Vocabulary list for high school admissions tests

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This list is derived from HSPT, COOP, SSAT, etc. practice tests

Best practices for memorizing vocabulary[edit | edit source]

  • human memory works through connections
  • one-to-one memorization requires repetitive "encoding"
  • more effective than brute-memorization is memorization through connections
    • visual (imagery, visualization)
    • spatial (in relation to something else)
    • experiential (memory or personal experience)
    • emotional (attachment to a positive or negative experience or memory)

High school admissions tests words to know vocabulary list[edit | edit source]

  • notes
    • italicized word origins are Latin or Greek
    • PIE = proto-Indo-European language
      • = the common origin language for modern Indo-European languages

Vocabulary list[edit | edit source]

Words to Know from high school admissions practice tests
Word Part of Speech / Definition Word Origin Etymology/ Connection/ Other
conceited   adj. exaggerated view of oneself; thinking highly of oneself past participle of conceit (v)

“to conceit” = to flatter, so conceited = to flatter oneself

conceive = capere = con- “with” + PIE *kap- “to grasp” = “w/ understanding”

click Expand for words related to PIE *kap- (to grasp, run after, hunt)

to grasp:
accept; anticipate; anticipation; behave; behoof; behoove; cable; capable; capacious; capacity; caption; captious; captivate; captive; captor; capture; case.
to run after, hunt:
catch; catchpoll; cater; chase; conceive; cop; copper; deceive; emancipate; except; forceps; gaffe; haft; have; hawk; heave; heavy; heft; incapacity; inception; incipient; intercept; municipal; occupy; participation; perceive; precept; prince; purchase; receive; recipe; recover; recuperate; sashay; susceptible.
sage adj. wise, knowledgeable, learned

n. a wise person

sabius, sapere for "have taste, be wise" PIE *sap "to taste"

as a noun sage = an herb, but has different PIE origin *sol- fo "whole, well-kept", thus called for its healing properties > which makes a good connection to adj. "sage" for "wise"

sagacious adj. perceptive, discerning, wise -ous = adjective

related to "seek", thus "perceptive, discerning"

has different PIE root from "sage" : *sag- for "to track down, trace, seek"
brittle adj. stiff, breaks easily from Old English *brytel from PIE *bhreu- to break or cut up (from which "bruise" is derived)

something that is brittle breaks apart easily, breaks and doesn't bend

content v. to make happy

adj. happy, satisfied with the way things are n. what is contained, what is in (pl. "the contents")

v. from contentare for "to give satisfaction)

adj. from contentus for "contained, satisfied" n. from contentum for "that which is contained"

con- (with) + tenere (to hold)

from PIE *ten- (to stretch) click Expand for words related to PIE *ten- (to stretch > to incline > to offer > shelter/bulding):

abstain; abstention; abstinence; abstinent; atelectasis; attend; attenuate; attenuation; baritone; catatonia; catatonic; contain; contend; continue; detain; detente; detention; diatonic; distend; entertain; extend; extenuate; hypotenuse; hypotonia; intend; intone; lieutenant; maintain; monotony; obtain; ostensible; peritoneum; pertain; pertinacious; portend; pretend; rein; retain; retinue; sitar; subtend; sustain; temple; temple; temporal; tenable; tenacious; tenacity; tenant; tend; tendency; tender; tendon; tenement; tenet; tennis; tenon; tenor; tense; tension; tensor; tent; tenuous; tenure; thin; tone; tonic.
gaunt
ladle
hamper
hinder
incredulous
stout
svelte