Vocabulary by Eguriase S. M. Okaka

 

 

VOCABULARY

BY EGURIASE S. M. OKAKA

Vocabulary which means list of words with their meaning is a very important tool in the hands of any student, working with a language, especially in matters of examination. No wonder why, there is this saying among experts in English Language; “that every examination in English Language is simply put is an examination in the vocabulary of English Language.”

 

But, here, I will, for the purpose of this write-up, handle the issue of vocabulary in English Language, from perspectives of Synonyms, Antonyms, Prefixes, Suffixes, Derivatives and Nominal.

 

SYNONYMS

Synonyms are words or phrases of the same meaning as others in context of a language.

 

            Words                                   Synonyms

·        Abandon                               Forsake, leave, discontinue, desert, reject

·        Abbreviate                           Reduce, shorten, condense abridge, contract

·        Adherent                              Discipline, follower, partisan, votary

·        Ambiguous                           Not clear, vague, equivocal, and indistinct.

·        Balance                                 Harmony

·        Boundary                             Border, frontier, margin, limit, terminal.

·        Calamity                                Adversity, disaster, misfortune, trouble.

·        Deficient                               Inadequate, wanting, lacking, incomplete.

·        Eccentric                               Abnormal, odd, strange, queer, cranky..

·        Forbearance                                    Tolerance, leniency, patient, evidence.

·        Guarantee                            Attest, assure, certify, indemnify, and testify.

·        Hallucination                       Illusion, phantasm, delusion, fantasy, not real.

·        Impediment                         Barrier, obstruction, restriction, obstacle.

·        Juvenile                                 Youthful, puerile, childish.

·        Keepsake                              Token, memorial, reminder, souvenir, emblem.

 

ANTONYMS

Antonyms are words or phrases of opposite meaning as others, in context of a language.

 

            Words                                   Antonyms

·        Lassitude                               Vigor, ability, without fatigue, vivacity.

·        Lawful                                   Illegal, without license, illegitimate, unauthorized.

·        Majestic                                Low-class, mean, common, paltry, uncouth.

·        Nervous                                Courage, brave, fearless, stout-hearted.

·        Objection                             Concurrence, acceptance, agreement, without                                                        opposition.

·        Open                                      Closed, barred, shut, blocked.

·        Panic                                      Calm, peace, tranquility, firmness, intrepidity.

·        Prodigious                            Small, insignificant, ordinary, trifling.

·        Questionable                       Evidence, certain, axiomatic, obvious.

·        Rash                                       Wise, careful, scrupulous, caution.

·        Simple                                   Sophisticated, complex, intricate, compound.

·        Tenacious                             Not attached, loose, no adhesive, lax.

·        Uncompromising               Easy-going, not-strict, flexible, amenable.

·        Vacillation                            Constancy, firmness, dependability.   

·        Zealous                                  Languid, apathetic, indifferent, indolent.

·        Keepsake                              Token, memorial, reminder, souvenir, emblem.

 

PREFIXES

Prefixes are letters or syllables placed before a word to obtain a different meaning.

 

            Prefixes                                Words                                   Meaning

·        in-                                           active                                     Inactive

·        in-                                           adequate                              Inadequate

·        im-                                          potent                                   Impotent

·        im-                                          material                                Immaterial

·        un-                                          invited                                   Uninvited

·        un-                                          conscious                              Unconscious

·        il-                                             literate                                   Illiterate

·        il-                                             legitimacy                             Illegitimacy

·        mis-                                        understood                          Misunderstood

·        mis-                                        conduct                                 Misconduct

 

SUFFIXES

Suffixes are letters or syllables placed after a word to make another word and meaning.

 

            Words                                   Suffixes                                Meaning

·        Earth                                      -ly                                           Earthly

·        Sun                                         -y                                            Sunny

·        Self                                         -ish                                         Selfish

·        Jew                                         -ish                                         Jewish

·        Christ                                     -like                                        Christlike

·        Fear                                        -some                                                Fearsome

·        Trust                                      -worthy                                 Trustworthy

·        Break                                     -able                                       Breakable

·        Free                                        -dom                                      Freedom

·        Partner                                  -ship                                       Partnership

·        Neighbor                              -hood                                     Neighborhood

·        Wood                                     -en                                          Wooden

·        Just                                         -ify                                          Justify

·        Settle                                     -ment                                     settlement

·        Annoy                                    -ance                                      Annoyance

·        Examine                                -nation                                  Examination

 

DERIVATIVES

Derivatives refer to words in a language, derived from prefixation or suffixation to roots in another language (and at times even in the same language.)

 

           Derivation                                              Meaning       Root        Language

·        Circumlocution, Circumvent etc.           Circum-         (around)       Latin

·        Juxtaposition                                           Juxta-             (near to)       Latin

·         Benefactor, benevolent, etc.                   Bene-             (well)            Latin

·        Contradiction, contravene,

Contradistinction etc.                               Contra-          (against)        Latin

·        Extraordinary, extramural,

Extrapolate, etc.                                         Extra-             (beyond)       Latin

·        Superior, super-implication, etc.               Super-                 (over)             Latin

·        Submerge, sub-conscious

Sub-implication                                          Sub-              (under)           Latin

·        Posthumous, postscript, postpone,              post-              (after)            Latin

·        Universal, Unanimous, etc.                         uni-                 (one)             Latin

·        Antibiotic, anticlimax, antichrist etc.           anti-               (against)        Greek

·        Archbishop, architect, archaic, etc.              arch-              (chief)            Greek

·        Monologue, monarch, monogamy                mono-           (one)              Greek

·        Pseudopodia, pseudonym, etc.                 pseudo-             (false)              Greek

·        Homogeneous, homosexual, etc.               homo-           (the same)           Greek

·        Heterogeneous, heterosexual, etc.          hetero-              (different)           Greek

·        Hypogastric, hypodermic, etc.               hypo-                   (under)              Greek

·        Telekinesis, telepathy, etc.                      tele-                   (far)                     Greek

·        Automobile, automatic,

autobiography, etc.                                   auto-              (self)                       Greek

·        Polytheism, polygamy, etc.                     poly-              (many)                      Greek

·        Democracy                                              demos           (people)                    Greek

·        Metaphysics, metaphor etc.                   meta-             (change)                     Greek

 

NOMINAL

In English Language, words of particular parts of speech like verbs and adjectives can be turned into names or nominal. The process involved in doing what has just been said is called nominalization.

 

            Words                                               Nominal

·        Strong                                               Strength

·        Assure                                               Assurance

·        Deep                                                  Depth

·        Long                                                   Length

·        Sell                                                      Sale

·        Donate                                              Donor

·        Remain                                              Reminder

·        Receive                                              Reception

·        Deny                                                  Denial

·        Further                                              Furtherance.

 

 

THE END