Vocabulary list for high school admissions tests
This list is derived from HSPT, COOP, SSAT, etc. practice tests
Best practices for memorizing vocabulary
- 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
- notes
- italicized word origins are Latin or Greek
- PIE = proto-Indo-European language
- = the common origin language for modern Indo-European languages
Vocabulary list
| Word | Part of Speech / Definition | Word Origin | 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:
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. |