Vocabulary Notes

Ecology Vocabulary #3

Definitions

Fauna (noun)
animal life in an area

Floral (noun)
plant life in an area

Food web (noun)
food chains that are put together to show how energy flows through an ecosystem

Food chain (noun)
an order in which animals feed on plants and other animals; shows how energy follows through from a producer to a consumer to a decomposer

Population (noun)
all the members of a species that live in an area

Predator (noun)
an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals ex: big cats

Prey (noun)
the animal that is hunted, killed and eaten by a predator ex: rabbits

Producer(noun)
an organism that produces its own food ex: plants

Primary consumer (noun)
animals that eat primary producers (plant eaters/herbivores)

Secondary consumer (noun)
eat primary consumers, can be either a carnivore or omnivore

Tertiary consumer (noun)
carnivores on the top of the food chain that eats other carnivores; eats only secondary consumers

Ecology Vocabulary #2

Definitions

Decomposers (noun)
an organism such as a fungus or bacteria that breaks down dead matter (fungus)

Estuary (noun)
body of water where freshwater and saltwater merge

Habitat (noun)
a place and surroundings where an organism lives

Herbivores (noun)
an animal (organism) that eats only plants

Host (noun)
a living organism that provides a parasite nutrients ex: mice

Limiting Factor (noun)
Something in the environment that keeps the population from growing past a certain size (food, water supply, competition for resources, abnormal weather, human activities, disease)

Niche (noun)
the habitat that supplies everything needed for a species to survive

Omnivores (noun)
Omni - all omnivores eat any type of organism, meat and plants

Parasite (noun)
An organism that lives in or outside a host 

Ecology Vocab #1 

Definitions

1. Ecology(noun)

The study of how living things interact with one another. The prefix eco should make you think of the environment. -Ology means the study of.

2. Ecosystem(noun)

All the living and nonliving things and their interactions. System meaning all of the systems of life and nonlife in an environment.

3. Abiotic Factor (noun)

Any part of the ecosystem that is not alive. The prefix -a meaning not, and -bio meaning alive. Example: Weather

4. Biotic Factor(noun)

Any part of the ecosystem that is alive. -Bio meaning alive. Ex: Plants, animals, fungi

5. Adaptation(noun)

A characteristic that helps a living thing to survive in their environment. In the context of biology, usually refers to an alteration in the structure or function of the organism in that particular environment.

6. Biome (noun)

A plant and animal community that spans a large portion of the Earth. Ex: desert biomes, aquatic biomes

7. Detritivore(noun)

An organism that feeds on dead or decomposing organic matter. Ex: Earthworm, fungus

8. Community(noun)

A group of living things that all live in the same area. It refers to how the organisms interact together and survive together.

9. Consumers(noun)

An organism that survives by eating producers (photoautotrophs and autotrophs) or other consumers. This includes herbivores and carnivores. Consume = to intake, to ingest

10. Carnivore(noun)

A consumer that only eats other consumers.

11. Deforestation(noun)

The cutting down and clearing of forest land; will usually lead to higher soil erosion in that area. De meaning the getting rid of, so getting rid of forests.

SAT Vocab #7

Predictions

Superfluous: (adj) unnecessary

Annihilate: (vrb) kill, destroy, get rid of completely

Castigate: (vrb) categorize, blame

Deviate: (vrb) change, leave from

Fastidious: (adj) old, dying

Pliable: (adj) possible, in reach

Jovial: (adj) happy, joyful

Mutilated: (adj) hurt beyond repair

Persist: (vrb) continue, keep on going 

Regenerate: (vrb) to generate again, such as cells, reproduce

Scholastic: (adj) school related, academic

Subside: (vrb) go away, leave for the time being 

Translucent: (adj) not quite transparent, but can see the tints of colors 

Visage: (noun) disguise, look

Cunning: (adj) smart, devious

Definitions

Superfluous: (adj) more than enough, more than sufficient excessive, unnecessary, needless

Annihilate: (vrb) to destroy completely, like a bomb or an explosion 

Castigate: (vrb) to punish 

Deviate: (vrb) to take a different course to go away from a planned course of action

Fastidious: (adj) hard to please, has high expectations 

Pliable: (adj) easily bent, flexible like some kinds of plastic

Jovial: (adj) merry, good temperament or disposition, positive

Mutilated: (adj) to disfigure, usually referring to body mutilation

Persist: (vrb) to continue steadfast even when you face opposition A person who is persistent persists. 

Regenerate: (vrb) to reproduce

Scholastic: (adj) academics 

Subside: (vrb) to relapse into a state of repose and tranquility Returning to a condition where you are relaxed, life is tranquil 

Translucent: (adj) allowing the passage of light antonym: opaque

Visage: (noun) the face, countenance or look of a person

Cunning: (adj) skill employed in a shrewd and sly manner as in deceiving the skill that allows a person to be deceptive

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Temperate: (adj) Not too hot, not too cold. The perfect climate where you can wear shorts and a short-sleeve shirt and feel comfortable. People visit places like Hawaii for their temperate climate.
Lease: (noun) A temporary period of ownership. Ex: Leasing a car.
Complexion: (noun) The skin and features of a face Ex: A breakout of acne may blemish someone's complexion
Declines: (verb) move in a downward direction, usually negative Ex: Declining health
Untrimmed: (adj) unadorned, borderline disorderly, usually in Shakespeare's time meaning of lesser wealth because they couldn't afford lace or satin to trim their clothes.
Impediments: obstacles in your way, usually physical such as road signs or road work that are impeding you from getting somewhere, but can be emotional, such as trauma that makes it hard to create a long-lasting relationship
Alters: (verb) Changes slightly but not completely, such as altering clothes to fit someone or altering your hairstyle
Tempest: (noun) A severe storm, usually a physical storm such as a hurricane, but can also refer to an emotional story
Bark: (noun) In this context, meaning a small boat
Compass: (noun) A radius, the range of something as in a circular manner, such as the compass of a radio tower
Internal rhyme: (noun) a rhyme involving a word in the middle of a line and either at the end of the line or the middle of the next
Alliteration: (noun) a line of words starting with the same consonant sound, usually in quick succession Ex: Whisper words of wisdom, let it be" -The Beatles
Personification: (noun) A figure of speech that gives an idea, animal, or human-like characteristics, attributes, actions, or the like. Ex: The fire swallowed the forest.
Assonance: (noun) Two or more words with the same vowel sound. I felt repressed and depressed.
Theme: (noun) Main idea or an underlying meaning

SAT Vocab #6 

Predictions

Abdominate: (adj) ignore, never speak of again
Anecdote: (noun) a segment of a story, a passage of someone's life
Candid: (adj) Unprofessional, realistic
Deterrent: (adj) Obstacle, stopper
Fallible: (adj) Mortal, able to be hurt or die
Incite: (verb) Start, begin, stir up
Jargon: (noun) Gibberish, nonsense
Muddle: (verb)  argument, problem
Perpetuate: (verb) show, present, represent
Refute: (verb) fight against, argue
Scarcity: (adj) not common, rare
Subservient: (adj) under someone else's control 
Transient: (adj) loss, giving up money 
Virtual: (adj) the world within technology 
Efflorescence: (noun) shine, flowery

Definitions

Abdominate: (adj) hate something violently
Anecdote: (noun) a brief account of some interesting event, or incident: story
Candid: (adj) straightforward, painfully honest 
Deterrent: (adj) hindering from action from fear, stopping by consequence 
Fallible: (adj) capable of failing
Incite: (verb) to rouse to a particular action, get people energized to act 
Jargon: (noun) confused, unintelligible speech or highly technical speech
Muddle: (verb) to confuse or becloud an issue or topic or conversation
Perpetuate: (verb) to preserve from extinction or oblivion, to keep something going 
Refute: (verb) to prove to be wrong 
Scarcity: (adj) insufficiency of supply for needs or ordinary demands, not enough, such as fossil fuels 
Subservient: (adj) servile, excessively submissive or humbly obedient 
Transient: (adj) one who is only of temporary existence, synonym for homeless 
Virtual: (adj) being in essence of effect but not in form or appearance

Efflorescence: (noun) blooming of flowers, state of flowering 

SAT Vocab #5 

Predictions

Abject: Lost

Anarchy: a government with no rulers

Callow: Calm, collected, letting things pass by

Destitute: Hopeless, letting their fate take them where it pleases

Expedite: Speed up, have more

Inconsequential: no consequences, doesn't matter in the long run

Irrelevant: not important

Morose: Sad, dissapointed

Perceive: See in their minds, interpret

Recuperate: Get better 

Satire: A work that makes fun of tropes often done in others of its genre

Subsequent: Extra, added on

Transgress: Go past them, evolve from them

Vindicate: Let someone slide, get away with

Wield: Hold, maintain, use

SAT Vocab #4

Predictions

Aberration: (noun) Detour

Acrid: (adj.) Disgusting

Ambiguous: (adj.) Unclear, vague

Breach: (noun) Breaking into

Despondent: (adj.) Not caring, not feeling up to anything

Excerpt: (noun) piece of a written media, a quote from a text

Indignant: (adj.) self righteous, annoyed

Morality: (noun) a sense of distinguishment in between right and wrong 

Patronize: (verb) give money to 

Rectify: (verb) fix, build back up 

Satiate: (verb) satisfy 

Terse: (adj.) not very informational, the bare bones

Transcend: (verb) go past, escape, go above

Vigilant: (adj.) on the look out

Whimsical: (adj.) magical, fantastical 

Definitions

Aberration: (noun) deviate, move away from the norm, not a custom

Acrid: (adj.) sharp, pungent smell, stinging, make your eyes water

Ambiguous: (adj.) double meaning, unclear meaning for the context

Breach: (noun) the violation of an official duty, lawful right, or legal obligation if someone breaks their part of their contract, can end up with a legal entanglement

Despondent: (adj.) disheartened, can't really connect, they're not like themselves

Excerpt: (noun) an extract or selection from a larger written work

Indignant: (adj.) so angry and scornful as is aroused by wickedness and meanness

Morality: (noun) virtue, values, having a higher set of principles

Patronize: (verb) to exercise an arrogant, condescension towards someone, treating someone like their far less important than you, speaking down to someone

Rectify: (verb) to correct

Satiate: (verb) to satisfy fully the appetite or desire of 

Terse: (adj.) concise, to the point, usually written or verbal responses, usually a negative connation

Transcend: (verb) to surpass, to go beyond or above something 

Vigilant: (adj.) being on alert to discover and ward off danger or insure safety

Whimsical: (adj.) given to fanciful ideas or notions; capricious, someone who acts on their whims

SAT Vocab #3 

Predictions

Abduction: (noun) taken away, kidnapped
Altruism: (noun)
Bravado: (noun) bravery, physical combat
Exacerbate: (verb)
Fallacy: (noun) folly, mistake
Inconceivable: (adj.) impossible, so much so that it is impossible to imagine
Irk: (verb) annoy
Monotonous: (adj.) boring, repeatedly
Pastoral: (adj.) to do with agriculture
Recoil: (noun) the spring back when something is coiled up, can be used metaphorically
Sagacious: (adj.) curious
Subjugate: (verb) put under control
Tranquil: (adj.) peaceful
Vicarious: (adj.) simple, not satisfying
Capricious: (adj.) not still, constantly changing 

Definitions

Abduction: (noun) a carrying away of a person or animal against their will

Altruism: (noun) benevolence to others, your generous to other people so you don't have as much. Generosity against their self interest. 

Bravado: (noun) aggressive display of boldness, ridiculous display of courage, less positive connotations than brave, almost foolish

Exacerbate: (verb) making a situation worse

Fallacy: (noun) any unsound or delusional reasoning 

Inconceivable: (adj.) not conceivable, as in able to imagine it, beyond imagination

Irk: (verb) irritate, annoy

Monotonous: (adj.) always the same, boring, tedious 

Pastoral: (adj.) anything that has the spirit of rural life, life in the country pasture = pastoral

Recoil: (verb) jump back, startled, movement backwards because you are dreading something or in fear of something 

Sagacious: (adj.) anyone that can discern with wise perception, wise

Subjugate: (verb) bring under domination or control; especially by conquest 

Tranquil: (adj.) calm

Vicarious: (adj.) experiencing something through another person

Capricious: (adj.) anything that is any person that is subject to unpredictable changes or whims

SAT Vocab #2

Predictions

Abdicate: (verb) to leave, evacuate

Achromatic: (adj.) the opposite of colorful, grey and boring colors

Boorish: (adj.) critical

Delusion: (noun) an escape from reality, an illusion

Evoke: (verb) to bring up, remind

Incompetence: (noun) not being able to do something

Invaluable: (adj) very important, incredibly valuable

Monologues: (noun) a long, descriptive piece of writing, usually from the point of view of one character or person, like a dialogue but only with one
Passive: (adj) Don't want to fight, would rather challenge through wits instead of battle
Propaganda: (noun) Media that is biased and supports a certain group or ideals, usually political
Recluse: (noun) a person that doesn't interact with others
Subconscious: (noun) the part of the mind that a person can't control, isn't able to stop or change
Trajectory: (noun) the direction that a projectile is going
Vertigo: (noun) an unpleasant feeling
Wantonness: (noun) the danger, not paying attention

Definitions

Abdicate: (verb) to give up (giving up power) Someone of power might have to abdicate a throne if they are conquered. Ex: Abdicating the crown.

Achromatic: (adj.) Colorless. Ex: Alaska can look achromatic, and old photographs. 

Boorish: (adj.) rude, in your face. Ex. A boar can be boorish.

Delusion: (noun) mistaken conviction, enduring, someone with delusions is delusional. Any mistaken belief that is long standing.

Evoke: (verb) to call or summon forth. Evoke tears. Evoke laughter. 

Incompetence: (noun) general lack of capacity or fitness or knowledge to do something. 

Invaluable: (adj) exceedingly precious, can't put an amount of money on it 

Monologues: (noun) mono = 1 a story or drama told or performed by one person
Passive: (adj) unresponsive, not going to react to things violently
Propaganda: (noun) one noun and three a's any system of continuing a doctrine (a set of beliefs) we use propaganda to make other enemy countries seem less than human so that people will fight
Recluse: (noun) one who lives in retirement or seclusion, anyone who doesn't want to leave their comfortable environment
Subconscious: (noun) 'below' our conscious, anything occurring in the mind without you being aware of it, any of the things we say or do without noticing
Trajectory: (noun) the path taken by a projectile, point a to point b, the path something takes
Vertigo: (noun) dizziness, can be caused by many things, inner ear swollen,
Wantonness: (noun) recklessness, like in young people's choices

Omnivore's Dilemma Vocabulary #2 

Predictions

Atavistic: (adj:) Powerful 

Cornucopia: (noun) abundance of, large amount of something

Intrepid:  (adj.) curious, daring

Omnivore: (noun) an organism that eats both plants and animals

Distinctions: (noun) differences

Terrestrial: (adj.) any place that has ground and air, not in the sea, of earth

Anthropologist: (noun) someone who studies cultures around the world

Predisposes: (verb) a first impression, automatically assume

Prodigious: (adj.) instinctual 

Existential: (adj.) something that relates to the questions of our existence

Inevitable: (adj.) unavoidable 

Unassailable: (adj.) unbelievable, shocking, unfathomable

Paradox: (noun) a never ending loop, a problem with no solution 

Quaintly: (adj.) conveniently 

Apotheosis: (noun) constant change

Definitions

Atavistic: (adj.) reverting to a primitive type, ancient or old

example: a dog may make atavistic sounds 

Cornucopia: (noun) a symbol of abundance, plenty, a horn containing food or drink

Example: A thanksgiving feast, a cornucopia of food

Intrepid: (adj.) fearless, undaunted

Example: (adj.) a lion is an intrepid animal. 

Omnivore: (noun) one that eats all, eats both plants and animals

Example: A bear, a human

Distinctions: (noun) noting differences

Example: Making distinctions in between food

Terrestrial: (adj.) anything that pertains to earth, represents earth terra = earth

Example: An extra-terrestrial is not from this planet but from another (extra) earth.

Anthropologist: (noun) specializes in the studies of human beings anthro = human ology = study

Predisposes: (verb) an inclination to do something or tendency

Prodigious: (adj.) extraordinary in size, marvelous 

Existential: (adj.) pertaining to the state of existing or state of being  exist = state of being

Inevitable: (adj.) cannot be avoided or escaped

Unassailable: (adj.) not attacked or assaulted

A peace is unassailable. 

Paradox: (noun)  A statement that seems to contradict itself, but in reality possess a truth

Quaintly: (adj.) having an old-fashioned attractiveness or charm

Example: Ireland has quaint bed and breakfasts.

Apotheosis: (noun) the elevation or exaltation of a person of a god

Sat Vocab #1

Predictions