Vocabulary of 2026 August SAT

nominal (adj)

so small as to be barely noticeable; insignificant in amount

lineage (n)

direct descent from an ancestor; the transmission of a tradition or quality through successive generations

predates (v)

to exist or occur at an earlier date than something else

isotopic (adj)

relating to isotopes (variants of a chemical element with different numbers of neutrons)

igneous (adj)

relating to or denoting rocks formed by the solidification of molten material

mantle (n)

the layer of the Earth between the crust and the core

persistent (adj)

continuing to exist or occur over a prolonged period

corollas (n)

the petals of a flower, typically forming a whorl within the sepals

hindsight bias (n)

the tendency to perceive past events as having been more predictable than they actually were

artisanal (adj)

made in a traditional or non-mechanized way using high-quality ingredients

morphological (adj)

relating to the form and structure of organisms

paleogeneticist (n)

a scientist who studies ancient or extinct genetic material

syndicated (adj)

(of a column, comic, etc.) sold for publication to multiple newspapers or magazines simultaneously

reintroduce (v)

to bring a species back to an area where it once lived but had become extinct

notoriously (adv)

in a way that is widely and unfavorably known

phonemic (adj)

relating to the distinct sound units that distinguish meaning in a language

repertoire (n)

the complete set or range of skills, abilities, or features possessed by someone or something

lexicon (n)

the vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge

genealogical (adj)

relating to the study of family ancestries and lineages

cytotoxicity (n)

the quality of being toxic to living cells

preclude (v)

to prevent something from happening; to make impossible

haphazard (adj)

lacking any obvious principle of organization; random and careless

disparate (adj)

essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison

coherent (adj)

logically consistent, unified, and orderly; forming a whole

cardinal (adj)

of fundamental importance; also, relating to the four main compass directions (north, south, east, west)

edifice (n)

a large, imposing building; a complex system of beliefs or organization

labyrinth (n)

a complicated irregular network of passages or paths; something highly intricate or convoluted

fragmentary (adj)

consisting of small disconnected or incomplete parts

unalterable (adj)

not able to be changed

meticulous (adj)

showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise

conspiracy (n)

a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful; (in text) a collective unspoken agreement

entorhinal (adj)

relating to the entorhinal cortex, a brain region important for memory and navigation

hexagonal (adj)

having a shape with six sides and six angles

leguminous (adj)

relating to plants of the pea family, which typically bear seeds in pods

rhizobia (n)

nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in symbiosis with the roots of leguminous plants

dinitrogen (n)

the molecule consisting of two nitrogen atoms bonded together; the main component of Earth's atmosphere

enzymatic (adj)

relating to or caused by enzymes (biological catalysts)

phosphorus (n)

a chemical element essential for life, crucial for DNA, RNA, and ATP

fixation (n)

the process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into a form usable by plants

dendroclimatologists (n)

scientists who study past climates using tree rings

aerosol (n)

a suspension of fine solid or liquid particles in a gas

stratosphere (n)

the layer of the Earth's atmosphere above the troposphere

anomalies (n)

something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected

facade (n)

the front or face of a building; an outward appearance maintained to conceal a less pleasant reality

avant-garde (adj)

new and unusual or experimental ideas, especially in the arts; the vanguard

propaganda (n)

information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view

conspecifics (n)

members of the same species

infrasound (n)

sound waves with frequencies below the lower limit of human audibility

formants (n)

concentrations of acoustic energy around a particular frequency in the human voice

attenuate (v)

to reduce the force, effect, or value of something; to weaken or thin out

ambient (adj)

relating to the immediate surroundings of something

soluble (adj)

able to be dissolved, especially in water

spectra (n)

bands of colors or electromagnetic radiation arranged by wavelength or frequency

altimetry (n)

the measurement of height or altitude, typically using radar or lasers

perovskite (n)

a mineral or synthetic compound with a specific crystal structure used in advanced solar cells

tardigrades (n)

microscopic aquatic animals known for extreme resilience; also called water bears

anhydrobiosis (n)

a state of suspended animation in response to extreme desiccation (drying out)

desiccation (n)

the process of being completely dried out; extreme dryness

heliopause (n)

the boundary of the heliosphere, where the solar wind's strength is no longer great enough to push back the interstellar medium

inscrutable (adj)

impossible to understand or interpret; completely mysterious

neologisms (n)

newly coined words or expressions

dialectical (adj)

relating to the logical discussion of ideas and opinions; relating to the art of investigating truths through question and answer

exegesis (n)

critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially scripture

mnemonic (adj)

aiding or designed to aid the memory

catalytic promiscuity (n)

the ability of an enzyme to catalyze reactions with multiple, nonspecific substrates

substrates (n)

the substance on which an enzyme acts; a surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached

vitiate (v)

to spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of something; to corrupt or weaken

tendentious (adj)

expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view, typically biased or misleading

corroborate (v)

to confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)

verisimilitude (n)

the appearance of being true or real; likeness to reality

heuristic (adj)

enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves; serving as a guide for investigation

formidable (adj)

inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable

assimilation (n)

the process of taking in and fully understanding information or ideas; also, the gradual adoption of traits

phenotype (n)

the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment

plasticity (n)

the adaptability of an organism to changes in its environment or differences between its various habitats

epigenetic (adj)

relating to changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself

methylation (n)

the addition of a methyl group to DNA, which typically affects gene expression

aberrant (adj)

departing from an accepted standard; abnormal or atypical

cryptic (adj)

having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure; hidden or concealed

fidelity (n)

faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief; accuracy in copying or reproducing

Cartesian (adj)

relating to the French philosopher René Descartes or his ideas, especially dualism and rationalism

self-undermining (adj)

tending to weaken or invalidate itself through internal contradiction

permafrost (n)

permanently frozen ground that has remained at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years

methanogenesis (n)

the biological production of methane by microbes in anaerobic conditions

thermokarst (n)

irregular, hummocky terrain formed by the melting of ground ice in permafrost

anoxic (adj)

without oxygen; oxygen-depleted

consortia (n)

associations or cooperative groups of organisms or organizations

intersectionality (n)

the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping systems of discrimination

suffrage (n)

the right to vote in political elections

biosignatures (n)

measurable substances or phenomena that provide scientific evidence of past or present life

exoplanets (n)

planets that orbit stars outside our solar system

disequilibria (n)

states in which opposing forces or influences are not balanced; lack of equilibrium

photochemical (adj)

relating to chemical reactions caused by light or ultraviolet radiation

serpentinization (n)

a geological process in which ultramafic rocks react with water to produce hydrogen and methane

phylogenomic (adj)

relating to the study of evolutionary relationships among organisms using genome-scale data

eukaryogenesis (n)

the evolutionary process by which eukaryotic cells (complex cells with nuclei) originated

endosymbiotic (adj)

relating to a symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives inside the body or cells of another

adverse selection (n)

a market process in which asymmetric information leads buyers or sellers to select unfavorable transactions

unraveling (n)

the process of coming apart or becoming undone; here, the collapse of a market due to declining quality

substantiate (v)

to provide evidence or proof that something is true; to verify