IELTS Academic Vocabulary and Root Words Review

A comprehensive vocabulary set covering IELTS academic terms, weekly word lists, and Greek/Latin roots and prefixes based on the Levine curriculum.

Civilian

A person who is not a member of the armed forces, or police, or fire-fighting forces.

Concur

Agree, be of the same opinion.

Substantiate

State or prove the truth of; confirm.

Digress

Turn aside, get off the main subject in speaking or writing.

Galore

Plentiful; abundant (always follows the word it modifies).

Inter

Put into the earth or in a grave; bury.

Mitigate

Make less severe; lessen; soften; relieve.

Novice

One who is new to a field or activity; beginner.

Sober

Not drunk; serious; free from excitement or exaggeration.

Adjourn

Close a meeting; suspend the business of a meeting; disband.

Astute

Shrewd; wise; crafty; cunning.

Censure

Act of blaming; expression of disapproval; hostile criticism; rebuke.

Exonerate

Free from blame; clear from accusation.

Extemporaneous

Composed or spoken without preparation; off-hand; impromptu; improvised.

Extricate

Free from difficulties; disentangle.

Inadvertently

Not done on purpose; unintentionally; thoughtlessly; accidentally.

Lucrative

Money-making; profitable.

Transient

Not lasting; passing soon; fleeting; short-lived; momentary; also refers to a visitor staying for only a short time.

Cache

Hiding place to store something.

Jolly Roger

Pirate's flag; black flag with white skull and crossbones.

Tuition

Payment for instruction.

Aggressor

Person or nation that begins a quarrel; assailant.

Calamity

Great misfortune; catastrophe; disaster.

Crony

Close companion; intimate friend; chum.

Dubious

Doubtful; uncertain; questionable.

Relinquish

Give up; abandon; let go; release; surrender.

Divulge

Make known; reveal; disclose.

Inundate

Flood; swamp; deluge; overwhelm.

Jeopardy

Danger; peril.

Rummage

Search thoroughly by turning over all the contents; ransack.

Facetious

Given to joking; not to be taken seriously; witty.

Infallible

Incapable of error; sure; certain; absolutely reliable.

Pilfer

Steal in small amounts.

Abate

Become less; decrease; diminish; moderate.

Belligerent

Fond of fighting; warlike; combative.

Conspicuous

Noticeable; easily seen; prominent; striking.

Craven

Cowardly.

Immaculate

Spotless; without a stain; absolutely clean.

Blunder

Mistake or error caused by stupidity or carelessness.

Dormant

Inactive; as if asleep; sleeping; quiet; sluggish; resting.

Procrastinate

Put off things that should be done until later; defer; postpone.

Protract

Draw out; lengthen in time; prolong; extend.

Adroit

Expert in using the hands or mind; skillful; clever; deft; dexterous.

Ambidextrous

Able to use both hands equally well.

Avarice

Excessive desire for wealth; greediness.

Mean

Wealth; property; resources.

Opulence

Wealth; riches; affluence.

Sumptuous

Involving large expense; luxurious; costly; lavish.

Audacious

Bold; fearlessly daring; too bold; insolent; impudent.

Indomitable

Incapable of being subdued; unconquerable; invincible.

Alias

Assumed name.

Clandestine

Carried on in secrecy and concealment; secret; concealed; underhand.

Enigma

Puzzling statement; riddle; mystery; puzzling problem or person.

Latent

Present but not showing itself; hidden but capable of being brought to light; dormant; potential.

Elicit

Draw forth; bring out; evoke; extract.

Dovetail

To fit together with, so as to form a harmonious whole; interlock with.

Friction

Conflict of ideas between persons or parties of opposing views; disagreement.

Litigation

Lawsuit; act or process of carrying on a lawsuit.

Slake

To satisfy or quench thirst through refreshing drink.

Succulent

Full of juice; juicy.

Gamut

Entire range of anything from one extreme to another.

Infinitesimal

So small as to be almost nothing; immeasurably small; very minute.

Pittance

Small amount; meager wage or allowance.

Bulwark

Wall-like defensive structure; rampart; defense; protection; safeguard.

Cogent

Forcible; compelling; powerful; convincing.

Vehement

Showing strong feeling; forceful; violent; furious.

Slovenly

Negligent of neatness or order in one's dress, habits, or work; slipshod; sloppy.

Solicitude

Anxious or excessive care; concern; anxiety.

Vigilance

Alert watchfulness to discover and avoid danger; alertness; caution.

Mandatory

Obligatory, compulsory, required.

Quarantine

Isolation or medical inspection; restricted movement to prevent the spread of disease.

Spawning

The production of eggs by aquatic animals; the time of egg production.

Allegiance

Loyalty; devotion; faithfulness; fidelity.

Reservoir

A large supply or store of something.

Casualty

A person who dies in an accident or is killed or injured in war.

Volatile

Evaporating quickly; easily evaporated.

Rigorous

Strict, stern, or stringent; also severe or harsh regarding climate.

Immune

Protected against a particular infection; exempt.

Myriad

Innumerable; countless; numberless.

Vertebrate

Animal having a bony with segmented spinal column and large brain enclosed in a skull.

Adversity

A very difficult or unfavorable situation; misfortune.

Constituent

Part; component; element.

Prevalent

Common; popular; widespread.

Bias

Prejudice; a particular tendency or inclination.

Exorbitant

Very expensive; exceeding bounds of custom or reason.

Ascribe

Assume to be true of; attribute.

Milestone

Significant development; a point in history.

Eradicate

Eliminate; kill completely; remove or destroy utterly.

Immutable

Unchangeable; fixed; ageless.

Disseminate

Spread; scatter widely; gieo rắc.

Denizen

Inhabitant; dweller; resident; occupant.

Migrate

Move from one place to settle in another; often seasonal movement.

Nomad

Member of a tribe that has no fixed abode but wanders from place to place.

Infraction

Breaking of a law or regulation; violation; breach.

Sedition

Speech, writing, or action seeking to overthrow the government.

Acquiesce

Accept by keeping silent; submit quietly; comply.

Docile

Easily taught; obedient; tractable; submissive.

Pliable

Easily bent or influenced; yielding; adaptable.

Chronic

Marked by long duration and frequent recurrence; habitual.

Imminent

About to happen; threatening to occur soon; near at hand.