Units 26-30 Flashcards Preview

Barron's Essential Words for the GRE, 4th Ed. > Units 26-30 > Flashcards

Flashcards in Units 26-30 Deck (50)
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1
Q

*efficacy, n.

A

efficiency; effeciveness

2
Q

*effrontery, n.

A

shameless boldness; presumptuousness

3
Q

egoism, n.

A

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

4
Q

egotistical, adj.

A

excessively self-centered; conceited

5
Q

*elegy, n.

A

poem or song expressing lamentation

6
Q

*elicit, v.

A

to provoke; draw out

7
Q

elixir, n.

A

substance believed to have the power to cure ills

8
Q

Elysian, adj.

A

blissful; delightful

9
Q

emaciated, adj.

A

thing and wasted

10
Q

*embellish, v.

A

to adorn; decorate; enhance; make more attractive by adding details

11
Q

emollient, adj.

A

soothing; mollifying

12
Q

*empirical, adj.

A

derived from observation or experiment

13
Q

*emulate, v.

A

to imitate; copy

14
Q

encomium, n.

A

a formal expression of praise

15
Q

*endemic, adj.

A

inherent; belonging to an area

16
Q

*enervate, v.

A

to weaken

17
Q

engender, v.

A

to cause; produce

18
Q

enhance, v.

A

to increase; improve

19
Q

entomology, n.

A

the scientific study of insects

20
Q

enunciate, v.

A

to pronounce clearly

21
Q

*ephemeral, adj.

A

short-lived; fleeting

22
Q

epistemology, n.

A

branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge

23
Q

equable, adj.

A

steady; unvarying; serene

24
Q

*equanimity, n.

A

composure; calmness

25
Q

*equivocate, v.

A

to intentionally use vague language

26
Q

errant, adj.

A

mistaken; straying from the proper course

27
Q

*erudite, adj.

A

learned; scholarly

28
Q

*esoteric, adj.

A

hard to understand; known only to a few

29
Q

essay, v.

A

to make an attempt; subject to a test

30
Q

estimable, adj.

A

admirable; possible to estimate

31
Q

ethnocentric, adj.

A

based on the attitude that one’s group is superior

32
Q

etiology, n.

A

causes or origins

33
Q

etymology, n.

A

origin and history of a word

34
Q

eugenics, n.

A

study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve these qualities

35
Q

eulogy, n.

A

high praise, especially of a person who has recently died

36
Q

*euphemism, n.

A

use of agreeable inoffensive language in place of unpleasant or offensive language

37
Q

euphoria, n.

A

a feeling of extreme happiness

38
Q

euthanasia, n.

A

mercy killing

39
Q

evince, v.

A

to show plainly; be an indication of

40
Q

evocative, adj.

A

tending to call to mind or produce a reaction

41
Q

*exacerbate, v.

A

to aggravate; make worse

42
Q

exact, v.

A

to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority

43
Q

*exculpate, v.

A

to clear of blame; vindicate

44
Q

*execrable, adj.

A

detestable; abhorrent

45
Q

exhort, v.

A

to urge by strong appeals

46
Q

*exigency, n.

A

crisis; urgent requirements

47
Q

*existential, adj.

A

having to do with existence; based on experience; having to do with the philosophy of existentialism

48
Q

exorcise, v.

A

to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences

49
Q

expatiate, v.

A

to speak or write at length

50
Q

expatriate, v.

A

to send into exile