Magoosh GRE Vocabulary E-Book

Interesting and International Word Origins - Around the World

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Interesting and International Word Origins - French Words

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Most Common GRE Words - Common Words that Students Always Get Wrong

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Most Common GRE Words - Commonly Confused Sets

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Most Common GRE Words - Top 10 GRE Words of 2012

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Most Common GRE Words - Top 5 Basic GRE Words

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Most Common GRE Words - Tricky "Easy" GRE Words with Multiple Meanings

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Beatific (adj.) vs. Beautiful (adj.)

A beatific person is one who radiates bliss. This person is so happy, they almost seem blessed and holy (think of a saint, or the Buddha). As for beautiful, well you may be beatific if you are beautiful, or you may be totally unhappy. The two words are totally unrelated. Marred by the ravages of time, the idols were hardly beautiful, yet each seemed to emanate a beatific aura that not even 500 years could diminish.

Moment (n.)

A moment is a point in time. We all know that definition. If something is of moment, it is significant and important (think of the word momentous). Despite the initial hullabaloo, the play was of no great moment in Hampton's writing career, and, within a few years, the public quickly forgot his foray into theater arts.

Nabob (n.)

A nabob is a wealthy, influential person. This word also comes from Hindi, and was originally used by Indians to describe a wealthy British person living in India. While it is not as common as pundit and pariah, nabob applies to many living here in the U.S., though I don't think it a good idea to call Donald Trump a nabob to his face. The nabobs can be seen, heads a bobbing, driving by in their Italian sports cars, listening to techno.

Raft (n.)

A raft is an inflatable boat. It can also mean a large number of something. I know—it doesn't really make much sense. But here's a good mnemonic: imagine a large number of rafts and you have a raft of rafts. Despite a raft of city ordinances passed by an overzealous council, noise pollution continued unabated in the megalopolis.

Candid (adj.)

A straightforward and honest look at something is a candid one. Many great photographers have created enduring work because they turned their respective lens on what is real. Whether these photos are from the Dust Bowl, the Vietnam War, or the Arab Winter, they move us because they reveal how people felt at a certain moment. A person can also be candid if they are being honest and straightforward with you. Even with a perfect stranger, Charles was always candid and would rarely hold anything back.

Beg (v.)

Commonly, when we think of begging, we think of money, or a favor. But, one can also beg a question, and that's where things start to get complicated. To beg a question can mean to evade a question, invite an obvious question, or, and this is where it starts to get really tricky, to ask a question that in itself makes unwarranted assumptions. For instance, let's say you are not really sure if you are going to take the GRE. If somebody asks you when you are going to take the GRE, then that person is assuming you are going to take the GRE. That is, they are begging the question. If you avoid giving a direct answer, then you are also begging the question (albeit in a different sense). Which finally begs the question, how did this whole question begging business get so complicated in the first place? By assuming that Charlie was headed to college—which he was not—Maggie begged the question when she asked him to which school he was headed in the Fall.

Demur (v.)

Demur means to object or express reluctance to do something. Demur should not be confused with demure, which as an adjective that means coy. They both come from around the time of the Norman Conquest (though the Anglophiles may have demurred to use either). When asked if she wanted to visit the war torn region without a translator by his side, the journalist demurred.

Sedulous (adj.)

Diligent in application or attention; persevering; assiduous. If you are sedulously studying for the GRE, you are studying diligently and carefully—making flashcards, writing down important words and formulas, and, of course, checking out the Magoosh blog every day. (think SCHEDULE US...SEDULOUS stylist always able to b/c she is so efficient) An avid numismatist, Harold sedulously amassed a collection of coins from over 100 countries—an endeavor that took over fifteen years, and to five continents.

Profuse (adj.)

If something literally pours out in abundance we say it is profuse. This pouring out is usually figurative. A person who apologies ceaselessly does so profusely. Perhaps a little more vividly, certain men who fail to button up their shirts completely let the world - perhaps not unwittingly - know of their profuse chest hairs (which, on their part, should necessitate a profuse apology). During mile 20 of the Hawaii Marathon, Dwayne was sweating so profusely that he stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles clad in nothing more than skimpy shorts.

Benighted (adj.)

If the sky darkens, and becomes night, it is, unsurprisingly, benighted. However, if a people are benighted (this word is usually reserved for the collective), that group falls in a state of ignorance. This latter definition is more common. Far from being a period of utter benightedness, The Medieval Ages produced some inestimable works of theological speculation.

Disparate (adj.)

If two things are fundamentally different, they are disparate. For instance, verbal skills and math skills are disparate, and as such are usually tested separately—the GRE being no exception. With the advent of machines capable of looking inside the brain, fields as disparate as religion and biology have been brought together, as scientists try to understand what happens in the brain when people have a religious experience.

Fleece (v.)

If you are thinking Mary Had a Little Lamb (...fleece as white as snow), you have been fleeced by a secondary meaning. To fleece is to deceive. (Wearing fleece to trick other lambs to thinking you are one of them) Many have been fleeced by Internet scams and have never received their money back.

Hector (v.)

If you remember reading Homer's Iliad, you may remember Hector, a muscular, daunting force (some of you may more vividly recall Eric Bana from the movie Troy). As people were intimidated around Hector, it makes sense that the word hector means to bully or intimidate. The boss's hectoring manner put off many employees, some of whom quit as soon as they found new jobs.

Fell (adj.)

Imagine an evil person who cuts down trees, and then falls himself. Well, that image is capturing three different definitions of fell—to cut down a tree, the past tense of fall (we all know that) and evil. Yes, I know, fell can't possibly mean evil...but the English language is a wacky one. Fell indeed means terribly evil. Now watch out for that tree! For fans of the Harry Potter series, the fell Lord Voldemort, who terrorized poor Harry for seven lengthy installments, has finally been vanquished by the forces of good—unless, that is, JK Rowling decides to come out of retirement.

Chauvinist (n.)

Many have heard this word, and some may even have a visceral reaction to it. However, this word is actually misused. A chauvinist is not a male who chugs beers, watches too much football, and demeans women. That would be a male chauvinist. So what is a chauvinist, unadorned by any adjective? Well, Nicolas Chauvin, a one-time recruit in Napoleon's army, used to go about town, thumping his chest about how great France was. In its modern day incantation, chauvinism can also mean anyone who thinks that their group is better than anybody else's group. You can have male chauvinists, political party chauvinists, and even female chauvinists. The chauvinist lives on both sides of the political spectrum, outright shunning anybody whose ideas are not consistent with his own.

Pyrrhic (adj.)

King Pyrrhus had the unfortunate luck of going up against the Romans. Some would say that he was actually lucky in that he actually defeated the Romans in the Battle of Asculum. Pyrrhic was perhaps more ambivalent, quipping, "One more such victory will undo me." So any win that comes at so great a cost that it is not even worth it is a pyrrhic victory. George W. Bush's win in the 2000 election was in many ways a pyrrhic victory: the circumstances of his win alienated close to half of America.

Extant (adj.)

Many think this word means extinct. Extant is actually the opposite of extinct. A great mnemonic is to put the word 'is' between the 'x' and the 't' in extant. This gives you existant (don't mind the misspelling). Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be extant generations from now.

Maudlin (adj.)

Mary Magdalene was the most important female disciple of Jesus. After Jesus had been crucified, she wept at his tomb. From this outward outpouring of emotion, we today have the word maudlin. Whereas Mary's weeping was noble, maudlin has taken on a negative connotation. A person who is maudlin cries in public for no good reason, and is oftentimes times used to describe one who's tried to finish a jeroboam alone, and now must share with the stranger sitting next to them all of his deepest feelings. Just as those who were alive during the 70's are mortified that they once cavorted about in bell-bottoms, many who lived during the 80's are now aghast at the maudlin pop songs they used to enjoy—really, just what exactly is a total eclipse of the heart?

Wax (n./v.)

Melting wax will only lead you astray. The secondary meaning for wax is to increase. The opposite of wax is to wane. Both words are used to describe the moon: a waxing moon becomes larger and larger each night until it becomes a full moon, at which point it becomes small and smaller each night and becomes a waning moon. Her enthusiasm for the diva's new album only waxed with each song; by the end of the album, it was her favorite CD yet.

Enervate (v.)

Most people think enervate means to energize. It actually means to sap the energy from. John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him enervated after he'd spent the day sightseeing.

Malapropism (n.)

Ms. Malaprop was a character in a play The Rivals by the largely forgotten George Sheridan. She was known for mixing up similar sounding words, usually to comic effect. Indeed, she would utter the words with complete aplomb that those listening were unsure if she'd even mixed up words in the first place. Her favorite Spanish dance was the flamingo (note: the dance in question is the flamenco; a flamingo is a salmon-colored bird known both for its elegance and tackiness). GRE malapropisms aren't quite so silly as Ms. Malaprop mixing up a bird and a Spanish dance, but I'll do my best. See if you can spot the GRE malapropisms below. The graffiti artist was indicated for defecating the church with gang signs. Picasso was a protein artist, able to mix elements of African art with the oven guard.

Pugnacious (adj.)

Much like a pug dog, which aggressively yaps at anything near it, a person who is pugnacious likes to aggressively argue about everything. Verbally combative is another good way to describe pugnacious. The comedian told one flat joke after another, and when the audience started booing, he pugnaciously spat back at them, "Hey, you think this is easy - why don't you buffoons give it a shot?"

Pollyannaish (adj.)

Like Hector, Pollyannaish comes from fiction. However, in this case we are dealing with a relatively recent work, that of Eleanor Porter who came up with a character named Pollyanna. Pollyanna was extremely optimistic and so it is no surprise that Pollyannaish means extremely optimistic. Even in the midst of a lousy sales quarter, Debbie remained Pollyannaish, never losing her shrill voice and wide smile, even when prospective customers hung up on her.

Imbibe (v.)

Literally, to imbibe is to drink, usually copiously. Figuratively, imbibe can refer to an intake of knowledge or information. Plato imbibed Socrates' teachings to such an extent that he was able to write volumes of work that he directly attributed, sometimes word for word, to Socrates.

Egregious (adj.)

'Greg' is the Latin root for flock. At one point, egregious meant standing out of the flock in a positive way. This definition went out of vogue sometime in the 16th century, after which time egregious was used ironically. Thus for the last five hundred years, 'egregious' meant standing out in a bad way. In sports, an egregious foul would be called on a player who slugged another player (not including hockey, of course). The dictator's abuse of human rights was so egregious that many world leaders asked that he be tried in an international court for genocide.

Quixotic (adj.)

quixotic has taken the broader meaning of someone who is wildly idealistic. It is one thing to want to help end world hunger; it is another to think you can do so on your own. The latter would be deemed quixotic. Don Quixote is perhaps one of the most well-known characters in all of literature. I suppose there is something heartbreaking yet comical at a man past his prime who believes he is on some great mission to save the world. In fact, Don Quixote was so far off his rocker that he thought windmills were dragons. As a word that means somebody who mistakes windmills for dragons would have a severely limited application, For every thousand startups with quixotic plans to be the next big thing in e-commerce, only a handful ever become profitable.

Ambivalent (adj.)

when you are ambivalent you have mixed or conflicting emotions about something. Students often believe that to be ambivalent towards something is to be indifferent. The truth is almost the opposite. Imagine somebody asked you what it was like studying for the GRE. Sam was ambivalent about studying for the GRE because it ate up a lot of her time, yet he learned many words and improved at reading comprehension.

Base (adj.)

without any moral principles. When the definition of this word came into existence, there were some obvious biases against the lower classes (assuming that lexicographers were not lower class). It was assumed that those from the base, or the lowest, class were without any moral principles. They were contemptible and ignoble. Hence, we have this second definition of base (the word has since dropped any connotations of lower class). She was not so base as to begrudge the beggar the unwanted crumbs from her dinner plate.

Paucity (n.)

Paucity is a lack of something. In honor of paucity, this entry will have a paucity of words. There is a paucity of jobs hiring today that require menial skills, since most jobs have either been automated or outsourced.

Equivocate (v.)

People tend to think that equivocate has to do with equal. It actually means to speak vaguely, usually with the intention to mislead or deceive. More generally, equivocal can mean ambiguous. The related word unequivocal can also be confusing. To state something unequivocally is to state it in such a way that there is no room for doubt. The findings of the study were equivocal—the two researchers had divergent opinions on what the results signified.

Ponderous (adj.) vs. Imponderable (adj./n.)

Ponder means to think over. So, ponderous must mean thinking. However, this is not the case. Ponderous is derived from 'pondus', which means weight (think of a pound). So, to be ponderous means to be weighed-down, and to move slowly and in a labored fashion. Imponderable is not the opposite of ponderous. It actually relates to thinking. An imponderable is something that is impossible to estimate, fathom or figure out. Say a child was to ask, "How long would it take driving in a car to go from one end of the universe to the other?" Unless you have a really big calculator—and a very fast car—the answer to this question would be imponderable.

Sangfroid (n.)

Sangfroid literally means cold-blooded. It is defined as calmness and poise, especially in trying situations. The hostage negotiator exhibited a sangfroid that oftentimes was more menacing than the sword at his throat or the gun at his head.

Schadenfreude (n.)

Schadenfreude is one of those words that at first glance may seem gratuitous. After all, do we really need a word that literally translates from the German as harm-joy? Unfortunately, a twisted quirk of human nature is that we can sometimes take joy in the suffering of others. Luckily, German has provided us a word to use if we ever see someone cackling sardonically at the suffering of others. From his warm apartment window, Stanley reveled in schadenfreude as he laughed at the figures below, huddled together in the arctic chill.

Innocuous (adj.)

Something innocuous is harmless and doesn't produce any ill effects. HARMLESS (think INNOCENT) Many germs are innocuous. As are most bug bites. Even television, in small doses, is typically innocuous. Innocuous can also mean inoffensive. An innocuous question is unlikely to upset anyone. Everyone found Nancy's banter innocuous—except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.

Censure (v.) vs. Censor (v.)

Speaking of beeping out the F-word, we have a synonym for expurgate: censor. Censure, the much more common GRE word, has nothing to do with removing objectionable words and/or material. However, if you decide to start dropping the F-bomb in public—and I don't mean facetious—then you can easily expect someone to censure you. To censure someone is to express strong disapproval of that person.

Retiring (adj.)

Sure, many dream of the day when they can retire (preferably to some palatial estate with a beachfront view). The second definition does not necessarily apply to most. To be retiring is to be shy, and to be inclined to retract from company. Nelson was always the first to leave soirees—rather than mill about with "fashionable" folk, he was retiring, and preferred the solitude of his garret.

Tender (v.)

Tender is a verb, and it does not mean to behave tenderly. When you tender something, you offer it up. For instance, when you tender your resignation, you hand in a piece of paper saying that you are resigning. The government was loath to tender more money in the fear that it might set off inflation.

Expansive (adj.)

The common definition of expansive is extensive, wide-ranging. The lesser known definition is communicative, and prone to talking in a sociable manner. After a few sips of cognac, the octogenarian shed his irascible demeanor and became expansive, speaking fondly of the "good old days".

Maintain (v.)

The second definition of this word—and one the new GRE favors—is to assert. One can maintain their innocence. A scientist can maintain that a recent finding supports her theory. The latter context is the one you'll encounter on the GRE. The scientist maintained that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate.

Start (v.)

The secondary meaning for start is somewhat similar to the common meaning. To start is to suddenly move or dart in a particular direction. Just think of the word startle. All alone in the mansion, Henrietta started when she heard a sound.

Parvenu (n.)

This is a person who has recently acquired wealth, and has therefore risen in class. Parvenu has a derogatory connotation, meaning that if you win the lottery and someone calls you a parvenu they are not trying to be flattering. The theater was full of parvenus who each thought that they were flanked by aristocrats.

Miserly (adj.) vs. Frugal (adj.)

This is one of the most commonly confused pairs. These words, despite popular opinion, are not the same. Frugal has a positive connotation, i.e. you spend money wisely, and miserly has a negative connotation, i.e. you pinch every penny. Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.

Errant (adj.) vs. Arrant (adj.) vs. Errand (n.) vs. Err (v.)

To be errant is to be wandering, not sticking to a circumscribed path. It can also connote deviating from accepted behavior or standards. Unlike his peers, who spent their hours studying in the library, Matthew preferred errant walks through the university campus to help his brain function. Arrant means complete and utter. It usually modifies a noun with a negative connotation, e.g. liar, fool, etc. An arrant fool, Lawrence surprised nobody when he lost all his money in a pyramid scheme that was every bit as transparent as it was corrupt. An errand is a small chore. Maria carried out her errands with dispatch, completing most before noon. To err is (surprise!) to make an error. He erred in thinking that errant and arrant were synonyms.

Check (n./v.)

To check is to limit, and it is a word usually used to modify the growth of something. When government abuses are not kept in check, that government is likely to become autocratic.

Check (n./v.)

To check something is to stop its growth (similar to stem but with more of a focus on growth than flow). If something is left unchecked, then it grows freely. Deserted for six months, the property began to look more like a jungle and less like a residence—weeds grew unchecked in the front yard.

Demur (v.) vs. Demure (adj.)

To demur is a verb meaning to object or show reluctance. Wallace dislike the cold, so he demurred when his friends suggested they going skiing in the Alps. To be demure is to be modest and shy. This word is typically used to describe a woman, so don't call a man demure, as they will surely demur.

Expurgate (v.) vs. Expunge (v.)

To expurgate means to remove objectionable material. If you've ever watched a rated-R film that has been adapted for prime time, you'll probably note that all those F-words—factitious, facetious, and fatuous—have been removed. That's expurgation (think of the "beep"). To expunge simply means to wipe out or remove any trace off. Many people who commit petty crimes have those crimes expunged from their records, given that person doesn't decide to start running every other red light. So, if you've been a good driver over the last 10 years, then that one incident when 85 became the new 65...well, that's probably been expunged from your record.

Blinkered (adj.)

To have a limited outlook or understanding. The true etymology of the word actually comes from the blinkers that are put on racing horses to prevent them from becoming distracted. In gambling, the addict is easily blinkered by past successes and/or past failures, forgetting that the outcome of any one game is independent of the games that preceded it.

Inundate (v.)

To inundate is a synonym for to deluge, which means to flood. Figuratively, to be inundated means to be overwhelmed by too many people or things. The newsroom was inundated with false reports that only made it more difficult for the newscasters to provide an objective account of the bank robbery.

Juggernaut (n.)

To many, this word was forever immortalized in X-Men 2, when one of the main characters, Juggernaut, ran through walls, pulverizing them. This power to knock over and destroy anything in one's path can also be traced to the original juggernaut, a word that comes to us via Hindi. A juggernaut was a large temple vehicle—and when I mean large, I mean humongous—under which followers of Krishna would supposedly throw themselves. Today, the word juggernaut doesn't necessarily include any grisly sacrifices, but refers to any large force that cannot be stopped. Napoleon was considered a juggernaut, until he decided to invade Russia in winter; within weeks his once seemingly indomitable army was decimated by cold and famine.

Prevaricate (v.) vs. Variance (n.)

To prevaricate is to speak in an evasive way. Prevaricate does not mean to vary before; indeed, it is totally unrelated to variance, which simply means the quality of varying. A good synonym for prevaricate is equivocate. And that's no lie. The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to prevaricate".

Amuck (adv.)

To run amuck (also spelled amok) is to run about frenzied. While this word comes to us via Malay, you don't have to live on the Malaysian peninsula to witness people running amuck. Wherever the bowl-cut teen-idol went, his legions of screaming fans ran through the streets amuck, hoping for a glance of his boyish face.

Stem (v.)

To stem means to hold back or limit the flow or growth of something. You can stem bleeding, and you can stem the tide—or at least attempt to do so. However, do not stem the flow of vocabulary coursing through your brains. Make sure to use GRE words whenever you can. To stem the tide of applications, the prestigious Ivy requires that each applicant score at least 330 on the Revised GRE.

Gerrymander (v.)

Today the use of gerrymander hasn't changed too much, and refers to the manipulation of boundaries to favor a certain group. Elbridge Gerry was the vice president of James Madison, the 4th president of the United States. Elbridge had an interesting idea. To get elected a president had to win a certain number of districts. So Elbridge came up with the following plan: if he partitioned a city in a certain way he could ensure that the president would win the majority of the votes from that district. The end result was a city that was split up into the oddest arrangement of districts. And can you guess what a map of the city, gerrymandered, looked like? Yep, a salamander. Years ago, savvy politicians had gerrymandered the city center to ensure their re-election.

Kafkaesque (adj.)

Today, we have the word Kafkaesque, that refers to the absurdity we have to deal with living in a world of faceless bureaucracies. By day, Franz Kafka filed papers at an insurance office, and by night churned out dark novels, which suggested that the quotidian world of the office was actually far more sinister. Mainly, his novels were known for the absurd predicaments of their main characters (who often went by nothing more than a single initial). So next time you are put on hold for three hours and then volleyed back in forth between a dozen monotone-voice employees, think to yourself, hey this is Kafkaesque. The process of applying for a passport was so Kafkaesque that Charles ultimately decided not to take a vacation.

Zeitgeist (n.)

Translated literally from German, zeitgeist means "time-ghost". In terms of an actual definition, zeitgeist means spirit of the times. Each decade has its own zeitgeist—the 1990's was a prosperous time in which the promise of the American Dream never seemed more palpable. The zeitgeist of the 2000's was a curious admixture of fear and frivolity; when we were not anxious over the state of the economy and the world, we escaped into reality T.V. shows, either those on popular networks or the ones we would create ourselves on YouTube.

Erratic (adj.)

Unpredictable, often wildly so, erratic is reserved for pretty extreme cases. An athlete who scores the winning point one game, and then botches numerous opportunities is known for his or her erratic play. The stock market is notoriously erratic, as is sleep, especially if your stocks aren't doing well. Erratic can also mean strange and unconventional. Someone may be known for their erratic behavior. Regardless of which meaning you are employing, you should not be erratic in your GRE prep. It came as no surprise to pundits that the President's attempt at re-election floundered; even during his term, support for his policies was erratic, with an approval rating jumping anywhere from 30 to 60 percent.

Veracity (n.)

Veracity sounds a lot like voracity. Whereas many know voracity means full of hunger, whether for food or knowledge (the adjective form voracious is more common), few know veracity. Unfortunately, many confuse the two on the test. Veracity means truthful. Veracious, the adjective form of veracity, sounds a lot like voracious. So be careful. After years of political scandals, the congressman was hardly known for his veracity; yet despite this distrust, he was voted into yet another term.

Wanting (adj.)

Wanting means lacking. So, if your knowledge of secondary meanings is wanting, this eBook is a perfect place to start learning. She did not find her vocabulary wanting, yet there were so many GRE vocabulary words that inevitably she did not know a few.

Involved (adj.)

We are involved in many things, from studying to socializing. For something to be involved, as far as the GRE is concerned, means it is complicated, and difficult to comprehend. The physics lecture became so involved that the undergraduate's eyes glazed over.

Flush (adj.)

What word means to turn red (especially in the face), to send down the toilet, to be in abundance, and to drive out of hiding? Yep, it's flush, which has all four of these totally unrelated definitions. The GRE Reading Comprehension passage is flush with difficult words, words that you may have learned only yesterday.

Artless (adj.) vs. Artful (adj.) vs. Artifice (n.)

\To be artful means to be cunning and wily. To have artifice is to be artful. Perhaps you've read Dickens, and remember The Artful Dodger. The titular artful dodger did not have a penchant for watercolors, but was instead a devious, wily lad. This trait, presumably, allowed him to dodge tricky situations. If somebody is artless, on the other hand, that person is innocent, guileless. It should come as little surprise, then, that the literary canon is absent an artless dodger, as he would be too innocent and naive to dodge much of anything. Finally, artful and artless can refer back to the original usage of art. Therefore, Picasso is artful and I am artless. However, the GRE rarely, if ever, tests these definitions.

Arriviste (n.)

a person who has recently acquired unaccustomed status, wealth, or success, especially by dubious means. This word is similar to parvenu (though arriviste connotes more ruthless ambition). It came into the language much more recently, circa 1900. The city center was aflutter with arrivistes who each tried to outdo one another with their ostentatious sports cars and chic evening dress.

Panglossian (adj.)

blind optimism (-) interestingly, there is another eponym for literature that has a very similar meaning: Panglossian. Derived from Dr. Pangloss from Voltaire's Candide, Panglossian carries a negative connotation, implying blind optimism. Despite the fact that his country had been marred by a protracted civil war, Victor remained ever Panglossian, claiming that his homeland was living through a Golden Age.

Imbroglio (n.)

it is related to the verb embroil and describes a confusing, and potentially embarrassing, situation. The chef cook-off featured one gourmand who had the unfortunate distinction of mixing the wrong broths, creating an imbroglio that viewers will not soon forget.

Eponyms

An eponym is any word that is derived from a person's name. English is one of the most promiscuous languages, absorbing languages as unrelated as Sanskrit and Finnish into its bulging lexicon. By extension, I'd also warn against relying on Latin/Greek roots to figure out what unfamiliar words mean. Thwarting a root-based approach even more is the fact that English not only takes from any language it stumbles across, but that it blithely appropriates a person's name, trimming a few letters here and there (adding the Latin -ian, or -esque for true mongrel effect), and then begets a Franken-word that would confound the most seasoned etymologist. Adapting a name in such a fashion results in an eponym. What makes eponyms fascinating—and even more random—is that just about anyone can bequeath the world his or her name: a fictional anti-hero who thought windmills were dragons; a jingoistic veteran of Napoleon's army; an author with a penchant for absurdity, and an aversion to bureaucracy. Of course, for GRE purposes we do not need to know that a jeroboam is a massive wine bottle named for an ancient Israeli king (who apparently was quite the wino). So I have culled from a list of eponyms those that may actually show up test day.

Becoming (adj.)

Another secondary meaning that changes parts of speech, becoming an adjective. If something is becoming, it is appropriate, and matches nicely. Her dress was becoming and made her look even more beautiful.

Laconic (adj.)

Another word that sounds different from what it means. A person is described as laconic when he/she says very few words. (think LACKING PHONICS...barely talks) I'm usually reminded of John Wayne, the quintessential cowboy, who, with a gravely intonation, muttered few words at a time. As this allusion betrays my age more than anything else, think of Christian Bale in Batman—the laconic caped crusader. While Martha always swooned over the hunky, laconic types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative—and not very hunky.

Perfunctory (adj.) vs. Preemptive (adj.) vs. Peremptory (adj.)

Ever done dishes before? As far as daily experiences go, this one represents the nadir for most. As a result, when we do dishes, we do them in a routine way. We are hardly inspired. To do something in such a manner is to be perfunctory. The word also carries with it the connotation of carelessness. That is, if you do something in which you are merely going through the motions, you are probably not doing your best (as far as my perfunctory dish-cleaning goes, my wife can attest to this). To act before someone else does is to act preemptively. Just as Martha was about to take the only cookie left on the table, Noah preemptively swiped it. Preemptive is often times heard in a political context. A country that strikes before another country can do so is launching a preemptive strike. If you are peremptory you are bossy and domineering. My sister used to peremptorily tell me to do the dishes, a chore I would either do perfunctorily or avoid doing altogether.

Mesmerize (v.)

Franz Mesmer, an Austrian physician prominent the turn of the 19th century, was renowned for hypnotizing people. His method included kneeling near a patient, touching his/her knees and looking into the person's eyes (I'm curious if he ever proposed to one of his clients). Today, we have the word mesmerize, which doesn't necessarily mean to hypnotize (though it could), but is used figuratively and means to hold spellbound. The plot and the characters were so well developed that many viewers were mesmerized, unable to move their eyes from the screen for even a single second.

Histrionic (adj.) vs. History (n.)

Histrionic is totally unrelated to history. It comes from the Latin for actor. To be histrionic is not to have a penchant for bad Pacino or Brando imitations, but to be overly theatrical. Though she received a B- on the test, she had such a histrionic outburst that one would have thought that she'd been handed a death sentence.

Bleak (adj.)

If one has a very depressing take on life, we say that person has a bleak outlook. Landscapes can be bleak (Siberia in April, the Texas of No Country for Old Men), and writers, too (Dostoevsky, Orwell). Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious music—compare England's band Radiohead to any band from Southern California.

Scintillating (adj.)

If something gives off sparks, such as when photons collide, it is said to scintillate. Figuratively, scintillating describes someone who is brilliant and lively (imagine Einstein's brain giving off sparks). Richard Feynman was renowned for his scintillating lectures—the arcana of quantum physics was made lucid as he wrote animatedly on the chalkboard.

Telling (adj.)

If something is telling, it is significant and revealing of another factor. If a person's alibi has a telling detail, often that one little detail can support—or unravel!—the person's alibi. Her unbecoming dress was very telling when it came to her sense of fashion.

Indigent (adj.) vs. Indigenous (adj.) vs. Indignant (adj.)

Indigent word means poor, having very little means. In the so-called Third World, many are indigent and only a privileged few have the wherewithal to enjoy material luxuries. Indigenous means relating to a certain area. Plants and animals are often indigenous, as are people. The flora and fauna indigenous to Australia are notably different from those indigenous to the U.S—one look at a duckbill platypus and you know you're not dealing with an opossum. Imagine you are waiting in line to order your morning coffee. Right as you are about to ask for a nice steaming cup, someone cuts in front of you and places an order for six people. How would you feel? Indignant. Indignant means to feel anger over a perceived injustice. And you don't want to be indignant the day of the test, when ETS just happens to pick that one word you always end up confusing with another word.

Contentious (adj.)

It comes from the word contend, which means to argue. If you are contentious, you like to argue. Contentious is a very common GRE word, so unless you want me to become contentious, memorize it now! Since old grandpa Harry became very contentious during the summer when only reruns were on T.V., the grandkids learned to hide from him at every opportunity.

Junta (n.)

Junta means to join and comes via Portugal and Spain. But this joining was in no way peaceful. Whenever military groups joined forces to usurp the existing regime, they would form a military junta. Today, junta can refer to the aggressive takeover by a group. As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is, some analysts believe that were a junta suddenly to gain power, it could be even more unpredictable and bellicose than the current leadership.

Intimate (adj./v.)

Just as tender doesn't relate to two people in love, neither does intimate, at least in the GRE sense. The secondary meaning for intimate is to suggest something subtly. At first Manfred's teachers intimated to his parents that he was not suited to skip a grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that, notwithstanding the boy's precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th grade.

Galvanize (v.)

Need to strengthen steel by giving it a final coat? Or, perhaps you need to motivate somebody? Well, in both cases, you would literally be galvanizing. Figuratively, to galvanize is to excite to action or spur on. At mile 23 of his first marathon, Kyle had all but given up, until he noticed his friends and family holding a banner that read, "Go Kyle"; galvanized, he broke into a gallop, finishing the last three miles in less than 20 minutes.

Powwow (n./v.)

No, it's not kowtow's cousin. This word sprung from American soil, namely the Algonquin tribe of North America. A powwow was quite a hootenanny of a time and involved a big party of dancing and dining between tribes. Strangely, today's meaning is a lot more subdued, and far less fun. Any informal discussion or colloquy is regarded as a powwow. You and your co-worker can have a mid-afternoon powwow over coffee. A political leader can have a powwow with his cronies (I'm presuming they'd favor cigars over coffee). Before the team takes the field, the coach always calls for a powwow so that he can make sure all the players are mentally in the right place.

Kowtow (v.)

Nope, kowtow is not a giant truck for pulling bovines, but rather a word that comes from the imperial courts of China. When a person kowtowed to the emperor, or any eminent mandarin for that matter, he or she knelt and touched the ground with his or her forehead. Such a gesture was intended to show respect and submission. Today, kowtow has a negative connotation and implies that a person is acting in a subservient or sycophantic manner. Paul kowtowed to his boss so often the boss herself soon became nauseated by his sycophancy.

Qualify (v.)

This is perhaps the most commonly confused secondary meaning, and one that is very important to know for the GRE. To qualify is to limit, and is usually used in the context of a statement or an opinion. I love San Francisco. I love San Francisco, but it is always windy. The first statement shows my unqualified love for San Francisco. In the second statement I qualify, or limit, my love for San Francisco. In the context of the GRE, the concept of qualification is usually found in the Reading Comprehension passage. For example, an author usually expresses qualified approval or some qualified opinion in the passage. As you may have noticed, the authors of reading comprehension passages never feel 100% about something. They always think in a nuanced fashion. Therefore, they are unlikely to be gung-ho or downright contemptuous. That is, they qualify, or limit, their praise/approval/disapproval.

Lagniappe (n.)

This word looks like it got jumbled up while I was typing. Believe it or not, lagniappe is not the result of errant fingers on my part, but comes to us from Louisiana. In Cajun country, in the 19th Century, a lagniappe was any unexpected gift. By no means a common GRE word—indeed, I doubt you'll ever see it on the test—but if lagniappe happens to show up on the test, then consider it an unexpected gift. The islanders thought that the seafarers had brought them a lagniappe when the latter presented them with gold coins; little did the islanders know that their days of bartering were numbered.

Pariah (n.)

This word means an outcast. It comes from Hindi, one of the most prominent languages spoken in India. While India is on the other side of the world (at least from where I'm sitting), it should come as no surprise that we have acquired words from Hindi. After all, the British (remember, the people who "invented" English) colonized India and greatly influenced her for more than a century. The influence went both ways, as we now have words like pundit, meaning an expert in a particular area. And any pundit on geography and linguistics can tell you that another common language spoken in India is English. The once eminent scientist, upon being inculpated for fudging his data, has become a pariah in the research community.

Auspicious (adj.)

This word sounds very sinister, but actually means the opposite of sinister. If an occasion is auspicious, it is favorable. The opposite, inauspicious, is also common on the GRE. It means unfavorable. Despite an auspicious beginning, Mike's road trip became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile.

Arch (adj.)

To be arch is to be deliberately teasing/sassy, as in, "he shrugged off her insults because he knew she was only being arch"? Finally, arch- as a root means chief or principal, as in archbishop. The baroness was arch, making playful asides to the townspeople; yet because they couldn't pick up on her dry humor, they thought her supercilious.

Contrite (adj.)

To be contrite is to be remorseful. (SPLIT AS cont (COUNT) - rite (RIGHT). COUNT THE CASH RIGHT, ELSE YOU WILL REGRET IT.) Though he stole his little sister's licorice stick with malevolent glee, Chucky soon became contrite when his sister wouldn't stop crying.

Melee (n.)

a wild, confusing fight or struggle. Oh, and it comes from French Let's see if I can weave all the French-related words into one coherent sentence: Despite the scornful stares from entrenched aristocrats, the parvenu walked blithely about the palace grounds, maintaining his sangfroid and demurring to enter into the melees that the snobbish were so fond of baiting arrivistes into. Oui!

Hedge (n./v.)

hedge funds (where brokers make their money betting against the market). If you hedge your bets, you play safely. If you hedge a statement, you limit or qualify that statement. Finally, hedge can also mean to avoid making a direct statement, as in equivocating. When asked why he had decided to buy millions of shares at the very moment the tech companies stock soared, the CEO hedged, mentioning something vague about gut instinct.

Alacrity (n.)

means an eager willingness to do something. (take the suffix crity we can link it with creativity.creative people are so eager to learn n create things differently.) So imagine the first day at a job that you've worked really hard to get. How are you going to complete the tasks assigned to you? With alacrity, of course. An interesting correlation: the more alacritous (adjective form) you are when you're learning GRE vocabulary, the better you will do. The first three weeks at his new job, Mark worked with such alacrity that upper management knew they would be giving him a promotion.

Prosaic (adj.)

means dull and lacking imagination. It can be used to describe plans, life, language, or just about anything inanimate that has become dull (it is not used to describe people). A good mnemonic: prose is the opposite of poetry. And where poetry, ideally, bursts force with imagination, prose (think of text-book writing), lacks imagination. Hence, prose-aic. Unlike the talented artists in his workshop, Paul had no such bent for the visual medium, so when it was time for him to make a stained glass painting, he ended up with a prosaic mosaic.

Checkered (adj.)

the game checkers: marked by numerous shifts and changes. variegated. Marked by dubious episodes; suspect in character or quality:"a checkered past." A checkered past is one that is marked by disreputable happenings. One by one, the presidential candidates dropped out of the race, their respective checkered pasts—from embezzlement to infidelity—sabotaging their campaigns.

Picayune (adj.)

trifling, meager, petty, trivialPicayune would make for a good 2,000-dollar jeopardy clue, one which would probably read something like this: "Don't trifle with us—this word comes from Cajun country via France and refers to a 19th century coin of little value." "What is picayune?" would be the correct answer (thanks, Alex!). Derived from Cajun via Provencal France, picayune refers not only to a coin but also to an amount that is trifling or meager. It can also refer to a person who is petty. Therefore, if I'm being picayune, I'm fussing over some trivial point. English teachers are notorious for being picayune; however, the English language is so nuanced and sophisticated that often such teachers are not being contrary but are only adhering to the rules.