SAT Vocabulary: Common Word Roots and High-Frequency Words

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from Penguin Test Prep's list of 50 common word roots and 100 high-frequency SAT words.

Ab (Root)

Away

Abdicate

To give up a position, right, or power

Abhor

To regard with disgust and hatred

Ambi (Root)

Both

Ambiguous

Open to more than one interpretation

Ambivalence

Having mixed feelings; being uncertain

Ambul (Root)

Move or walk

Perambulate

To walk through or around

Ami (Root)

Love

Amorous

Showing or expressing love

Enamored

Filled with love or admiration

Contra (Root)

Against

Contravene

To violate or go against

Cred (Root)

Believe

Credence

Belief in or acceptance of something as true

Crypt (Root)

Hidden

Cryptic

Having a meaning that is mysterious

Dem (Root)

People

Demographic

Relating to the structure of populations

Derm (Root)

Skin

Epidermis

Outer layer of skin

Dermatitis

Inflammation of the skin

Dict (Root)

Speak

Domin (Root)

Master

Dur (Root)

Hard

Ego (Root)

I, self

Egotistical

Excessively self-centered

Esth (Root)

Feeling

Anesthetic

A substance that induces insensitivity to pain

Aesthete

A person who has a special appreciation of art and beauty

Extra (Root)

Outside

Extraneous

Irrelevant or unrelated

Fid (Root)

Faith

Infidel

A person who does not believe in a particular religion

Flect (Root)

Bend

Flor (Root)

Flower

Frac/Frag (Root)

Break

Fug (Root)

Run away

Gen (Root)

Birth, production

Progeny

Descendants

Gram (Root)

Something written

Graph (Root)

To write

Grat (Root)

Pleasing

Gress (Root)

To step, to go

Hetero (Root)

Different

Heterogeneous

Diverse in character

Heterodox

Not conforming to accepted beliefs

Homo (Root)

Same

Homonym

A word spelled like another but with different meaning

Idio (Root)

Peculiar, distinct

Idiosyncrasy

A peculiar behavior

Idiopathic

Of unknown cause

Judi (Root)

Judge, lawyer

Adjudicate

To make a formal judgment

Ling (Root)

Language

Loqu (Root)

Speak

Loquacious

Talkative

Soliloquy

Speaking one's thoughts aloud

Magn (Root)

Large, great

Mal (Root)

Bad

Mut (Root)

Change

Ob (Root)

Against

Phil (Root)

Love

Plac (Root)

Calm

Implacable

Unable to be calmed

Re (Root)

Back, again

Sagac (Root)

Wise

Sagacity

Wisdom

Sang (Root)

Having to do with blood

Consanguinity

Blood relationship

Sequ (Root)

Follow

Somn (Root)

Sleep

Somnolent

Sleepy

Tacit/Tic (Root)

Be silent

Tacit

Understood without being stated

Taciturn

Not inclined to talk

Troph (Root)

Feed, grow

Atrophy

To waste away

Hypertrophy

Excessive growth

Ultim (Root)

Last

Penultimate

Second to last

Vener (Root)

Respectful

Veneration

Great respect

Vit (Root)

Life

Voc (Root)

Voice

Vol (Root)

Fly, wish

Volition

The power of using one's will

Abstract

Refers to ideas or concepts that don't have a physical presence—you can't touch or see them, but you know they're there

Acknowledge

To admit or recognize the existence or truth of something

Adapt

To adjust or change to suit new conditions or environments

Admonition

A gentle warning or piece of advice aimed at correcting or guiding someone

Affluent

Describes someone who is wealthy and has a lot of material goods

Agitate

To disturb or upset someone, or to stir up public interest and excitement about a cause

Anomaly

Something that deviates from the norm—it's unusual or unexpected

Antipathy

A deep-seated feeling of dislike or aversion toward someone or something

Arbitrary

Describes something based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

Ascertain

To find out something for certain through investigation or experimentation

Aspire

To have a strong desire or ambition to achieve something great

Benevolent

Describes someone who is kind, generous, and wants to do good for others

Capacity

Refers to the maximum amount something can contain or the ability to do something