Merriam-Webster's_Vocabulary_Builder

做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义Unit1【BELL】comesfromtheLatinwordmeaning"war."Bellonawasthelittle-knownRomangoddessofwar;herhusband,Mars,wasthegodofwar.antebellum,bellicose,belligerence,rebellion【PAC/PEAS】isrelatedtotheLatinwordsfor"agree"and"peace."TehPacificOcean-thatis,the"PeacefulOcean"-wasnamedbyMagellanbecauseitseemedsocalmafterthestormsnearCaprHorn.(HeobviouslyneverwitnessedaPacifichurricane.)pacify,pacifist,pact,appease,【HOSP/HOST】comesfromtheLatinwordhospesanditsstemhospit-meaningboth'host'and'guest.'ManywordsbasedonitcametoEnglishthroughFrench,whichoftendroppedthe-pi-,leavinghost-.Hospitalitywasonceahouseforreligiouspilgrimsandothertravelers,orahomefortheaged.hostage,hospice,hostel,inhospitable【AM/IM】comesfromtheLatinwordamare,'tolove.'Amiablemeans'friendlyorgood-natured,'andamigoisSpanishfor'friend.'amicable,enamored,inimical,paramour【CRIM】comesfromtheLatinfor'faultorcrime'or'accusation,'andproducessuchEnglishwordsascrimeandcriminal.criminology,decriminalize,incriminate,recrimination【PROB/PROV】comesfromtheLatinwordsfor'proveorproof'and'honestyorintegrity.'Toproveastatementisto'makeithonest,'andprobatecourtiswherethegenuinenessofthewillsofdeceasedpeoplemustbeproved.approbation,disprove,probity,reprobate【GRAV】comesfromtheLatinwordmeaning'heavy,weighty,serious.'Thus,agravematterisseriousandimportant.gravid,gravitas,gravitata,gravity【LEV】comesfromtheLatinadjectivelevis,meaning'light'andtheverblevare,meaning'toraiseorlighten.'Levitationisthemagician'strickinwhichabodyseemstoriseintotheairbyitself.Andaleverisabarusedtoliftsomethingbymeansofleverage.alleviate,elevate,leavening,levity做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义Unit2【AG】comesfromtheLatinwordfor'do,go,lead,drive'.Anagendaisalistofthingstobedone.Anagentisusuallysomeonewhodoesthingsonbehalfofanother,justasanagencyisanofficethatdoesbusinessforothers.agitate,litigate,prodigal,synagogue【VEN/VENT】comesfromvenire,theLatinverbmeaning'come'.Tointerveneinacaseoranargumentisto'comebetween'thetwoopponents.Anavenueisastreet,ororiginallyanaccessroadbywhichto'cometoward'something.Groups'cometogether'ataconvention.advent,provenance,venturesome,venue【CAP/CEP/CIP】comesfromcapere,theLatinverbmeaning'take,seize.'Capture,whichiswhatacaptordoestoacaptive,butnowmeansonlytocapturementallythroughcharmorappeal.InsomeotherEnglishwordsthisrootproduces,itsmeaningishardertofind.reception,incipient,perceptible,susceptible【FIN】comesfromtheLatinwordfor'end'or'boundary.'Finaldescribeslastthings,andafinaleorafinishisanending.ButitsmeaningishardertotraceinsomeoftheotherEnglishwordsderivedfromit.affinity,definitive,infinitesimal,finite【JAC/JEC】comesfromjacere,theLatinverbmeaning'throw'or'hurl.'Torejectsomethingistothrow(orpush)itback.Toejectsomethingistothrow(ordrive)itout.Toobjectistothrowsomethinginthewayofsomethingelse.adjacent,conjecture,dejected,trajectory【TRACT】comesfromtrahere,theLatinverbmeaning'dragofdraw'.Somethingattractivedrawsustowardit.Atractordragsothervehiclesbehindit,withthehelpofthetractionofitswheels.detract,protracted,retraction,intractable【DUC】,fromtheLatinverbducere,'tolead,'showsupconstantlyinEnglish.Dukemeansbasically'leader.'TheItaliandictatorMussoliniwasknownsimplyas'IIDuce.'Butsuchwordsasproduceandreducealsocontaintheroot,eventhoughtheirmeaningsshowitlessclearly.conducive,deduction,induce,seduction【SEC/SEQU】comesfromtheLatinverbsequi,meaning'tofollow.'Asequelfollowstheoriginalnovel,film,ortelevisionshow.Thesecondfollowsthefirst.Butanonsequiturisaconclusionthatdoes'notfollow'fromwhatwassaidbefore.consequential,execute,obsequious,sequential做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义Unit3【AMBI/AMPHI】means'onbothsides'or'around';ambi-comesfromLatinandamphi-fromGreek.Anambidextrouspersoncanusetherightandthelefthandequallywell.Anamphibian,suchasafrogorsalamander,isabletoliveandbreathebothonlandandinthewater.ambiguous,ambient,ambivalent,amphitheater【EP/EPI】comesfromGreekandmeansvariously'upon,''besides,''attachedto','over,''outer,'or'after'.Anepiphenomenonisaphenomenonthatoccursasaresultoftheoriginalphenomenon.Anepicenteristheportionfotheearth'ssurfacedirectlyoverthefocusofanearthquake.Theepidermisistheouterlayeroftheskin,overlyingtheinnerlayeror'dermis.'ephemeral,epiphyte,epitaph,epithet【HYPO/HYP】asaprefixcanmeanvariously'under,''beneath,''down,'or'belownormal.'Manyhypo-wordsaremedical.Ahypodermicneedleinjectsmedicationundertheskin.Hypotension,orlowbloodpressure,canbejustasunhealthyashypertension,andhypoglycemia,lowbloodsugar,justasunhealthyasdiabetes.hypochondriac,hypocrisy,hypothermia,hypothetical【THERM/THERMO】comesfromtheGreekwordmeaning'warm'.Athermometermeasurestheamountofwarmthinabody,theair,oranoven;athermostatmakessurethetemperaturestaysatthesamelevel.Inathermodynamicprocess,heataffectsthebehaviorofatoms,particles,ormolecules.Thermoelectricityisproducedbythedirectactionofheatoncertaincombinationsofmetals.thermal,thermocline,thermocouple,thermonuclear【POLY】comesfrompolys,theGreekwordfor'many,'Polysyllabicwords,ofwhichthereareafewinthisbook,arewordsofmanysyllables.Polygamyismarriageinwhichonehasmanyspouses,oratleastmorethanthelegallimitofone.Apolygraphisaninstrumentforrecordingvariationsinmanydifferentbodilypulsationssimultaneouslytorevealwhethersomeoneislying.polychromatic,polyglot,polymer,polyphony【PRIM】comesfromprimus,theLatinwordfor'first'.Somethingthatisprimaryisfirstintime,development,rank,orimportance.Aprimerisabookoffirstinstructionsonasubject.Aprimateisabishoporarchbishopofthefirstrank-butalsoamonkeyorape.Somethingprimitiveisinitsfirststageofdevelopment.Somethingprimevalhaditsorigininthefirstperiodofworldorhumanhistory.primal,primiparous,primogeniture,primordial【HOM/HOMO】comesfromhomos,theGreekwordfor'same.'InanEnglishworditcanmean'oneandthesame'or'similar'or'alike',Ahomographisoneoftwoormorewordsspelledalikebutdifferentinmeaningorderivationorpronunciation.Ahomosexualisapersonwhoexhibitssexualdesiretowardothers做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义ofthesamesex.homonym,homogeneous,homologous,homophone【DIS】comesfromLatin,whereitmeans'apart.'InEnglish,itsmeaningshaveincreasedtoinclude'dotheoppositeof'(asindisestablish),'depriveof'(asindisfranchise),'excludeorexpelfrom'(disbar),'theoppositeorabsenceof'(disunion,disaffection),'not'(disagreeable),and'completely'(disannul).Theoriginalmeaningcanstillbeseeninawordlikedissipate,whichmeans'tobreakupandscatter.'diffraction,dissension,disseminate,dissipateUnit4【VOR】,fromtheLatinverbvorare,means'toeat'.Theending-ivorousshowsupinwordsthatrefertoeatersofcertainkindsoffood.Frugivorous(for'fruit-eating')aresomewhatcommon.Some-ivorouswordssuchasinsectivorousandnectarivorous,areeasytounderstandataglance.Otherscangetprettycomplex;insectsthatfeedonthesapofplants,forinstance,arephytosuccivorous.carnivorous,herbivorous,omnivorous,voracious【CARN】comesfromtheLatincarn-,thestemofcaro,'flesh,'andwordsincludingthisrootususllyrefertofleshinsomeform.Thewordcarnivore,forexample,whichwemetintheprecedingsection,means'aneaterofmeat.'carnage,carnal,carnival,incarnation【CRED】comesfromcredere,theLatinverbmeaning'tobelieve.'Ifsomethingiscredibleitisbelievable,andifitisincredibleitisalmostunbelievable.Wehaveagoodcreditratingwheninstitutionsbelieveinourabilitytorepayaloan,andwecarrycredentialssothatotherswillbelievewearewhowesayweare.credence,creditable,credulity,creed【FID】comesfromfides,theLatinwordforfaith.Fidelityisanotherwordfor'faithfulness.'Confidenceishavingfaithinsomeoneorsomething.Andaninfidelissomeonewholacksaparticularkindofreligiousfaith.affidavit,diffident,fiduciary,perfidy【CURR/CURS】comesfromcurrere,theLatinverbmeaning'torun'.Althoughthesenseofspeedmaybelackingfromwordsbasedonthisroot,thesenseofmovementremains.Current,forinstance,referstorunningwaterinastreamorriver.Andanexcursionisatripfromoneplacetoanother.concurrent,cursory,discursive,precursor做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义【PED】comesfromtheLatinped-,thestemofpes,meaning'foot,'whichisrelatedtotheGreekpod-andpous,withthesamemeaning.Fromped-wegetpedicure,'careofthefeet,toes,andtoenails.'Frompod-wegetpodiatrist,'afootdoctor.'expedient,expedite,impediment,pedestrian【FLECT/FLEX】comesfromflectere,theLatinverbmeaning'tobend.'Thingsthatareflexiblecanbebent.Whenlightisreflected,itisbentandbouncesbacktous.deflect,flexor,genuflect,inflection【POST】comesfromaLatinwordmeaning'after'or'behind.'Apostscriptisanotethatcomesafteranotherwisecompletedletter,usuallyasanafterthought.Postpartumreferstotheperiodfollowingchildbirthandallofitsrelatedeventsandcomplications.Topostdateacheckistofiveitadateafterthedaywhenitwaswritten.posterior,posthumous,postmodern,postmortemUnit5【MAL】asacombiningformmeans'bad.'Malpracticeisbadmedicalpractice.Amaladyisabadcondition-adiseaseorillness-ofthebodyormind.Malodorousthingssmellbad.Andamalefactorissomeoneguiltyofbaddeeds.malevolent,malicious,malign,malnourished【CATA】comesfromtheGreekkata,oneofwhosemeaningswas'down.'Acatalogueisalistofitemsputdownonpaper.Acatapultisanancientmilitaryweaponforhurlingmissilesdownonone'senemies.cataclysm,catacomb,catalyst,catatonic【PROT/PROTO】comesfromGreekandhasthebasicmeaning'firstintime'or'firstformed.'Protozoaareone-celledanimals,suchasamoebasandparamecia,thatareamongthemostbasicmembersofthebiologicalkingdom.Aprotonisanelementaryparticlethat,alongwithneutrons,canbefoundinallatomicnuclei.Aprotoplanetisawhirlingmassthatisbelievedtogiverisetoaplanet.protagonist,protocol,protoplasm,prototype【ANTE】isLatinfor'before'or'infrontof.'Antediluvian,aworddescribingsomethingveryoldoroutdated,literallymeans'beforetheflood'-thatis,theflooddescribedintheBible.Antebellumliterallymeans'beforethewar,'usuallytheAmericanCivilWar.Antenatalcareisgivenduringthepriodbeforebirth.antechamber,antemeridiem,anterior,antedate做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义【ORTH/ORTHO】comesfromorthos,theGreekwordfor'straight,''right'or'true.'Orthoticsisabranchoftherapythatstraightensoutthestanceorpostureofthebodybyprovidingartificialsupportforweakjointsormuscles.Orthogradeanimals,suchashumanbeings,walkwiththeirbodiesina'straight'orverticalposition.orthodontics,orthodox,orthopedics,orthography【RECT】comesfromtheLatinwordrectus,whichmeans'straight'or'right.'Arectangleisafour-sidedfigurewhoseparallel,straightsidesmeetatrightangles.Rectus,shortforLatinrectusmusculus,mayrefertoanyofseveralstraightmuscles,suchasthoseoftheabdomen.Tocorrectsomethingistomakeitright.rectitude,rectify,rectilinear,rector【EU】comesfromtheGreekwordfor'well.'inEnglishwordsitcanalsomean'good'or'true.'Apersondeliveringaeulogyisfullofgoodwords,orpraise,forthehonoree.Euthanasiaisregardedasawayofprovidingahopelesslysickorinjuredpersona'good'oreasydeath.sugenic,euphemism,suphoria,evangelism【DYS】comesfromGreek,whereitmeans'bad'or'difficult.'AsaprefixinEnglish,ithastheadditionalmeanings'abnormal'and'impaired.'Dysphagiaisdifficultorlaboredswallowing,anddyspneaisdifficultorlaboredbreathing.Dysphasia,whichliterallymeans'impairedspeech,'referstoadisorderinwhichtheabilitytouseandunderstandlanguageisseriouslyimpairedasaresultofinjurytoordiseaseofthebrain.dysfunctional,dyslexia,dyspeptic,dystrophyUnit6【ROG】comesfromrogare,theLatinverbmeaning'toask.'TheancientRomansalsousedthiswordtomean'topropose,'thinkingperhapsthatwhenweprpoposeanidea,weareactuallyaskingsomeonetoconsiderit.Sointerrogatemeans'toquestionsystematically,'andasurrogate(forexample,asurrogatemother)isasubstitute,someonewhoisproposedtostandinforanother.abrogate,arrogate,derogatory,prerogative【QUIS】isderivedfromtheLatinverbquaerere,meaning'toseekorobtain.'Youcanseeitinourwordacquisitive,whichmeans'havingastrongwishtopossessthings.'Therootsquer,quirandquesarealsoderivedfromthiswordandgiveuswordssuchasinquiry,'asearchorrequestforinformation,'andquestion,'somethingasked.'inquisition,perquisite,acquisitive,requisition【PLE】做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义comesfromaLatinwordmeaning'tofill.'Itcanbeseeninthewordcomplete,meaning'possessingallnecessaryparts.'ThepleroothasaGreekequivalent,plethseeninthewordplethora,whichmeans'multitudeorabundance.'complement,deplete,implement,replete【METR】comestousfromGreekbywayofLatin;inbothlanguagesitrefersto'measure.'Athermometermeasuresheat;aperimeteristhemeasurearouundsomething;andthingsthatareisometricareequalinmeasure.metric,odometer,symmetrical,tachometer,【AUD】,fromtheLatinverbaudire,istherootthathastowithhearing.Whatisaudibleishearable,andanaudienceisagroupofpeoplethatlistens,sometimesinanauditorium.auditor,auditory,audition,inaudible【SON】istheLatinrootmeaning'sound,'asinourwordsonata,meaningakindofmusicusuallyplayedbyoneortwoinstruments,andsonorous,usuallymeaningfull,loud,orrichinsound.dissonant,resonance,sonic,ultrasound【ERR】,formtheLatinverberrare,means'towander'to'tostray.'Thisrootiseasilyseenintheworderror,whichmeansawanderingorstrayingfromwhatiscorrectortrue.Wealsousetheworderratumtomean'amistake'inabookorotherprintedmaterial,itspluraliserrata,andtheerratapageisthebookpagethatlistsmistakesfoundtoolatetocorrectbeforepublication.aberrant,errant,erratic,erroneous【CED/CESS】,fromtheLatinverbcedere,meaning'togo'or'toproceed,'producesmanyEnglishwords,fromprocession,meaningsomethingthatgoesforward,torecession,whichisamovingbackoraway.accede,antecedent,concession,precedentUnit7【VID/VIS】comesfromtheLatinverbvidere,andapppearsinwordshaavingtosowithseeingandsight.Acideotapeisacollectionofvisualimages-thatis,imagesvisibletooureyes.Butthisrootdoesnotalwaysinvolveeyes.Toenvisionsomething,forinstance,istoseeitwithyourimagination.visage,visionary,visitation【SPIC/SPEC】comesfromtheLatinverbspecereorspicere,meaning'tolookatorbehold.'Closelyrelatedistherootspecta-whichcomesfromaslightlydifferentverbandproducessuchwordsasspectator,spectacles,andspectacular.做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义auspicious,conspicuous,introspection,perspicacious,【VOC/COK】,fromtheLatinnounvoxandtheverbvocare,hastodowithspeakingandcallingandtheuseofthevoice.Soavocationisaspecialcallingtoatypeofwork;anevocativesightorsmellcallsforthmemoriesandfeelings;andavocalensembleisasinginggroup.equivocate,irrevocable,provoke,vociferous【PHON】isaGreekrootmeaning'sound,''voice,'or'speech.'ItissimilartotheLatinvocinmeaningouttypicallymeansonly'sound'whenusedinsuchwordsastelephone(farsound),microphone(smallsound),orcylophone(woodsound).cacophony,phonetic,polyphonic,symphony【CUR】fromtheLatinverbcurare,meansbasically'carefor.'Ourverbcurecomesfromthisroot,asdomanicure(careofthehands)andpedicure(careofthefeet).curative,vurator,procure,sinecure【PERI】usuallymeans'gongaroundsomething.'Withaperiscope,youcanseearoundcorners.Peristalsisisthebodilyfunctionthatmovesfoodaroundtheintestines;withoutit,digestionwouldgrindtoahalt.Themoon'sperigeeisthepointinitsorbitwhereitisclosesttotheearth.Thepointintheearth'sorbitaroundthesunthatbringsitclosesttothesunisitsperihelion.perimeter,periodontal,peripatetic,peripheral,【SENT/SENS】,fromtheLatinverbsentire,meaning'tofeel'orthenounsensus,meaning'feeling'or'sense,'cansignifydifferentkindsoffeeling.Sentimentalhastodowithemotions,whereassensualrelatesmoretophysicalsensations.sensational,sentient,sentiment,sensuous【SOPH】isaGreekrootfromthewordmeaning'wise'or'wisdom.'Inourlanguage,therootoftenappearsinwordswherethewisdomconcernedisofthe'wiseguy'variety.Butinwordssuchasphilosophyweseeamorerespectfulattitudetowardwisdom.sophistry,sophisticated,sophomoric,theosophyUnit8【TEND/TENT】,fromtheLatintendere,meaning'tostretch,extend,orspread.'canbeseenmostsimplyintheEnglishwordtent,meaningapieceofmaterialstretchedorextendedoveraframe.Itcanalsobe做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义seeninthewordextend,whichmeans'tostretchforthorstretchout,'andintendon,thewordforatoughbandoftissuethatstretchesfromamuscletoabone.contentious,distend,portend,tendentious【PEND/PENS】,meaningtohang,weigh,orcausetohangdown,'comesfromtheLatinverbpendere.WefinditinEnglishinwordslikepensive,meanign'thoughtful,'andappendix,thatuselessandsometimestroublesomepiecethathangsfromtheintestine.appendage,expend,propensity,stipend【PAN】comesfromGreekwithitsspellingandmenaignintact.Itsimplymeans'all'inGreek;asanEnglishprefixitcanalsomean'completely,''whole,'or'general.'Apanoramicviewisacompleteviewineverydirection.Panchromaticfilmissensitivetothereflectedlightofallcolorsinthespectrum.Pantheismistheworshipofallgods.Apantheonisatemplededicatedtoallthegodsofaparticularreligion.Apandemicoutbreakofadiseasemaynotliterallyaffecttheentirehumanpopulation,butenoughtocreatecatatrophicproblems.panacea,panegyric,panoply,pandemonium【EXTRA】placeswordsoutsideorbeyondtheirusualorroutineterritory.Extraterrestrialandextragalacticaffairstakeplacebeyondtheearthorthegalaxy.Somethingextravagant,suchasanextravaganza,goesbeyondthelimitsofrasonornecessity.Andofcourseextraitselfisaword,ashorteningofextarordinary.'beyondtheordinary.'extramundane,extrapolate,extrovert,extraneous【PHOS/PHOT】comesfromtheGreekwordfor'light.'Phoscanbeseeninthewordphosphorus,whichrefersgenerallytoanythingthatglowsinthedarkandalsotoaparticularglowingchemicalelement.Phot,themorefamiliarroot,appearsinwordslikephotography,whichistheuseoflighttocreateanimageonfilmorpaper.phosphorescent,photogenic,photon,photosynthesis【LUC】comesfromtheLatinnounlux,'light,'andtheverblucere,'toshineorglitter.'Lucidproseisclearinmeaning,asiflightwereshiningthroughtit.Lucifer,anameforthedevil,means'Light-bearer,'theanmehehadbeforehefellfromheaven.elucidate,lucent,lucubartion,translucent【MOR/MORT】comesfromtheLatinmori,'todie,'andmort-,thestemofmors,meaning'death.'Amortuaryisaplacewheredeadbodiesarekeptuntilburial.Apostmortemexaminationisononeconductedonarecentlydeadbody.Andamementomori(aLatinphrasemeaningliterally'Rememberthatyoumustdie')isareminderofdeath;thedeath'sheadcarvedontoanoldgravestoneisanexample.immortality,moribund,mortician,mortify【NEC/NIC/NOX】做中国最专业的词湇社区——www.Worder.Net单词演义,fromtheLatinverbnecareandthenounnoxahavetodowithkillingorslaying.TheserootsarerelatedtotheGreeknekros,'corpse,'forundinsuchwordsasnecrology,'alistoftherecentlydead,'andnecromancy,'theartofconjuringupspiritsofthedead.'internecine,necrosis,noxious,pernicioustobecontinuedUnit9【HER/HES】,fromtheLatinverbhaerere,means'tostick'or'togetstuck.'Thishasproducedwordswirhtwokindsofmeaning.Awordsuchasahesivemeansbasically'sticking,'whereasawordsuchashesitatemeansmoreorless'stuckinoneplace.'adherent,cohesion,incoherent,inherent【FUG】comesfromtheLatinverbfugere,meaning'tofleeorescape.'Arefugeefleesfromsomethreatordangertoarefuge,whichisaplacethatprovidesshelterandsafety.centrifugal,fugitive,fugue,subterfuge【COSM】,fromtheGreekwordmeaningboth'ornament'and'order,'givesustwodifferentgroupsofwords.Cosmeticsarethestuffweusetoornamentourfaces.The'order'meaningcombineswiththeGreekbeliefthattheuniversewasansorderlyplace,sowordsinthisgrouprelatetotheuniverseandtheworldswithinit.Cosmonaut,forinstance,isthewordforaspacetravelerfromthe