1. SAT Vocabulary Lesson 1
You will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday, March 29.

2. Altruistic
Definition: Unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others, generous Sentence: Nuns and nurses are usually very altruistic people since they seek ways to help people.

3. Ambivalent
Definition: having contrary feelings or attitudes, uncertain as to course of action
Sentence: I am ambivalent about a permanent relationship with him, because I like him one day and not the next.

4. Angular Definition: lean; sharp cornered; gaunt
Sentence: The patient has lost so much weight that his face has become angular.

5. Arrogant Definition: overbearingly assuming; insolently proud
Because the girl was so arrogant, she had few friends.

6. Aversion Definition: strong disinclination, disliking
I have an aversion to getting married.

7. Discern Definition: to differentiate between two or more things
Because of the fog, I was barely able to discern the landing strip.

8. Disdain
Definition: intense dislike; to treat with scorn or contempt, to reject as unworthy
Never having had to do manual labor, he disdained the idea of becoming a cotton picker.

9. Disparage
Definition: to degrade, to speak of someone or something in a derogatory manner
His disparaging remarks about me caused the committee to give the job to another person.

10. Disparity
Definition: inequality, the condition or fact of being unequal in age, rank, or degree
The couple got married even though there was a great disparity in their ages.

11. Embellish
Definition: to decorate, to make beautiful with ornamentation
He would embellish his narratives with anecdotes about famous people.

12. Engender Definition: to cause, to produce, to create
His angry words engendered strife in his relationship with his wife.

13. Innocuous Definition: harmless, producing no injury
Since the drink is innocuous, it is okay for us to have some.

14. Insipid
Definition: boring and stupid
I am bored by your insipid talk.

15. Lament Definition: To mourn or express sorry in a demonstrative manner
She lamented the death of her father in a very lachrymose manner. (That means she cried a lot.  )

16. Laud Definition: to praise, extol
Her performance was lauded by all of the critics.

17. Obscure Definition: difficult to see, vague
Because the meaning of the play was obscure, I was unable to enjoy it.

18. Ostentatious Definition: showy, pretentious
The ostentatious socialite wore her mink fur coat even during the warmest days of August.

19. Prodigal Definition: wasteful, a person given to extravagance
The prodigal son squandered his inheritance.

20. Repudiate Definition: to reject, to disown, to disavow
He announced that he would repudiate all debts that had been created by his wife.

21. Reticence Definition: restraint in speech, reluctance to speak
A lawyer must have great reticence in discussing matters that could violate his client’s rights.

22. Revere Definition: to honor, to regard with respect
Nearly all Catholics revere the Pope.

23. Serene Definition: calm, placid
The mountain on a clear spring morning is a serene setting.

24. Subtle Definition: delicate, elusive, not obvious
To avoid being obtrusive in the elegant restaurant, he used subtle gestures to call the waiter to his table.

25. Superfluous Definition: beyond what is needed or required, an overflow
The meeting lasted so long because of many superfluous comments by some of the speakers.

26. Taciturn Definition: quite, not verbose
A shy person is usually taciturn.