Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Vocabulary TOEFL
Vocabulary TOEFL
Vocabulary Workshop
http://www.southampton.liunet.edu/academic/pau/course/webroot.htm
Vocabulary List
The following is a list of vocabulary words that often appear on the TOEFL* test. The
underlined sections of a word provide links to definitions of that word's respective roots,
prefixes and suffixes. It is recommended that students using this workshop frequently
refer to the definitions. Sentences are provided as examples of usage.
act, ag
ag + ent
• auricular
o aur + ic + ul + ar
o The auricular ability of the cat is well-known.
1
am, ami
anim
2
• perrenial (adjective): enduring, persisting for several years
o per + enn + ial
o I would like to buy some perrenial plants.
bene
biblio
bio, bi
brev
3
o Anand gave a brief lecture on the rain forest.
• captive (noun, adjective): a person held against his or her own will; held prisoner
o cap+ tive
o The captives were taken to the jail.
o Geoff had a captive audience.
4
• concept (noun): an idea
o con + cept
o The concept of using computers in the classroom is relatively new.
• predecessor (noun): a person who has previously occupied a position that another
has taken over
o pre + de + cess + or
o I hope I can live up to my predecessor's reputation.
chron
5
o chrono + log + ical
o The text book listed the presidents in chronological order.
clam, claim
cogn, gnos
• agnostic (noun): one who believes that any ultimate reality is unknowable
o ag + gnost + ic
o John is unsure of the reality of god and considers himself to be an
agnostic.
corp
6
o A corpse was found floating in the river.
cred
7
• excursion (noun): a trip
o ex + curs + ion
o The father planned an excursion to the zoo for his children.
• course (noun, verb): forward movement, movement from point to point; to run
along a path
o course
o Blood courses through your veins with every beat of your heart.
8
• addict (verb): to be devoted to something in an obsessive manner
o ad + dict
o Leslie is addicted to betting on the horse races.
doc, doct
• doctor (noun): a person who has received the highest degree a university offers, a
physician
o doct + or
o Andre is going to medical school so that he can be a doctor like his
mother.
dog, dox
• paradox (noun): a statement that seems to contradict itself but contains some
truth
o para + dox
o The paradox of the matter is that I want to see the opera but I also want to
stay home.
dec, dign
9
• decent (adjective): conforming to standards, good, kind
o dec + ent
o This magazine contains a decent article on home improvement.
duc, duct
• produce (verb, noun): to bring forward, to make to bear or yield; something made
or grown
o pro + duce
o The lawyer produced new evidence at the trial.
o The produce from the farm will go to the market next week.
10
o If a child swallows poison, it is suggested that vomitting should be
induced.
ev, et
fig
11
• fashion (noun, verb): the form of something, style; to give shape or form to
o fash + ion
o The current fashion is hair worn short.
fer
12
fid
• fluent (adjective): capable of moving with ease, able to speak another language
o flu + ent
o The dancer had a fluent body.
o Juanita is fluent in several languages.
form
• format (noun): the shape and size of something, the arrangement of something
o form + at
o The format of this class will be half lecture and half class participation.
13
• formulate (verb): to prepare from a set of steps (formula), to devise
o form + ul + ate
o The chemist formulated a new way of making dish detergent.
gen, gin
• generally (adverb): in a general manner, usually, with regard to the whole not
specifics
o gen + er + al + ly
o Generally, Lance leaves work at 5:00 p.m.
ge
gor
14
grad, gress, gree
graph, graf
her, hes
15
• reject (verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept
o re + ject
o David was rejected by two schools before he found a school that accepted
him.
lex, leg
• college (noun): a school for higher learning, a group of people having a common
purpose
o col + lege
o Yolanda is going to college to become a lawyer.
lect
16
• eligible (adjective): qualified, worthy to be chosen
o e + lig + ible
o Now that Geoffrey is eighteen he is eligible to vote.
loc
log
luc
man
mem
17
o mem + or + y
o Geanine has an excellent memory and she can recall things that happened
years ago.
ment
min
mit, miss
18
o The waiter removed the dirty dishes from the table.
nom
• synonym (noun): a word with a similar meaning to another word in the same
language
o syn + onym
o The word "fair" is a synonym for the word "just."
nov
19
• novice (noun): a newcomer, a beginner, someone new to something
o nov + ice
o Bjorn is a novice when it comes to playing poker or other card games.
oper
pat
• patient (adjective, noun): calm, bearing pain without complaint; a person under
medical care
o pati + ent
o Josiah was patient as he waited in line for concert tickets.
o Amelia has been a patient of Dr. Gustaf's for ten years.
• sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, the ability to feel for another
person's suffering
o sym + path + y
o Ching-wei expressed his deepest sympathy when hearing of Mrs. Martin's
death.
ped
• pedestal (noun): a support for a column or other structure, a base for something
o pedest + al
20
o Johannes put the vase on a pedestal.
pod
• podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground, a place
at which to speak in front of an audience
o pod + ium
o The professor walked up to the podium and spoke into the microphone.
pel
pend, pond
phan, fan
phil
21
• philosopher (noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom
o philo+ soph + er
o Plato wrote about the Greek philosopher Socrates.
phon
pict
port
pli, ply
pon, pos
22
o What position does Ian hold at his mother's company?
psych
quir
rupt
23
• interrupt (verb): to stop, to break in (usually with questions)
o inter + rupt
o It's impolite to interupt someone while they are speaking.
sci
scrib, scrip
sent, sens
sequ
24
• consecutive (adjective): following in an unbroken order
o con + secut + ive
o Terri was elected team captain three consecutive years in a row.
soci
sol
solv, solu
spec, spi
25
o There were over a thousand spectators at the local baseball game.
spir
stab, stat
strain, strict
26
o Marvin felt constricted by the suit and tie he wore to the meeting.
stru, stroy
tact, tang
27
tend, tens
tain, ten
term
terr
28
o This area is considered to be Canadian territory.
test
therm
tor
tract, trai
29
• attract (verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest
o at + tract
o The spilled sugar attracted flies and ants.
uni
vac
ven, vent
30
o Lamont prevented a distastrous fire by calling the fire department the
moment he smelled smoke.
ver
verb, verv
vers, vert:
vid, vis
31
o Sometimes the moon is visible during the day.
vit, viv
voc, voke
volv, vol
32
• a-, ac-, ad-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward, near, in addition to
o aside (adverb): to or toward the side
a + side
o accompany (verb): to go with someone as a companion
ac + com + pan + y
o adjust (verb): to correct, to move closer to a correct position
ad + just
o affix (verb): to attach to something, to fasten
af + fix
o aggression (noun): hostile behavior towards someone or something
ag + gress + ion
o allocate (verb): to distribute to specific people or for specific purposes
al + loc + ate
o annihilate (verb): to destroy
an + nihil + ate
o associate (verb): to join with
as + soci + ate
o attend (verb): to look after, to go to
at + tend
• ante- before
o anterior (adjective): before or near the front
ante + rior
• anti- against
o antipathy (noun): dislike, opposite feeling
anti + path + y
• auto- self
o automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines
auto + mot + ive
• bi- two
33
o biped (noun): a two-footed animal
bi + ped
o biennial (adjective): happening every two years bi + enni + al
• circum- around
o circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation
circum + vent
34
• e-, ex- out, out of, from
o emit (verb) to send out
e + mit
o expel (verb): to force out ex + pel
• extra- beyond
o extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal
extra + ordin + ary
• intro- into
o introspection (noun): to look into one's own thoughts and feelings
intro + spect + ion
35
• mal- bad
o malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly
mal + funct + ion
• mis- wrong
o misconduct (noun): wrong doing, bad behavior
mis + con + duct
• mono- one
o monologue (noun): a dramatic performance or speech given by one actor
mono + logue
• multi- many
o multiply (verb): to increase in number
multi + ply
• non- not, no
o nonsense (noun): something that has no meaning or makes no sense
non + sense
• para- beside
o paradox (noun): a statement that seems true and contradictory at the same
time
para + dox
• per- through
o persecute (verb): to go after, to pursue
per + secute
• post- after
o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay
post + pone
36
• pre- before
o precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of
pre + cede
• retro- backward
o retrospect (noun) to look back at past events
retro + spect
• semi- half
o semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year
semi + annu + al
• sub-, suc-, suf-, sup-, sur-, sus under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above,
up
o submarine (adjective): underwater
sub + mar + ine
o succeed (verb): to do well, to come after
suc + ceed
o suffice (verb): to be enough
suf + fice
o support (verb): to hold up, too keep up
sup + port
o survive (verb): to live, to live through something, to exist
sur + vive
o sustain (verb): to keep up, to hold up,
sus + tain
37
o sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, compassion
sym + path + y
• tri- three
o tripod (noun): a three-legged stand
tri + pod
• uni- one
o uniform (adjective): having the same form or consistancy
uni + form
NOUNS
Nouns perform the function of naming. Nouns name persons, places
animals or things, as well as groups, ideas and qualities. In a sentence,
nouns can be subjects, objects, or appositives.
• -acy, -cy
o Noun: state or quality
privacy: the state of being alone
priv + acy
infancy: the state of being a baby or young child
in + fan + cy
• -age
o Noun: activity, or result of action
courage : having the spirit to overcome fear
cour + age
• -al
o Noun: action, result of action
referral : the action of directing a person to another place, person
or thing
re + ferr + al
38
• -an
o Noun: person
artisan : a craftsperson
arti + san
• -ance, -ence
o Noun: action, state, quality or process
resistance : the action of opposing something
re + sist + ance
independence: the state of not being under the control of others,
free, self-governing
in + de + pend + ence
• -ancy, -ency
o Noun: state, quality or capacity
vacancy : an empty room or position
vac + ancy
agency: the capacity to exert power or influence, a position or
person that performs a function
ag + ency
• -ant, -ent
o Noun: an agent, something that performs the action
disinfectant : an agent that destroys germs, somthing that cleans
dis + in + fect + ant
dependent: a thing supported by another, a thing determined by
another
de + pend + ent
• -ate
o Noun: state, office, fuction
candidate : a person nominated for an office or position
candid + ate
• -ation
o Noun: action, resulting state
specialization : the result of being distinguished by one quality or
ability
spec + ial + iz + ation
• -dom
o Noun: place, state of being
wisdom : possessing knowledge
wis + dom
• -er, -or
39
o Noun: person or thing that does something
porter : a person who carries things
port + er
collector: a person who collects or gathers things
col + lect + or
• -ful
o Noun: an amount or quanity that fills
mouthful : an amount that fills the mouth
mouth + ful
• -ian, an
o Noun: related to, one that is
pedestrian : a person who walks
ped + estr + ian
human: a person
hum + an
• -ia
o Noun: names, diseases
phobia : an illogical fear of something
phob + ia
• -iatry
o Noun: art of healing
psychiatry : branch of medicine that deals with the mind and
emotions
psych + iatry
• -ic, ics
o Noun: related to the arts and sciences
arithmetic : a branch of math that usually deals with non-negative
numbers
arithm + et + ic
economics: the social science related to studying business
eco + nom + ics
• -ice
o Noun: act
malice : the desire to do evil
mal + ice
• -ing
o Noun: material made for, activity, result of an activity
flooring : a material made for floors
floor + ing
40
swimming: the activity of swimming or moving through water
swim(m) + ing
building: the result of making a structure
build + ing
• -ion
o Noun: condition or action
abduction : the action of carrying someone away by force
ab + duct + ion
• -ism
o Noun: doctrine, belief, action or conduct
formalism : a belief in sticking to prescribed forms or artistic
styles
form + al + ism
• -ist
o Noun: person or member
podiatrist : a foot doctor
pod + iatr + ist
• -ite
o Noun: product or part
graphite : a black material used in making pencils
graph + ite
• -ity, ty
o Noun: state or quality
lucidity : clear thinking
luc + id + ity
novelty: something new or unusual
nov + el + ty
• -ive
o Noun: condition
native : a person born in a specific place
nat + ive
• -ment
o Noun: condition or result
document : an official paper usually showinf proof or evidence of
something
docu + ment
• -ness
o Noun: state, condition, quality
41
kindness : the quality of being kind or nice
kind + ness
• -or
o Noun: condition or activity
valor : bravery, courage
val + or
• -ory
o Noun: place for, serves for
territory : an area around a place
territ + ory
• -ship
o Noun: status, condition
relationship : the state of being related or connected to something
or someone
re + lat + ion + ship
• -ure
o Noun: act, condition, process, function
exposure : the condition of being exposed or unprotected
pos + ure
• -y
o Noun: state, condition, result of an activity
society : companionship
soci + et + y
victory: the result of winning something
vict + or + y
VERBS
Verbs make statements about nouns, ask questions, give commands,
or show states of being. Verbs can be active or passive. Verbs also
show tense or time of action.
• -ate
o Verb: cause to be
graduate : to give a degree to, to pass from one stage to the next
gradu + ate
• -ed
o Verb: past tense
attained : something that has been reached or grasped
at + tain + ed
42
• -en
o Verb: to cause to become
moisten : to cause to become moist or damp
moist + en
• -er, -or
o Verb: action
ponder : to think about
pond + er
clamor: to make noise, to call for loudly
clam + or
• -ify
o Verb: cause
specify : to name or indicate in detail
spec + ify
• -ing
o Verb: present participle
depicting : showing, describing with images or pictures
de + pict + ing
• -ize
o Verb: cause
fantasize : to dream about something, to create images in the mind
fant + as + ize
• -ure
o act
Verb: conjecture : to come to a conclusion by supposition or
guesswork
con + ject + ure
ADJECTIVES
Adjectives describe or modify nouns. Adjectives tell the reader more
about the noun used in the sentence.
• -able, -ible
o Adjective: worth, ability
solvable : able to be solved or explained
solv + able
incredible: not able to be believed, amazing
in + cred + ible
43
structural : related to the physical make up of a thing
struct + ure + al
territorial: related to nearby or local areas
territ + or + ial
categorical: related to a category, aboslute
cate + gor + ical
• -ar, -ary
o Adjective: resembling, related to
spectacular : related to something that is eye-catching or amazing
spectac + ul + ar
unitary : related to units or single groups representing quantities
unit + ary
• -ate
o Adjective: kind of state
inviolate : not disturbed, pure
in + viol + ate
• -ed
o Adjective: having the quality of
terraced : having terraces or steps
terrac + ed
• -en
o Adjective: material
silken : made from silk, a fiber produced by worms
silk + en
• -er
o Adjective: comparative
brighter : more light
bright + er
• -est
o Adjective: superlative
strongest : having the most strength
44
strong + est
• -ful
o Adjective: having, giving, marked by
fanciful : marked by imagination
fanci + ful
• -ic
o Adjective: quality, relation
generic : related to a whole group
gener + ic
• -ile
o Adjective: having the qualities of
projectile : something thrown with an outside force
pro + ject + ile
• -ing
o Adjective: activity
cohering : the act of sticking together
co + her + ing
• -ish
o Adjective: having the character of
newish : modern, recent
new + ish
• -less
o Adjective: without, missing
motiveless : a reason for someone to do something
mot + ive + less
45
ad + vent + ur + ous
courageous : characterized by courage, brave
cour + ag + eous
verbose: having more words than needed
verb + ose
fractious: characterized by being difficult or troublesome
fract + ious
• -y
o Adjective: marked by, having
hungry : having hunger, marked by a desire
hungr + y
ADVERBS
Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.
• -fold
o Adverb: in a manner of, marked by
fourfold : being four times as great
four + fold
• -ly
o Adverb: in the manner of
fluently : marked by ease of movement, effortlessly smooth
flu + ent + ly
• -ward
o Adverb: in a direction or manner
homeward : toward home
home + ward
• -wise
o Adverb: in the manner of, with regard to
timewise : with regard to time
time + wise
46