Synonyms: Prefixes from Latin - ISEE Middle Level Verbal Reasoning

"Immoral" is made up of a root word, "moral," and a Latin prefix, "im." "Moral" means to act correctly based on concepts of right and wrong. The prefix "im" means not. Therefore, immoral means to act incorrectly. An example would be that it is immoral to steal.

The root word, "yield" means to surrender or give way. For instance, a yield sign on a road means that you must allow cars on the other road to have the right of way. The Latin prefix "un" means not. Therefore, "unyielding" means to NOT surrender. The answer, "inflexible" has another Latin prefix, "in," which means not. "Inflexible" means to NOT be flexible or to NOT give way.

The Latin prefix dis- means apart or away; in this case, dispel means to take away. For example, to "dispel" a rumor is to get rid of it or squash it through some action of proof (against it). The words "embrace," "establish," and "insert" antonyms to "dispel." The word "censor" is the forceful blocking of another person's freedom of expression or action. It is a higher degree of intensity in relation to dispel. Therefore, the best option is "eliminate."

The Latin prefix per- means through, throughout, so "permeate" means to spread throughout something. Other examples of per- words are "pervade" which also means to spread throughout and "permanent," which means lasting throughout all time.

The Latin prefix capt- means take, hold, as in "capture" or "intercept." So, a "captive" is someone who is being held against their will, someone who has been taken, a prisoner. "Secretary," "assistant," and "guard" are all jobs. "Learner" is a person who enjoys and is good at learning.

The Latin prefix grat- means please, pleasing. So, "gratifying" means pleasing, pleasurable, something that makes someone feel good about themselves or happy. To provide additional help, "deceiving" means tricking; "maddening" means something that makes someone angry, frustrating and annoying.

The Latin prefix opt- means best. So, "optimum" means best, ideal, perfect circumstances. Other examples of opt- words include "optimal" which means best and "optimize" which means to improve, to make perfect. Additionally, to "gaze" means to look, to stare.

The Latin prefix rupt- means break. So, "rupture" means to break, to fracture, to break or burst suddenly without warning. To provide further help, the other four answer choices all mean to fix, to make something work again. They are all antonyms of "rupture."

The Latin prefix ver- means truth, as in "verify" which means to prove or make sure something is true. So, "veracity" means truth, honesty. To provide additional help, "deception" is trickery, lies; "loathing" is deep hatred; "adoration" is profound love and respect; "reverence" is deep respect.

The Latin prefix verb- means word, speak. So, "verbalize" means to speak, to express an idea. Additionally, the other four answer choices are all synonyms they all mean to reject an idea or responsibility for something, to dimiss as wrong or malevolent.

The Latin prefix juven- means young, youth, as in "rejuvenate" which means to make young or healthy or lively again. So, "juvenile" means childish, immature. To provide additional help, "immaculate" means perfect, spotlessly clean; "sagacious" means wise; "wizened" means old, ancient; "pitiful" means deserving of pity, pathetic.

The Latin prefix col- means together, joint, as in "collaborate" which means to work together. So, a "collision" is a coming together, a crash, an accident. When two cars hit one another this is called a "collision." To provide additional help, "accord" means agreement, harmony.

The Latin prefix viv- means life, live, as in "revive" which means bring back to life. So, "vivacious" means full of life, spirited, lively. To provide further help, "lifeless" means not alive, not moving; "homely" means plain, unattractive; "homeless" means without a home; "nomadic" describes someone who moves constantly and does not live in any one place.

The latin prefix cred- means believe, as in "incredible" which means not believable, too amazing to be accepted as true. So, "credence" means faith, belief, trust, confidence in something being true. Additionally, "suspicion" is a sneaking feeling that something is true; "industry" is work or business.

The Latin prefix bell- means war, as in "bellicose" which means warlike. So, "belligerent" means hostile, aggressive, desiring conflict. To provide further help, "lofty" means tall, imposing; "penniless" means very poor; "opulent" means luxurious; "passive" means not aggressive.

The Latin prefix ambul- means walk, move, as in "ambulance" a vehicle that moves a patient to the hospital. So, to "amble" means to walk slowly, to wander, to stroll. To provide additional help, "sprint" means run fast; "demean" means embarrass, humiliate; "elicit" means bring out of someone, get a response to.

The Latin prefix lun- means moon, as in "lunar cycle" which refers to the movement of the moon. So, this one is a little more difficult to decipher than usual because it relies on some interesting knowledge of the distant past. People use to believe that the moon affects people's moods (some people still believe this) and can cause conditions like insanity. So "lunacy" means madness (caused by the moon), insanity, craziness. To provide additional help, "abundance" means a large and more than adequate supply of something; "severe" means harsh or intense; "perilous" means dangerous; "youthfulness" is the quality of being young.

The Latin prefix mar- means of or relating to the sea, as in "submarine," which means underwater boat. So, a "marina" is a place where ships are docked, a harbor. An "airport" fulfills roughly the same function as a marina, but for airplanes, not boats (airports are also, obviously, much more regulated environments). A "garage" fulfills a similar function, but for cars, not boats. A "station" fulfills the same function, but for trains. A "highway" is a road with a higher speed limits, intended for long-distance travel.

The Latin prefix max- means greatest, best. So, the "maximum" is the greatest possible number of something, the largest something can be. "Smallest" is an antonym to "greatest."

The Latin prefix regu- means related to rules or law, as in "regime" which means government, a collection of rulers. So, to "regulate" means to enforce the rules, to control the actions of.