ROOT WORD AND SAT VOCABULARY

9th Grade

Unit 1

acro: high point, topmost, extreme

acronym

Def: a word formed from the first letter or first few letters of each word in a phrase or title.

The FBI is an acronym for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

acro: high point, topmost, extreme

acrobat

Def: a skilled performer of gymnastic feats, as walking on a tightrope or swinging on a trapeze.

The acrobat performed amazing tricks while high up on a tightrope.

acro: high point, topmost, extreme

acropolis

Def: In Greek, the word means “highest” (acro) “city” (polis).

The ancient site of the city is centered on the rocky hill of the acropolis.

ana: up, back, against

anachronism

Def: a person or thing that is placed back in a time where it does not fit.

It is an anachronism when, in a movie about ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh is seen wearing a wristwatch.

ana: up, back, against

analogy

Def: a comparison against or between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

In her analogy, the poet compared love to an endless well.

ana: up, back, against

analytical

Def: skilled in using analysis

If you are analytical, you are good at taking a problem or task and breaking it down into smaller elements in order to solve the problem or complete the task.

cede/ceed: move or go

antecedent

Def: something that happened or came before

The car chase was an antecedent to the fiery crash at the end of the movie.

cede/ceed: move or go

intercedeDef: to act between parties to reconcile differences; to

act as a go-between When you intercede, you try to help people work out

their differences or achieve something, like when you intercede on your friend's behalf to encourage your boss to hire him, or when feuding friends ask you to intercede, guiding them to sort out their differences.

cede/ceed: move or go

precede

Def: to lead; to go before

A short speech will precede the dinner. When marching into the classroom, the younger kids precede the older ones.

cred: believe

credulous

Def: someone who is too eager to believe things, often without thinking them through.

Sales people are always hoping that someone credulous picks up the phone during a sales call.

cred: believe

accreditation

Def: the act of granting credit or recognition (especially with respect to educational institution that maintains suitable standards)

All of the Department 's courses are accredited by the appropriate professional bodies.

cred: believe

discredit

Def: to cause mistrust or cast the accuracy of something into doubt.

If you say that schooling is important to you, but you never study, your actions discredit you and your words.

carn: flesh

reincarnation

Def: rebirth of the body; the passing of a soul into another body after death; can also be a figurative reinvention or rebirth

Your dad spent twenty years of his life working as a stockbroker, but after he reinvented himself, you'd be proud of his reincarnation as a math teacher.

carn: flesh

incarnate

Def: in the flesh; having a bodily form

If you encounter someone who pulls off butterflies’ wings for fun, you might describe that person as “evil incarnate.”

carn: flesh

carnage

Def: mass murder; brutal killing of many people or animals

If you have seen news footage of a village after a bomb has been detonated, you probably saw a scene of carnage.