The Best 4 GRE Prep Books:
・The Official Guide to the GRE General Test
・Princeton Review GRE Premium Prep, 2021
・500 Essential Words: GRE Vocabulary Flashcards
・500 Essential Vocabulary Words to Help Boost Your GRE Score
Essential Vocabulary for the GRE【Part 15】1401. palatial ～ 1500. plaintive
1401. palatial [adjective]
large and highly decorated like a palace:
The rich family lived in a palatial apartment.
1402. paleontology [noun]
the scientific study of organisms that lived on earth before there were written records, especially by examining fossils:
Students with an interest in fossils should consider paleontology as a college major.
1403. palliate [verb]
to reduce pain without curing its cause:
After surgery, Greg received large does of medications to palliate his suffering.
1404. pallid [adjective]
very pale, in a way that looks unhealthy and not attractive:
Next to his tanned face, hers seemed pallid and unhealthy.
1405. pan [verb]
to criticize something severely:
The movie was panned by the critics.
1406. panacea [noun]
something that will solve all problems:
Unfortunately there is no panacea that will make cancer instantly vanish from your body.
Technology is not a panacea for all our problems.
1407. panache [noun]
a stylish, original, and very confident way of doing things that makes people admire you:
Because the band played with such panache, everyone in the audience had a great time.
1408. pander [verb]
to provide gratification for others' desires:
Part of the hotel concierge’s job is to pander the guests in the presidential suite.
1409. panegyric [noun]
a speech or piece of writing that praises someone very much and does not mention anything bad about them:
After the princess died a popular singer wrote a panegyric to honor her life.
1410. panoply [noun]
a wide range or collection of different things:
The designer’s exciting panoply of dresses won over the fashion critics.
1411. pantheon [noun]
a temple dedicated to all the gods:
As part of their course, the mythology students visited the pantheon in the ancient city.
1412. parable [noun]
a short, simple story that teaches or explains an idea, especially a moral or religious idea:
The play is a parable that teaches the students a lesson about the importance of being kind.
1413. paradigm [noun]
a model of something, or a very clear and typical example of something:
She is considered a paradigm of virtue by everyone in the church.
1414. paragon [noun]
a person or thing that is perfect or has an extremely large amount of a particular good characteristic:
As a paragon of purity, a nun would never dress inappropriately.
1415. paralyze [verb]
to cause a person or animal to lose the ability to move or feel part of the body, or to cause someone or something to be unable to act or operate correctly:
Commuter traffic paralyzes the city’s roads every morning.
1416. paramount [adjective]
more important than anything else:
Everybody agrees that education is the paramount issue.
1417. pardon [verb]
to forgive someone for something they have said or done. This word is often used in polite expressions:
Large numbers of political prisoners have been pardoned and released by the new president.
1418. pare [verb]
to reduce something, especially by a large amount:
In order to make my small apartment more comfortable, I had to pare down my possessions to only a few small pieces of furniture.
1419. parley [noun]
a discussion between two groups of people, especially one that is intended to end an argument:
The end result of the parley between the two world leaders was a productive trade agreement.
1420. parlous [adjective]
very bad, dangerous, or uncertain:
Because of the storm, it was parlous for the children to leave school.
1421. parochial [adjective]
relating to a parish:
His view of life is parochial and does not include anything outside of his own happiness.
1422. parry [verb]
to defend yourself from a weapon or an attack by pushing the weapon away or by putting something between your body and the weapon:
She put on her sunglasses to parry his probing eyes.
1423. parsimonious [adjective]
not willing to spend money or to give or use a lot of something:
The parsimonious old man always bought used clothes to save money.
1424. part and parcel
an essential or integral component:
Keeping the accounts is part and parcel of my job.
1425. partiality [noun]
the fact of unfairly preferring or approving of something:
The judges have been heavily criticized for their partiality in the whole affair.
1426. partisan [adjective]
strongly supporting a person, principle, or political party, often without considering or judging the matter very carefully:
Because of your partisan views, you are unwilling to look at other options.
1427. pastiche [noun]
a piece of art, music, literature, etc. that intentionally copies the style of someone else's work or is intentionally in various styles, or the practice of making art in either of these ways:
The mix of country, pop, and soul music made the album a fascinating pastiche of sounds.
1428. pastime [noun]
an activity that is done for enjoyment:
After Mr. Frank retired from his office job, his pastime included golfing, reading and traveling.
1429. pastoral [adjective]
having or representing the pleasant, traditional features of the countryside:
When I looked at the artist’s pastoral paintings, I could clearly see the fields and trees in which he played as a child.
1430. pasture [noun]
land covered with grass or similar plants suitable for animals, such as cows and sheep, to eat:
The farmer rarely needed to mow his pasture due to his cows always grazing the grass and keeping it short.
1431. pathetic [adjective]
causing feelings of sadness, sympathy, or sometimes lack of respect, especially because a person or an animal is suffering:
I think it’s pathetic that only half of the eligible voters tend to vote.
1432. pathogen [noun]
any small organism, such as a virus or a bacterium that can cause disease:
Scientists are working to create a drug that will kill the infectious pathogen.
1433. pathology [noun]
the scientific study of disease:
He earned a master's degree in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin.
1434. patois [noun]
the form of a language spoken by people in a particular area that is different from the standard language of the country:
Even though the two men were from the same country, the patois of one of the men made it difficult for them to communicate with each other.
1435. patriarch [noun]
a powerful and usually older man in charge of a family, or the male leader of a society in which men hold power:
In my house, my father is the patriarch of the family.
1436. patrician [noun]
a person of high social rank:
She is descended from a long line of patricians.
1437. patron [noun]
a person who uses a particular shop, restaurant, hotel, etc., especially regularly:
I have a regular patron who eats meatloaf at the same time every Monday.
1438. paucity [noun]
the fact that there is too little of something:
Because of the paucity of our oil supply, we need to seek out other fuel resources.
1439. peasant [noun]
a member of a low social class of farm workers and owners of small farms:
In church, the starving peasants used to pray for food and mercy.
1440. peccadillo [noun]
a small fault or mistake, or something that someone does wrong that is not very serious:
Unless you’re perfect, you should never complain about a peccadillo of someone else.
1441. pecuniary [adjective]
relating to money:
The politician says his budget proposal will help eliminate the pecuniary inequality between the poor and the rich by increasing the taxes paid by those in the higher income bracket.
1442. pedagogy [noun]
the study of the methods and activities of teaching:
If pedagogy doesn’t keep pace with technology, today’s students will be woefully unprepared for the real world.
1443. pedantic [adjective]
giving too much attention to formal rules or small details:
He is sometimes so pedantic in writing the perfect paper that he forgets to properly manage his time.
1444. pedantry [noun]
the quality of being too interested in formal rules and small details that are not important:
There was a hint of pedantry in his elegant style of speaking.
1445. peddle [verb]
to sell things, especially by taking them to different places:
In order to peddle his wares, the young man went door to door describing each product as best as he could.
1446. peer [noun]
a person who is the same age or has the same social position or the same abilities as other people in a group:
Getting help from a peer is easier than asking a teacher.
1447. pejorative [adjective]
insulting, disapproving, or suggesting that something is not good or is of no importance:
While the detective was supposed to be neutral, he described the suspect in a pejorative manner.
1448. pellucid [adjective]
very clear in meaning and easy to understand:
The contract was pellucid and left no confusion about each party’s responsibilities.
1449. penchant [noun]
a liking for, an enjoyment of, or a habit of doing something, especially something that other people might not like:
At an early age, my annoying brother seemed to have a penchant for getting into trouble.
1450. penitent [adjective]
showing that you are sorry for something you have done because you feel it was wrong:
The penitent sinner asked for forgiveness during his confessional.
1451. penitential [adjective]
showing that you are sorry, especially in a formal religious way, for wrong things that you have done:
The word also had a penitential meaning.
1452. penumbra [noun]
a part of a shadow in which only some of the light is blocked, used especially about a shadow made during an eclipse:
In a lunar eclipse, the outer shadow or penumbra is a zone where Earth blocks a portion of the sun's rays.
1453. penury [noun]
the state of being extremely poor:
Because my family grew up in penury, I know the true value of a dollar.
1454. per se [adverb]
by or of itself:
Research shows that it is not divorce per se that harms children, but the continuing conflict between parents.
1455. peregrinate [verb]
to travel especially on foot:
People who peregrinate are constantly on the move, traveling from one location to another.
1456. peremptory [adjective]
expecting to be obeyed immediately and without any questions:
Because Jack did not like following orders, he found it difficult to listen to his teacher’s peremptory instructions.
1457. perennial [adjective]
lasting a very long time, or happening repeatedly or all the time:
I thought that perennial plants were supposed to grow from year to year, but I’ve had to plant new seedlings of this flower every spring.
1458. perfidious [adjective]
unable to be trusted, or showing no loyalty:
She described the new criminal bill as a perfidious attack on democracy.
1459. perfidy [noun]
behavior that is not loyal:
For his opponents, it was proof of his evil genius and perfidy.
1460. perfunctory [adjective]
done quickly, without taking care or interest:
The beauty queen waved so often that her greeting was simply perfunctory.
1461. perigee [noun]
the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite when it it is closest to the earth:
Because the moon is at its closest to the earth during perigee, the gravitational pull is stronger and tides increase.
1462. peril [noun]
great danger, or something that is very dangerous:
To avoid peril, Helen should leave her house before the hurricane gets any closer to shore.
1463. peripatetic [adjective]
travelling around to different places, usually because you work in more than one place:
Rather than limit myself to one destination, I like to take a more peripatetic vacation where I move around from place to place.
1464. periphery [noun]
the outer edge of an area:
If the tennis ball touches or goes pass the periphery of the white line, a point will be given to the recipient of the serve.
1465. permeable [adjective]
allowing liquids or gases to go through:
The permeable material allowed a large amount of water to seep through.
1466. permeate [verb]
to spread through something and be present in every part of it:
Dissatisfaction with the government seems to have permeated every section of society.
1467. permissive [adjective]
allowing a wide range of choices, especially in an area where there have traditionally been rules that had to be obeyed:
It's a very permissive school where the children are allowed to do whatever they want.
1468. pernicious [adjective]
having a very harmful effect or influence:
The pernicious cycle of abuse within their family must be stopped.
1469. perpetrate [verb]
to commit a crime or a violent or harmful act:
I can’t believe my best friend would perpetrate such an act of betrayal.
1470. perpetuity [noun]
forever:
Wildlife areas have to be maintained in perpetuity.
1471. perplex [verb]
to confuse and worry someone slightly by being difficult to understand or solve:
According to the book reviewer, the author’s puzzling writing style will perplex many readers.
1472. perseverance [noun]
continued effort and determination:
Although it took effort and perseverance, the student was able to make it through medical school for six years.
1473. personable [adjective]
having a pleasant appearance and character:
The personable flight attendant went out of her way to make me feel at ease on my first flight.
1474. personage [noun]
an important or famous person:
Forms of address and titles for important personages can be found in reference books.
1475. perspicacious [adjective]
quick in noticing, understanding, or judging things accurately:
Even though the judge was normally a perspicacious woman, she found it hard to not be affected by the guilty man’s plea.
1476. pertinent [adjective]
relating directly to the subject being considered:
To ensure a prompt reply, please include all pertinent details in your email.
1477. perturb [verb]
to worry someone:
Loud music tends to perturb my elderly grandparents.
1478. peruse [verb]
to read through something, especially in order to find the part you are interested in:
He opened a newspaper and began to peruse the personal ads.
1479. pervade [verb]
to spread through all parts of something:
The awful smell from the sewage plant seemed to pervade throughout our house.
1480. petty [adjective]
not important and not worth giving attention to:
The officer did not arrest the teen for the petty crime.
1481. petulant [adjective]
easily angered or annoyed, especially in a rude way:
He was a petulant child who was aggravated by the smallest things.
1482. phalanx [noun]
a large group of people standing very close to each other, usually for the purposes of defence or attack:
Bodyguards formed a solid phalanx around the singer so that photographers couldn't get close.
1483. philistine [noun]
a person who refuses to see the beauty or the value of art or culture:
He is a philistine who unknowingly sold a vase valued at over a hundred thousand dollars for twenty bucks.
1484. phlegmatic [adjective]
not easily excited or emotional:
The minister of my church is a phlegmatic man who never seems to get upset about anything.
1485. physiognomy [noun]
the physical appearance of the face:
The skeptical scientist did not believe the art of physiognomy was an accurate way to judge a person’s character.
1486. piecemeal [adjective]
not done according to a plan but done at different times in different ways:
Building the pyramids took years because of the extensive efforts and piecemeal progress.
1487. piety [noun]
strong belief in a religion that is shown in the way someone lives:
The millionaire’s act of piety was a huge donation that allowed the church to build homes for five needy families.
1488. pillory [noun]
a means for exposing one to public scorn or ridicule:
During the middle ages, thieves were often locked in a pillory in the town square where they would suffer public humiliation.
1489. pine [verb]
to become increasingly thin and weak because of unhappiness, especially after the death of a loved person:
Although he could not say anything, he ws actually worrying and pining in his heart.
1490. pious [adjective]
strongly believing in religion, and living in a way that shows this belief:
In his biography, the actor claimed to be a pious man who lived his life according to his religious beliefs.
1491. piquant [adjective]
interesting and exciting, especially because of being mysterious:
It was a superb script and a piquant production.
1492. pique [verb]
to excite or cause interest:
The mysterious stain on the church wall is sure to pique the curiosity of a number of religious fanatics.
1493. pirate [verb]
to illegally copy a computer program, music, a film, etc. and sell it:
Many people pirate games and music from the internet by downloading them illegally and free of charge.
1494. pith [noun]
the essential part:
That was the pith of his argument.
1495. pithy [adjective]
expressing an idea cleverly in a few words:
The title of your book should be pithy and unforgettable.
1496. pity [noun]
a feeling of sadness or sympathy for someone else's unhappiness or difficult situation:
The judge showed no pity to the teenagers who had repeatedly vandalized the school.
1497. pivotal [adjective]
central and important:
She played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement.
1498. placate [verb]
to stop someone from feeling angry:
I tried to placate the sad little boy by giving him a cookie.
1499. placid [adjective]
having a calm appearance or characteristics:
Even when the emergency room was packed with patients, the staff remained placid and calmly did their duties.
1500. plaintive [adjective]
used to describe something that sounds slightly sad:
The plaintive hymn in church brought tears to my eyes.
REFERENCE
: Essential Vocabulary for the GRE
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