CC Co-op Vocabulary List 2: Suffixes

Laurie D. (United States of America)
21 words 3 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. agrarian
    relating to rural matters
    Brazil's agrarian reform laws state that unused farmland can be taken by the government and distributed among landless farmers. BBC (Apr 1, 2010)
    suffix: -ian means one who is or does
    (adj.)
    having to do with agriculture or farming
    The farmer loved his __________ life.
  2. antagonist
    someone who offers opposition
    In places once synonymous with conflict, like the Balkans and Rwanda, former antagonists are now working together to solve problems. Time (Sep 20, 2012)
    suffix: -ist means one who
    (noun)
    one that contends with or opposes another
    In the movie Batman, the Joker is Batman’s ______________.
  3. bigotry
    intolerance and prejudice
    How hateful such bigotry looks to those capable of getting outside their own educational prejudices. Stanton, Elizabeth Cady
    suffix: -ry means state of
    (noun)
    unreasonable zeal in favor of a party, sect, or
    opinion; excessive prejudice ___________
    can lead to malevolent actions.
  4. consummate
    having or revealing supreme mastery or skill
    He soon developed into a disciplined, canny, intelligent defender as well as a consummate teammate. New York Times (Aug 3, 2013)
    uffix: -ate means to make
    (verb)
    to complete, to carry to the utmost degree
    The business woman needed to ___________ the deal
    quickly.
  5. copious
    large in number or quantity
    To improve himself in delivering these, he attended lectures on oratory, taking copious notes. Bolton, Sarah K
    suffix: -ious means having the quality of
    (adj.)
    abundant; plentiful; in great quantities
    A __________ amount of sunshine is predicted for
    the summer.
  6. cryptic
    having a secret or hidden meaning
    A blizzard of numbers streamed across the computer screens in cryptic order, containing disguised codes that could make the whole system collapse. BBC (Jul 4, 2013)
    suffix: -ic means causing
    (adj.)
    hidden; secret; having a hidden or ambiguous
    meaning
    The detective uncovered the meaning of the
    __________ message.
  7. deferment
    act of putting off to a future time
    Yet six months' imprisonment was adjudged him, and the most he could obtain by his ingeniously inexhaustible technical pleas was deferment of his punishment. Zangwill, Israel
    suffix: -ment means quality of
    (noun)
    the act of putting off or delaying; postponement
    The bank offered the struggling college graduate a __________
    on his student loan payment.
  8. exacerbate
    make worse
    Hygiene problems are exacerbated by a lack of fresh water and basic sanitation in some rural areas. Reuters (Jul 20, 2013)
    suffix: -ate means to make
    (verb)
    to make more violent, bitter, or severe
    The cold weather __________ her dry skin.
  9. furtive
    secret and sly
    Q. That said, many addictions — even food related — are secret, furtive. New York Times (Dec 12, 2012)
    uffix: -ive means having the nature of
    (adj.)
    done in a stealthy manner; sly and underhanded
    The two criminals who were in cahoots gave each
    other __________ looks behind the detective’s
    back.
  10. laudable
    worthy of high praise
    He has values, all laudable: respect, integrity, service, excellence and stewardship. The Guardian (Feb 16, 2013)
    suffix: -able means capable of
    (adj.)
    praiseworthy
    Her dedication and ability to rehabilitate the injured
    is __________.
  11. geology
    science of the history of the earth as recorded in rocks
    The country's challenging geology means gas is partly locked in rocks. Reuters (Dec 14, 2012)
    suffix: -ology means study of
    (noun)
    the study of the history of the earth and its life,
    especially as recorded in rocks
    The __________ major traveled to Mt. Etna to
    examine the effects of the volcano’s most recent
    eruption.
  12. minimize
    make small or insignificant
    "The focus has to be on minimizing the chances that things go wrong." Reuters (Jul 28, 2013)
    suffix: -ize means to subject to an action
    (verb)
    to play down; to keep to a minimum
    The president tried to __________ his involvement in
    the trial so that he would not be implicated in
    the scandal.
  13. mutation
    a change or alteration in form or qualities
    Finding out what causes the mutations could lead to new treatments. BBC (Aug 14, 2013)
    suffix: -tion means action of, state of
    (noun)
    the act or process of changing
    Scientists research gene __________ in fruit flies to
    see how genes change from one generation to
    the next.
  14. obsolescence
    falling into disuse or becoming out of date
    Most phones and small electronics are designed with obsolescence in mind. New York Times (May 4, 2013)
    uffix: -escence means state of
    (noun)
    the state of being outdated
    With the advent of the personal computer, the
    typewriter has been in __________ for many
    years.
  15. parity
    functional equality
    The parity means close games, and every small edge will matter. Seattle Times (Aug 29, 2012)
    suffix: -ity means state of being
    (noun)
    the state or condition of being the same in power,
    value or rank; equality
    Women and minorities continue to fight for __________
    in the workplace.
  16. pragmatism
    the doctrine that practical consequences determine value
    As with so many things in Europe, less ideology and more pragmatism are needed. New York Times (Dec 26, 2012)
    uffix: -ism means state or doctrine of
    (noun)
    faith in the practical approach
    Her __________ has helped her start her own
    business and maintain it for many years.
  17. provocative
    serving or tending to excite or stimulate
    Speaking in Russia after talks with President Vladimir Putin, Mr Ban called the missile tests "a provocative action". BBC (May 19, 2013)
    uffix: -ive means having the nature of
    (adj.)
    something that stirs up an action
    His __________ speech caused many to support his
    campaign.
  18. puerile
    displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
    The trick was puerile and degrading, but it inflicted no injury. Pope, Alexander
    suffix: -ile means pertaining to
    (adj.)
    childish, silly, immature
    Based on Jared’s ________ behavior, one would
    think he is a teenager rather than a father of
    two.
  19. rectify
    make right or correct
    Montana Attorney General Tim Fox argued in court documents that the state has addressed and rectified faults spelled out by Sherlock. Reuters (Jul 15, 2013)
    suffix: -ify means to make
    (verb)
    to make right; to correct
    I tried to __________ the situation by seating the two
    employees in different departments.
  20. relentless
    never-ceasing
    Even after bin Laden’s death, however, the U.S. government kept up its relentless high-tech campaign to unlock his secrets. Washington Post (Aug 29, 2013)
    suffix: -less means without
    (adj.)
    harsh; unmoved by pity; unstoppable
    I was __________ with my athletic training when I
    was preparing for the Regionals.
  21. venerate
    regard with feelings of respect and reverence
    This country's citizens tend to respect, even venerate, the armed forces. BBC (Jul 5, 2013)
    suffix: -ate means to make
    (verb)
    to look upon with deep respect and reverence
    My parents taught me to __________ my teachers.
Created on Thu Sep 26 19:02:39 EDT 2013 (updated Fri Sep 27 12:32:30 EDT 2013)

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