CAT/GRE/SAT/IBPS VOCABULARY WITH ROOT WORDS AND MNEMONICS-6

1. Indolent – lazy, avoiding work

Root word: Latin in- = not + dolere = to feel pain

Mnemonic:
“IN-DOLENT = not feeling pain → avoids effort → lazy.”

Picture idea:
A person sleeping while work piles up.

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2. Reverence – deep respect

Root word: Latin revereri = to stand in awe

Mnemonic:
“REVERENCE = respect with fear + admiration.”

Picture idea:
People bowing before a respected leader or deity.

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3. Sprightly – lively, energetic

Root word: Old English spright = spirit

Mnemonic:
“SPRITE-like = full of spirit and energy.”

Picture idea:
An energetic child jumping happily.

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4. Prowess – great skill or ability

Root word: Old French proece = valour, bravery

Mnemonic:
“PRO = professional level skill.”

Picture idea:
An athlete winning a competition.

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5. Impunity – freedom from punishment

Root word: Latin in- = not + punire = punish

Mnemonic:
“IN-PUNISH = no punishment.”

Picture idea:
A criminal walking free.

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6. Imminent – about to happen very soon

Root word: Latin imminere = to overhang

Mnemonic:
“IMMINENT = hanging over your head.”

Picture idea:
Dark storm clouds about to rain.

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7. Purveyors – suppliers of goods or services

Root word: Old French pourveoir = to provide

Mnemonic:
“PURVEY = provide.”

Picture idea:
A vendor supplying goods to customers.

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8. Prejudice – pre-judgment without facts

Root word: Latin prae = before + judicium = judgment

Mnemonic:
“PRE-JUDGE = PREJUDICE.”

Picture idea:
A person judging someone by appearance.

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9. Billow – to swell or surge outward

Root word: Old Norse bylgja = wave

Mnemonic:
“BILLOW = big wave or swelling smoke.”

Picture idea:
Smoke billowing from a chimney.

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10. Jejune – immature, dull, simplistic

Root word: Latin jejunus = empty, barren

Mnemonic:
“JEJUNE = empty ideas.”

Picture idea:
A bored student staring at a blank page.

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11. Edacious – excessively greedy, voracious

Root word: Latin edax = gluttonous

Mnemonic:
“EDA-CIOUS = eats everything.”

Picture idea:
A person eating excessively.

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12. Chagrin – distress or embarrassment

Root word: French chagrin = sorrow

Mnemonic:
“CHA-GRIN = forced sad grin.”

Picture idea:
A person embarrassed after a mistake.

CAT/GRE/SAT/IBPS VOCABULARY WITH ROOT WORDS AND MNEMONICS-5

 

1. Inadequacy – lack of ability or sufficiency

Root word: Latin in- = not + aequus = equal

Mnemonic:
“IN-ADEQUATE = not equal to the task.”

Picture idea:
A small person struggling to lift a heavy weight.

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2. Proliferation – rapid increase or spread

Root word: Latin proles = offspring + ferre = to carry

Mnemonic:
“PROLIFERATE = multiply like cells.”

Picture idea:
Cells dividing rapidly.

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3. Patronage – support or sponsorship

Root word: Latin pater = father

Mnemonic:
“PATRON = protector or supporter.”

Picture idea:
A wealthy sponsor supporting an artist.

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4. Fissure – a long narrow crack

Root word: Latin findere = to split

Mnemonic:
“FISSURE = split surface.”

Picture idea:
Cracked earth or a deep crack in the ground.

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5. Diatribe – a bitter, angry speech

Root word: Greek diatribein = to wear away (by talk)

Mnemonic:
“DIA-TRIBE = verbal attack.”

Picture idea:
Someone shouting angrily at a crowd.

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6. Commemorate – to remember and honour

Root word: Latin commemorare = to remind

Mnemonic:
“MEMORY + honour = COMMEMORATE.”

Picture idea:
A memorial ceremony with candles.

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7. Contrition – deep remorse or guilt

Root word: Latin conterere = to crush

Mnemonic:
“CONTRITE heart = crushed with guilt.”

Picture idea:
A person apologizing with folded hands.

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8. Mulct – to fine or punish financially

Root word: Latin mulcta = fine, penalty

Mnemonic:
“MULCT = money cut as punishment.”

Picture idea:
A judge imposing a fine.

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9. Sojourn – temporary stay

Root word: Old French sojorner = to stay

Mnemonic:
“SOJOURN = short stay.”

Picture idea:
A traveler staying briefly in a hotel.

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10. Sobriquet – nickname

Root word: French soubriquet = nickname

Mnemonic:
“SOBRIQUET = special name.”

Picture idea:
A name tag with a nickname written.

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11. Unravelling – coming apart, becoming clear

Root word: Old English ravelen = to tangle

Mnemonic:
“UNRAVEL = knots opening.”

Picture idea:
A ball of yarn coming apart.

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12. Accrued – accumulated over time

Root word: Latin accruere = to grow

Mnemonic:
“ACCRUE = add up slowly.”

Picture idea:
Money increasing in a savings account.

CAT/GRE/SAT/IBPS VOCABULARY WITH ROOT WORDS AND MNEMONICS-4

 

1. Punitive – relating to punishment

Root word: Latin punire = to punish

Mnemonic:
“PUNitive = PUNish.”

Picture idea:
Prison bars closing.

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2. Austerity – strict, harsh, simple living

Root word: Greek austēros = harsh, severe

Mnemonic:
“AUSTERITY = no luxury, only basics.”

Picture idea:
An empty simple room.

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3. Carceral – relating to prison

Root word: Latin carcer = prison

Mnemonic:
“CARCER → CARCERAL = jail system.”

Picture idea:
A prison corridor.

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4. Plummeting – falling very fast

Root word: Latin plumbum = lead (heavy metal that sinks fast)

Mnemonic:
“PLUMMET = drop like lead.”

Picture idea:
A falling arrow graph.

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5. Benign – kind, harmless

Root word: Latin benignus = kind

Mnemonic:
“BE + NICE = BENIGN.”

Picture idea:
A smiling kind doctor.

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6. Pedantic – overly concerned with minor details

Root word: Greek paidagōgos = teacher of children

Mnemonic:
“PEDANT = person who overcorrects.”

Picture idea:
A teacher correcting tiny mistakes with red pen.

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7. Rambunctious – noisy, wild, uncontrollable

Root word: From ramble + boisterous

Mnemonic:
“RAM = wild energy.”

Picture idea:
Hyperactive children running around.

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8. Lambaste – to criticize or beat severely

Root word: Old Norse lemja = to beat

Mnemonic:
“LAMBaste = LASH hard with words.”

Picture idea:
A newspaper headline criticizing someone.

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9. Bereft – deprived of, left without

Root word: Old English bereafian = to take away

Mnemonic:
“BEREFT = empty hands.”

Picture idea:
A lonely person sitting alone.

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10. Bracing – refreshing, strengthening, shocking

Root word:
Old French brace = to tighten

Mnemonic:
“BRACE yourself = prepare.”

Picture idea:
A person standing in cold wind by the sea.

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11. Sagging – drooping, sinking down

Root word: Old English sag = to sink slowly

Mnemonic:
“SAG = sink and droop.”

Picture idea:
A hammock hanging low.

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12. Furore – outburst of public anger/excitement

Root word: Latin furor = rage, madness

Mnemonic:
“FURY → FURORE.”

Picture idea:
A protesting crowd shouting.

CAT/GRE/SAT/IBPS VOCABULARY WITH ROOT WORDS AND MNEMONICS-3

 

1. Goaded – urged or provoked

Root word: Old English gād = spear, pointed stick

Mnemonic:
“GOAD = poke with a stick to provoke.”

Picture idea:
Someone poking a bull with a stick.

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2. Circumvent – to go around, avoid

Root word:

• Latin circum = around

• Latin venire = to come

Mnemonic:
“CIRCUM (around) + VENT = go around a problem.”

Picture idea:
A person walking around a wall.

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3. Inimical – harmful, hostile

Root word: Latin inimicus = enemy

Mnemonic:
“INIMICAL = INI enemy medical → harmful.”

Picture idea:
A snake near a person symbolising danger.

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4. Diabolical – extremely wicked, devilish

Root word: Greek diabolos = devil, accuser

Mnemonic:
“DIA-BOLI-CAL = devil-like acts.”

Picture idea:
A devilish character smiling mischievously.

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5. Protrude – to stick out

Root word: Latin prov(trudere) = to thrust forward

Mnemonic:
“PROTRUDE = project out.”

Picture idea:
A nail sticking out of wood.

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6. Congruence – harmony, agreement, matching

Root word: Latin congruere = to agree, fit together

Mnemonic:
“CONGRUENT = things fitting perfectly.”

Picture idea:
Two identical shapes matching exactly.

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7. Hankering – strong desire or craving

Root word: Old English hanker = to have persistent desire

Mnemonic:
“HANKERING = hungry thinking repeatedly.”

Picture idea:
A person dreaming of food.

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8. Evanescent – quickly fading

Root word: Latin evanescere = to disappear

Mnemonic:
“EVANESCENT = even scent disappears quickly.”

Picture idea:
Mist or smoke fading away.

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9. Hapless – unlucky, unfortunate

Root word: Old English hap = luck or chance

Mnemonic:
“HAP-LESS = without luck.”

Picture idea:
A person under a broken ladder.

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10. Salacity (correct spelling: Salacity) – lustful, obscene desire

Root word: Latin salax = lustful

Mnemonic:
“SALACIOUS = sexual thoughts.”

Picture idea:
A cartoon heart-eyed face showing attraction.

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11. Byzantine – overly complex, complicated

Root word: From Byzantium (ancient city known for complex politics)

Mnemonic:
“BYZANTINE = confusing like a maze.”

Picture idea:
A confusing maze.

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12. Defile – to make dirty or corrupt

Root word: Latin de- = down + filum = to make foul

Mnemonic:
“DEFILE = make filthy.”

Picture idea:
Clean water being polluted by waste.