SATWord Index

Word	Definition
ablution	act of cleansing
abnegate	to deny; renounce
abstemious	Sparing in use of food or drink; moderate.
adulation	Excessive flattery; adoration; idolization.
adulterate	Make impure or inferior by adding improper ingredients; contaminate; pollute.
alchemy	medieval chemical philosophy aimed at trying to change metal into gold
algorithm	mechanical problem-solving procedure
amalgam	mixture, combination, alloy
amortize	to diminish by installment payments
anachronistic	outdated
antediluvian	Ancient; antiquated; obsolete.
antepenultimate	third from last
anthropomorphic	attributing human qualities to nonhumans
apocryphal	False; unauthenticated; disputed.
apostate	one who renounces a religious faith
apotheosis	1. Essence; epitome. 2. Canonization.
assuage	Ease; make less burdensome: mitigate.
bane	Deadly affliction; curse; plague.
banter	playful conversation
bastion	fortification, stronghold
benchmark	standard of measure
billet	board and lodging for troops
blandish	to coax with flattery
blandishment	Cajolery; enticement.
bludgeon	to hit as with a short, heavy, club
bourgeois	middle-class
cacophonous	Discordant; dissident; harsh.
canonize	to declare a person a saint; raise to highest honors
catalyst	something causing change without being changed
categorical	absolute, without exception
catharsis	purification, cleansing
catholic	universal; broad and comprehensive
centripetal	directed or moving toward the center
chimerical	Fanciful; whimsical; playful.
chronicler	one who keeps records of historical events
circuitous	Indirect; roundabout; rambling.
cognomen	family name; any name, especially a nickname
concomitant	Concurrent; attendant; occurring with something else.
conglomerate	Corporation: partnership: firm.
conjure	to evoke a spirit, cast a spell
consanguineous	of the same origin; related by blood
consecrate	to declare sacred; dedicate to a goal
continence	self-control, self-restraint
contravene	to contradict, deny, act contrary to
convivial	sociable; fond of eating, drinking, and people
Convoke	Convene; assemble.
coquette	woman who flirts
corpulence	Stoutness; obesity.
cosset	to pamper, treat with great care
coterie	Small group of people who share interests and meet frequently.
countervail	to counteract, to exert force against
coven	group of witches
covert	hidden; secret
ctenoid	Comblike; having narrow segments.
curmudgeon	Cantankerous person.
debase	to degrade or lower in quality or stature
debased	Lowered in status or character; degenerate.
demagogue	Incendiary; agitator; opportunist.
demarcation	borderline; act of defining or marking a boundary or distinction
denigrate	to slur or blacken someone's reputation
denounce	Reprove; accuse; condemn.
denunciation	public condemnation
depose	to remove from a high position, as from a throne
depravity	Perverted disposition; wickedness; vileness; corruption.
deprecate	to belittle, disparage
deprecatory	Disapproving; belittling.
derogate	to belittle, disparage
desecrate	Contaminate; profane; defile.
desiccate	to dry completely, dehydrate
despot	Dictator; tyrant; totalitarian.
devout	deeply religious
diabolical	fiendish; wicked
didactic	Pedantic; academic; for teaching.
dilatory	Lackadaisical; lazy; remiss.
diminution	Decrease; reduction.
diminutive	small
disapprobation	Dislike; reservation; denunciation.
disdain	to regard with scorn and contempt
disdainful	contemptuous, scornful
disparage	Deprecate; belittle or abuse.
disparate	dissimilar, different in kind
disparity	contrast, dissimilarity
disputatious	Quarrelsome; contentious; argumentative.
disrepute	disgrace, dishonor
eclectic	selecting from various sources
edify	Instruct; enlighten; educate.
effrontery	Impudence; nerve; gall.
effulgent	brilliantly shining
effusive	expressing emotion without restraint
egocentric	acting as if things are centered around oneself
elegiac	Mournful; sorrowful; sad.
elegy	mournful poem, usually about the dead
emasculate	Deprive of strength.
enmesh	Tangle or involve.
enmity	hostility, antagonism, ill-will
ennui	Dullness; boredom; monotony.
entrench	Fortify; reinforce; secure.
equanimity	calmness, composure
eradicate	to erase or wipe out
esoteric	Confidential; personal; private; privileged.
eurythmics	art of harmonious bodily movement
evanescent	Ephemeral; fading; brief
exculpate	to clear of blame or fault, vindicate
exigent	Pressing; insistent; urgent.
exonerate	Acquit; vindicate; free from responsibility.
exorcise	Cast out evil spin , expel demons.
expiate	to atone for, make amends for
extemporaneous	Spontaneous; impromptu.
extenuate	to lessen the seriousness, strength or effect of
exude	to give off, ooze
fanaticism	extreme devotion to a cause
foment	to arouse or incite
forbearance	patience, restraint, leniency
forensic	relating to legal proceedings; relating to debates
fortuitous	happening by luck, fortunate
funereal	mournful, appropriate to a funeral
gall	to exasperate and irritate
gall	bitterness; careless nerve
gluttony	eating and drinking to excess
gnostic	having to do with knowledge
goad	Incite; pressure; irk; arouse; awaken.
gradation	process occurring by regular degrees or stages; variation in color
grandiloquence	Pompous or bombastic speech; lofty, welling language.
hapless	unfortunate, having bad luck
hedonism	Intemperance; self-indulgence; excess.
hegemony	leadership, domination, usually by a country
heinous	shocking, wicked, terrible
heretic	Nihilist; infidel; radical; dissenter.
heretical	opposed to an established religious orthodoxy
heterodox	unorthodox, not widely accepted
histrionic	Pertaining to actors; melodramatic.
iconoclasm	Attack on religious values or symbols.
iconoclast	one who attacks traditional beliefs
idealism	pursuit of noble goals
idiosyncrasy	peculiarity of temperament, eccentricity
ignoble	dishonorable, not noble in character
ignominious	disgraceful and dishonorable
illusory	unreal, deceptive
imperious	arrogantly self-assured, domineering, overbearing
imperturbable	Even-tempered; level-headed; calm.
impervious	Airtight; sealed; impenetrable.
impious	not devout in religion
impotent	powerless, ineffective, lacking strength
impoverish	to make poor or bankrupt
impreciation	curse
impregnable	invincible; invulnerable; unable to be captured or entered.
impugn*	Denounce; censor: attack.
inauspicious	Unfavorable.
incandescent	shining brightly
incarnadine	blood-red in color
incontrovertible	unquestionable, beyond dispute
incorrigible	Unruly; delinquent; incapable of reform.
inculcate	to teach, impress in the mind
inculpate	to blame, charge with a crime
incursion	sudden invasion
indolence	Lethargy; idleness; sloth.
indolent	habitually lazy, idle
indomitable	fearless, unconquerable
indubitable	unquestionable
inert	unable to move, tending to inactivity
infinitesimal	extremely tiny
infringe	to encroach, trespass; to transgress, violate
inimical	Antagonistic; hurtful; harmful; adverse.
iniquity	sin, evil act
insuperable	insurmountable, unconquerable
insurgent	rebellious, insubordinate
insurrection	rebellion
interlocutor	someone taking part in a dialogue
internecine	deadly to both sides
interpose	to insert; to intervene
interregnum	interval between reigns
intrepid	fearless
inure	to harden; accustom; become used to
invalidate	to negate or nullify
inveigh	Abuse; criticize; rebuke.
investiture	ceremony conferring authority
inveterate	Habitual; chronic.
invidious	likely to provoke ill-will, offensive
irrevocable	conclusive, irreversible
jingoism	belligerent support of one's country
jurisprudence	philosophy of law
kiosk	A small structure used as a newsstand, bandstand, etc.
kitsch	Art or writing of a pretentious but shallow nature.
legerdemain	trickery
levitate	to rise in the air or cause to rise
libertarian	one who believes in unrestricted freedom
libertine	one without moral restraint
litigation	lawsuit
lugubrious	sorrowful, mournful; dismal
macrobiotics	art of prolonging life by special diet of organic nonmetal substances
magnanimous	generous, noble in spirit
magnate	powerful or influential person
malapropism	Inappropriate or ludicrous use of a word.
malevolent	Venomous; spiteful: malignant.
martinet	strict disciplinarian, one who rigidly follows rules
martyr	person dying for his or her beliefs
masochist	one who enjoys pain or humiliation
matriculate	to enroll as a member of a college or university
matrilineal*	tracing ancestry through mother's line rather than father's
mawkish	sickeningly sentimental
mendacious	dishonest
mercurial	quick, shrewd, and unpredictable
meretricious*	gaudy, falsely attractive
monastic	extremely plain or secluded, as in a monastery
moribund	Failing; waning; ailing.
morose	gloomy, sullen, or surly
multifarious	Diverse; many-sided; multiple.
mutability	changeability
myriad	immense number, multitude
nascent	Beginning; embryonic; incipient.
necromancy	black magic
neonate	newborn child
nihilism	belief that existence and all traditional values are meaningless
nonsequitur	conclusion not following from apparent evidence
novitiate	state of being a beginner or novice
numismatics	coin collecting
obfuscate	to confuse, obscure
obsequies	funeral ceremony
obstinate	stubborn
obstreperous	troublesome, boisterous, unruly
omniscient	having infinite knowledge
onerous	burdensome
ontology	theory about the nature of existence
opalescent	iridescent, displaying colors
opine	to express an opinion
opprobrious	disgraceful, contemptuous
ossify	to turn to bone; to become rigid
ostensible	apparent
palaver	idle talk
palliate	to make less serious, ease
palpitation	trembling, shaking
panacea	cure-all
panache	flamboyance, verve
pandemic	spread over a whole area or country
panoply	impressive array
paradigm	ideal example, model
pastiche	Hodgepodge; literary or musical piece imitating other works.
patricide	murder of one's father
patrimony	inheritance or heritage derived from one's father
peccadillo	Small sin or fault.
pedagogue	teacher
pellucid	transparent; translucent; easily understood
penultimate	next to last
penumbra	partial shadow
perambulator	baby carriage
percipient	Able to perceive or see things as they actually are.
perdition	complete and utter loss; damnation
peregrinate	to wander from place to place
perihelion	point in orbit nearest to the sun
peripatetic	moving from place to place
pernicious	very harmful
pertinacious	persistent, stubborn
perturbation	disturbance
petulance	rudeness, peevishness
philanderer	pursuer of casual love affairs
philistine	Barbarian; person lacking artistic judgment.
philology	study of words
phlegmatic	calm in temperament; sluggish
plebeian	crude, vulgar, low-class
plethora	excess, overabundance
polemic	controversy, argument; verbal attack
polemical	Controversial; argumentative; debatable.
polyglot	speaker of many languages
polyphony	Music with two or more melodies blended together.
ponderous	weighty, heavy, large
pontificate	to speak in a pretentious manner
posit	to put in position; to suggest an idea
precept	principle; law
precipitate	sudden and unexpected
precipitous	hasty, quickly, with too little caution
precis	concise summary of facts
predicament	difficult situation
predicate	to found or base on
predictive	relating to prediction, indicative of the future
predilection	preference, liking
predisposition	tendency, inclination
preeminent	celebrated, distinguished
premonition	forewarning; presentiment
preponderance	majority in number; dominance
prepossessing	attractive, engaging, appealing
presage	to foretell, indicate in advance
prestidigitation	sleight of hand
prevaricate	to lie, evade the truth
privation	lack of usual necessities or comforts
probity	honest, high-mindedness
profligate	corrupt, degenerate
progenitor	originator, forefather, ancestor in a direct line
prologue	introductory section of a literary work or play
promontory	piece of land or rock higher than its surroundings
promulgate	to make known publicly
propinquity	nearness
propitiate	to win over, appease
propitious	favorable, advantageous
proselytize	to convert to a particular belief or religion
protestation	declaration
protrusion	something that sticks out
provocation	cause, incitement to act or respond
prurient	lustful, exhibiting lewd desires
pseudonym	pen name; fictitious or borrowed name
puerile	Juvenile; immature; childish.
pugilism	Boxing.
pugnacious	quarrelsome, eager and ready to fight
pulchritude	Beauty; physical appeal.
punctilious	careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony
purgation	catharsis, purification
purport	to profess, suppose, claim
quadruped	animal having four feet
quaternary	consisting of or relating to four units or members
quintessence	most typical example; concentrated essence
quixotic	Romantic; whimsical; unrealistic.
quotidian	occurring daily; commonplace
raconteur	witty, skillful storyteller
ratiocination	methodical, logical reasoning
recalcitrant	Headstrong; disobedient; stubborn.
recurrence	repetition
redundancy	unnecessary repetition
refectory	room where meals are served
reminiscence	remembrance of past events
renascent	reborn, coming into being again
resplendent	Dazzling; glorious; intense.
retrospective	review of the past
rococo	very highly ornamented
saccharine	Sugary; syrupy.
sacrosanct	extremely sacred; beyond criticism
salubrious	healthful
scintilla	trace amount
scintillate	to sparkle, flash
scrivener	professional copyist
secede	to withdraw formally from an organization
sectarian	narrow-minded; relating to a group or sect
secular	not specifically pertaining to religion
seismology	science of earthquakes
seminal	relating to the beginning or seeds of something
senescent	aging, growing old
sententious	having a moralizing tone
serendipity	habit of making fortunate discoveries by chance
sinecure	well-paying job or office that requires little or no work
solecism	grammatical mistake
solipsism	belief that oneself is the only reality
somnambulist	sleepwalker
somnolent	drowsy, sleepy; inducing sleep
sophist	person good at arguing deviously
spurious	Bogus; false.
staccato	marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds
stupefy	to dull the senses of; stun, astonish
suave	smoothly gracious or polite; blandly ingratiating
subjection	dependence, obedience, submission
subliminal	subconscious; imperceptible
subsequent	following in time or order
suffragist	one who advocates extended voting rights
sybarite	Someone devoted to luxury; pleasure-seeker.
sycophant	Flatterer.
symbiosis	cooperation, mutual helpfulness
syncopation	temporary irregularity in musical rhythm
tangential	digressing, diverting
technocrat	strong believer in technology; technical expert
temperance	restraint, self-control, moderation
tenacious	stubborn, holding firm
terrestrial	earthly; down-to-earth, commonplace
tether	to bind, tie
theocracy	government by priests representing a god
tome	book, usually large and academic
tonal	relating to pitch or sound
torpid	lethargic; unable to move; dormant
torsion	act of twisting and turning
tractable	obedient, yielding
transcend	to rise above, go beyond
transcendent	rising above, going beyond
trenchant	acute, sharp, incisive; forceful, effective
trepidation	Anxiety; alarm; apprehension.
truncate	to cut off, shorten by cutting
turpitude	Depravity; baseness; shamefulness.
tyro	beginner, novice
ubiquitous	being everywhere simultaneously
umbrage	offense, resentment
unadulterated	absolutely pure
unanimity	state of total agreement or unity
unconscionable	unscrupulous; shockingly unfair or unjust
unctuous	greasy, oily; smug and falsely earnest
unequivocal	absolute, certain
unidimensional	having one size or dimension, flat
unimpeachable	beyond question
uninitiated	not familiar with an area of study
unobtrusive	modes, unassuming
unscrupulous	dishonest
usury	practice of lending money at exorbitant rates
utilitarian	efficient, functional, useful
vacuous	empty, void; lacking intelligence, purposeless
vapid	tasteless, dull