v. reflect on one's own thoughts and feelings
• frizz - n. the condition of being formed into small tight curls
• stultify - v. deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless
• seismograph - n. a measuring instrument for detecting and measuring the intensity and direction and duration of movements of the ground (as an earthquake)
• stipple - v. paint by small short touches that together produce an even or softly graded shadow
• adjure - v. ask for or request earnestly
• confluent - j. flowing together
• expectorate - v. clear out the chest and lungs
• hardihood - n. the trait of being willing to undertake things that involve risk or danger
• judicature - n. the act of meting out justice according to the law
• nutriment - n. a source of materials to nourish the body
• octavo - n. the size of a book whose pages are made by folding a sheet of paper three times to form eight leaves
• photoelectric - j. of or pertaining to electric effects caused by light
• sere - j. (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
• seclude - v. keep away from others
• cryptogram - n. a piece of writing in code or cipher
• requite - v. make repayment for or return something
• stupefy - v. make senseless or dizzy by or as if by a blow
• superannuate - v. retire someone because of age or physical inability
• gourmand - n. a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess
• loiterer - n. someone who lingers aimlessly in or about a place
• adulterant - n. any substance that lessens the purity or effectiveness of a substance
• ampere - n. the basic unit of electric current
• auricular - j. of or relating to near the ear
• complaisance - n. a disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others
• educe - v. develop or evolve from a latent or potential state
• illimitable - j. without limits in extent or size or quantity
• latish - j. somewhat late
• numeration - n. the act of counting; reciting numbers in ascending order
• vitalize - v. make more lively or vigorous
• vocative - n. a grammatical case in certain inflected languages to indicate the person or thing being addressed
• purl - v. make a murmuring sound
• anhydrous - j. without water; especially without water of crystallization
• demobilize - v. release from military service or remove from the active list of military service
• pedagogue - n. someone who educates young people
• pentathlon - n. an athletic contest consisting of five different events
• votary - n. one bound by vows to a religion or life of worship or service
• sequester - v. keep away from others
• jingo - n. an extreme bellicose nationalist
• preternatural - j. surpassing the ordinary or normal
• sylph - n. a slender graceful young woman

SAT Words Group 102

• biped - n. an animal with two feet
• expurgate - v. edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
• temporize - v. draw out a discussion or process in order to gain time
• annalist - n. a historian who writes annals
• bibulous - j. given to or marked by the consumption of alcohol
• execration - n. the object of cursing or detestation; that which is execrated
• festal - j. offering fun and gaiety
• foresail - n. the lowest sail on the foremast of a square-rigged vessel
• inexpedient - j. not suitable or advisable
• jocose - j. characterized by jokes and good humor
• low-spirited - j. filled with melancholy and despondency
• manlike - j. resembling human beings
• pantheism - n. the doctrine or belief that God is the universe and its phenomena
• perspicuous - j. (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
• philately - n. the collection and study of postage stamps
• refulgent - j. radiating or as if radiating light
• sophism - n. a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone
• unguent - n. semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation
• pentagram - n. a star with 5 points; formed by 5 straight lines between the vertices of a pentagon and enclosing another pentagon
• ampersand - n. a punctuation mark (&) used to represent conjunction (and)
• impulsion - n. the act of applying force suddenly
• isobar - n. (meteorology) an isogram connecting points having equal barometric pressure at a given time
• locative - n. the semantic role of the noun phrase that designates the place of the state or action denoted by the verb
• ordinal - j. being or denoting a numerical order in a series
• vainglory - n. outspoken conceit
• crevasse - n. a deep fissure
• vivify - v. make more striking or intense
• resistive - j. exhibiting or relating to electrical resistance
• viol - n. any of a family of bowed stringed instruments that preceded the violin family
• braze - v. solder together by using hard solder with a high melting point
• malcontent - n. a person who is discontented or disgusted
• ennoble - v. confer dignity or honor upon
• effuse - v. give out or emit (also metaphorically)
• divagation - n. a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)
• miscount - v. count wrongly
• abnegate - v. deny oneself (something); restrain, especially from indulging in some pleasure
• ambrosial - j. extremely pleasing to the taste; sweet and fragrant
• contumacious - j. willfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
• equipoise - n. equality of distribution
• fraudulence - n. something intended to deceive; deliberate trickery intended to gain an advantage
• furbish - v. polish and make shiny
• homophone - n. two words are homophones if they are pronounced the same way but differ in meaning or spelling or both (e.g. bare and bear)
• hydrometer - n. a measuring instrument for determining the specific gravity of a liquid or solid
• importunate - j. expressing earnest entreaty
• indigence - n. a state of extreme poverty or destitution
• indiscernible - j. difficult or impossible to perceive or discern
• lodgment - n. the state or quality of being lodged or fixed even temporarily
• macerate - v. soften, usually by steeping in liquid, and cause to disintegrate as a result
• maidenhood - n. the childhood of a girl
• opalescence - n. the visual property of something having a milky brightness and a play of colors from the surface

SAT Words Group 103

• propitiatory - j. intended to reconcile or appease
• proselyte - n. a new convert; especially a gentile converted to Judaism
• similitude - n. similarity in appearance or character or nature between persons or things
• supplicate - v. ask humbly (for something)
• antiphon - n. a verse or song to be chanted or sung in response
• deponent - n. a person who testifies or gives a deposition
• effluvium - n. a foul-smelling outflow or vapor (especially a gaseous waste)
• oculist - n. a person skilled in testing for defects of vision in order to prescribe corrective glasses
• puissant - j. powerful; strong
• submergence - n. sinking until covered completely with water
• dishearten - v. take away the enthusiasm of
• disarrange - v. destroy the arrangement or order of
• connubial - j. of or relating to marriage or to the relationship between a wife and husband
• muleteer - n. a worker who drives mules
• phonic - j. of or relating to speech sounds
• effervesce - v. become bubbly or frothy or foaming
• parricide - n. the murder of your own father or mother
• animadvert - v. express blame or censure or make a harshly critical remark
• contemn - v. look down on with disdain
• extensor - n. a skeletal muscle whose contraction extends or stretches a body part
• intension - n. what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression
• malediction - n. the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult)
• opaqueness - n. the degree to which something reduces the passage of light
• photometer - n. measuring instrument for measuring the light intensity of a source
• photometry - n. measurement of the properties of light (especially luminous intensity)
• poesy - n. literature in metrical form
• ultramontane - n. a Roman Catholic who advocates ultramontanism (supreme papal authority in matters of faith and discipline)
• aeronaut - n. someone who operates an aircraft
• granulate - v. form into grains
• impalpable - j. imperceptible to the senses or the mind
• synchronism - n. the relation that exists when things occur at the same time
• precession - n. the act of preceding in time or order or rank (as in a ceremony)
• autarchy - n. a political system governed by a single individual
• bronchus - n. either of the two main branches of the trachea
• courser - n. a huntsman who hunts small animals with fast dogs that use sight rather than scent to follow their prey
• involution - n. the action of enfolding something
• achromatic - j. having no hue
• animalcule - n. microscopic organism such as an amoeba or paramecium
• anticyclone - n. (meteorology) winds spiraling outward from a high pressure center; circling clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern
• antitoxin - n. an antibody that can neutralize a specific toxin
• barograph - n. a recording barometer; automatically records on paper the variations in atmospheric pressure
• bedizen - v. decorate tastelessly
• benignant - j. characterized by kindness and warm courtesy especially of a king to his subjects
• close-hauled - j. having the sails trimmed for sailing as close to the wind as possible
• comeliness - n. the quality of being good looking and attractive
• conformable - j. disposed or willing to comply
• consignor - n. the person who delivers over or commits merchandise
• denude - v. lay bare
• diacritical - j. capable of distinguishing
• digraph - n. two successive letters (especially two letters used to represent a single sound: 'sh' in 'shoe')

SAT Words Group 104

• garrulity - n. the quality of being wordy and talkative
• insurgence - n. an organized rebellion aimed at overthrowing a constituted government through the use of subversion and armed conflict
• lithesome - j. - moving and bending with ease
• odoriferous - j. having a natural fragrance
• pervious - j. admitting of passage or entrance
• physiography - n. the study of physical features of the earth's surface
• pluperfect - j. more than perfect
• prohibitory - j. tending to discourage (especially of prices)
• rapine - n. the act of despoiling a country in warfare
• redundancy - n. the attribute of being superfluous and unneeded
• reparable - j. capable of being repaired or rectified
• violoncello - n. a large stringed instrument; seated player holds it upright while playing
• volubility - n. the quality of being clear and effective in speech and writing
• epicure - n. a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink)
• necromancer - n. one who practices divination by conjuring up the dead
• coxswain - n. the helmsman of a ship's boat or a racing crew
• discomfit - v. cause to lose one's composure
• occident - n. the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
• apiary - n. a shed containing a number of beehives
• circumlocutory - j. roundabout and unnecessarily wordy
• fiducially - j. relating to or of the nature of a legal trust (i.e. the holding of something in trust for another)
• itinerate - v. travel from place to place, as for work
• mettlesome - j. having a proud and unbroken spirit
• perfectible - j. capable of becoming or being made perfect
• puissance - n. power to influence or coerce
• resistless - j. offering no resistance
• tangency - n. the state of being tangent; having contact at a single point or along a line without crossing
• unyoke - v. remove the yoke from
• churl - n. a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement
• coeval - j. of the same period
• cosmography - n. the science that maps the general features of the universe; describes both heaven and earth (but without encroaching on geography or astronomy)
• subjacent - j. lying nearby but lower
• epicycle - n. a circle that rolls around (inside or outside) another circle; generates an epicycloid or hypocycloid
• diatomic - j. of or relating to a molecule made up of two atoms
• sirocco - n. a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand
• auriferous - j. containing gold
• egoist - n. a self-centered person with little regard for others
• congest - v. become or cause to become obstructed
• estrange - v. arouse hostility or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness
• dolor - n. (poetry) painful grief
• befog - v. make less visible or unclear
• exhilarate - v. fill with sublime emotion
• pyromania - n. an uncontrollable desire to set fire to things
• undercharge - v. charge (someone) too little money
• ambulate - v. walk about; not be bedridden or incapable of walking
• anemometer - n. a gauge for recording the speed and direction of wind
• apprehensible - j. capable of being apprehended or understood
• cabalism - n. adherence to some extreme traditional theological concept or interpretation
• complacence - n. the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself
• contumacy - n. obstinate rebelliousness and insubordination; resistance to authority

About the Words

The words have been gathered from numerous SAT word lists and compiled into one master list. The definitions for the words are from the WordNet lexical database of English.

WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University.
http://wordnet.princeton.edu/

The word frequency data is from The American National Corpus project, which maintains a - database of documents in modern American English.

Copyright © 2002-2005 American National Corpus Project.
http://americannationalcorpus.org/index.html