SAT Words 7-11

Root 2

7. enigma

His disappearance is an enigma that has given

rise to much speculation about his whereabouts.

enigma• (en-IGG-muh) noun• Sounds like: An egg, Ma!

• Picture… a woman calling her mother from the maternity ward of a hospital, where she has just given birth to something unexpected. “This is hard to explain, but it’s an egg, Ma.” As she speaks, she glances over to the large egg in the crib next to her bed.

• Other form: enigmatic (adjective)

• Definition: mystery; puzzle

8. penchant

Whether you have a penchant for musicals,

dramas, or comedies, there is likely the perfect show for

you.

penchant

• (PENCH-ent) noun• Sounds like: pendant

• Picture… a woman with many pendants around her neck. She obviously has a strong liking for pendants.

• Definition: a strong liking; attraction

9. prodigal

At the celebrity’s party, the food is often much more prodigal than at my

neighborhood’s summer block party.

prodigal• (PROD-ih-gull) adjective

• Sounds like: proud of gulls

• Picture… a person who has spent his entire inheritance to buy a flock of seagulls. He’s very proud of his purchase, not realizing that he has squandered away his entire fortune.

• Note: Don’t confuse with “prodigy,” a highly-talented child.

• Definition: wasteful, especially of money; extravagant

10. reticent

He's less reticent about discussing his frequent-flier

mileage balance, which presumably exceeds that of his

peers.

reticent

• (RETT-ih-sent) adjective

• Sounds like: Redder, Cent?

• Picture… a giant penny being painted red. The penny sits quietly as the artist repeatedly asks, “Redder, Cent? Do you want to be redder? Cent? Huh? Penny for your thoughts. Hello, Cent…”

• Other forms: reticence (noun); reticently (adverb)

• Definition: quiet; uncommunicative

11. vagrant

The vagrant left the food pantry and headed to the homeless shelter for the

night.

vagrant

• (VAY-grent) noun

• Looks like: VA Grant (VA= abbreviation for Virginia)

• Picture… a man named Grant, wearing tattered clothes and carrying his belongings in a plastic bag. He is answering a policeman’s questions about his current residence:“So your name is Grant?”“Yes, sir, Officer.”“Where do you live, Mr. Grant?”“In VA.”“VA?”“Virginia. The call me VA Grant. My home is Virginia.”“Any particular place in Virginia?”“Nope. It’s a big state and I use it all.”

• Other forms: vagrant (adj); vagrantly (adv); vagrancy (n)

• Definition: homeless person; wanderer

Root 2: ced, ceed, cess

Before entering the dangerous trail, there was a sign that read, “Proceed with

caution.”

ced, ceed, cess

• Meaning: go, move, yield• Sample words: recede,

proceed, excess

• Accessible: able to enter or approach• Concede: to yield with someone else; to admit defeat• Exceed: to go beyond the limit or expectations• Proceed: to keep on going; to move along• Incessant: something that does not yield; consistent • Recede: to go back, move back or away• Procedure: a way of going forward with a task