Ets Gre Words

Front 1

abnegate

Back 1

VERB (transitive)

deny, renounce

Hint 1

She abnegated her God.

Front 2

spurious

Back 2

adjective

false; forged; outwardly similar or corresponding to something without having its genuine qualities

Hint 2

Identified in a GRE practice exam.

Front 3

po·lem·ic

Back 3

noun

an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another

Front 4

an·tip·a·thy

Back 4

noun

settled aversion or dislike

Front 5

dif·fi·dent

Back 5

adjective

hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-confidence

Front 6

invective (n)

Back 6

an abusive expression or speech

Front 7

invective (adj)

Back 7

of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse

Front 8

mercenary (n)

Back 8

one that serves merely for wages; especially : a soldier hired into foreign service

Front 9

mercenary (adj)

Back 9

serving merely for pay or sordid advantage

Front 10

pundit

Back 10

noun

1. a learned man
2. one who gives opinions in an authoritative manner : CRITIC

Front 11

imperiousness

Back 11

adjective

1. befitting or characteristic of one of eminent rank or attainments
2. marked by arrogant assurance

Front 12

boggle

Back 12

verb, trans & instrans

1. to start with fright or amazement : be overwhelmed (intransitive)

2. to hesitate because of doubt, fear, or scruples (transitive)

Front 13

rapacious

Back 13

adjective

1. excessively grasping or covetous
2. living on prey

Front 14

extant

Back 14

adjective

2a. currently or actually existing

Front 15

aver

Back 15

verb, transitive

1a. to verify or prove to be true in pleading a cause
1b. to allege or assert in pleading
2. to declare positively

Front 16

sedulous

Back 16

adjective

1. involving or accomplished with careful perseverance
2. diligent in application or pursuit

Front 17

intransigent

Back 17

adjective

1. uncompromising; refusing to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude

Front 18

laconic

Back 18

adjective

using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious

Hint 18

Being laconic has nothing to do with being lazy. Instead, it has to do with one's lack of loquaciousness.

Front 19

hapless

Back 19

adjective

having no luck : UNFORTUNATE

Front 20

dirge

Back 20

noun

a song or hymn of grief or lamentation

Hint 20

Middle English dirige, the Office of the Dead

Front 21

miscreant (n)

Back 21

noun

infidel, heretic

Front 22

miscreant (adj)

Back 22

adjective

unbelieving, heretical

Hint 22

from Anglo-French mescreant, present participle of mescreire to disbelieve

Front 23

heretic

Back 23

noun

a dissenter from established religious dogma; especially : a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church who disavows a revealed truth

Hint 23

also, nonconformist

Front 24

recalcitrant

Back 24

adjective

obstinately defiant of authority or restraint

Hint 24

present participle of recalcitrare to be stubbornly disobedient

Front 25

chary

Back 25

adjective

discreetly cautious

Hint 25

from Old English cearig sorrowful, from caru sorrow

Front 26

exigent

Back 26

adjective

requiring immediate aid or action

Hint 26

Latin exigent-, exigens, present participle of exigere to demand

Front 27

epithet

Back 27

noun

a disparaging or abusive word or phrase

Front 28

viscid

Back 28

adjective

having an adhesive quality : STICKY

Hint 28

Late Latin viscidus, from Latin viscum birdlime

Front 29

aspersion

Back 29

noun

a false or misleading charge meant to harm someone's reputation