Barron's 800 essential words for the GRE

epistemology

branch of philosophy tha texamines the nature of knowledge

noxious

harmful; poisonous; lethal

sophomoric

immature and overconfident; conceited

abdicate

to give up a position, right, or power

aberrant

deviating from what is normal

abeyance

temporary suppression or suspension

abject

miserable; pitiful

abjure

to reject; abandon formally

abscission

the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant

abscond

to depart secretly

abstemious

moderate in appetite

abysmal

very bad

accretion

growth in size or increase in amount

affected

pretentious; phony

aggrandize

to make larger or greater

alacrity

cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed

allay

to lessen; ease; soothe

ambrosia

something delicious; the food of the gods

amulet

ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits

anachronism

something out of the proper time

analgesic

medication that reduces or eliminates pain

anodyne

something that calms or soothes pain

antecedent

something that comes before

antipathy

dislike; hostility

apex

the highest point

apogee

the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point

apothegm

a terse, witty saying

appellation

name

apposite

strikingly appropriate and relevant

apprise

to inform

approbation

praise, approval

apropos

relevant

arabesque

ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body

despot

a dictator with absolute power

argot

a specialized vocabulary used by a group

peccadillo

a minor offense; a misdeed

artless

guileless; natural

asperity

severity; harshness; irritability

aspersion

slander; false rumor

ersatz

artificial; not genuine; fake

assiduous

diligent; hard-working

astringent

harsh; severe

atavism

in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence

attenuate

to weaken

austere

stern; unadorned; simple

aver

to affirm; declare to be true

mores

norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance

avocation

secondary occupation

bacchanalian

pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry

bawdy

obscene

beatify

to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to

bedizen

to dress in a vulgar, showy manner

behemoth

huge creature; anything very large and powerful

blandishment

flattery

blase

bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned

bombastic

pompous; using inflated language

boorish

rude; insensitive

bucolic

characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral

burnish

to polish

cacaphonous

unpleasant or harsh-sounding

cadge

to beg; sponge

calumny

false and malicious accusation; slander

canard

false; deliberately misleading story

canon

an established set of principles; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works

cant

insincere talk; language of a particular group

cantankerous

irritable; ill-humored

capricous

fickle

captious

faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument

carping

to find fault; complain

cataclysm

a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change

caucus

smaller group within an organization

caustic

burning; stinging; causing corrosion

centrifugal

moving away from a center

centripetal

moving or directed toward a center

chasten

to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue

chicanery

trickery; fraud

churlish

rude; boorish

circuitous

roundabout

cloister

to confine; seclude

coagulate

thicken; congeal

coda

concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that summarizes or concludes

codify

to systematize

commensurate

proportional

compendium

brief, comprehensive summary

complaisant

overly polite; willingness to comply with the wishes of others

compliant

yielding

compunction

uneasiness caused by guilt

conciliatory

overcoming distrust or hostility

concomitant

existing concurrently

congenial

similar in tastes and habits; friendly; suited to

conjugal

pertaining to marriage agreement

conscript

a person compulsorily enrolled for military service

continence

self-control; abstention from sexual activity

contrite

very sorrowful for a wrong; seeking forgiveness

contumacious

disobedient; rebellious

convivial

sociable

coquette

woman who flirts

cosmology

study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe

cozen

to mislead by trick or fraud; decieve

craven

cowardly

credence

acceptance of something as true

credo

statement of belief or principle; creed

debauchery

corruption

decorum

proper behavior

deference

respect; regard for another's wish

defunct

no longer existing

delineate

to represent or depict

demotic

pertaining to people

demur

to express doubt; question or oppose

denigrate

to slur someone's reputation

denizen

an inhabitant; a regular visitor

denouement

outcome; unraveling of the plot of a play or work of literature

desiccate

to dry completely

desuetude

state of disuse

desultory

random; disconnected; rambling

diaphanous

transparent; vague; insubstancial

diatribe

bitter verbal attack

dichotomy

division into two usually contradictory parts

diffidence

shyness; lack of confidence

digression

act of straying from the main point

dirge

funeral hymn

disabuse

free from a misconception

poultices

a soft, moist mass of material, typically of plant material or flour, applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation and kept in place with a cloth.

discordant

not in tune

discrete

constituing a separate thing; distinct

discretion

quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions

disingenuous

not candid, crafty

disinterested

unpredujiced; objective

disparage

to belittle

dissemble

to pretend; disguise one's motives

dissolution

disintegration;debauchery

dissonance

discord; lack of harmony

distend

to expand; swell out

distill

extract the essential elements

distrait

inattentive; preoccupied

divulge

to make known something that is secret

doggerel

poor verse

dogmatic

stating opinions without proof

dross

waste; worthless matter

ebullient

exhilarated; overly enthusiastic

eclectic

selecting from various sources

effervescence

state of high spirits or liveliness; process of bubling as gas escapes

effete

depleted of vitality; overrefined; decadent

dissident

person who disagrees about beliefs

doctrinaire

dogmatic; unyielding

efficacy

effectiveness; efficiency

effrontery

shameless boldness; presumptuousness

egoism

the tendency to see things in relation to oneself; self-centeredness

egotistical

excessively self-centered; conceited

elegy

poem or song expressing lamentation

elixir

a sustance believed to have the power to cure ills

Elysian

delightful; blissful

emaciated

thin and wasted

embellish

to adorn; enhance

emollient

soothing; mollifying

encomium

a formal expression of praise

endemic

inherent; belonging to an area

enervate

to weaken

entomology

the scientific study of insects

epistemology

branch of philosophy tha texamines the nature of knowledge

equable

steady; unvarying; serene

equanimity

composure; calmness

equivocate

intentionally use vague language

erudite

learned; scholarly

esoteric

hard to understand; known only to a few

essay

to make an attempt; subject to a test

estimable

admirable; possible to estimate

ethnocentric

based on the attitude tha one's group is superior

etiology

causes or origins

eulogy

high praise to a death person

evince

to show plainly; be an indication of

evocative

tending to call to mind or produce a reaction

exact

to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority

exculpate

to clear of blame; vindicate

execrable

detertable; abhorrent

exhort

to urge by strong appeals

exigency

crisis; urgent requirements

exorcise

to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences

expatiate

to speak or write at length

expatriate

to send into exile

expiate

to atone for

explicate

to explain;interpret;clarify

expository

explanatory

quixotic

overly idealistic; impractical

extant

in existence; not lost

extemporaneous

unrehearsed

extirpate

to root up; to destroy

extraneous

not essential

extrapolation

the act of estimation by projecting known information

extrinsic

not inherent of essential

facilitate

to make less difficult

factotum

a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman

fallacious

based on a false idea or fact; misleading

fallow

plowed but not sowed; uncultivated

fatuous

foolishly self-satisfied

fauna

animals of a period o region

felicitous

suitable expressed; wee-chose; appropiate

feral

existing in a wild or untamed state

fetid

having a bad smell

fetter

to bind; confine

fiat

arbitray order; authorization

fissure

crevice

flag

to droop; grow weak

fledging

beginner; novice

flourish

en embellishment or ornamentation

flout

to treat scornfully

flux

flowing; a continuous moving

foment

to incite; arouse

forbearance

patience

forestall

to prevent; delay

forswear

renounce; repudiate

founder

to sink; fail; colapse

fracas

a loud quarrel; brawl

fractious

quarrelsome; unruly; rebellious

fresco

a painting done on plaster

frieze

ornamental band on a wall

froward

stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient

frugality

thrift

fulminate

to attack loudly; denounce

fulsome

so excessive as to be disgusting

florid

ruddy; reddish; flowery

gainsay

to deny; dispute; oppose

gambol

to frolic; leap playfully

garrulous

very talkative; wordy

gauche

coarse and uncouth; clumsy

geniality

cheerfulness; kindliness; sociability

glib

fluent in an insincere way; offhand

gossamer

sheer; light and delicate; like cobwebs

grandiloquent

pompous; bombastic

gregarious

outgoing; sociable

grouse

to complain

gustatory

affecting the sense of taste

halcyon

calm and peaceful; happy; golden; prosperous

harangue

long, pompous speech; tirade

harrowing

extremely distressing; terrifying

hermetic

tighly sealed; magical

heterodox

not widely accepted

hirsute

covered with hair

histrionic

relating to exaggerated emotional behavior calculated for effect; theatrical acts or performances

homeostasis

automatic maintenance by an organism in balance with itself

homily

sermon; tedious moralizing lecture

iconoclastic

attacking cherished traditions

idolatry

idol worship; blind or excessive devotion

igneous

produced by fire; volcanic

imbroglio

complicated situation; an entanglement

impassive

showing no emotion

impecunious

poor; having no money

impinge

to strike; encroach

implacable

inflexible; incable of being pleased or calmed down

imprecation

curse; damnation

impute

to attribute the fault to; relate to a particular cause or source

inchoate

imperfectely formed or formulated

incongruity

state of not fitting

incorporate

introduce something into another thing already in existence

incursion

sudden invasion

indeterminate

uncertain; indefinite

indigence

poverty

indolent

habitually lazy; idle

ineluctable

not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable

inert

unable to move; sluggish

ingenuous

naive and trusting; lacking sophistication

insensible

unconscious; unresponsive

insipid

lacking in flavor; dull

insouciant

indifferent; lacking concern or care

insularity

narrow-mindedness; isolation

insuperable

insurmountable; unconquerable

interdict

to forbid; prohibit

internecine

deadly to both sides

interpolate

to insert; change by adding new words or material

interregnum

interval between reigns; gap in continuity

intransigence

stubbornness; refusal to compromise

inured

hardened; accustomed; used to

munificent

extremely generous, lavish

invective

verbal abuse

inveigh

to disapprove; protest vehemently

inveigle

to win over by flattering or coaxing

inveterate

confirmed; long standing

invidious

likely to provoke ill will

irascible

easily angered

irresolute

unsure of how to act; weak

itinerant

wandering from place to place; unsettled

itinerary

route of a traveler's journey

jaundiced

havind a yellowish discoloration of the skin; affected by envy

jibe

to be in agreement

jocose

fond of joking; jocular

juggernaut

huge froce destrying everything in its path

junta

group of people united in political intrigue

juxtapose

place side by side

kudos

fame; glory; honor

laconic

using few words

lambaste

to trash verbally or physically

lascivious

lustful

lassitude

lethargy; sluggishness

levee

en embankment that prevents a river from overflowing

libertine

one without moral restraint

libido

sexual desire

lilliputian

extremely small

limn

to draw, describe

limpid

clear; transparent

litany

lengthy recitation; repetitive chant

literati

scholarly of learned persons

litigation

legal proceedings

loquacious

talkative

lucre

money or profits

luminous

bright; brilliant; glowing

lustrous

shining

machiavellian

crafty; double-dealing

machinations

plots or schemes

maelstrom

whirpool; turmoil

magnaminity

generosity; nobility

malign

to speak evil of

malinger

to feign illness to escape duty

maverick

dissenter

megalomania

delusions of power or importance

menagerie

a variety of animals kept together

mendacious

dishonest

mendicant

beggar

meretricious

gaudy; specious; flasely attractive

metaphysics

a branch of philosophy tha tinvestigates the ultimate nature of reality

metereological

concerned with the weather

mettle

courage; endurance

mettlesome

full of courage and fortitude

militate

to work against

minatory

threatening; menacing

miscreant

villain; criminal

monolithic

solid and uniform; constituing a single, unified whole

solipsistic

self-centered

morose

ill-humored; sullen

motley

many colored; made up of many parts

multifarious

diverse

neologism

new word or expression

neophyte

novice; beginner

nexus

a means of connection; a center

nonplussed

bewildered

nostrum

medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness

nugatory

trifling; invalid

obdurate

stubborn

obsequious

overly submissive

obsequy

funeral ceremony

obviate

to make unnecessary; to anticipate and prevent

occult

relating to practices connected with supernatural phenomena

odyssey

a long, adventurous voyage; a quest

officious

too helful; meddlesome

oligarchy

form of government in which power belongs to only a few leaders

onerous

burdensome

onomatopeia

formation or use of words that imitate sounds of the actions they refer to

opprobium

public disgrace; contempt

ornithologist

scientist who studies birds

ostentatious

showy; pretentious

overweening

presumptuous; arrogant

paean

song of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy

paleonthology

study of past geological eras through fossil remains

pallid

lacking color or liveliness

panegyric

elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise

paragon

model of perfection or excellence

pathological

departing from normal condition

patois

jargon; a regional dialect

paucity

scarcity

pellucid

transparent; easily understood

penury

extreme poverty

peregrination

wandering from place to place

peremptory

imperative; leaving no choice

perennial

present throughout the years; persistent

perfidious

faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy

perfunctory

superficial; performed really as a duty

perigee

point in an orbit that is closest to the earth

hoi polloi

the common people; the masses

perturb

to disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious

petulant

rude; peevish

phlegmatic

unemotional; calm in temperament

phoenix

anything that is restored after suffering great destruction

physiognomy

facial features

piquant

pleasantly pungent; attractive

pique

fleeting feeling or hurt pride

placid

calm

plaintive

melancholy; mournful

platitude

stale; overused expression

platonic

spiritual; theoretical

plumb

to examine deeply; determine the depth

plummet

to fall; plunge

plutocracy

society ruled by the wealthy

prate

to talk idly; chatter

prattle

meaningless, foolish talk

preamble

preliminary statement

precept

principle; law

precipitate

to cause to happen; throw down from a height; rash; hasty; sudden; done without deliberation

preempt

to supersede; appropiate for oneself

prehensile

capable of grasping

premonition

forewarning; presentiment

urbane

refined in manner or style, suave

presage

to foretell; indicate in advance

presumptuous

rude; improperly bold

prevaricate

to quibble; evade the truth

primordial

original; existing from the beginning

probity

honesty; high-mindness

problematic

posing a problem; doubtful

prodigal

wasteful; extravagant; lavish

profound

deep, not superficial

proliferate

to increase rapidly

propensity

inclination, tendency

propitiate

to win over, appease

propriety

correct conduct, fitness

proscribe

to condemn, forbid, outlaw

provident

providing for future need, frugal

puissant

powerful

punctilious

careful in observing rules fo behavior

pungent

penetrating, caustic, to the point

pusillanimous

cowerdly

purport

to profess, suppose, claim

quagmire

marsh, difficult situation

quail

to cower, lose heart

qualified

limited, restricted

qualm

sudden feeling of faintness or nausea

quiescent

inactive, still

quorum

number of memeber necessary to conduct a meeting

raconteur

witty, skillful storyteller

raiment

clothing

ramification

implication, consequence

rarefied

refined

rebu

puzzle in whic pictures or symbols represent words

recalcitrant

resisting authority or control

recant

retract a statement of opinion

recondite

abstruse, profound

redoubtable

formidable, arousing fear

refractory

stubborn, resisting ordinary methods of treatment

refulgent

brightly shining, resplendent

regale

to entertain

relegate

to consign to an inferior position

clandestine

secret, concealed; underhanded

remonstrate

to object or protest

renege

to go back on one's word

repine

fret, complain

reprise

repetition, especially of a piece of music

reproach

to find fault with, blame

reprobate

morally unprincipled person

repudiate

to reject as having no authority

reticent

nor speaking freely, reserved, reluctant

riposte

retaliatory action or retort

rococo

excessively ornate

rubric

protocol, title or heading

salacious

lascivious, lustful

salubrious

healthful

salutary

expecting an improvement, favorable to health

sanction

to approve, ratify, permit

sardonic

cynical, scornfully mocking

sartorial

pertaining to tailors

saturnine

gloomy

sedition

behaviour prompting rebellion

sedulous

diligent, assiduous

seismic

relating to earthquakes

sensual

relating to the senses, gratifying the physical (sexual) senses

sensuous

relating to the senses

sentient

aware, concious, able to preceive

sextant

navigation tool that determines latitude and longitude

sidereal

relating to the stars

simian

apelike, relating to apes

sinecure

well-paying job that requieres little or no work

sinuous

intricate, complex

sodden

thoroughly soaked, saturated

solicitous

concerned, attentive, eager

soliloquy

literary or dramatic speech by one character, not adressed to others

solvent

able to meet financial obligations

somatic

relating to or affecting the body, corporeal

soporific

sleep producing

sordid

filthy, contemptible and corrupt

specious

seeming to be logical and sound, but not really so

squalor

filthy, wretched condition

staccato

marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds

stanch

to stop or check the flow of

stentorian

extremely loud

stint

to be sparing

stipulate

to specify as an essential condition

stolid

having or showing little emotion

stratified

arranged in layers

striated

marked with thin, narrow grooves or channels

stricture

something that restrains, negative criticism

ape

imitate or mimic (a person's behavior or manner)

ponderous

slow and clumsy because of great weight

cabal

a secret group seeking to overturn something

germane

relevant

strident

loud, harsh, unpleasantly noisy

stultify

to impair or reduce to uselessness

stupefy

to dull the senses of, stun, atonish

stygian

dark and gloomy, hellish

subpoena

notice ordering someone to appear in court

substantiate

to support with proof or evidence

subsume

to include, incorporate

subversive

intended to undermine or underthrow, especially an established government

succor

relief, help in time of distress or want

sundry

various

supersede

to relace, especially to displace as inferior or antiquated

supine

lying in the back, marked by lethargy

supplant

to replace, substitute

suppliant

beseeching

supplicant

one who asks humbly and earnestly

syllogism

a form of deductive reasoning with a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion

sylvan

related to the woods or forest

talisman

charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune

tautology

unnecessary repetition

taxonomy

science of classification

tenuous

weak, insubstantial

theocracy

government by priests representing a god

timbre

voice tone color

toady

flatterer, yes-man

tome

book, usually large and academic

torpor

lethargy, dormancy, sluggishness

tortuous

having many twists and turns, highly complex

travail

work, especially arduous work

treatise

article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly

tremulous

trembling, frugal, timid

trepidation

fear and anxiety

truculence

aggressiveness, ferocity

tryst

agreement between lovest to meet, rendez-vous

tumid

swollen, distended

turbid

muddy, opaque, in a state of great confusion

turgid

swollen, pompous

tutelary

serving as a guardian or protector

untoward

not favorable, troublesome, unruly

usury

a practice of lending money at exorbitant rates

valedictory

pertaining to a farewell

variegated

varied, marked with different colors

vaunt

to boast, drag

venal

mercenary, corruptible

vendetta

prolonged feud marked by bitter hostility

venerate

to adore, honor, respect

veracious

truthful, accurate

vertigo

dizziness

vexation

irritation, annoyance

vindictive

vengeful, unforgiving

visage

appearance, aspect

vitiate

to impair the quality of, corrupt morally

vituperative

using or containing harsh, abusive censure

vivisection

dissection, surgery, or painful experiments performed on a living animal for the purpose of scientific research

vogue

prevailing fashion or practice

volatile

tending to vary frequently, fickle

vortex

whirpool, center of turbulence

welter

wallow or roll, toss about, be in turmoil

wistful

vaguely longing, sadly thoughtful

zealot

one who is fanatically devoted to a cause

outstrip

to get ahead of, do better than, exceed