Just Vocabulary | ESL Podcast for learning SAT and GRE vocabulary

Engender (verb) Definition: 1. to create or give rise to; 2. to make children. Engender is often used in business discourse as a more sophisticated way of saying “create” or “bring about.” Example Sentences: –...

Eccentric (adjective) Definition:  1. unconventional or unusual; 2. not having a common center Eccentric is also a noun, meaning “an unusual person.” When thinking of the word eccentric, think of “center” and remember that it...

Viscous (adjective) Definition: sticky, thick, and not flowing very well (said of a liquid) Example Sentences: – I am a beekeeper and what surprised me is that sunflower honey is more viscous than lavender honey....

Proximity (noun) Definition: The quality of being near or close together. Proximity is used when describing how near things are to each other and is most often used when referring to distance or time. You...

Insolvent (adjective) Definition: Unable to pay off debts–bankrupt Insolvent is derived from the Latin in solventem, which means “not paying.” Insolvent denotes the inability to pay off debts. The noun insolvency refers to a lack...

Cower (verb ) Definition: To shrink away in fear. To cower implies that fear roots you to the spot where you stand, and also that you are shivering or trembling with fear and have shrunk...

Arbitrary (adjective) Definition: 1.based on individual discretion and preference; 2. chosen or determined at random; 
3. in law, based on the decision of a particular judge or court rather than accordance with any rule or...

Larceny (noun) Definition: the act of stealing someone’s property. Larceny is generally used as a legal charge for stealing. Most states break the charge into degrees of larceny that range from petty to grand. Example...

Connote (verb) Definition: 1. to imply something additional to the literal meaning of something; 2. to imply a condition or consequence When ideas are connoted, they are not directly stated, but rather implied. Some words...

Demise (noun) Definition: 1. death; 2. the end of something. Demise is used formally or in archaic usage to mean “the death of a person.” It is also used to mean the end or complete...

Epitaph (noun) Definition: a memorial speech, poem, or short bit of writing about someone who has passed away, most often written on a tombstone. An epitaph is written usually shortly after someone dies to commemorate...

Diminutive (adjective) Definition: Very small. Diminutive means small. A diminutive person is short and small. A diminutive word is a “cute” version of a word or name: for example, “duckling” is a diminutive of “duck”,...

Fortitude (noun) Definition:  strength, courage, and determination during difficult circumstances. Someone who faces challenges with fortitude, does so with strength and determination to overcome his difficulties. Example Sentences: – The investors sold their stocks in...

Altruistic (adjective) Definition: Showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others. When you are altruistic, you are giving to other people–you are committing a selfless act. The noun altruism is the act of kindness or...

Bereft (adjective) Definition: 1. deprived of something cared for or about; 2. without something necessary or desirable; 3. feeling loss.  The difference between the adjectives bereft and its synonym bereaved is that the latter usually...