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12/14/2015 The IIM Raipur Blog: CAT Preparation : Strategy for Verbal Section
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Deciphering words in CAT using etymology

First of all, relax yourself if vocabulary is not your fortress. Most of the aspirants commit the
mistake of mugging of word meanings from multiple word‐lists and end up nowhere. One
should realize that CAT doesn’t check your knowledge based on vocabulary. It checks your
skill of word‐application in the form of multiple question formats of Verbal Section of CAT.
Just like Numbers form the basis of Quantitative Section, words should be perceived as the
building blocks of language and hence, the Verbal Section.
The way Quantitative questions involve application of basic concepts and not memorizing
complex formulae, Verbal questions just involves basic knowledge of vocabulary. If you can
catch the root hidden in the word, you can easily figure out the meaning based on the
context. Sometimes it is even defined for you in the text.
Working on the same lines we bring to you a list of high‐frequency roots of etymology and
their related words with the corresponding meanings which will surely help you in upcoming
CAT and related MBA examinations:
1. Anthropos (mankind):
 Anthropology = study of mankind
 Philanthropy = love for mankind
 Misanthrope = one who hates his fellow mortals
2. Agogos (Leader):

 Pedagogue = a narrow‐minded, strait‐laced, old‐fashioned, dogmatic teacher
 Demagogue = one who stirs up discontent among the masses so he can gain
political power
3. Alter (other):

 Altruism = philosophy of putting another’s welfare above one’s own
 Altercation = argument
 To Alternate = to skip one
 To Alter = to change
 Alternative = a choice
 Alter ego = A very close and trusted friend who seems almost a part of yourself
 Alternate (adj.) = other
 Alteration = a change
[off‐topic: Adulation > flattery > Compliment]
4. Astron (star):

 Astronomy = study of celestial phenomena
 Astrology = Pseudoscience which claims it can foretell the future by a study of the
stars
 Astronomical = tremendously big
 Aster = a star‐shaped flower
 Asterisk = a star‐shaped symbol
 Disaster = calamity/ cataclysm/ catastrophe
5.http://iimraipur.blogspot.in/2015/11/catpreparationstrategyforverbal_24.html?m=1
Ambi (both): 2/22
5. Ambi (both):

 Ambidextrous = equally skillful with each hand; deceitful
 Ambivert = one who turns his mind both inward and outward
 Ambiguity = accidentally double‐entendre
 Ambivalent = Uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
 Ambit = An area in which something acts or operates or has power or control
 Ambience = A particular environment or surrounding influence
6. Ambul (to walk):

 Ambulatory = Able to walk about (verb: Amble)
 Ambulance = vehicle that takes people to and from hospitals
 Perambulator = A small vehicle with four wheels in which a baby or child is pushed
around
7. Anima (Soul or Spirit or Mind):

 Animal = A living organism
 Animate = Give new life or energy to; vivify
 Inanimate = Not endowed with life
 Animated = Having life or vigor or spirit
 Animation = Liveliness/ Life/ Vitality
 Magnanimous = Noble and generous in spirit
 Pusillanimous = Lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution;
contemptibly fearful [Pusilvery small]
 Unanimous = of one mind; in complete agreement
 Equanimity = Steadiness of mind under stress
 Animus = Hostility/ ill will/ malevolence/ Animosity
8. Algia (pain):

 Analgesic = Anodyne/ Pain‐killer
 Neuralgia = Acute spasmodic pain along nerves
 Nostalgia = Longing for something past (“nostos” means “a return to home”)
9. an/ ana (not/ no):

 Anemia = Lack of important elements in blood
 Anarchy = Lack of Law
 Analgesia = Lack of Pain
 Anomaly = Something not according to rule
 Anathema = bête noire/ A detested person
10. Arch (rule):

 Monarchy = Gov. ruled by Single Ruler
 Oligarchy = Gov. ruled by few privileged people
 Anarchist = one opposed to government
 Hierarchy = Higher echelons of Government, church, Business, etc.
11. Ante (before):

 Anterior = Forepart/ front/ stem
 Antecedent = coming before
 Antecedent = coming before

 Antediluvian = Before the flood; ancient
12. Anti (against):

 Antiseptic = against contamination
 Antipathy = a feeling against
 Antonym = words of opposite meanings
13. Bios (life):

 Biology = study of all life
 Biography = story of someone’s life
 Autobiography = A biography of yourself
 Biopsy = medical examination of living tissue
14. Botane (plant):

 Botany = The branch of biology that studies plants
15. Bene (good):

 Benign = benignant/ kind/ gracious
 Benediction = a blessing/ Boon (good saying)
 Beneficent = causing good (doing well)
 Benevolent = well‐disposed (wishing well)
 Benefactor = helpful/ favorable (a good doer)
 Benefit = Gain/ profit; welfare
16. Badinage:
 Badinage = a half‐teasing, non‐malicious, frivolous Banter, intended to amuse
rather than wound [its closest synonym is “Persiflage”]
17. Bibere (to drink):

 Imbibe = (Liquor) Take in liquids/ soak up
 Bibulous = boozy/ drunken/ sottish
18. Bovis (ox or cow):

 Bovine = Dull and slow‐moving and stolid; like an ox
19. Kardia (heart):

 Cardiologist = heart specialist
 Cardiac = of or relating to heart
 Cardiogram = electrically produced record of the beats of the heart
 Cardiograph = instrument which produces cardiogram
20. Chiros (hand):

 Chirography = Beautiful handwriting
 Chiropractic = use of hands in the curing of ailments
 Chiropody = treatment of the surface ailments of hand and foot

 Chiropody = treatment of the surface ailments of hand and foot
21. Conscience (scruples/ moral sense):

 Conscionable = Just
 Unconscionable = Lacking a conscience
 Conscientious = scrupulous; painstaking
22. Corr (correction):

 Corrigible = amendable/ redeemable/ reformable
 Incorrigible = Impervious to correction by punishment
 corrigendum = A printer's error; to be corrected
23. Chronos (Time):

 Chronic = going on for a long time
 Anachronism = something out of time
 Chronological = Relating to or arranged according to temporal order
 Chronometer = An accurate clock (especially used in navigation)
 Chronicle = A record or narrative description of past events that happened at one
time
 Synchronize = Happen at the same time; contemporize
 Synchronoscope = An instrument that indicates whether two periodic motions are
synchronous
24. Con (together):

 Conformity = Correspondence in form or appearance
 Congruity = The quality of agreeing
 Consonance = The property of sounding harmonious
 Concord = Go together; be in accord
 Consensus = Agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole
 Consign = Commit forever; commit irrevocably
 Concert = A performance of music by players or singers not involving theatrical
staging
 Consolidate = Bring together into a single whole or system; Form into a solid mass
or whole
 Contiguous = conterminous; neighboring/ adjacent
25. Cogere (to drive together/ compel/ force):

 Cogent = Powerfully persuasive
 Cogency = The quality of being valid and rigorous
 Cogently = In a cogent manner; forcibly; convincingly; conclusively
26. Chauvinist:
 Chauvinist = an exaggerated & blatant patriot/ jingoist
[according to the name of a French soldier, Nicholas Chauvin, during the reign of
Napoleon Bonaparte]
27. Caedo/ Cide (to cut down/ kill):

 Suicide = killing oneself
 Fratricide = killing of one’s brother
 Sororicide = killing of one’s sister
 Homicide = killing a human being (general term for slaying; if proves, it is called
“murder”)
 Regicide = killing of king, president, etc.
 Uxoricide = killing of one’s wife
 Infanticide = killing of a newborn child
 Genocide = killing of a whole race or nation
 Virucide = An agent (physical or chemical) that inactivates or destroys viruses
28. Kratia (Rule):

 Gerontocracy = Gov. ruled by old people
 Plutocracy = Gov. ruled by wealthy people
 Technocracy = Gov. ruled by Scientists & Engineers
 Bureaucracy = Gov. ruled by Bureaus
 Democracy = Gov. ruled by the People
 Autocracy = Gov. ruled by an absolute Dictator/ Absolutism/ Totalitarianism
29. Credo (believe):

 Credo = Principles by which someone guides his action
 Creed = a religious belief
 Credence = mental attitude that something is believable
 Credentials = bona fides/ attestation/ Certificate
 Credulous = willing to believe
 Credible = Capable of being believed
 Credit = Have trust in; trust in the truth or veracity of
 Cred = Credibility among young fashionable urban individuals
 Credenza = A kind of sideboard or buffet
30. Circum (around):
 circumambient = Surrounding/ encompassing
 circumambulate = Walk around something
 circumcision = surgical removal of foreskin of males
 circumduction = circular movement of a limb or eye
 circumflex = diacritical mark
 circumfuse = Spread something around something
 circumfluous = Flowing round
 circumstantial = Fully detailed and specific
 circumvallation = act of surrounding with a wall
 circumvent = Surround so as to force to give up
 circumvolute = Wind or turn in volutions
31. Cliché:
 Cliché = it is a pattern of words which was once new & fresh, but which now is so
old, worn & threadbare that only banal, unimaginative speakers & writers ever use
it
[its closer synonyms are “Bromide” & “Platitude”]
32. Clandestine:
 Clandestine = secrecy or concealment in the working out of a plan which is evil or
illegal
[Surreptitious = Stealthy, Sneaky, Furtive, generally because of fear of detection]
33. Carnis (Flesh):

 Carnelian = Color of red flesh
 Carnival = festival of merrymaking and processions
 Carnal = Marked by appetites and passions of body
 Carnage = great destruction of Life
 Reincarnation = Return to another body after death
34. Castigare (to correct):

 Castigate = Censure severely
35. Caput (head):

 Recapitulate = Summarize briefly
 Capital = seat of the head of the government
 Decapitate = behead
 Captain = the head of a group
36. Cheval (horse) or Caballus (an inferior horse):

 Chivalrous = Being attentive to women like an ideal knight; Gallant
 Cavalcade = A procession of people traveling on horseback
 Cavalier = Given to haughty disregard of others
 Cavalry = Troops trained to fight on horseback
37. Cilium (eyelid):

 Supercilious = Having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one
views as unworthy
38. Cadere (to fall):

 Cadaver = corpse
 Cadaverous = Very thin from disease/ hunger/ cold
 Decadent = Marked by excessive self‐indulgence and moral decay; effete
39. Dexter (right hand):

 Dexterous = skillful/ adroit
 Dextral = of or on the right; clockwise
 Ambidextrous = equally skillful with each hand
 Dextrorse = Spiraling upward from left to right
 Dextrocardia = Abnormal condition where the heart is located toward the right
 Dextrocardia = Abnormal condition where the heart is located toward the right
side of the chest
[In Latin, Dexter = right hand and Sinister = Left hand. In English, Sinister = evil/
dangerous
In French, droit = right hand and Gauche = Left hand. In English, Gauche = clumsy/
tactless]
40. Demos (people):
 Democracy = the political orientation of those who favor government by the
people or by their elected representatives
 Demography = the branch of sociology that studies the characteristics of human
populations
 Demagogy = Leading the hoi polloi
41. Dict (to say):

 Malediction = Curse/ Imprecation / Bane
 Benediction = a blessing/ Boon
 Dictaphone = tape recorder
 Predict = anticipate/ forebode/ prognosticate
 Dictation = An authoritative direction or instruction to do something
42. Donare (to give):

 Condone = Excuse, overlook, or make allowances for
 Donation = gift [Donee & Donor]
43. Dilettare (to delight):

 Dilettante = Showing frivolous or superficial interest; amateurish (don’t confuse it
with “tyro”)
44. Dolere (to suffer):

 Dolor = (poetry) painful grief
 Dolorous = Showing sorrow/ lachrymose
 Doleful = Mournful
45. Derma (skin):

 Dermatologist = skin specialist doctor
 Hypodermic = penetrating under the skin
 Epidermis = outer layer of skin
 Taxidermist = one who prepares, stuffs, and mounts the skins of animals
 Pachyderm = animal with unusually thick skin
 Dermatitis = skin inflammation, irritation, infection
46. Ego (I):

 Ego = self‐concept
 Egoist = one who believes in self‐advancement

 Egoist = one who believes in self‐advancement

 Egotist = one who talks about his accomplishments
 Egocentric = devotedly self‐centered
 Egomania = self‐madness
 Alter ego = A very close and trusted friend who seems almost a part of yourself
[In the rating of egoism: egomaniacal > egocentric > egotist > egoist]
47. Equi (equal):
 Equivocal = purposely vague, ambiguous, susceptible
 Equality = par
 Equidistant = The same distance apart at every point
 Equinox = Either of two times of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the
earth's equator and day and night are of equal length
 Equanimity = composure/ calmness
 Equilibrium = A stable situation in which forces cancel one another
48. Esce: (beginning to):

 Adolescent = beginning to grow up
 Evanescent = Ephemeral/ beginning to vanish
 Convalescent = beginning to get well
 Putrescent = becoming Putrid/ beginning to rot
49. Eu (good):
 Eugenics = methods of improving genetic qualities
 Euphemism = Good or inoffensive saying
 Euphony = pleasant Lilt or rhythm
 Eulogy = formal speech of praise
 Euphoria = sense of mental buoyancy
 Euthanasia = mercy killing/ good death
50. Enervis (weak):

 Enervate = Weaken mentally or morally
51. Equus (Horse):

 Equestrienne = a horse‐woman
 Equine = Horse‐like
52. Esthet (feeling):

 Esthetic = Appealing to the feelings
 Anesthetic = no feeling
 Anesthesia = insensibility to feeling
53. Fac or fic (to do):

 Maleficent = causing harm (doing badly)
 Beneficent = causing good (doing well)
 Factory = a place where things are done
 Fact = something which was done/ something true

 Fact = something which was done/ something true

 Malefactor = a criminal (a bad doer)
54. Fer (to bear):

 Somniferous = bearing sleep
 Vociferous = bearing loud voice
 Odoriferous = Emitting an odor
55. Frater (brother):

 Fraternize = Be on brotherly terms with someone
 Fraternal = brotherly
 Fraternity = Frat/ Sodality/ Brotherhood
 Fratricide = killing of one’s brother
56. Gyne (woman):

 Misogynist = one who hates women
 Gynecologist = doctor specializing in female disorders
57. Gamos (marriage):

 Monogamy = system of having one mate at a time
 Polygamy = social custom of plurality of marriages
 Bigamy = legal crime of having more than one spouse
 Misogamy = hatred of marriage
58. Graph (writing):

 Graphology = study & analysis of handwriting
 Chirography = Beautiful handwriting
 Telegraph = writing from afar
 Stenograph = writing in short form
 Autograph = writing of one’s own name
59. Geos (earth):

 Geology = study of the composition of earth
 Geometry = measurement of figures
 Geography = Study of the earth's surface; includes topography, climate, soil and
vegetation
 Apogee = Apoapsis in Earth orbit
 Perigee = Periapsis in Earth orbit
60. Gen (to give birth to/ to be born):

 Genetics = The branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms
 Gene = segment of DNA considered as unit of heredity
 Genealogy = The study of ancestry and family history
 Eugene/ Eugenia = well‐born
 Eugenics = The study of methods of improving genetic qualities by selective
breeding
 Genital = venereal (relating to the external sex‐organs)
 Genesis = The beginning, birth or origin of anything
 Psychogenic = born of the mind or emotions
 Congenital = Present at birth but not necessarily hereditary; acquired during fetal
development (don’t confuse Congenital with Congenial, means friendly)
 Genocide = killing of a whole race or nation
61. Gnos (to know):

 Agnostic = who doesn’t know about the God
 Diagnosis = Identifying the cause of some phenomenon
 Prognosis = A prediction about how something (the course of a disease) will
develop
62. Greg (Herd):

 Congregation = a religious Herd
 Segregation = separation from the Herd
 Gregarious = who likes to be with the Herd
 Egregious = so vicious that it actually stands out from the herd
63. Garrulous (chattering):

 Garrulity = constant talking, usually aimless and meaningless, about trifles
64. Gratus (agreeable or pleasing):

 Gratuitous = Costing nothing; without cause
 Gratis = free; without payment
 Gratuity = a tip
 Gratitude = thankfulness
 Ingrate = A person who shows no gratitude
 Ingratiate = Gain favor with other by deliberate efforts
 Congratulate = felicitate
 Gratify = satisfy
65. Homo (mankind):

 Homo sapiens = The only surviving hominid; species to which modern man belongs;
bipedal primate having language and ability to make and use complex tools
66. Hypo (under/ Less):
 Hypochondriac = A patient with imaginary symptoms and ailments [chondria 

Cartilage of the Breastbone]
 Hypothyroidism = An underactive thyroid gland
 Hypothetic = Based primarily on surmise rather than adequate evidence
 Hypoactive = Abnormally inactive
 Hypocritical = Professing feelings one does not have
 Hyponym = A word that is more specific than a given word

 Hyponym = A word that is more specific than a given word
67. Hyper (over/ above):

 Hypercritical = Inclined to judge too severely
 Hypertension = high blood pressure
 Hypersensitive = allergic
 Hypermedia = interactive multimedia system
 Hypertext = machine‐readable text
 Hypertrophy = Abnormal enlargement of a body part or organ; dysplasia
[antonym Atrophy; root word “trephein” means “to nourish”]
68. Iatreia (healing):

 Pediatrics = the healing of a child
 Psychiatrist = a doctor who heals sick minds
69. itis (inflammation):

 Osteomyelitis = Inflammation of the bones
70. Icon (a religious image):

 Iconoclast = someone who sneers at convention & tradition (it does not of course
have to be restricted to religion)
[root word “clast” means “to break”]
71. Insect (cut):

 Insects = forms of life that seem, in appearance, as if they are almost cut in two
 Dissection = Cutting so as to separate into pieces
 Sectile = Capable of being cut
 Sector = A group that forms part of society or economy
72. logy (the study of):

 Phrenology = analysis of skull contours
 Graphology = study & analysis of handwriting
 Psychology = study of human mind
 Ophthalmology = The branch of medicine concerned with the eye and its diseases
 Astrology = Pseudoscience which claims it can foretell the future by a study of the
stars
73. Laconia:
 Laconic = Brief and to the point; effectively cut short (named after ancient Sparta,
which was originally known as Laconia, its citizens were stoical)
74. Loquor (to speak):

 Loquacious = Full of trivial conversation
 Eloquent = speaking expressively
 Grandiloquent = Magniloquent = pompous
 Soliloquy = speech made to oneself


 Ventriloquist = A performer who projects the voice into a wooden dummy
 Colloquial = Informal spoken language
 Circumlocution = An indirect way of expressing
75. Misein (to hate):

 Misanthropy = hatred of mankind
 Misogyny = hatred of women
 Misogamy = hatred of marriage
76. Mono (one):

 Monk = A male religious living in a cloister and devoting himself to contemplation
and prayer and work
 Monastery = cloister
 Monotonous = humdrum
 Monoplane = An airplane with a single wing
 Monopoly = Exclusive control of something
 Monarchy = autocracy
 Monocarpic = Dying after bearing fruit only once
 Monologue = A (usually long) dramatic speech by a single actor
77. Martinet:
 Martinet = Someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms
[according to the name of the Inspector General of Infantry of France during the
reign of King Louis 14, who was excessively disciplined]
78. Malus (bad):

 Malign = Evil; Harmful; Hateful
 Malignant = cancerous
 Malediction = Curse/ Imprecation / Bane (bad saying)
 Maleficent = causing harm (doing badly)
 Malevolent = ill‐disposed (wishing badly)
 Maladroit = awkward (having a bad right hand)
 Malaise = illness (bad ease)
79. Metron (measure):

 Sphygmomanometer = blood pressure measuring device
 Optometrist = one who measures the vision of the eye
 Thermometer = measure of heat
 Taximeter = measure of taxicab miles
 Metric system = system of measurement
 Barometer = measure of atmospheric pressure
80. Militaris (pertaining to a fighting man):
 Militate = Fight against; act upon

 Militate = Fight against; act upon

 Militant = Belligerent/ disposed to Fight
 Military = armed services
81. Mater (mother):

 Matriarch = The female head of family or tribe
 Maternity = Motherhood
 Maternal = Motherly
 Matron = A married woman (middle‐aged with children) who is staid and dignified;
Nurse; wardress
 Alma Mater = school you graduated from (one’s intellectual mother)
 Matrimony = The ceremony or sacrament of marriage
 Matronymic = a name formed on the mother’s name
 Matrisib = enate/ matrikin/ matrilineal kin
82. Mania (madness/ morbid attraction):
 Monomania = A mania restricted to one thing or idea

 Dipsomania = alcoholism/ potomania/ inebriation
 Kleptomania = cacoethes to steal in the absence of any economic motive
 Pyromania = morbid compulsion to set fire to things [Pyromaniac sets fire for the
thrill, Incendiary for revenge & arsonist for money]
 Megalomania = A psychological state characterized by delusions of grandeur
 Nymphomania = Abnormally intense sexual desire in women; concupiscence/ Eros
83. Moneta:
 Money = medium of exchange (it comes from the name of the Roman Goddess,
Juno Moneta, who guarded the temples of Finance)
 Patrimony = an inheritance from one’s father
 Monetary = Relating to or involving money; Pecuniary
 Moneyer = A skilled worker who coins or stamps money
84. Neuron (nerve):

 Neurologist = doctor specializing in nerves
 Neuralgia = acute pain along the nerves and their branches
 Neuritis = inflammation of the nerves
 Neurasthenia = depression and emotional exhaustion
 Neurosis = emotional disturbance
85. Notus (known):

 Noted = Widely known and esteemed
 Notorious = widely but unfavorably Known
[off‐topic: Childlike = Exhibiting childlike simplicity and credulity; but, Childish =
Indicating a lack of maturity ]
86. Nomos (arrangement/ Law/ Order):

 Astronomy = arrangement of stars & other celestial bodies
 Autonomy = self‐law, self‐rule, self‐government
 Metronome = musical time measurer
87. Nym (Name or meanings):

 synonym = words of same meaning
 antonym = words of opposite meaning
 homonym = words of similar sounding
 acronym = abbreviated form of several words
 Pseudonym = nom de plume/ Penname [not “alias”]
 Anonymous = having no name
 Eponym = The person for whom something is named
88. Osteon (bone):

 Osteopathy = treatment based on skeleton and muscles
 Osteomyelitis = Inflammation of the bones
89. Odontos (tooth):

 Orthodontist = Doctor specializing in straightening of teeth
90. Opsis (sight or viewing):

 Biopsy = medical examination of living tissue
 Autopsy = medical examination of a corpse
91. Optikos (eye):

 Optic = Of or relating to or resembling the eye
 Optician = one who grinds lenses
 Optometrist = one who measures the vision of the eye
92. Oculus (eye):

 Oculist = eye specialist
 monocle = one‐lens eyeglass
 binocular = field glasses which increase the range of our two eyes
 inoculate = immunize/ vaccinate
93. Obstetrix (to stand before):

 Obstetrics = midwifery/ OB/ tocology
 [Off‐topic: as an old English root, Glib = slippery.
 Literally, Glib = Artfully persuasive in speech.
 Derogatorily, it means “Marked by lack of intellectual depth”]
94. Ortho (change):

 Orthopedist = the doctor who straightens bone deformities, in children primarily
 Orthodontist = Doctor specializing in straightening of teeth
 Orthography = A method of representing the sounds of a language by written or

 Orthography = A method of representing the sounds of a language by written or

printed symbols
95. Pod (foot):

 Podium = speaker’s stand
 Tripod = three legged stand
 Podiatry = treatment of minor ailments of foot
96. Phrenos (brain):

 Phrenology = analysis of skull contours
 Phrenic vein = Either of two veins that drain the diaphragm
97. Phobia (morbid repulsion):

 Claustrophobia = A morbid fear of being closed in a confined space
 Agoraphobia = A morbid fear of open spaces (as fear of being caught alone in some
public place)
 Acrophobia = A morbid fear of great heights
 Pistanthrophobia = common fear of trusting people due to past experiences with
relationships gone bad
 Hydrophobia = A morbid fear of water
 Xenophobia = A morbid fear of Foreigners
 Photophobia = A morbid fear of Light
98. Ped (foot):

 Pedestal = A support or foundation
 Pedal = A lever that is operated with the foot
 Pedestrian = A person who travels by foot; prosaic/ commonplace/ hackneyed/
banal/ trite
99. Philos (Love):

 Philology = Love of words (study of Linguistics)
 Philanthropist = altruist
 Philanderer = one who makes Love triflingly
 Philatelist = one who loves to collect stamps
 Anglophile = An admirer of British customs
 Bibliophile = Lover & collector of rare books
 Philadelphia = City of Brotherly Love
 Philosophy = Love of wisdom
 Philharmonic = Love of harmonies or music
 Philtre = love‐potion
100. Pater (father):

 Patriot = One who loves and defends his or her country
 Patrioteer = Chauvinist/ jingoist
 Patrimony = an inheritance from one’s father
 Patronymic = a name formed on the father’s name

 Patronymic = a name formed on the father’s name

 Paternity = Fatherhood
 Patriarch = The male head of family or tribe
 Patricide = killing of one’s father
 Patrician = Aristocrat/ Blue‐blood/ of noble origin
 Patron = Frequenter/ Sponsor/ Supporter
 Padre = A chaplain in one of the military services
101. Par (equal):
 Par = (golf) the standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or
for the entire course; A state of being essentially equal or equivalent
 Parity = Functional equality (used in Obstetrics, Mathematics, Physics & Computer
Science with slight difference)
 Disparity = Inequality or difference in some respect
 Disparage = Express a negative opinion of someone’s achievements,
accomplishments, attempts, etc.
 Compare = Examine and note the similarities or differences of
 Peer = A person who is of equal standing with another in a group
102. Pathos (suffering/ disease/ feeling):
 Psychopathic = mentally suffered

 Osteopathy = treatment based on skeleton and muscles
 Sympathetic = same feeling as someone else
 Antipathy = Dislike/ Aversion/ Grudge
 Apathy = Lack of feeling or interest
 Pathology = Study of disease (Pathological = diseased)
 Pathetic = Deserving or inciting pity
 Pathos = A quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow); poignancy
 Telepathy = Apparent communication from one mind to another without using
sensory perceptions
 Homeopathy = A method of treating disease with small amounts of remedies that,
in large amounts in healthy people, produce symptoms similar to those being
treated
 Allopathy = The usual method of treating disease with remedies that produce
effects differing from those produced by the disease itself
103. Phanein (to show):

 Sycophant = A person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal
advantage/ boot‐licker/ stoolpigeon [root “sykon” means “fig”]
 Diaphanous = So thin as to transmit light [root “dia” means “through”]
104. Paidos (child):

 Pediatrician = baby doctor
 Pedagogy = the leading of a child

 Pedagogy = the leading of a child

 Orthopedist = the doctor who straightens bone deformities, in children primarily
105. Psyche (mind):

 Psychiatrist = a doctor who heals sick minds
 Psychosis = personality disorder
 Psychologist = one who studies the human mind
 Psychotherapy = treatment of the mind
 Psychoanalysis = one who delves into the unconscious mind of the patient
 Psyche = mental, spiritual or nonphysical aspect of one’s existence
 Psychic = Phenomena or qualities that cannot be explained in purely physical
terms
 Psychopathic = mentally suffered
 Psychosomatic = pertaining to relationships between mind and body
 Psychogenic = which originates emotionally
106. Pan (all):

 Pandemonium = A state of extreme disorder
 Panorama = a view all around/ cyclorama/ diorama
 Panacea = Hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases/ catholicon/ Elixir
107. Poly (many):

 Polygon = a geometric figure of many sides
 Polyglot = speaking many Languages
 Polyamory = having multiple sexual relationships
 Polyclinic = clinic in which many diseases are treated
 Polychromic = Having or exhibiting many colors
 Polydipsia = Excessive thirst
 Polysemy = lexical ambiguity
 Polyptoton = Repetition of a word in a different case or inflection in the same
sentence
 Polysomy = Congenital defect of having one or more extra chromosomes in somatic
cells
 Polygraph = A medical instrument that records several physiological processes
simultaneously (e.g., pulse rate and blood pressure and respiration and
perspiration)
108. Placidus (to please):

 Placate = Lenify/ assuage/ conciliate/ mollify/ pacify
 Placid = tranquil/ serene
 Implacable = inexorable/ relentless/ grim/ stern
 Complacent = self‐satisfied (mild insult)
 Placebo = An innocuous or inert medication; given as a pacifier or to the control
group in experiments on the efficacy of a drug
109. Reg (King/ Rule):

 Regal = Imperial/ majestic/ royal
 Regent = Someone who rules during the absence or incapacity or minority of the
country's monarch
 Regulate = Bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage
110. Solus (alone):

 Solitude = The state or situation of being alone
 Solitary = Being the only one; single and isolate
 Solo = Any activity that is performed alone
111. Semantikos (significant meaning):

 Semantics = The study of language meaning
 Semantic memory = Your memory for meanings and general (impersonal) facts
 Semantic error = An error in logic or arithmetic that must be detected at run time
112. Somnus (sleep):

 Somnolent = Sleepy
 Insomnia = inability to fall asleep
 Somnambulism = Sleep‐walking
 Somniferous = sleep‐inducing/ soporific/ Somnific
 Somniloquy = Uttering speech while asleep
 Somnolescent = drowsy
 Hypersomnia = An inability to stay awake
[“somnus” is the Roman god of Sleep, while “hypnos” is the Greek God of sleep!]
113. Summus (total/ highest amount):

 Summit = The top or extreme point of something
 Sum = The final aggregate
 Consummate = Perfect and complete in every respect; having all necessary
qualities
114. Soror (sister):

 Sorority = A social club for female undergraduates
 Sororal = Sister like
 Sororicide = killing of one’s sister
115. Scrib/ Scrip (write):

 Scribe = Score a line on with a pointed instrument
 Scribble = Write carelessly/ scrawl
 Inscribe = enroll; engrave; encrypt; autograph
 Proscribe = forbid or prohibit the use of any food or drug that might prove harmful
to the patient
 Prescribe = opposite to Proscribe
 Scriptures = Any writing that is regarded as sacred by a religious group

 Scriptures = Any writing that is regarded as sacred by a religious group

 Script = Something written by hand
 Conscription = Compulsory military service
 Circumscribe = Restrict or confine
116. Theos (god):

 Theism = Belief in the existence of God
 Atheism = Belief that there is no God (not Agnosticism, Cynicism or Skepticism,
these means “only Doubt”)
 Monotheism = Belief in a single God
 Polytheism = Belief in multiple Gods
 Pantheism = worship that admits all Gods
 Theocracy = government ruled by religious Leader
 Theological = pertaining to the study of Religion
 Apotheosis = Elevation of a person to the status of God
117. Tele (afar):

 Telepathy = feeling each other’s thoughts from afar
 Telephone = sound from afar
 Telegraph = writing from afar
118. Taceo (to be silent):

 Taciturn = Reticent/ Reserved/ secretive
 Tacit = not verbalized/ unsaid/ unspoken
119. Uxor (wife):

 Uxor = (legal terminology) the Latin word for wife
 Uxoricide = killing of one’s wife
 Uxorious = excessively devoted to one’s wife
120. Verbum (word):

 Verbal = using words
 Verbose = using too many words than necessary
 Verbatim = In precisely the same words used by a writer or speaker
 Verb = A content word that denotes an action, occurrence, or state of existence
 Verborrhea = an incessant, over‐whelming cascade of words
121. Ventri (stomach):

 Ventriloquist = A performer who acts as he is speaking from his stomach, instead
of his mouth
 Ventral = Toward or on the belly; front of a primate or lower surface of a lower
animal [antonym = dorsal]
122. Vita (Life):
 Vital = Essential to Life; of crucial importance

 Vital = Essential to Life; of crucial importance

 Vitality = Life & strength
 Vitamin = One of the many elements, on which life is dependent (A, B, C, D, E, G,
H, K, M, P)
 Vitalize = to impart vigor or life to
 Devitalize = to rob of vigor or life
 Vitellus = yolk
[off‐topic: in complimentary sense,Gourmet > Gourmand > Glutton]
123. Vetus (old):

 Veteran = Rendered competent through trial and experience; Seasoned
 Inveterate = Habitual (derogatory implication)
124. Volubile (to roll):

 Volubility = Rolling out the words
 Revolve = to roll around
125. Vir (man):
 Virago = Far from being traditionally Feminine; Termagant/ Harridan/ Battle‐ax/

Shrew/ Harpy
126. Verto (to turn):
 Introvert = one who turns his mind inward

 Extrovert = one who turns his mind outward
 Ambivert = one who turns his mind both inward and outward
127. Voc/ vox/ vok (voice or call):

 Equivocal = mugwumps/ fencesitters (not ambiguous)
 Equivocate = prevaricate/ tergiversate (purposely)
 Magnavox = (radio) Large voice
 Vox populi = public opinion
 Vocation = calling
 Avocation = hobby; something not one’s actual calling
 Vociferous = in a loud voice
 Revoke = call back; cancel
 Convoke = call together
128. Via (road):

 Via = By way of/ thru
 Obvious = Conspicuous/ apparent/ evident/ overt
 Obviate = Prevent from happening
129. Volo (to wish):


 Benevolent = well‐disposed (wishing well)
 Voluntary = Of your own free will or design
 Involuntary = Not subject to the control of the will
 Volunteer = do, tell or agree freely
 Volition = will
130. Zoion (animal):

 Zoology = The branch of biology that studies animals
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The IIM Raipur Blog - CAT Preparation - Strategy For Verbal Section PDF

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12/14/2015 The IIM Raipur Blog: CAT Preparation : Strategy for Verbal Section

CAT Preparation : Strategy for Verbal Section

Deciphering words in CAT using etymology

2. Agogos (Leader):

3. Alter (other):

4. Astron (star):

5. Ambi (both):

6. Ambul (to walk):

7. Anima (Soul or Spirit or Mind):

8. Algia (pain):

9. an/ ana (not/ no):

10. Arch (rule):

11. Ante (before):

 Antecedent = coming before

12. Anti (against):

13. Bios (life):

14. Botane (plant):

15. Bene (good):

17. Bibere (to drink):

18. Bovis (ox or cow):

19. Kardia (heart):

20. Chiros (hand):

 Chiropody = treatment of the surface ailments of hand and foot

 Chiropody = treatment of the surface ailments of hand and foot

21. Conscience (scruples/ moral sense):

22. Corr (correction):

23. Chronos (Time):

24. Con (together):

25. Cogere (to drive together/ compel/ force):

27. Caedo/ Cide (to cut down/ kill):

28. Kratia (Rule):

29. Credo (believe):

33. Carnis (Flesh):

34. Castigare (to correct):

35. Caput (head):

36. Cheval (horse) or Caballus (an inferior horse):

37. Cilium (eyelid):

38. Cadere (to fall):

39. Dexter (right hand):

41. Dict (to say):

42. Donare (to give):

43. Dilettare (to delight):

44. Dolere (to suffer):

45. Derma (skin):

46. Ego (I):

 Egoist = one who believes in self‐advancement

 Egoist = one who believes in self‐advancement

48. Esce: (beginning to):

50. Enervis (weak):

51. Equus (Horse):

52. Esthet (feeling):

53. Fac or fic (to do):

 Fact = something which was done/ something true

 Fact = something which was done/ something true

54. Fer (to bear):

55. Frater (brother):

56. Gyne (woman):

57. Gamos (marriage):

58. Graph (writing):

59. Geos (earth):

60. Gen (to give birth to/ to be born):

61. Gnos (to know):