Catalog / Vocabulary Building Cheatsheet
Vocabulary Building Cheatsheet
A comprehensive guide to expanding your vocabulary, featuring essential word lists, effective learning techniques, and useful tools for vocabulary enhancement.
Essential Word Roots
Common Prefixes
|
Prefix |
Meaning & Example |
|
pre- |
Before: precede (come before) |
|
sub- |
Under: submerge (sink under) |
|
inter- |
Between: interact (act between) |
|
trans- |
Across: transfer (carry across) |
|
un- |
Not: unhappy (not happy) |
|
re- |
Again: rewrite (write again) |
Common Suffixes
|
Suffix |
Meaning & Example |
|
-able/-ible |
Capable of: readable (capable of being read) |
|
-tion/-sion |
State of: creation (state of being created) |
|
-ness |
Quality of: happiness (quality of being happy) |
|
-less |
Without: fearless (without fear) |
|
-ful |
Full of: beautiful (full of beauty) |
|
-ize/-ise |
To make: modernize (to make modern) |
Common Roots
|
Root |
Meaning & Example |
|
port |
Carry: transport (carry across) |
|
scrib/script |
Write: scribble (write carelessly) |
|
ject |
Throw: reject (throw back) |
|
cede/ceed |
Go: precede (go before) |
|
voc/voke |
Call: vocal (relating to the voice or calling) |
|
fac/fact |
Make/Do: manufacture (make by hand) |
Thematic Word Lists
Words Describing Emotions
|
Elated: Extremely happy and excited. |
|
Melancholy: A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause. |
|
Serene: Calm, peaceful, and untroubled. |
|
Wistful: Having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing. |
|
Apathetic: Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern. |
|
Exuberant: Filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement. |
|
Despondent: In low spirits from loss of hope or courage. |
|
Content: In a state of peaceful happiness. |
Words Related to Critical Thinking
|
Cogent: Clear, logical, and persuasive. |
|
Fallacy: A mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument. |
|
Inference: A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. |
|
Paradigm: A typical example or pattern of something; a model. |
|
Empirical: Based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic. |
|
Deductive: Reasoning from general principles to a specific conclusion. |
|
Inductive: Reasoning from specific observations to a general conclusion. |
|
Skeptic: A person inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions. |
Words Related to Society and Culture
|
Ethos: The characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations. |
|
Mores: The essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a society or community. |
|
Paradigm: A typical example or pattern of something; a model. |
|
Assimilation: The process of adapting or adjusting to the culture of a group or nation. |
|
Globalization: The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale. |
|
Ideology: A system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy. |
|
Hegemony: Leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others. |
|
Postmodernism: A late 20th-century movement in the arts, architecture, and criticism that represents a departure from modernism and has at its heart a general distrust of grand theories and ideologies. |
Vocabulary Learning Techniques
Mnemonic Devices
|
Create associations between new words and familiar concepts or images. For example, to remember ‘Ephemeral’ (lasting a very short time), associate it with a mayfly, which has a short lifespan. |
|
Use acronyms or rhymes to help recall the meaning of a word. Example: ROY G. BIV to remember the colors of the rainbow. |
Contextual Learning
|
Learn new words in context by reading books, articles, and other materials. Pay attention to how the words are used and try to infer their meaning from the surrounding text. |
|
Write your own sentences using the new words to solidify your understanding and usage. |
Spaced Repetition
|
Review new words at increasing intervals to reinforce memory. Use flashcards or apps that employ spaced repetition algorithms. |
|
Examples of apps and resources: Anki, Memrise. |
Active Recall
|
Test yourself on new words regularly without looking at the definitions. This forces your brain to actively retrieve the information, which strengthens memory. |
|
Use flashcards or online quizzes to practice active recall. |
Immersion
|
Immerse yourself in the language by watching movies, listening to music, and engaging in conversations with native speakers. Exposure to the language in various contexts helps reinforce vocabulary learning. |
|
Consider language exchange programs or travel to countries where the language is spoken. |
Tools for Vocabulary Enhancement
Online Dictionaries
|
Use online dictionaries to look up the definitions, pronunciations, and examples of new words. Some popular online dictionaries include Merriam-Webster, Oxford Dictionaries, and Collins Dictionary. |
|
Look for dictionaries that provide etymological information to understand the origins and historical development of words. |
Thesauruses
|
Use a thesaurus to find synonyms and antonyms of words. This can help you expand your vocabulary and express yourself more precisely. |
|
Popular online thesauruses include Thesaurus.com and Merriam-Webster Thesaurus. |
Flashcard Apps
|
Use flashcard apps to create and review flashcards with new words and their definitions. Flashcard apps often incorporate spaced repetition algorithms to optimize learning. |
|
Examples: Anki, Memrise, Quizlet. |
Vocabulary Builder Apps
|
Use vocabulary builder apps to learn new words through interactive exercises, quizzes, and games. These apps often adapt to your learning progress and provide personalized feedback. |
|
Examples: Vocabulary.com, Magoosh Vocabulary Builder. |
Reading Apps and Websites
|
Use reading apps and websites to access a wide range of texts and articles. Look for platforms that allow you to highlight new words and look up their definitions instantly. |
|
Examples: Kindle, Project Gutenberg, news websites. |