SAT Vocabulary Flashcards

This page contains 100 high-utility SAT vocabulary words with definitions, example sentences, and word roots. These are the kinds of academic words that appear on the SAT Reading & Writing section, especially on Words in Context questions, which ask you to determine the meaning of a word as it is used in a passage. Building this vocabulary will also support Rhetorical Synthesis and Transitions questions, where recognizing the tone or precise meaning of a word is essential.

Each entry includes the word’s Latin or Greek root with its literal meaning, plus a list of related words that share the same root. Learning roots can be an efficient way to decode unfamiliar academic vocabulary: a single root like specere (to look) connects circumspect, spectator, inspect, aspect, and more. The interactive flashcards above let you browse alphabetically by letter or switch to Root Families mode to study words that share the same root side by side.

Use the interactive flashcards above to study, then review the complete word list below. The full list is organized alphabetically and includes each word’s part of speech, definition, and root for easy reference.

Key Root Families on This List

The following Latin and Greek roots each appear in multiple SAT words on this list. Learning these roots helps you decode unfamiliar vocabulary on test day.

Root	Meaning	SAT Words on This List
grex / gregis	flock, herd (Latin)	Egregious, Gregarious
placere	to please, be calm (Latin)	Complacent, Placid
specere	to look, observe (Latin)	Circumspect, Specious*
*Specious comes through speciosus / species (appearance) — related but one step removed
vox / vocis	voice (Latin)	Equivocal, Unequivocal
fides	faith, trust (Latin)	Perfidious
tacere	to be silent (Latin)	Taciturn, Reticent
mutare	to change (Latin)	Immutable
tangere	to touch (Latin)	Tangential
verbum	word (Latin)	Verbose
nebula	cloud, mist (Latin)	Nebulous
nubes / Fr. nuer	cloud → to shade (Latin/French)	Nuance
lucere	to shine (Latin)	Lucid
sanguis	blood (Latin)	Sanguine
umbra	shadow (Latin)	Umbrage
kinein	to move (Greek)	Kinetic
kryptos	hidden (Greek)	Cryptic
dogma	belief, decree (Greek)	Dogmatic
pragma	deed, act (Greek)	Pragmatic
rhetor	public speaker (Greek)	Rhetoric
xenos / phobos	stranger + fear (Greek)	Xenophobia

Complete A–Z SAT Vocabulary List

A

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Aberrant	adj	Departing from what is normal or expected.	ab- (away) + errare (to wander)
Acrimony	noun	Bitterness or ill feeling, especially in speech or manner.	acer (sharp, bitter)
Ameliorate	verb	To make something bad better; to improve.	melior (better)
Austere	adj	Severe or strict in manner; having no comforts or luxuries.	Gk austeros (harsh, dry)

B

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Benevolent	adj	Well-meaning and kindly; charitable.	bene (well) + velle (to wish)
Brevity	noun	Concise and exact use of words; shortness of time.	brevis (short)
Bucolic	adj	Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside; rural.	Gk boukolos (cowherd)
Burgeon	verb	To begin to grow or increase rapidly; to flourish.	OF burjon (bud)
Byzantine	adj	Excessively complicated; intricate and hard to understand.	From Byzantium (ancient city)

C

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Capricious	adj	Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.	It. capriccio (a shudder) — exact origin disputed
Caustic	adj	Sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way.	Gk kaiein (to burn)
Circumspect	adj	Wary and unwilling to take risks; careful to consider all circumstances.	circum (around) + specere (to look)
Cogent	adj	Clear, logical, and convincing.	cogere (to drive together)
Complacent	adj	Showing uncritical satisfaction with oneself; smugly self-satisfied.	com- + placere (to please)
Contrite	adj	Feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition of wrongdoing.	conterere (to grind, crush)
Cryptic	adj	Having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure; difficult to understand.	Gk kryptos (hidden)
Culpable	adj	Deserving blame; guilty of wrongdoing.	culpa (fault, blame)
Cynical	adj	Believing the worst of human nature; distrustful of sincerity.	Gk kynikos (dog-like)

D

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Decorum	noun	Behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety; proper conduct.	decor (propriety, elegance)
Delineate	verb	To describe or portray something precisely; to indicate its boundaries.	de- + linea (line)
Deride	verb	To express contempt for; to mock or ridicule.	de- (down) + ridere (to laugh)
Didactic	adj	Intended to teach, particularly in an excessively moralistic way.	Gk didaskein (to teach)
Disparate	adj	Essentially different in kind; not allowing fair comparison.	Latin disparāre (to separate, make different)
Dogmatic	adj	Inclined to lay down principles as undeniably true; opinionated.	Gk dogma (belief, decree)

E

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Ebullient	adj	Cheerful and full of energy; exuberant.	ex- (out) + bullire (to bubble, boil)
Egregious	adj	Outstandingly bad; shocking.	e- (out of) + grex (flock, herd)
Ephemeral	adj	Lasting for a very short time; transitory.	Gk epi- + hemera (day)
Equivocal	adj	Open to more than one interpretation; deliberately ambiguous.	aequus (equal) + vox (voice)
Erudite	adj	Having or showing great knowledge or learning.	e- + rudis (rough, unlearned)

F

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Fallacious	adj	Based on a mistaken belief; containing a logical fallacy.	fallere (to deceive)
Fervent	adj	Having or displaying a passionate intensity.	fervere (to boil, glow)
Flippant	adj	Not showing a serious or respectful attitude.	ME flippen (to move lightly)
Forthright	adj	Direct and outspoken; frank.	OE forð (forward) + riht (right)

G

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Garrulous	adj	Excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters.	garrire (to chatter)
Gratuitous	adj	Uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted.	gratuitus (free, without pay)
Gregarious	adj	Fond of company; sociable.	grex (flock, herd)
Guile	noun	Sly or cunning intelligence; craftiness.	OF guile (deceit)

H

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Hackneyed	adj	Lacking originality; overly familiar through overuse.	Hackney (horse for hire) → overworked
Hegemony	noun	Leadership or dominance, especially of one country or group over others.	Gk hegeisthai (to lead)
Hubris	noun	Excessive pride or self-confidence, often leading to downfall.	Gk hybris (insolence, wanton violence)
Hyperbole	noun	Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.	Gk hyper (over) + ballein (to throw)

I

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Iconoclast	noun	A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions.	Gk eikon (image) + klan (to break)
Immutable	adj	Unchanging over time or unable to be changed.	in- (not) + mutare (to change)
Imperious	adj	Assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant.	imperium (command, power)
Insipid	adj	Lacking vigor or interest; dull.	in- (not) + sapere (to taste)

J

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Jocular	adj	Fond of or characterized by joking; humorous.	jocus (joke, jest)

K

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Kinetic	adj	Relating to motion; lively and dynamic.	Gk kinein (to move)

L

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Laconic	adj	Using very few words; brief and concise.	Gk Lakonikos (Spartan — known for brevity)
Lampoon	verb	To publicly mock or satirize.	Fr lampon (drinking song)
Lassitude	noun	Physical or mental weariness; lack of energy.	lassus (weary, faint)
Lucid	adj	Expressed clearly; easy to understand.	lucere (to shine)

M

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Malleable	adj	Easily influenced; capable of being shaped or changed.	malleus (hammer)
Mendacious	adj	Not telling the truth; lying.	mendax (lying), from menda (fault, defect)
Mercurial	adj	Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood.	Mercury (the fleet-footed god)
Meticulous	adj	Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.	metus (fear) — originally “fearfully careful”
Mitigate	verb	To make less severe, serious, or painful.	mitis (mild) + agere (to do)
Morose	adj	Sullen and ill-tempered; gloomy.	morosus (self-willed, gloomy)

N

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Nebulous	adj	Hazy; not clear or clearly expressed.	nebula (cloud, mist)
Nefarious	adj	Wicked or criminal.	ne- (not) + fas (divine law)
Nuance	noun	A subtle difference in meaning or expression.	Fr nuer (to shade) from nubes (cloud)

O

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Obsequious	adj	Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.	ob- + sequi (to follow)
Ostracize	verb	To exclude from society or a group.	Gk ostrakon (pottery shard — used as ballot)
Overt	adj	Done openly; not secret.	OF ouvrir (to open)

P

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Parsimonious	adj	Unwilling to spend money or use resources; extremely frugal.	parcere (to spare)
Pensive	adj	Engaged in deep or serious thought.	pensare (to weigh, consider)
Perfidious	adj	Deceitful and untrustworthy; guilty of betrayal.	per- (through) + fides (faith)
Petulant	adj	Childishly sulky or bad-tempered.	petulare (to attack, be wanton)
Placid	adj	Not easily upset or excited; calm and peaceful.	placere (to please, be calm)
Pragmatic	adj	Dealing with things sensibly and realistically rather than theoretically.	Gk pragma (deed, act)
Prodigal	adj	Spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.	prodigere (to drive away, squander)

Q

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Quixotic	adj	Exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.	Don Quixote (Cervantes character)

R

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Recalcitrant	adj	Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority.	re- (back) + calcitrare (to kick), from calx (heel)
Reticent	adj	Not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily; reserved.	reticere (to keep silent)
Rhetoric	noun	The art of persuasive speaking or writing; language designed to persuade.	Gk rhetor (public speaker)
Rife	adj	Full of; widespread.	OE ryfe (abundant)

S

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Sagacious	adj	Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment.	sagire (to perceive keenly)
Sanguine	adj	Optimistic, especially in a difficult situation.	sanguis (blood) — blood as seat of optimism
Sardonic	adj	Grimly mocking or cynical.	Gk sardonios (bitter, scornful laughter)
Soporific	adj	Tending to induce sleep; tediously dull.	sopor (deep sleep)
Specious	adj	Superficially plausible, but actually wrong.	speciosus (showy, beautiful) from species (appearance)
Spurious	adj	Not being what it purports to be; false or fake.	spurius (illegitimate, false)
Stoic	adj	Enduring pain and hardship without showing feelings or complaining.	Gk Stoa (porch — where Stoics taught)
Supercilious	adj	Behaving or looking as though one thinks oneself superior.	supercilium (eyebrow) — raising one’s eyebrow
Sycophant	noun	A person who flatters important people to gain advantage; a yes-man.	Gk sykophantes (informer, flatterer)

T

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Taciturn	adj	Reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.	tacere (to be silent)
Tangential	adj	Only slightly relevant; diverging from the main topic.	tangere (to touch)
Tenuous	adj	Very weak or slight; lacking substance.	tenuis (thin, fine)
Terse	adj	Sparing in the use of words; abrupt.	tersus (wiped clean, polished)
Timorous	adj	Showing or suffering from nervousness or a lack of confidence.	timor (fear)

U

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Umbrage	noun	Offense or annoyance; a feeling of being slighted.	umbra (shadow)
Unequivocal	adj	Leaving no doubt; unambiguous.	un- + aequus (equal) + vox (voice)

V

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Vacuous	adj	Having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless.	vacuus (empty)
Venerate	verb	To regard with great respect; to revere.	venerari (to worship)
Verbose	adj	Using or expressed in more words than are needed.	verbum (word)

W

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Wary	adj	Feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems.	OE wær (cautious)
Whimsical	adj	Playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing way.	whim (fancy) — uncertain origin
Wistful	adj	Having or showing a feeling of vague longing or regret.	wist (attentive) — OE influenced

X

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Xenophobia	noun	Dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.	Gk xenos (stranger) + phobos (fear)

Y

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Yielding	adj	Tending to give way under pressure; compliant.	OE gieldan (to pay, give)

Z

Word	Part of speech	Definition	Root
Zealous	adj	Having or showing great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause.	Gk zelos (zeal, jealousy)