Kartlar: Nature & Environment Vocabulary, 1. Reading: Craft and Structure, SAT Reading and Writing | Quizlet

Abysmal

(adj.) Extremely bad or terrible.

accessible

(adj.) easy to reach, obtain, or use.

adept

(adj.) highly skilled or proficient at something.

aerial

(adj.) related to the air or taking place in the air.

aesthetic

(adj.) concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty, especially in art or nature.

Ambitious

(adj.) strongly desiring success, achievement, or distinction.

ambivalence

(n.) mixed or uncertain feelings about something; indecision.

ambivalent

(adj.) having mixed or conflicting feelings about someone or something.

arbitrary

Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.

arduous

Very difficult or requiring a lot of effort; strenuous and tiring.

augment

(v.) to increase, add to, or make larger. (The eager student seeks to augment his knowledge of French vocabulary by reading French literature.)

auspicious

(adj.) favorable or promising good outcomes. (The tennis player considered the sunny forecast an auspicious sign for her match.)

bard

(n.) a poet, especially one who composes and recites poems and songs. (Shakespeare is often considered the greatest bard in English literature.)

bellicose

inclined to fight or argue; aggressive and warlike in attitude.

bourgeois

(n.) a member of the middle class, often with materialistic values. Example: Some criticize businessmen for their bourgeois lifestyle.

capricious

(adj.) Changing often and quickly in mood or behavior; unpredictable.

carp

To complain or find fault in a petty or constant way.

celestial

adj. Related to the sky, stars, or outer space. ("The telescope revealed celestial bodies never seen before.")

cerebral

(adj.) intellectual or related to the use of the mind rather than emotions.

commercial

(a) Related to buying and selling. (n) An advertisement broadcast on TV or radio.

congenial

pleasant and compatible; sharing similar interests, needs, or tastes; sympathetic.

constituent

(n.) a necessary or essential part of something, especially a component or ingredient.

culinary

Pertaining to cooking or the preparation of food.

curriculum

(n) the complete set of subjects and material taught in a school or educational program.

digress

to stray from the main subject in speech or writing

digression

(n.) a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing.

disparate

(adj.) fundamentally different or distinct. (The students had disparate responses toward the novel due to their widely varying interests.)

dominant (adj.)

having the most power, influence, or importance

edict

(n.) a formal order or decree issued by an authority. (The ruler issued an edict requiring everyone to bow before him.)

egregious

(adj.) outstandingly bad or shocking. (The student was punished for his egregious behavior in the cafeteria.)

epicurean

Relating to enjoying fine food and drink; taking pleasure in gourmet experiences.

exculpate

(v.) to clear from blame or prove innocent; exonerate.

extraneous

(adj.) irrelevant or unnecessary; not essential to what is being considered. (Personal ambitions should remain extraneous to legislative policy.)

exult

(v.) to rejoice or show great happiness. (Mary exulted by dancing and singing when she won the literature prize.)

facilitate

(v.) to make a process or task easier; to assist in making something happen.

flout

(v.) to openly disobey or disregard. (I flouted the school's dress code by wearing a tie-dyed tank top and a pair of cut-off jeans.)

grievous

(adj.) causing great pain or suffering; serious or grave in nature. (Electrocuting an innocent inmate would be a grievous mistake.)

haughty

Displaying arrogance and disdain; showing great pride in oneself while looking down on others.

homogeneous

(adj.) made up of parts that are all the same kind or nature.

idiosyncrasy

(n.) a unique or unusual characteristic or habit.

ignominious

(adj.) humiliating; deserving or causing public shame or disgrace.

immense

adj. Extremely large or vast. ("The ocean's immense depth makes it difficult to explore.")

imperious

(adj.) commanding and domineering; expecting to be obeyed. (The imperious nature of your manner led me to dislike you at once.)

incendiary

1. (n.) a person who stirs up conflict or disorder (The incendiary who caused panic at the game will face arrest.) 2. (adj.) causing fire or strong emotion (Flammable liquids are considered incendiary materials and should be stored with care.)

inconsequential

(adj.) unimportant; lacking significance or impact.

indomitable

(adj.) impossible to conquer or defeat (My indomitable personality makes it hard for me to follow another's orders.)

induce

(v.) to cause or bring about (Our protest ended up inducing a large riot.)

inherent

(adj.) existing as a natural, permanent part of something.

insightful

adj. Showing deep understanding or perception. ("Her insightful comments added depth to the discussion.")

insular

(adj.) narrow-minded and isolated; closed off from outsiders. People who are insular avoid interacting with those outside their own group.

irrelevant

Not connected to what is being discussed or considered; not important in the current context.

largess

generous giving of gifts or money; generosity (also spelled largesse)

magnanimous

generous in forgiving others and rising above insults or injury

mawkish

(adj.) excessively sentimental to the point of being sickening. Example: Some critics saw his writing as mawkish, but others found emotional depth.

mediation

intervention by a neutral person to resolve a conflict or help two sides reach an agreement

mendacious

(adj.) dishonest or untruthful in character. Example: The tabloid's mendacious stories were at least amusing.

midst

(n) the middle of a group of people or things

(prep) among

milieu

the social or cultural environment in which something occurs or develops

minor

(a) Having little importance, influence, or effect. (n) A person too young to have legal adult rights.

monumental

adj. Extremely large, significant, or important. ("The discovery was a monumental achievement in medicine.")

morose

(adj.) sullen, gloomy, or ill-tempered.

morphological

adj. Related to the form or structure of things. ("Morphological differences between species help scientists classify them.")

multifaceted

adj. Having many aspects or features. ("Her research took a multifaceted approach to the problem.")

multifarious

(adj.) having many different kinds, aspects, or varieties.

munificent

extremely generous; more than is necessary

myriad

(adj.) countless or extremely numerous.

neutral (adj.)

1. not taking sides; impartial 2. not expressing strong feelings 3. lacking distinctive features.

ostentatious

Characterized by a flashy or showy display meant to attract attention or impress others.

paragon

(n.) a model of excellence or perfection.

pathology

(n.) any abnormal condition or deviation from what is considered healthy or normal.

paucity

(n.) scarcity; a small amount or insufficiency of something.

penultimate

(adj.) second to last; coming just before the final one.

peripheral

(adj.) related to the outer edge or surface; not central or main.

perspicacious

adj. Having a sharp understanding or insight. ("The detective was perspicacious, noticing clues others missed.")

plausible

(adj.) believable or reasonable (He studied all the data and proposed a plausible theory that considered every factor.)

portent

(n.) an omen or sign (A black cat crossing my sister's path was taken as a portent of her potential failure on the spelling test.)

precedence

noun. The state of being considered more important than something else. ("In emergencies, safety takes precedence over convenience.")

preconceived

adj. Formed before having all the facts or experience. ("She entered the debate with a preconceived notion of who was right.")

presumption

(n.) an assumption made before proof or actual knowledge is available.

prevalent

(adj.) widespread or commonly accepted; frequently occurring.

pulchritude

(n.) physical beauty or attractiveness.

quintessential

adj. Being the most typical or perfect example of something. ("Shakespeare is considered the quintessential English playwright.")

remedial

(adj.) intended to improve or correct a deficiency in knowledge or skills.

resolute

(adj.) determined and unwavering. Example: Catherine was resolute about attending college in New York City.

scope

(n) the range or extent covered by a subject, book, program, or discussion

scrutiny

(n.) careful and thorough examination or inspection.

seminal

(adj.) highly original and influential, creating a field or direction. Example: Greenblatt's essays on Shakespeare were seminal to New Historicism.

senate

(n) typically, the more important of two law-making bodies in countries like the US, Australia, and France

sensual

(adj.) related to physical pleasure, especially sexual. Example: The blind-date guest announced he considered himself very sensual.

sovereign

(adj.) having complete, supreme authority within a certain area or over a particular group (The sovereign queen ordered the traitorous nobleman be executed.)

spatial

adj. Relating to space or the arrangement of objects in an area. ("The architect had strong spatial awareness.")

stingy

(adj.) not generous; unwilling to spend or share (Scrooge's stingy habits betrayed the spirit of Christmas.)

temerity

(n.) excessive confidence or boldness; recklessness.

trivialize

(v) to make something appear less important than it actually is.

undulate

(v.) to move in a wavelike motion (As the storm began to brew, the placid ocean began to undulate to an increasing degree.)

vast

(a) extremely large in size, amount, or extent.

veracity

(n.) truthfulness or accuracy. Example: Strong regulation made it hard to question the report’s veracity.

virtuoso

(n.) an individual highly skilled in a particular art, especially music. Lydia has studied piano for many years but is not a virtuoso.

virulent

Extremely poisonous or harmful; deadly. Also describes showing intense hostility or hatred.

vitriolic

(adj.) harsh or bitter in tone; caustic. When angry, she would use vitriolic insults.