719

PREFIX-GROUPS

PREFIXES THAT MEAN TO, WITH, BETWEEN, OR AMONG

PREFIX
ad, ac, af, an, ap,
as, at

MEANING
to, toward

com, con, co, col

with, together

combineto bring together

contactto touch together
collectto bring together
coworkerone who works
together with another worker

into

injectto put into

imposeto force into
illustrateto put into example
irritateto put into discomfort

inter

between, among

internationalamong nations
interactto act among
the people

pro

forward, going ahead

in, il, ir, im

EXAMPLES
adaptto fit into
adhereto stick to
attractto draw near

proceedto go forward
promoteto move forward

PREFIXES THAT MEAN BAD

PREFIX

MEANING

EXAMPLES

mal

wrong, bad

maladyillness
malevolentevil
malfunctionpoorly functioning

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720 GRUBERS COMPLETE GRE GUIDE 2015

mis
wrong, badly

mistreatto treat badly

mistaketo get wrong

PREFIXES THAT MEAN AWAY FROM, NOT, OR AGAINST

PREFIX

MEANING EXAMPLES

ab
away from

absentnot present, away

abscondto run away

anti
against
antifreezea substance used

to prevent freezing
antisocialsomeone

who is not social
de, dis
away from, down,
departto go away from

the opposite of, apart, not
declineto turn down

dislikenot to like

dishonestnot honest
distantapart
ex, e, ef
out, from

exitto go out
ejectto throw out
effaceto rub out, erase

in, il, ir, im

not

inactivenot active
impossiblenot possible
illiteratenot literate
irreversiblenot reversible

non
not

nonsenseno sense
nonstophaving no stops

ob
against, in front of
obstaclesomething that

stands in the way of
obstinateinflexible
un
not

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unhelpfulnot helpful
uninterestednot interested

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Appendix A: Hot Prefixes and Roots 721

PREFIXES THAT DENOTE DISTANCE

PREFIX

MEANING EXAMPLES

circum
around


equ, equi
equal, the same

post
after

circumscribeto write or inscribe

in a circle
circumspectvery careful
equalizeto make equal
equitablefair, equal
postponeto do after
postmortemafter death

pre
before
previewa viewing that goes

before another viewing
prehistoricalbefore

written history
trans
across
transcontinentalacross the
continent

transitact of going across
re
back, again

sub
under

super
over, above

retellto tell again

recallto call back, to remember
subordinateunder something else
subconsciousunder the conscious
superimposeto put something
over something else
superstara star greater
than other stars

un, uni
one
unityoneness

unanimoussharing one view
unidirectionalhaving

one direction

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724

Appendix B: Words Commonly

Mistaken for Each Other
Review the following lists of words quickly and use a pencil to mark the pairs that you have
trouble remembering. This way, youll be able to focus your attention on these on subsequent
reviews.
AGGRAVATE
IRRITATE

to make worse
to annoy

ALLUSION
ILLUSION

indirect reference
error in vision

ARBITER
a supposedly unprejudiced judge
ARBITRARY prejudiced
ASCENT
ASSENT

upward movement
agreement; to agree

ASCETIC self-denying
AESTHETIC
pertaining to the beautiful
BAN prohibit
BANE woe
CANVAS
CANVASS

coarse cloth
examine; solicit

CAPITAL

CAPITOL

excellent; chief town; money; punishable by death

or life imprisonment
state house

CENSURE
CENSOR

find fault
purge or remove offensive passages

COMPLACENT
COMPLAISANT

self-satisfied; smug
kindly; submissive

COMPLEMENT
that which completes
COMPLIMENT praise
CONSUL
diplomatic representative
COUNCIL
group of advisors
COUNSEL advice
CONTEMPTIBLE despicable
CONTEMPTUOUS scornful
COSMOPOLITAN sophisticated
METROPOLITAN
pertaining to the city

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Appendix B: Words Commonly Mistaken for Each Other 725

CREDIBLE believable
CREDITABLE
worthy of praise
DEMURE
DEMUR

pretending modesty
hesitate; raise objection

DEPRECATE
disapprove regretfully
DEPRECIATE undervalue
DISCREET
DISCRETE

judicious; prudent
separate and distinct

DISINTERESTED unprejudiced
UNINTERESTED
not interested
DIVERS several
DIVERSE varied
ELICIT extract
ILLICIT unlawful
EMEND
AMEND

correct a text or manuscript

improve by making slight changes

EMINENT
IMMINENT

high in rank
threatening; at hand

EQUABLE even-tempered
EQUITABLE just
EXULT rejoice
EXALT
raise; praise highly
FORMALLY
FORMERLY

in a formal manner
at a previous time

GORILLA
large ape
GUERRILLA mercenary
GOURMET
lover of good food
GOURMAND glutton
HAIL
HALE

frozen pellets; to call; originate (from)

strong, healthy

HEALTHY
HEALTHFUL

possessing health
bringing about health

IMPLY
INFER

indicate or suggest
draw a conclusion from

INCREDIBLE unbelievable
INCREDULOUS unbelieving
INDIGENT poor
INDIGENOUS native
INGENIOUS
INGENUOUS

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skillful; clever; resourceful

frank; nave

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726 GRUBERS COMPLETE GRE GUIDE 2015

INTERNMENT imprisonment
INTERMENT burial
MAIZE corn
MAZE
confusing network
MARTIAL warlike
MARITAL
pertaining to marriage
MENDACIOUS lying
MERITORIOUS
possessing merit; praiseworthy
PERSONAL private
PERSONABLE
pleasant in appearance and manner
PERSPICACIOUS
PERSPICUOUS

shrewd; acute
clear; lucid

PRACTICAL
PRACTICABLE

sensible; useful
timely; capable of being accomplished

PRODIGAL
PRODIGIOUS

wastefully lavish
extraordinarily large

PROPHECY prediction
PROPHESY
to predict
PROVIDED
PROVIDING

on condition that
furnishing; giving

REGAL royal
REGALE
entertain lavishly
RESPECTFULLY
RESPECTIVELY

with respect
in the order already suggested

SANCTION authorize
SANCTITY holiness
SOCIAL
SOCIABLE

pertaining to human society

companionable; friendly

STATUE
piece of sculpture
STATURE height
STATUTE
a law

URBAN
URBANE

pertaining to the city

polished; suave

VENAL
corrupt, mercenary
VENIAL pardonable

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