Mrs. Brannen’s English 1,2 Vocabulary Fall, Week Two

circu- A prefix meaning “around”

circulate Verb To move around; to flow freely through a particular route When we are in good health, our blood circulates freely through our vascular system

circumference Noun The distance around a circle or around a roughly circular object The circumference of the earth is about 25,000 miles!

compile Verb To gather things together to form a whole Ralphie compiled his entire shell collection in one summer.

derogatory Adjective Belittling, negative; tending to lower in estimation The doctor’s derogatory comments about Fred’s bad habits made him feel stupid.

despot Noun A monarch with unlimited power Ancient Egyptian kings or pharaohs were among the greatest of despots.

diatribe Noun A bitter verbal attack Sadly, the teacher’s diatribe caused all of her students to tremble in fear.

dormant Adjective In a state of rest; lying asleep In the fall, some trees lose their leaves and become dormant for a few months.

elusive Adjective Difficult to grasp or understand Mathematics can be an elusive subject to some people.

presume Verb To believe something is true without any evidence to prove it As we mature, we often presume that there is no Santa, but is there proof?

refute Verb To deny a statement or to disprove a fact The defense attorney refuted the plaintiff’s claims and won the case for her client.