SAT Vocab

Preamble

An introduction to a text

Presage

To indicate something (usually bad) is about happen

Prescient

Having knowledge about something before it happens

Predilection

A special fondness

Precipitate

Rash, acting without thinking

Predicate

To be based on

presentiment

A feeling that something (typically bad) is about to happen

Precedent

Something that sets an example for how things are done in the future

Pretentious

Acting more important than others by pretending to know more

Pretense

A claim or assertion not based on a fact

Precursor

Something that comes up before another that’s used only for things not people

Pretext

A reason given for something that’s not the actual reason

Precocious

Developing early (usually in terms of ability)

Preclude

To make it impossible for something to happen

Tantalize

To torment someone with something they want without giving it to them

Pyrrhic

Describing a victory that comes with a heavy cost

Laconic

Using as few words as possible when speaking

Draconian

extremely strict, as laws or rules

Jeremiad

A long speech full of complaints

Cicerone

A guide who gives speeches to sightseers

Platonic

Describes a close relationship with no romantic or sexual basis

Thespian

An actor

Spartan

Lacking in comfort or flourishes (describing either a lifestyle or accommodations)

Juggernaut

An unstoppable destructive force or thing

Maudlin

Overly self-pitying, often used to describe someone who becomes sentimental when intoxicated

Hector

To bully (usually through words)

Nonchalant

Giving of a sense of calmness and coolness

Adroit

Skillful, either mentally or with one’s hands

Chicanery

trickery or deception, usually in politics or where money is involved

Demur

to object to doing something

Insouciant

showing a lack of concern or interest

Arriviste

a person who’s extremely ambitious and has recently acquired wealth and power

Parvenu

a person who’s recently gained status or celebrity

Rapport

understanding and similar feelings that exist between people or groups

Passé

No longer in fashion

Cache

Collection of items hidden or stored away for future use

Raconteur

a skilled storyteller

Sortie

an attack from a defensive position

Gauche

Clumsy and socially awkward

Sangfroid

Other calmness and composure especially under pressure

Liaison

A person helping two parties communicate

Envoy

a messenger usually on a diplomatic mission

Sans

Typically a facetious way of saying without

Filial

Relating to the obligations of a son or daughter

Droll

odd, and therefore amusing

Faux pas

an act or comment with embarrassing social consequences

In lieu of

In place of, substitute

enfant terrible

A person whose commentary or behavior is aimed to shock

Tete-a-tete

a private conversation between two people

Savior vivre

a familiarity and ease with polite society

Savior faire

the skill of saying and doing just the right thing in social situations

Espirit de corps

The spirit or belongingness and pride of a tightly knit group

Kitsch

Cheap art whose owners are usually aware of its lack of value

Kaput

no longer functioning, as a device or machine

Verboten

Forbidden or prohibited

Zeitgeist

The mood of a particular time period as captured by ideas and culture

Schadenfreude

Delight taken in another’s misfortune

Bildungsroman

A coming-of-age story

Citadel

A fortress standing above and protecting a city

Burlesque

an exaggerated imitation of something typically in a dramatic work

Pastiche

a mixture of elements that typically don’t go together

Archipelago

a cluster of islands

Salvo

a simultaneous discharge of guns, often used figuratively to mean a verbal attack

imbroglio

a complicated and embarrassing situation or mess

Littoral

located along the shoreline

Bravado

A bold act meant to show off

Manifesto

A document describing the aim of a group or organization

Ruffian

a person inclined to violence and criminal behavior

Dilettante

Someone who develops an interest in an area of art or music while being a true expert

Cognoscenti

Those who are well versed in a particular subject

Intelligentsia

The intellectuals or highly educated people in a society

Guru

One who’s a master in his or her field

Bungalow

A low 1 story house usually with a porch or veranda

Pundit

An expert in a specific field

Karma

In Hinduism and Buddhism the determination of one’s fate by one’s action

Mantra

An oft-repeated phrase or slogan

Avatar

the embodiment of a certain idea in a person

pariah

An outcast

Wanderlust

A strong and constant desire to travel

Cosmopolitan

Comfortable and familiar with many different cultures

Insular

Closed off from the rest of the world, unfamiliar with other cultures

Provincial

Narrow-minded, unexposed to different cultures or ideas

Jaunt

A journey taken for pleasure

Parochial

Having a narrow or limited perspective

Junket

an extravagant trip, usually funded by the government or some other entity