A good example is the word “prosaic”, which means dull, unimaginative. Often, a word that begins with “pro-” doesn’t actually contain the root “pro-“. The root “pro-” can have several meanings. We usually think of words that begin with “pro-” as being just that: they are positive words exuding good cheer. The Pros to Your Cons GRE Root Words with Pro. But there is a second, very different meaning, that might show up on the GRE: to make someone really angry, so that’s you are setting them on fire (figuratively, of course). Sure, this word can refer to fragrant, burning sticks redolent of spice and. Meant to point out that something is silly or foolish, inane typically modifies words relating to speaking: comment, chatter, conversation, remark, etc. However, it might in some cases make for a very good distractor. It’s not a typical GRE word and I can’t imagine it turning out as the correct answer. Missive comes from the Latin “to send”-a very apt meaning. For example, when considering the word “inveigle,” which means to obtain through flattery and deception, what exactly is a “veigle?”īelow are some examples of GRE vocabulary that don’t follow the above word roots pattern: However, sometimes these prefixes are connected to a group of letters that don’t mean anything alone. Here are some additional examples of how these roots manifest in words: Or how an “unconscionable” act is so horrible and deplorable that it goes against the “conscience?” Or consider how “align” means to position something correctly and how “misalign” means to move it out of position.

For example, notice how equity becomes it’s opposite with the added ‘in-‘. You’ll notice that there is a prefix that typically negates the word (mis- in-, im-, un-). Mis-, In-, Im-, Un- Typically Negates but Not Always

Unsurprisingly, the president droned on in his latest speech as the crowd grew _(ii)_, and _(iii)_ for a leader who would be able to galvanize, not bore, them. Many had complained that the president was known for boring, even _(i)_ speeches. It’s actually the opposite and means restlessness.Įxample: The crowd grew restive as the comedian’s opening jokes fell flat (sorry, Charlie).įill in each of the blanks with the correct answer. It does not always mean again when added to the beginning of a word. In many cases, they can be downright misleading. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Roots are not always your friends. Knowing these, and other, potentially confusing prefix words can make a big difference in your performance on test day. Since meek means to be shy or soft-spoken, it is the opposite of peremptory, which means to be domineering. Bonus “Pre-” Words:Ĭhoose the correct antonym for the word MEEK: Example Pre- WordsĪ preemptive action takes place in anticipation of (or before) another action.Įxample: My boss preemptively got defensive before she even heard the feedback from her evaluation.Īs the roots of “precocious” mean “before” and “knowing,” it would make sense that this word refers to someone (a child typically) who is wise beyond their years. As the latin roots are “per” (through) and “emere” (to take), this makes sense.Įxample: My sister used to peremptorily tell me to do the dishes, a chore I would do perfunctorily or avoid doing altogether. It can also mean wanting something right away.

If you are peremptory you are bossy and domineering. The word also carries with it the connotation of carelessness-done through a careless manner. To do something in such a way is to be perfunctory. As a result, when we do dishes, we do them in a routine way. Don’t fall into the trap of these commonly confused GRE prefixes! “Pre” typically means “before” (as you can see in the word “prefix” itself!) and the “per” typically means “through.” Example Per- WordsĮver done dishes before? As far as daily experiences go, this one represents the nadir for most. You’ll often see the GRE root words per- or pre- on the exam, and, understandably, might get them confused. Con- (with) Is Not the Opposite of Pro.Mis-, In-, Im-, Un- Typically Negates but Not Always.If you prefer watching to listening, head over to YouTube to check out my GRE Vocab Wednesday series! That’s why we’ve compiled this word list with commonly confused GRE root words and prefixes to help you prepare for the trickiest ones of them all! However, this strategy isn’t always reliable, and it can take you down the wrong path on test day. Learning the meaning of root words, prefixes, and suffixes can sometimes help you deduce the definition of an unfamiliar GRE vocabulary word.

Scribe definition root