Academic Vocabulary List

Word Definition, meaning

A
adolescent a teenager
affiliate associate as a member
alarm a device that sound a warning
alley a narrow passageway or street
almanac book of facts published annually
alphabet a set of English letters
alternative choice, selection, option
analgesic something used to reduce pain
antique object prized for its age
apiece each, individually
appetite desire to eat
approach get closer
ardor with great intensity
assemble come together, meet
astonish surprise, amaze
astronomy science that deals with the universe
athlete sportsman or woman
attic area between the roof and ceiling of a house
authenticity reality, certainty
axe instrument used in chopping wood

B
bake to cook in an oven
banknote paper money or currency
bargain something you can buy cheaply
barrel a large round container used for holding great amounts of liquid
bat a small, furry mammal which flies at night
bathrobe clothing worn after taking a shower
blackout electric power outage
blade the flat, cutting edge of a knife or tool
blame to accuse someone or wrongdoing
blank empty, without any marks
blissful extremely happy
boast brag; say great things about yourself
bounce spring or leap like a ball
burglar one who breaks into a building and steals
C
cage a structure made of wires or bars for confining animals
carve to create a form by cutting
cattle a general name for "cows"
cellophane a plastic wrapping
century period of one hundred years
challenge call for energetic work or action
charge postpone or delay payment until the bill comes
chew to cut and grind with the teeth
chime device that produces a bell-like sound
cite give reference to
coffin a box in which a dead body is placed for burial
collapse fall down
combination joining together of things or ideas
compassion feeling of sympathy towards another person
compensation payment for service, loss or expense
concoct create by combining various ingredients
condominium individual home within a building of similar homes
confess admit to wrongdoing
confront raise an issue directly and argumentatively
conquer defeat, overcome
consumer person who buys things
contact to get in touch with; get together to talk with
contemporary from the same time period
cope handle or deal with a difficult situation
cork material from the bark of a tree, often used for wine bottles tops
coward a person who is not brave
cracker a hard, salty, cookie-like food
cream thick, fluffy milk based product
credentials qualifications or background
crook a thief, criminal, swindler
crummy lousy, miserable, or worthless
curiosity desire to know; inquisitive interest

D
decathlon ten track and field events
decorative ornamental, with artistic design
dent weaken, lessen the value of something, usually by hitting
depending trusting, relying on
deposit put money into a bank account
desperate without hope
dessert sweet dish served after a meal
detect to discover the existence of something
devout very religious
dip put lightly into water or liquid
discrimination treating people unfairly because of their differences
dozen a set of twelve
drudgery hard, uninteresting labor
dull boring, not exciting; not bright or sharp
dweller inhabitant, person who lives at a certain place

E
earn get money through working
eclipse event obscuring the sun or moon
emerald a precious stone of bright green color
encourage give help, support or confidence
ensure make certain, insure
enthusiastic very interested or excited about something
entirely on the whole
estate property, land, possessions
evaluate give feedback
evolve develop slowly
exhausted extremely tired
exile forced removal from one's country
expansion growth
expert a person with a high degree of knowledge or skill
eyelid a fold of skin which covers the eyeball

F
fantasy imagination, dream world
fascinating very interesting, exciting, fun
fatal causing death
finesse ability to handle difficult situations well
fleet group of ships
flock group of sheep
fold to lay or bend something over upon itself
former the first of two things
fortune good or bad luck, fate
frighten to make someone scared or afraid
fugitive one who tries to escape, runaway
fur thick animal hair

G
galaxy a group of millions of stars
gallery place where art is displayed for the public
generous giving unselfishly, usually large amounts
gigantic huge, large, enormous
glance to look quickly
glimpse a brief look; an indication
goofy funny, silly

H
hanger a device upon which clothing is hung
harvest gather crops at the end of growing season
hatch break out of an egg
havoc a lot of trouble, chaos
heir one who inherits from a parent
hemorrhage excessive bleeding
hop jump a short distance, sometimes on one foot

I
ignore don't pay attention
illusion false idea, dream
immigrant person who comes into a country to live
incident an occurrence or even; happening
incredible unbelievable
inferior of lower or lesser quality
inform to tell, give the facts
inhabitant resident
inquire ask questions
inquiry the act or process of questioning
instinct natural or innate ability
interfere to get in the way; prevent someone from doing a task
irrational impossible to explain reasonably
irrelevant not related or applicable
issue things that need to be discussed

J
jam sweet preserved fruit spread
jogging running slowly
juvenile young, immature, youthful

K
knot formed when two ropes are tied together

L
lack absence, deficiency
latter the second of two things
leak a hole or crack which allows water to pass thorough
lecturer a university professor
legitimate lawful, conforming to accepted standards
listless lacking energy or spirit
log a fallen tree trunk or bulky piece of timber
lonely without needed companionship
lumber wood which has been sawed into boards

M
magician one who performs illusions
maid paid housekeeper
mathematics course subject dealing with numbers and calculations
melt to reduce from a solid to a liquid by heat
monopoly complete commercial control
motive reason
museum institute that displays artifacts for the public

N
naked without covering or clothing
narrow thin, not wide
nationwide everywhere in the country
negligent failing to give proper care or attention

O
observe perceive thorough the senses, see
octopus deep sea animal with eight legs
opaque not transparent
ounce unit of weight, one-sixteenth of a pound
outraged upset, very mad
outskirts the suburbs, area around a city
outstanding distinguished, excellent
owe to be under obligation or indebted to someone
own possess
P
parlance language, usually used by a particular group
participation taking part, getting involved in a group activity
patriotic having feelings of devotion towards one's country
peak top of the mountain
peasant poor, simple farmer
peddler someone who sells things
perceive sense, notice, observe through the senses
perceive to sense (see, hear, smell, touch)
personality the nature or character of a person
plug part of a machine connected to an electrical source
pocket a flat pouch sewn into the clothing
poll survey from the general population
portion small part or section
pounding beating, hitting repeatedly
poverty condition of being poor
practical useful and realistic
premarital before marriage
prevent stop something from happening
priceless very valuable
profit money people make from business
proportion segment or section, percentage of the whole
province a designated political area within a country
psychiatry branch of medicine dealing with mental disorders
punish impose a penalty for wrongful behavior
puppet doll or toy which can be animated by manipulation

Q
qualm feeling of uneasiness, doubt or fear

R
railing a bar which is used for support when climbing stairs
rainbow an arch containing the colors of the spectrum
ramble to talk on an on without saying much
rancher person who owns a large farm with animals
region area, location
reinforce give support to, strengthen
relationship social connection between people
release set free, allow to go out
reluctance hesitation, unwillingness to do something
rendezvous meeting at a pre-arranged place
revenue earnings, income from a business
revolver gun, pistol
ribbon a narrow strip of cloth used for decoration
rinse to cleanse with water after washing with soap
rise go up, get higher
risk possibility of danger or loss
roam wander, walk around without direction
rough having a bumpy surface; not smooth
route path, road, way

S
sample try or test food for taste
sand a grainy type of soil found on beaches
scientist an expert in a field of study
seal an aquatic mammal prized for its fur
severe cruel, harsh
sheet a large thin cloth which can be spread on a bed
significantly in an important or meaningful way
skill ability, talent
slang informal language
slim skinny; thin
soak to immerse or drench in water or other liquid
sober not drunk; serious
spill allow something to fall or run out of a vessel or container
spoil to make the quality of something worse
sponge an absorbent material used for washing
squeeze to compress; press closely, usually for extracting juice
starvation terrible hunger
stow put something in a small space for storage
struggle have difficulty doing something; fight
subsequent coming after, following
supply materials kept in stock for future use
survey (noun) a questionnaire, or a report showing results of a poll
survey (verb) ask questions to find out people's opinions
swallow to move food or drinks down the throat
swell get bigger, enlarge
swing to move back and forth, sway

T
tap to strike or hit gently
telescope instrument for viewing distant objects
teller a person who works at a bank window
textile fabric, cloth, woven material
therapy professional psychological counseling
thermometer an instrument used for measuring temperature
thrilling exciting
thunder noise usually followed by a flash of lightning
tipping giving extra money for services
toss throw lightly
trampoline athletic equipment used for jumping into the air
transfer change vehicles or transportation en route to one's destination
trapper person who catches wild animals for a living
treat special delight
trend a fad that lasts for a long time
trophy prize given in a race or competition

U
unflattering not in a complimentary way
upgrade improve the quality of something

V
varnish a substance painted on wood to make it glossy
vast huge, immense
vocational pertaining to a specific job
volunteer person who gives service without pay

W
walrus large seal-like mammal with tusks
warehouse large building for storage
warrior fighter
waste use wrongly, use too much of
wed get married
widespread covering a large area
widow woman whose husband has died
wilderness wild, unsettled area
withdraw take money out of the bank
wooden made of lumber or timber products
workaholic compulsive worker
wrap to cover with paper, cloth, or plastic

Y
yawn open the mouth in an expression of sleepiness