Upper Intermediate Vocabulary - TOEFL Test Practice

Below is a list of words that often appear on theTOEFL test. The underlined sections of a word provide links to definitions of that word's respective roots, prefixes and suffixes. Sentences are provided as examples of word usage.

 A B C D E F G H J L M N O P Q R S T U V



A

act, ag

• react (verb): to act in response to something
  • re + act
  • How did he react when he heard the news?

• agent (noun): something which acts or acts upon something else
  
  
  ag + ent
  • The travel agent helped her purchase the tickets.

• active (adjective): involving movement, moving about
  • act + ive
  • Joan is an active child.

• agitate (verb): to excite, to disturb, to stir up
  • agit + ate
  • The washing machine agitates the load of laundry.

aud, audit, aur

• audible ( adjective): can be heard
  • aud + ible
  • Your voice is barely audible over the sound of the train whistle.

• auditorium (noun): a place where one goes to hear something
  • audit+ orium
  • The band played in the school auditorium

• auricular
  • aur + ic + ul + ar
  • The auricular ability of the cat is well-known.

am, ami

• amorous (adjective): loving
  • amor + ous
  • The actor played an amorous role.

• amiable (adjective) friendly, agreeable
  • ami + able
  • He seems to be an amiable man.

• amicable (adjective): friendly
  • amic + able
  • The two neighbors came to an amicable decision about the fence.

anim

• animal (noun): a living creature
  • anim + al
  • A dog is an animal.

• animate (verb): to give spirit or support, to supply movement
  • anim + ate
  • The artist animated the cartoon.

• animosity (noun): hostility, ill will
  • animos + ity
  • There isn't any animosity between us.

ann, annu, enni

• annals (noun): record of events, historical records
  • ann + al + s
  • The annals of the organization are kept in notebooks.

• annual (adjective): yearly
  • annu + al
  • She is planning on going to the company's annual meeting.

• annuity (noun): money payable yearly
  • annu + ity
  • Joan is going to invest her annuity in the stock market.

• anniversary (noun): the yearly celebration of an event
  • anni + vers + ary
  • John's parents will celebrate their wedding anniversary in April.

• perrenial (adjective): enduring, persisting for several years
  • per + enn + ial
  • I would like to buy some perrenial plants.

auc, aug, aut

• author (noun): one that originates or creates, a writer
  • auth + or
  • Susan met the author of this book.

• augment (verb): to increase, to add to
  • aug + ment
  • He had to augment his salary by taking another job.

• auction (noun): a sale of goods to the highest bidder
  • auct + ion
  • I bought this car at the auction.

B

bene

• benevolent (adjective): marked by goodwill
  • bene + vol + ent
  • The "Salvation Army" is known as a benevolent society for its acts of charity.

• benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle
  • ben + ign
  • The doctor removed a benign tumor from my neck and I went home the same day.

biblio

• bibliography (noun): a list of written works
  • biblio + graph + y
  • Olaf listed a brief bibliography at the end of his paper.

bio, bi

• biology (noun): the study of life
  • bio + log + y
  • In biology class the students learned about how the human body works.

brev

• brief (adjective): short
  • brief
  • Anand gave a brief lecture on the rain forest.

• abbreviate (verb): to shorten
  • ab + brevi + ate
  • How does one abbreviate the word "Minnesota"?

• brevity (noun): short or concise expression
  • brev + ity
  • The politician gave short speeches and he became known for his brevity.

C

cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid

• deceive (verb): to cause or allow someone to believe something is true when it is actually false; to mislead
  • de + ceive
  • The criminal deceived many people into believing she was honest.

• capable (adjective): having the ability to do something; having the traits necessary to perform some action
  • cap + able
  • Jose is a very capable lawyer.

• capacious (adective): containing a great deal
  • capac + ious
  • You have a capacious library with many unusual books.

• captive (noun, adjective): a person held against his or her own will; held prisoner
  • cap+ tive
  • The captives were taken to the jail.
  • Geoff had a captive audience.

• accident (noun): an unplanned event
  • ac + cid + ent
  • Don't get upset about minor accidents and errors.

• capture (verb): to gain control of, to gain by effort
  • capt + ure
  • In the game of chess, the object is to capture the king.

• occasion (noun): an opportunity; a happening, instance or celebration
  • oc + cas + ion
  • Did you have an occasion to speak with your professor?

• receive (verb): to take in, to acquire
  • re + ceive
  • Imelda received many letters in the mail today.

• concept (noun): an idea
  • con + cept
  • The concept of using computers in the classroom is relatively new.

ceas, cede, ceed, cess

• predecessor (noun): a person who has previously occupied a position that another has taken over
  • pre + de + cess + or
  • I hope I can live up to my predecessor's reputation.

• succeed (verb): to follow after another, to do well
  • suc + ceed
  • To succeed as a student, one must study.

• recede (verb): to move back, to withdraw
  • re + cede
  • The water receded five days after the flood.

• concede (verb): to accept as true, to yield, to allow
  • con + cede
  • I conceded to her point of view.

• exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than
  • ex + ceed
  • The driver exceeded the speed limit by ten miles an hour.

• recess (noun): an indentation, a temporary break
  • re + cess
  • The children were given a recess from the lessons.

• deceased (adjective): dead
  • de + ceas + ed
  • The deceased person will be cremated rather than buried.

chron

• chronic (adjective): marked by a long period of time, recurrence
  • chron + ic
  • Gabrielle has a chronic back disorder and cannot lift heavy objects.

• chronicle (noun): a historical account arranged in order of time
  • chron + icle
  • The teacher asked us to read a chronicle on the Revolutionary War.

• chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time
  • chrono + log + ical
  • The text book listed the presidents in chronological order.

clam, claim

• acclaim (verb): praise
  • ac + claim
  • The restaurant is acclaimed for its desserts.

• exclaim (verb): to speak loudly, to cry out in surprise
  • ex + claim
  • The children exclaimed "hurray" when they heard there would be no classes tomorrow.

• clamor (noun, verb): n. noise, v. to make noise
  • clam + or
  • The children clamored for more ice cream.

• proclaim (verb): to declare loudly
  • pro + claim
  • The president of the university proclaimed March 21 to be a holiday in honor of the school's award winning faculty.

cogn, gnos

• cognizant (adjective): aware
  • cogniz + ant
  • The man was cognizant of the danger of walking through the park at night.

• diagnose (verb): to recognize (diseases) by symptoms
  • dia + gnose
  • The patient was diagnosed with Lyme's disease.

• agnostic (noun): one who believes that any ultimate reality is unknowable
  • ag + gnost + ic
  • John is unsure of the reality of god and considers himself to be an agnostic.

• recognize (verb): to know, to identify
  • re + cogn + ize
  • I thought I recognized your face from somewhere.

corp

• corpse (noun): a dead body
  • corpse
  • A corpse was found floating in the river.

• corpulent (adjective): having a large body
  • corp + ul + ent
  • The corpulent politician jabbed a fat finger in the air.

• incorporate (verb): to unite into one being
  • in + corp + or + ate
  • The artist incorporated paint, photographs, and fabric into her artwork.

• corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group
  • corp + or + ate
  • The corporate structure allowed many people to work as a group.

cre, cresc, cret

• crescent (noun, adjective): a narrow curved shape; a quarter moon or smaller
  • cresc + ent
  • The crescent moon could be glimpsed through the clouds.

• create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination
  • cre + ate
  • The musician created a new musical arrangement.

• accretion (verb): growth by gradual addition
  • ac + cret + ion
  • The accretion of dirt on windows is sometimes hard to detect.

• increase (verb): to grow in size or amount
  • in + crease Alfonse wishes he could find a way to increase his salary.

cred

• credible (adjective): can be believed, reasonable
  • cred + ible
  • The witness gave a credible account of the accident.

• credulous (adjective): too ready to believe
  • cred + ul + ous
  • The credulous child believed the story about flying horses.

• incredible (adjective): unbelievable, amazing
  • in + cred + ible
  • Makiko said she just saw an incredible horror movie.

cour, cur, curr, curs

• excursion (noun): a trip
  • ex + curs + ion
  • The father planned an excursion to the zoo for his children.

• discourse (noun, verb): a conversation, to talk
  • dis + course
  • The discourse between the speaker and the audience was informal.

• courier (noun): a messenger
  • couri + er
  • The courier gave the message to the secretary.

• course (noun, verb): forward movement, movement from point to point; to run along a path
  • course
  • Blood courses through your veins with every beat of your heart.

• occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
  • oc + cur
  • It just occurred to me that tomorrow is your birthday.

• current (adjective, noun): happening now, up to date; the movement of water
  • curr + ent
  • Is this information current or out of date?

D

dic, dict, dit

• dictionary (noun): a book of definitions
  • dict + ion + ary
  • Juliana looked up the word in the dictionary.

• condition (noun): the state of something or someone
  • con + dit + ion
  • Is your car in good condition?

• indicate (verb): to show, to point out
  • in + dic + ate
  • The gas gauge indicates that we are almost out of gas.

• dictate (verb): to speak for a person to record, to issue an order
  • dict + ate
  • The lawyer dictated the letter to her secretary.

• predict (verb): to say what will happen in the future
  • pre + dict
  • Joseph predicts that he will get married in ten years.

• addict (verb): to be devoted to something in an obsessive manner
  • ad + dict
  • 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
  • doct + or
  • Andre is going to medical school so that he can be a doctor like his mother.

• doctrine (noun): something that is taught, dogma
  • doctr + ine
  • We learned about the doctrine of "manifest destiny" in our American history class.

• docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught
  • doc + ile
  • Mrs. Galindez wants to buy a docile dog for her son.

• document (noun): an official paper
  • docu + ment
  • The library houses many government documents in its collection.

dog, dox

• orthodox (adjective): holding conventional beliefs
  • ortho + dox
  • I don't know if my interpretation of that book is orthodox or not.

• dogma (noun): an established opinion
  • dog + ma
  • Some people find the dogma associated with that organization disturbing.

• paradox (noun): a statement that seems to contradict itself but contains some truth
  • para + dox
  • The paradox of the matter is that I want to see the opera but I also want to stay home.

dec, dign

• decorate (verb): to make something look attractive or suitable
  • dec + or + ate
  • Linda decorated her apartment with paintings and plants.

• decent (adjective): conforming to standards, good, kind
  • dec + ent
  • This magazine contains a decent article on home improvement.

• dignity (noun): quality of being worthy, noble, honored
  • dign + ity
  • I haven't yet had the dignity and honor of being grand marshall of the parade.

duc, duct

• conduct (verb, noun): v. to lead or guide, n. a person's behavior
  • con + duct
  • Jared was conducted into the doctor's office by the nurse.
  • Arnelle's conduct was inexcusable and she should apologize to the class.

• educate (verb): to train, to provide schooling for
  • e + duc + ate
  • The school tries to educate its students to be productive members of society.

• induct (verb): to install in office or to enroll in military service
  • in + duct
  • Mindy was inducted into the army last month.

• deduct (verb): to subtract
  • de + duct
  • The salesperson deducted five dollars off the purchase price of the radio.

• deduce (verb): to make a decision or draw a conclusion by reasoning
  • de + duce
  • I deduced from the trail of crumbs and the empty milk carton that the children were home.

• produce (verb, noun): to bring forward, to make to bear or yield; something made or grown
  • pro + duce
  • The lawyer produced new evidence at the trial.
  • The produce from the farm will go to the market next week.

• seduce (verb): to persuade (especially into doing something wrong), to tempt
  • se + duce
  • Money and power have been known to seduce many honest people.

• induce (verb): to persuade, cause, or bring about by artificial means.
  • in + duce
  • If a child swallows poison, it is suggested that vomiting should be induced.

E

ev, et

• eternal (adjective): not effected by time, without beginning or end, ceaseless
  • etern + al
  • The lecture seemed eternal and many in the audience had fallen asleep.

• medieval (adjective): relating to the Middle Ages (500 - 1500 AD)
  • med + ieval
  • There are many styles to medieval architecture and a building built in 500 AD looks different from one built in 1000 AD.

F

fict, feign, fain

• faint (adjective, verb): indistinct, not clearly perceived, weak; to lose consciousness from lack of blood to the brain
  • faint
  • There is a faint odor of apples in this room.
  • Some people faint at the sight of blood.

• feign (verb): to pretend
  • feign
  • The child feigned illness in an attempt to avoid the test.

• fiction (noun): something produce from imagination, an invented story
  • fict + ion
  • The excuse Marvin just gave for not doing his homework is pure fiction.

fig

• effigy (noun): a figure representing a disliked person.
  • e f + fig + y
  • The children made an effigy of their nasty neighbor.

• figure (noun): shape, pattern, drawing
  • fig + ure
  • The figure Louise drew on the paper looks nothing like an apple.

• figment (noun): a thing that does not exist, something made up
  • fig + ment
  • Ghosts and monsters are figments of an active imagination.

fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea

• fashion (noun, verb): the form of something, style; to give shape or form to
  • fash + ion
  • The current fashion is hair worn short.

• feasible (adjective): capable of being done
  • feas + ible
  • The engineer thought that building the bridge across the river was a feasible project.

• feature (noun, verb): the appearance or form of a person or object; to picture or portray
  • feat + ure
  • Lisette's best feature is her eyes.

• factory (noun): a place where things are made or built
  • fact + ory
  • There is a boat factory near the river.

• difficult (adjective): hard to do, troublesome, hard to understand
  • di + fic + ult
  • The test was difficult and I answered only eight of the ten questions.

• fact (noun): something known to be true
  • fact
  • It's a fact that the world is round.

• effect (noun): a change caused by something, a result, influence
  • e + fect
  • The sun's effect on human skin is known to be harmful.

fer

• fertile (adjective): productive, bearing or capable of bearing fruit in large quantities
  • fert + ile
  • The land by the river is quite fertile and many crops are grown there.

• refer (verb): to classify within a general category, to send or direct to another source
  • re + fer
  • The patient was referred to a physical therapist for additional treatment.

• infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from facts or ideas, to guess
  • in + fer
  • Sometimes a reader has to infer from the facts presented in an article what the main idea is about.

fid

• diffident (adjective): hesitant in acting, shy
  • dif + fid + ent
  • The diffident student would not speak in front of the class.

• fidelity (noun): the quality of being faithful, accuracy
  • fid + el + ity
  • The fidelity of this video reproduction is quite good.

• confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret
  • con + fide
  • Joan confided in her friend and told her a secret.

flu, fluct, flux

• fluent (adjective): capable of moving with ease, able to speak another language
  • flu + ent
  • The dancer had a fluent body.
  • Juanita is fluent in several languages.

• superfluous (adjective): extra, more than is needed
  • super + flu + ous
  • Three cherries on my piece of cake is superfluous; I only needed one.

• influence (verb, noun): to have an effect on something; the ability to affect something indirectly
  • in + flu + ence
  • It was John's success as a musician that influenced my decision to take guitar lessons.

• fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth style, liquid
  • flu + id
  • The ink my new pen is quite fluid and flows evenly across the page.

• fluctuate (verb): to shift back and forth, to move erratically
  • fluctu + ate
  • My body temperature has been fluctuating all day -- sometimes I'm hot and sometimes I'm cold.

form

• format (noun): the shape and size of something, the arrangement of something
  • form + at
  • The format of this class will be half lecture and half class participation.

• formulate (verb): to prepare from a set of steps (formula), to devise
  • form + ul + ate
  • The chemist formulated a new way of making dish detergent.

fract, frag, frai

• fracture (verb, noun): to break, to crack; a broken bone
  • fract + ure Miguel fractured arm his while skiing.

• fragment (noun): a piece broken off, a part of something
  • frag + ment
  • It bothers me that I can remember only a fragment of the poem rather than the whole piece.

• frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong
  • frail
  • Be careful! That chair is frail

G

gen, gin

• generally (adverb): in a general manner, usually, with regard to the whole not specifics
  • gen + er + al + ly
  • Generally, Lance leaves work at 5:00 p.m.

• gingerly (adverb, adjective): careful
  • gin + ger + ly
  • Paulette picked up the antique vase gingerly and placed it on the shelf.

• indigenous (adjective): native, having been born in a specific area or environment
  • in + di + gen + ous
  • The tomato plant is indigenous to South America.

ge

• geography (noun): a science that describes the earth's surface
  • geo + graph + y
  • The geography of New York varies from the sandy shores to rocky mountains.

gor

• categorize (verb): to place things in classes or sets, to classify
  • cate + gor + ize
  • The professor asked her students to categorize the plants they found.

grad, gress, gree

• grade (noun): a stage in a process, a mark indicating quality
  • grade
  • Ali hopes to receive a passing grade on his midterm exam.

• progress (verb, noun): to move forward; forward movement
  • pro + gress
  • Mina progressed to the next level in her French language program.
  • There hasn't been much progress made in getting the house built -- only the frame is up.

• degree (noun): a step or stage in a process, a rank, a level of intensity
  • de + gree
  • There is a high degree of stress associated with being a police officer.

graph, graf

• graphic (adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown
  • graph + ic
  • Dominic is planning to study graphic art.

• graffitti (noun): drawings or writing on a wall
  • graph + itti
  • Many people find the graffitti on the subway trains disturbing.

H

her, hes

• adhere (verb): to stick
  • ad + here
  • Paper often adheres to wet surfaces.

• hesitate (verb): to hold back a decision, to waver
  • hesit + ate
  • Don't hesitate to call me if you need help.

J

jac, ject, jet

• adjacent (adjective): to lie next to
  • ad + jac + ent
  • You won't have a long walk between classes because the engineering building is adjacent to the chemistry laboratories.

• jettison (verb): to throw away, to cast off
  • jett + ison
  • The captain of the sinking ship jettisoned the cargo.

• reject (verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept
  • re + ject
  • David was rejected by two schools before he found a school that accepted him.

jug, junct, just

• adjust (verb): to change or adapt to fit or match something
  • ad + just
  • Jared has to adjust to his new work schedule.

• conjugal (adjective): of marriage, marital relationship
  • con + jug + al
  • One should think seriously before entering a conjugal relationship.

• junction (noun): the place at which two things join
  • junct + ion
  • Deborah's house is at the junction of Hill and Maple streets.

L

lex, leg

• college (noun): a school for higher learning, a group of people having a common purpose
  • col + lege
  • Yolanda is going to college to become a lawyer.

• legal (adjective, noun): based on law; conforms to law
  • leg + al
  • Jared is working as a legal secretary for two lawyers in New York
  • Is it legal to own fireworks in Massachusetts or is there a law against them?

• league (noun): a group of people, an association
  • leag + ue
  • There are fifty people participating in the bowling league.

lect

• collect (verb): to gather, to bring together
  • col + lect
  • The little girl collected wildflowers for her mother.

• legible (noun): readible, clear enough to read
  • leg + ible
  • His handwriting is quite legible.

• eligible (adjective): qualified, worthy to be chosen
  • e + lig + ible
  • Now that Geoffrey is eighteen he is eligible to vote.

loc

• locally (adverb): nearby, relative to a certain area
  • loc + al + ly
  • The vegetables are grown locally.

log

• logic (noun): the study of reason
  • log + ic
  • Simone is taking a class in logic and she is learning about how to reason.

luc

• translucent (adjective): allowing some light to shine through
  • trans + luc + ent
  • The sheet of paper is translucent when held close to a lightbulb.

• illuminate (verb): to provide with light, to make lighter, to make clear
  • il + lum + in + ate
  • The lamp illuminates the room.

• illustrate (verb): to explain by using pictorial examples, to show by using visual examples
  • il + lustr + ate
  • Christopher illustrated his idea on piece of paper for everyone to see.

M

man

• management (noun): the act of handling or running something, usually a business.
  • man + age + ment
  • This store is under new management.

mem

• commemorate (verb): to remember an important event through ceremony or observation
  • com + mem + or + ate
  • The American Revolution is commemorated every Fourth of July.

• memory (noun): the ability to recall past events
  • mem + or + y
  • Geanine has an excellent memory and she can recall things that happened years ago.

ment

• mental (adjective): related to the mind
  • ment + al
  • Lauren's mental abilities must be quite good if she achieved a perfect score without even studying.

• mention (verb): to cite, to speak about, to refer to
  • ment + ion
  • The instructor forgot to mention that the class was cancelled.

min

• minor (adjective): lesser, less important
  • min + or
  • The knife slipped and Marcelle received a minor cut.

• minute (adjective, noun): tiny, very small; sixty seconds
  • min + ute
  • Even though the speck of dirt on the camera lens was minute, it ruined the photograph.
  • Terry will be finished in one minute.

• minuscule (adjective): very small
  • minusc + ule
  • The minuscule gem was very hard to see without magnifying glasses.

mit, miss

• admit (verb): to accept, to confess, to allow entry
  • ad + mit
  • I must admit that even though you didn't like the movie I did.

• missive (noun): a letter to be sent
  • miss + ive
  • Missives were more common one hundred years ago. Today, people use the telephone.

mob, mov, mot

• remove (verb): to take off or to take away
  • re + move
  • The waiter removed the dirty dishes from the table.

• mobile (adjective): able to move
  • mob + ile
  • Many people drive their mobile homes from North to South, following the warm weather.

• motion (noun): act of moving, action
  • mot + ion
  • Many people find the motion of a rocking chair soothing.

N

nasc, nat, gnant, nai

• native (adjective): belonging to a place by birth, indigenous
  • nat +ive
  • Turkeys are native to North America.

• nascent (adjective): just born
  • nasc + ent
  • The nascent kittens curled up with their mother.

• pregnant (adjective): having a child developing in the womb, "with child"
  • pre + gn +ent
  • Linda's dog is pregnant and it will have its puppies in November.

• naive (adjective): lack of experience, not knowledgeable of the world
  • nai + ve
  • When Olivia went to New York ten year's ago she was naive, but now she is a well-seasoned traveler.

nom

• nominate (verb): to name for office
  • nomin + ate
  • Vittorio nominated Mary for class president.

• synonym (noun): a word with a similar meaning to another word in the same language
  • syn + onym
  • The word "fair" is a synonym for the word "just."

nov

• novelty (noun): something new
  • novel + ty
  • After six months the novelty of Pierre's new car is starting to wear off.

• novice (noun): a newcomer, a beginner, someone new to something
  • nov + ice
  • Bjorn is a novice when it comes to playing poker or other card games.

O

oper

• operate (verb): to work, to perform
  • oper + ate
  • People are advised not to operate heavy machinery after drinking alcohol.

• opus (noun): a musical composition
  • opus
  • Vivaldi's opus number three is not as well known as is other compositions.

P

pat

• patient (adjective, noun): calm, bearing pain without complaint; a person under medical care
  • pati + ent
  • Josiah was patient as he waited in line for concert tickets.
  • Amelia has been a patient of Dr. Gustaf's for ten years.

• passion (noun): a strong feeling or emotion
  • pass + ion
  • Barbara has a passion for motorcycle racing.

• sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, the ability to feel for another person's suffering
  • sym + path + y
  • Ching-wei expressed his deepest sympathy when hearing of Mrs. Martin's death.

• pathology (noun): the study of diseases
  • patho + log + y
  • Blaise is studying pathology because he wants to learn about diseases.

ped

• impede (verb): to hinder, to slow down
  • im + pede
  • The shackles and chains impeded the prisoner's escape.

• pedestal (noun): a support for a column or other structure, a base for something
  • pedest + al
  • Johannes put the vase on a pedestal.

• pedestrian (noun): a person walking
  • pedestr + ian
  • As soon as the cars stopped, the pedestrians crossed the street.

pod

• podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground, a place at which to speak in front of an audience
  • pod + ium
  • The professor walked up to the podium and spoke into the microphone.

pel

• repel (verb): to drive away or push back
  • re + pel
  • Does Margo's new jacket repel water?

• pulse (noun): the regular action of blood through arteries
  • pulse
  • The nurse felt for the patient's pulse in his neck.

pend, pond

• suspend (noun): to hang from, to interrupt, to stop
  • sus + pend
  • The light was turned on by a string suspended from the light fixture.

• ponder (verb): to think about, to weigh in one's mind
  • pond + er
  • Levi pondered the possibility of going to medical school.

phan, fan

• phantom (noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost.
  • phan + tom
  • The children told horror stories about phantoms and ghosts.

• fantasy (noun): a creation of the imagination that cannot be real, a daydream
  • fantas + y
  • When Miguel was a child he had a fantasy about being a doctor on the planet Jupiter.

phil

• philosopher (noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom
  • philo+ soph + er
  • Plato wrote about the Greek philosopher Socrates.

phon

• phonetic (adjective) relating to speech sounds
  • phonet + ic
  • The phonetic alphabet is useful when studying languages or linguistics.

pict

• depict (verb): to portray, to represent
  • de + pict
  • In the movie the character was depicted as evil.

port

• import (verb): to bring in from a foreign country
  • im + port
  • Fyodor imports caviar and other products from Russia.

• portage (noun) the labor of carrying boats across land
  • port + age
  • Bill said that he had a five mile portage on his last canoe trip.

pli, ply

• reply (verb, noun): to respond, to answer; a response
  • re + ply
  • Did Marco reply to Emily's invitation?
  • Lynn received a negative reply from her parents and she will not be going to the party.

• implicate (verb): to involve, to incriminate
  • im + plic + ate
  • The thief was implicated in three burglaries.

• ply (noun): a layer
  • ply
  • Two ply tissue paper is stronger than one ply.

pon, pos

• position (noun): a place occupied by something
  • posit + ion
  • What position does Ian hold at his mother's company?

• postpone (verb): to put off to a later time
  • post + pone
  • The baseball game was postponed because of the storm.

• posture (noun) the position of a body
  • post + ure
  • Denise has terrific posture -- her back is straight and strong.

psych

• psychology (noun): study of how the mind works
  • psycho + log + y
  • Lynette studies psychology because she is interested in how people think and feel.

Q

quir

• inquire (verb): to ask about
  • in + quire
  • Debbie inquired about employment opportunities at the factory.

• exquisite (adjective): carefully selected, marked by beauty
  • ex + quis + ite
  • Everyone noticed the exquisite diamond Toni was wearing.

• quest (noun): a search, the act of seeking
  • quest
  • At four in the morning Quincy went out on a quest for ice cream.

• query (verb, noun): to ask questions, a question
  • query
  • The lawyer queried the witness.
  • I have a query about the origins of the English language.

R

rupt

• corrupt (verb, adjective): to change from good to bad
  • cor + rupt
  • The politician was corrupted by power and money.
  • The corrupt judge was arrested for accepting a bribe.

• rupture (verb): to break or burst
  • rupt + ure
  • The water bed ruptured and the water flowed onto the floor.

• interrupt (verb): to stop, to break in (usually with questions)
  • inter + rupt
  • It's impolite to interrupt someone while they are speaking.

S

sci

• conscious (adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself
  • con + sci + ous
  • Gerturde was conscious of everything even though she appeared asleep.

• science (noun): a system of knowledge
  • sci + ence
  • Claire enjoys science, especially biology.

scrib, scrip

• scribble (verb): to write quickly or carelessly
  • scribb + le
  • He scribbled a note in his notebook.

• script (noun): handwriting, something written
  • script
  • Sometimes her script is hard to read.

• describe (verb): to say what something is like
  • de + scribe
  • The scientist described his experiment to the class.

sent, sens

• sensation (noun): ability to feel due to stimulation
  • sens + at + ion
  • Jamal felt a tingling sensation in his arm after he hit his elbow on the table.

• sentimental (adjective): marked by feeling or emotion
  • senti + ment +al
  • Lauren has a sentimental attachment to that quilt because her great grandmother made it.

sequ

• sequence (noun): a continuous series
  • sequ + ence
  • The sequence of events were as follows: first we had dinner, then we went to the movies, and then we went fo ice cream.

• consecutive (adjective): following in an unbroken order
  • con + secut + ive
  • Terri was elected team captain three consecutive years in a row.

• ensue (verb): to happen afterward
  • en + sue
  • After a disagreement in the restaurant, a fight ensued in the parking lot.

soci

• society (noun): community, the relationship among individuals living or working in a common area, companionship
  • societ + y
  • Sometimes what is best for a society is not always good for an individual living in that society.

sol

• solitary (adjective): being alone
  • solit + ary
  • There was a solitary bather on the beach.

• isolate (verb): to separate from others, to place something by itself
  • i + sol + ate
  • The sick cat was isolated from the other animals.

solv, solu

• solve (verb): to find an answer
  • solve
  • The professor asked the student to solve the problem and show her answer on the board.

• absolute (adjective): complete, unrestricted, perfect
  • ab + sol + ute
  • The babysitter has absolute authority over the children while their parents are away.

• soluble (adjective): able to disperse in liquid
  • sol + uble
  • Sugar is soluble in water.

spec, spi

• spectator (noun): a person who watches or observes
  • spect + at + or
  • There were over a thousand spectators at the local baseball game.

• despise (verb): to hate, tolook down on
  • de + spise
  • Marguerite despises people who are cruel to animals.

• auspicicious (adjective): favorable
  • au + spicic + ious
  • The thousand dollar donation made for an auspicious beginning.

• espionage (noun): using spies or observers
  • e + spion + age
  • Espionage is often depicted in mystery movies and novels.

spir

• respiration (noun): breathing
  • re + spir + at + ion
  • Respiration becomes increasingly difficult the higher one climbs.

• inspire (verb): to stimulate, to fill with a feeling or desire
  • in + spire
  • Students are often inspired by their teachers.

stab, stat

• stature (noun): height of a body, importance of position
  • stat + ure
  • I'm reluctant to say she was short, but she was of rather small stature.

• establish (verb): to found, to start, to make firm
  • e + stabl + ish
  • Southampton College was established in 1963.

• stance (noun): a way of standing, a position, an attitude
  • sta + nce
  • A person's stance is very important in the games of golf and baseball.

strain, strict

• restrain (verb): to hold back, to prevent from doing
  • re + strain
  • The dog was restrained by the trainer's grip on its leash.

• constrict (verb): to squeeze, to make narrow
  • con + strict
  • Marvin felt constricted by the suit and tie he wore to the meeting.

• stringent (adjective): strict, tight, severe
  • string + ent
  • There are stringent rules and regulations one must follow when operating a child care center.

• prestige (noun): respect for a person or a thing
  • pre + stige
  • There is a lot of prestige associated with occupying a political position.

stru, stroy

• destroy (verb): to ruin, to pull down
  • de + stroy
  • The house was destroyed by the fire.

• misconstrue (verb): to interpret, analyse, or understand something incorrectly; misunderstand
  • mis + con + strue
  • Do not misconstrue his actions to mean he likes you -- being pleasant to customers is part of his job.

• obstruct (verb): to block, prevent, hinder
  • ob + struct
  • The fallen tree obstructed the roadway and blocked traffic for hours.

T

tact, tang

• tactilely (adverb): related to the sense of touch
  • tact + ile + + ly
  • Some people are tactilely oriented while others are visually oriented.

• tangible (adjective): able to be perceived by touch, physically real
  • tang + ible
  • Many people want tangible proof of something before they believe it to be true.

• contiguous (adjective): touching, next in a sequence
  • con + tig + uous
  • The United States has forty-eight contiguous states.

• contingent (adjective): possible, dependent on something else
  • con + ting + ent
  • Armand's move to a new apartment is contingent on his getting a raise.

tend, tens

• extensive (adjective): large in area, wide
  • ex + tens + ive
  • There are extensive farm fields located in the plain states.

• contend (verb): to strive or reach for, to argue
  • con + tend
  • The two fighters contended for the heavy-weight championship title.

tain, ten

• retain (verb): to keep, to hold in place
  • re + tain
  • Blanche retained her Alaskan residence since she will return there when she is finished with school.

• continue (verb): to keep going, to remain
  • con + tin + ue
  • The movie is scheduled to continue until midnight.

• content (noun, adjective): something contained, held; satisfied
  • con + tent
  • I can't tell what the content of this can is until I open it.

• tenacious (adjective): holding or sticking to something
  • ten + ac + ious
  • Kareem is tenacious and he will stick with a subject until he understands it.

term

• exterminate (verb): to kill off, to get rid of
  • ex + term + in + ate
  • The Schaeffer's hired a company to exterminate the cockroaches living in their house.

• terminal (adjective): relating to an end
  • term + in + al
  • Margot has been diagnosed with a terminal disease and has been given only six months to live.

terr

• territory (noun): area of land
  • territ + ory
  • This area is considered to be Canadian territory.

• terrain (noun): the physical features of an area
  • terr + ain
  • There is some very rough terrain in the White Mountain area of New Hampshire.

test

• attest (verb): to provide proof, to say something is true
  • at + test
  • Malcolm can attest to Shiela's honesty since he has known her for ten years.

• testify (verb): to make a statement based on personal knowledge
  • test ify
  • The witness testified at the trial.

therm

• thermometer (noun) a device for measuring heat
  • thermo + meter
  • I took my temperature with a thermometer.

• thermal (adjective): relating to the presence of heat
  • therm + al
  • Lisa bought some thermal underwear to take with her when she goes skiing.

tor

• torment (noun, verb): agony, pain; to cause recurring pain
  • tor + ment
  • The torment Jean's nightmares caused made him seek professional help.
  • The guards tormented the prisoners.

• torsion (noun): twisting of a body or an organ by an external force along an axis
  • tors + ion
  • The torsion of the bolt will help release the wheel.

• contort (verb): to twist into an abnormal shape
  • con + tort
  • The actor contorted her face into an evil grin and scared the audience.

tract, trai

• attract (verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest
  • at + tract
  • The spilled sugar attracted flies and ants.

• train (verb): to teach or to cause to do something
  • train
  • Yvette trained her dog to perform tricks.

• treaty (noun): a formal agreement
  • treat + y
  • The rebels and the new government signed a treaty calling for peace.

U

uni

• unite (verb) to make one, to join together
  • unite
  • The two small companies united and became one large business.

• unison (noun): at the same time, at the same pitch
  • uni + son
  • The two singers sang in unison.

V

vac

• vacant (adjective): empty, not occupied, free
  • vac + ant
  • The hotel has only one vacant room left.

• vacuum (noun): empty space, isolation from outside influence
  • vacu + um
  • Some people seem to live in a vacuum and they have no knowledge of current events.

ven, vent

• convene (verb): to assemble, to come together
  • con + vene
  • The meeting convened at 2:00 p.m. and lasted until 5:00 p.m.

• invent (verb): to create through thought or imagination
  • in + vent
  • Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and other devices.

• prevent (verb): to act ahead of, to keep from happening
  • pre + vent
  • Lamont prevented a disastrous fire by calling the fire department the moment he smelled smoke.

ver

• verify (verb): to confirm that something is true
  • ver + ify
  • The police officer verified Arthur's identity by asking for his driver's license.

• veracity (noun): truthfulness, accuracy
  • ver + ac + ity
  • Daphne is known for her veracity and honesty.

verb, verv

• verbalize (verb): to express in words, to put into words
  • verb + al + ize
  • Sometimes it is difficult to verbalize one's feelings.

• verve (noun): enthusiasm
  • verve
  • The cheerleaders showed verve and school spirit at the football game.

vers, vert:

• versatile (adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful
  • vers + at + ile
  • When used correctly, a computer can be a versatile tool.

• revert (verb): to go back, to return (to an original state)
  • re + vert
  • The land slowly reverted to a wild state after it was abandoned.

vid, vis

• video (noun): television or recorded movies
  • vid + eo
  • Patricia rented a video and watched it on her television.

• review (verb): to look at again, to re-examine
  • re + view
  • Marsha reviewed for the test by re-reading her class notes.

• visible (adjective): able to be seen
  • vis + ible
  • Sometimes the moon is visible during the day.

• indivisible (adjective, noun): cannot be separated
  • in + di + vis +