Synonyms: Roots - ISEE Upper Level Verbal Reasoning

The word “amble” comes from the Latin for “to walk,” which is found in English words like “ambulatory” and “ambulate.” It means “to walk in a relaxed manner.” Among the options, “saunter” best describes such walking. One might say, “She ambled about the county paths, not wishing to hurry past any of the beauties of the autumn scenery.”

The word “current” comes from the Latin for “to run.” Although it can mean “concerning the present moment,” it can likewise mean “to flow,” as when someone talks about the flow of water or electrical current (the “flow of electrons”). This general meaning is the one that is most appropriate among the answer options.

The root -cit- is of Latin origin, it means to start, to call out. So to "incite" means to call to action, to start, to inspire. To provide further help, "rescind" means repeal, cancel; "terminate" means finish; "pry" means interfere, spy on; "covet" means desire, want.

Do not confuse “theist” with “atheist.” The “theist” base found in the latter word means “one believing in God or gods.”

It is derived from the Greek for “god,” though it is also related to a very similar set of Latin roots for the same notions pertaining to God. It can be found in words like “theology” (the study of God) as well as “pantheism” (the belief that all things in the world are identical with God). The Latin relatives change the “th” into a “d,” as found in words like “deify” and “deism.” Among the options given, “believer” is the closest that one can find.

The word “lexicon” comes from the Greek word for “word.” When someone is “dyslexic,” he or she has problems interpreting words. (The “dys-” prefix means “bad or difficult”). The word “lexicon” might mean the general vocabulary of a person, as when we say, “The expression ‘active potency’ is not in the general lexicon of the ‘man on the street.’” Likewise, the word lexicon can mean “dictionary”—a book of words.

The word “sophistry” is related to the word for wisdom, Sophia, which is found in words like “sophisticated” and “philosophy,” but it is not here used in a positive sense whatsoever. Sophistry conveys the idea that someone is using reasoning in a manner that is not truly honest or correct in order to make misleading arguments. A “fallacy” in logic is a mistake (either intended or unintended) that causes the reasoning to end in an incorrect conclusion. Among the options provided, this is the only word that approaches the meaning of “sophistry.”

When a person is “cosmopolitan,” he or she is at ease in any culture in the world. The word itself is derived from Greek roots with which you are likely familiar. The “cosmo-” portion comes from the Greek for “world or order.” The “-politan” is related to meanings like “city” and “citizen.” You have experienced this word in “politics” and “politician.” Someone who is “cosmopolitan” is “a citizen of the world.”

The word “utopia” is used to describe a perfect place with no problems. For instance, someone might imagine a perfect city like Plato did in his Republic. This was perhaps a beautiful idea, but it was practically impossible. This practical impossibility is almost always part of a “utopia.” Someone who is “utopian” is idealistic and somewhat “visionary” in the sense of proposing large, ambitious plans. (Hence, the plans are a lot like a utopia.) Interestingly, the word “utopia” was coined by Thomas More, who wrote the text Utopia, describing just such a city. Its name was a play on words. The “u-” prefix means not. Thus a “utopia” is a “non-place.” It does not and cannot exist. However, the “eu-” prefix means good (as in “euphony” and “eulogy”). A utopia looks good, but it does not exist.

When something is “idyllic,” it is peaceful or picturesque. The word indirectly comes from the Greek “eidos” meaning form, idea, or picture. Do not confuse “idyllic” with words related to “ideal” in the sense of meaning perfect or best. The best option is “peaceful,” which is most directly related to the definition of “idyllic.”

This word's component parts give you clues as to its meaning: "mis-" is a negative prefix, and "-anthropic" includes the root "anthro," derived from the Greek word for "man." “Misanthropic” thus means disliking people and doing everything possible to avoid people. This is closest in meaning to “antisocial,” which means not social and avoiding people. As for the other answer choices, “disinclined” means not inclined and thus not likely; “impassive” means not caring and not showing emotion; “eccentric” means weird and unconventional; “heinous” means wicked and evil.

The prefix "di-" means two, so a "dilemma" is a problem with two possible solutions, neither of them optimal, ora "quandary." As for the other answer choices, “brevity” means conciseness, economy of language; “commentary” means discussion presenting individuals' opinions about some situation or thing; “despondency” means hopelessness and sadness; and "perpetuation" is the act of making something (often something bad) continue to exist.

The prefix "eu-" means good and "-phon-" means sound, so it makes sense that “euphonious” means sounding nice, mellow, and sweet, or "pleasant-sounding."As for the other answer choices, “harsh” means unpleasant, rough and grating; “discordant” means disagreeing or contradictory; “sensual” means relating to, or pleasing to, the senses; and “superfluous” means nonessential.

The word "egalitarian" comes from roots meaning equal. When a society is egalitarian, it treats all of its members as equals and tries to acknowledge this. The best option among those provided here is "democratic." This does not have to do directly with the current American political party that goes by this name. Instead, "democratic" is based on a particular Greek notion of one kind of government that bases itself on the equality of all the people. None of the other options express this kind of egalitarianism.

The word "dynamic" comes from the Greek word for power. Think of dynamite, which creates a very powerful explosion. Now, the primary meaning of "dynamic" in English is energetic or having much energy or vitality. Thus, the word "vigorous" is the best option among those provided, for it means having much energy. While we might think of dynamic people as being "successful," "effective," and perhaps even "stupendous," these are not the immediate meanings of "dynamic."

The Greek root -lex- means word, read, write, as in "lexicon," which means vocabulary. So, "alexia" means the loss of the ability to write. This is closest in meaning to "illiteracy," which means the inability to read and write. Additionally, "infamy" and "notoriety" both mean the quality of being famous for the wrong reasons; "polygamy" is the practice of having more than one spouse or partner; "capacity" means ability.

There are two relevant roots in "hypothermic." The Greek prefix hypo- means under, having too little of and the root -therm- means related to temperature. So, "hypothermic" means (of the body) very cold, freezing. Additionally, "arid" means dry; "moist" means wet; "infected" means sick with; "stifling" means uncomfortably hot.

The word “simultaneous” comes from the Latin root “simul,” meaning “together.” Though in some ways related to the word “similar,” it indicates this notion of two things being “together” or “at the same time.” The word “concurrent” literally means “current with” or “happening / existing at the same time as something else.” The “con-” prefix is the same as “cum” found in “cumulative” and “com-” as found in “community.” It means “with.”

In the word “accelerate,” the “celer” portion means quick, coming from the Latin "celeriter," meaning quickly. The word “celerity,” therefore means quickness. It would be used in sentence like, “I am often surprised by the celerity of the deadly tree squirrel, which can kill its prey more quickly than many other animals.”

The word “onerous” comes from the Latin for burden, so something that is “onerous” is something that is burdensome. Often it means something requiring much effort. It would be used in a sentence like, “The sixteen-hour work days in the mines were so onerous for the poor miners that they were continuously exhausted from the difficult work.” The word is related to “exonerate,” meaning to set free from blame, or, more literally, to lift the burden of blame from someone.

When something is “restrained,” it is kept within limits or “held tight.” The word is taken from the Latin root meaning “to squeeze or hold.” It is related to English words such as “constrict” or “constrain.” A “restraint” is something that keeps things within boundaries; hence, it can be called a “restriction” (a word that is similarly derived from the same Latin roots).