GRE worlist P(part 4)

preponderance superiority of power, quantity, etc.; V. preponderate: be greater in power, weight, or importance; ADJ. preponderant
prepossessing attractive; CF. preoccupying ?
preposterous absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous
prerogative privilege; unquestionable right; CF. ask before
presage foretell; be a warning or sign of; N: presentiment; foreboding; omen
prescience ability to foretell the future; knowledge of actions before they occur; ADJ. prescient
presentiment premonition; foreboding; feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear
prestige respect or admiration; impression produced by achievements or reputation; ADJ: causing admiration; ADJ. prestigious: having prestige
presume take for granted; assume; act overconfidently; take liberties; presume on/upon: take unfair advantage of (someone’s kindness or connection); N. presumption
presumptuous going beyond what is right; excessively forward; arrogant; taking liberties
pretend feign; pretend to: claim to possess; make pretensions to; Ex. I don’t pretend to much expertise; N. pretense
pretension pretentiousness; claim (without foundation); Ex. I make no pretensions to skill as an artist.
pretentious ostentatious; showy; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious; Ex. pretentious films that claim to be art
preternatural beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural; Ex. preternatural strength/forces
pretext excuse
prevail be widespread; triumph over; gain victory; prevail on: persuade; induce; Ex. Justice has prevailed; Ex. prevail on someone to do something
prevalent widespread; generally accepted
prevaricate lie; hide the truth (by equivocating)
prey target of a hunt; victim; V: hunt and eat as prey; victimize; Ex. Cats prey on mice.
prim proper to the point of affectation; very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
primal first in rank or importance; being first in time; original; Ex. man’s primal innocence
primary first in rank or importance; principal; earliest in time; Ex. primary stages; N. CF. first
primate group of mammals including humans
prime period of ideal or peak condition; earliest or beginning stage; Ex. in the prime of life; Ex. prime of the year(spring); ADJ: first in importance or rank; first; V: make ready; prepare
primogeniture seniority by birth; state of being the first-born child; right of the eldest child (to inherit the entire property of one or both parents)
primordial existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary
primp groom oneself with care; adorn oneself
pristine unspoiled; remaining in a pure state; characteristic of earlier times; primitive; Ex. an old book in pristine condition
privation lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life; hardship; want; CF. deprive
privy secret; hidden; not public; made a participant in something secret; Ex. privy chamber government; Ex. be privy to a discussion; CF. private
prize pry; move with a lever; value highly; esteem; Ex. his most prized possession; N: something captured during war-time (esp. an enemy ship)
probe explore with a probe or tools; investigate; N: slender instrument used to explore a wound or body cavity; device designed to investigate an unknown region; thorough investigation; Ex. space probe
probity uprightness; honesty; incorruptibility
problematic causing a problem; open to doubt; doubtful; unsettled; questionable; Ex. Whether the arena will ever be completed is problematic.
proclivity inclination; natural tendency (esp. towards something bad)
procrastinate postpone; delay or put off
procurement obtaining; V. procure: obtain by effort; obtain (a prostitute) for another
prod poke (with a pointed object); stir up; urge; goad to action; N: pointed object used to prod; prodding
prodigal wasteful; reckless with money; profuse; Ex. a mind prodigal of ideas; N. prodigality
prodigious enormous; marvelous; extraordinary; Ex. prodigious amount/memory
prodigy highly gifted child; person with exceptional talents; marvel; wonder
profane violate; desecrate (something holy); treat unworthily; be profane for; ADJ: secular; nonreligious; irreverent for holy things
profligate wasteful (of money); dissipated; wildly immoral; dissolute; N: profligate person; N. profligacy
profound deep; not superficial; complete; Ex. profound thinker/remark/silence/deafness; N. profundity
profusion great amount; plenty; overabundance; excess; lavish expenditure; Ex. profusion of choices; ADJ. profuse: plentiful; copious; giving or given abundantly; extravagant
progenitor ancestor
progeny children; offspring; descendants
prognosis forecasted course of a disease; prediction; CF. prognostic
prognosticate predict (according to present indications)
prohibitive so high as to prohibit purchase or use; tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; prohibiting; inclined to prevent or forbid; Ex. prohibitive tax
projectile missile; fired or thrown object (such as stone or bullet)
proletarian member of the working class; blue collar guy; N. proletariat: working class (who have to work for wages)
proliferate grow rapidly (in numbers); spread; multiply; N. proliferation
prolific producing offspring or fruit in abundance; fertile; fecund; abundantly fruitful; producing abundant works; Ex. prolific writer
prolixity tedious wordiness; verbosity; ADJ. prolix: wordy; verbose; diffuse
prologue introduction (to a poem or play)
prolong lengthen; extend; draw out
prominent protruding(sticking out); conspicuous; notable; eminent
promiscuous mixed indiscriminately; indiscriminate; not choosing carefully; indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners; irregular, particularly sexually; Ex. promiscuous life/girl; N. promiscuity
promontory headland
promote advance in rank; advance; help to flourish; advocate; help actively in forming; publicize or popularize; Ex. Milk promotes health; Ex. promote a match/bill; Ex. promote a new product
prompt cause; urge; provoke; provide a cue (for an actor); ADJ: done without delay; done at the right time; punctual; on time; N: reminder or cue
promulgate announce; proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication
prone inclined to; likely to (suffer); prostrate; lying with the front downward; Ex. prone to disease/make mistakes; Ex. accident-prone
prong pointed projecting part
pronounced distinct; very noticeable; Ex. pronounced limp
prop support placed under or against something; V.
propagate increase in number by producing young; multiply; spread; Ex. Most plants propagate by seed; Ex. newspaper propagating their ideas
propellant(propellent) substance which propels or drives forward (such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel)
propensity natural inclination
prophetic of a prophet or prophecy; having to do with predicting the future; N. prophecy; V. prophesy; N. prophet
prophylactic used to prevent disease; N: something prophylactic; condom; N. prophylaxis: prevention of disease
propinquity nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship
propitiate appease; conciliate; make peaceful; ADJ. propitiatory
propitious favorable; auspicious; advantageous; fortunate; Ex. propitious day/sign
proponent supporter; backer; opposite of opponent
propound put forth for consideration or analysis; set forth; Ex. propound a problem/theory
propriety fitness; quality of being proper; correct conduct; conformity to prevailing customs and usages; CF. proprietor, proprietary
propulsive driving forward; N. propulsion
prosaic lacking in imagination; dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact(concerned with facts, not imagination or feelings); factual; CF. prose
proscenium part of stage in front of curtain; front arch of a stage
proscribe prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw
proselytize (induce someone to) convert to a religion or belief; N. proselyte: new convert to a doctrine or religion
prosody art of versification; study of the metrical structure of verse
prosper become successful (esp. financially); thrive; grow well; Ex. children prospering under his care
prosperity good fortune and financial success; physical well-being
prosperous successful; rich; affluent; well-to-do; well-off
prostrate stretch out full on ground; make prostrate; enervate; Ex. prostrating illness; ADJ: lying face down; having lost all strength
prot\’eg\’e person receiving protection and support from a patron
protagonist leader or noticeable supporter of an idea; chief character in a play or story
protean able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will
protocol diplomatic etiquette; ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats; first copy of a treaty before its ratification; Ex. Protocol demands that the queen meet him at the airport.