APLAC Vocabulary List 3

Vocab word

P.O.S.

Definition

Example

Synonyms

Latin/Greek affix

Latin/Greek root

Related root words

abet

v

to aid; to act as an accomplice

While Darrin robbed the bank, Marvin abetted his friend by pulling up the getaway car.

assist

a—to, toward

beter—to bite

adumbrate

v

to give a hint or indication of something to come

Her constant complaining about the job adumbrated her intent to leave.

augur, foreshadow

ad—to

umbrare—to cast in shadow

umbrella

arcane

adj

secret, obscure; known only to a few

The arcane rituals of the sect were passed down through many generations.

mysterious, obscure,

arcanus—secret, hidden

ark

bilious

adj

ill-tempered, sickly, ailing

The party ended early when the bilious 5-year old tried to run off with the birthday gifts.

sickly

bilis—fluid secreted from the liver

bile

celerity

n

speed, haste

The celebrity ran past his fans with great celerity.

alacrity, haste

celer—swift

accelerate

consternation

n

an intense state of fear or dismay

One would never think that a seasoned hunter would display such consternation when a grizzly bear lumbered too close to camp.

alarm, dismay, dread

con—with

sternare—throw down

stern

denizen

n

an inhabitant, a resident

The denizens of the state understandably wanted to select their own leaders.

citizens, dwellers, inhabitants

de—from

intus--within

citizen

encumber

v

to weigh down, to burden

The distractions of the city encumbered her attempts at writing.

burden, hamper, impede

in—in

combrus—barricade, obstacle

overcome

fallacious

adj

tending to deceive or mislead

The fallacious statement “the Earth is flat” misled people for many years.

erroneous, false, misleading,

fallacia—deception

fallacy

false

importunate

adj

troublesomely urgent; extremely persistent in request or demand

Her importunate appeal for a job caused me to grant her an interview.

demanding, dogged

in—not

portus—harbor

port

portal

fortunate

internecine

adj

mutually destructive; equally devastating to both sides

Though it looked as though there was a victor, the internecine battle benefited no one.

destructive, injurious

inter—between, among

necare—kill

necropolis

necrosis

Vocab word

P.O.S.

Definition

Example

Synonyms

Latin/Greek affix

Latin/Greek root

Related root words

lexicon

n

a dictionary; a stock of terms pertaining to a particular subject or vocabulary

The author coined the term Gen-X, which has since entered the lexicon.

vocabulary

lexis—word

lexicographer

microcosm

n

a small scale representation of a larger system

This department is in fact a microcosm of the entire corporation.

micro—small

cosmos—world

cosmology

microscope

novel

adj

new and not resembling anything formerly known

Piercing any part of the body other than the earlobes was novel in the 1950’s, but now it is quite common.

fresh, innovative

nov—new

novelty

new

innovation

pandemic

adj

occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting a large portion of the population

Pandemic alarm spread throughout Columbia after the devastating earthquake.

contagious, infectious

pan—all

demo/dem—people

democracy

pandemonium

phlegmatic

adj

having a sluggish, unemotional temperament

His writing was energetic but his phlegmatic personality wasn’t suited for television, so he turned down the interview.

sluggish, spiritless

phlegmaticus—abounding in phlegm

phlegm

progenitor

n

an ancestor in the direct line, forefather; founder

Though he had been born here, his progenitors were from India.

ancestor, predecessor

pro—to, toward

generare—to produce

generation

progeny

Spartan

adj

highly self-disciplined; frugal, austere

When he was in training, the athlete preferred to live in a Spartan room so he could shut out all distractions.

austere, stark

Sparta—Greek city-state

tautological

adj

having to do with needless repetition, redundancy

I know he was only trying to clarify things, but his tautological statements confused me even more.

redundant, repetitious

tauto—the same

log/loc/loqu—speech, thought

loquacious

dialogue

voluble

adj

talkative, speaking easily, glib

The voluble man and his reserved wife proved the old saying that opposites attract.

eloquent, grandiloquent

volv/volut—to turn around, roll; fluent

revolve

evolve

convoluted