GRE Word List S(part 1)

saboteur one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property; N. sabotage: destruction of property (usually carried out secretly)
saccharine cloying sweet; characteristic of sugar or saccharin
sacrilegious desecrating; profane; N. sacrilege: desecration, misuse, or theft of something sacred
sacrosanct invioably sacred; most sacred; inviolable
sadistic inclined to cruelty; N. sadism: delight in cruelty
saga Scandinavian myth; any legend; long heroic narrative
sagacious wise; perceptive; shrewd; having insight; N. sagacity
sage person celebrated for wisdom; wise person; ADJ: wise
salacious lascivious; lustful; Ex. salacious monk
salient prominent; projecting beyond a line; conspicuous; Ex. salient features
saline salty
sallow (of the skin) yellowish and unhealthy-looking; sickly in color; Ex. sallow complexion due to jaundice
salubrious healthful; conducive to health or well-being; socially desirable; Ex. salubrious area; CF. health
salutary tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome; Ex. The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy; CF. health
salvage rescue (goods or property) from loss; N: saving; property saved
sanctimonious displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness; N. sanctimony: hypocritical piety
sanction approve; ratify; N: permission; penalty intended to enforce compliance
sanctuary place of refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place; Ex. The outlaw was granted sanctuary in the church.
sanguinary bloody; with much bloodshed
sanguine optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red
sap diminish; weaken; undermine the foundations of (a fortification); Ex. The element kryptonite sapped his strength.
sarcasm cutting ironic remark; scornful remarks; stinging rebuke; ADJ. sarcastic
sardonic scornfully mocking; disdainful; sarcastic; cynical; Ex. sardonic smile
sartorial pertaining to tailors or tailoring; Ex. a man of great sartorial elegance; CF. sartor: tailor
sate satisfy to the full; satisfy to excess; cloy
satellite small body revolving around a larger one
satiate satisfy fully (physical needs such as hunger); sate; N. satiety: condition of being satiated
satire form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack human vice and folly
satirical using satire; mocking
saturate soak thoroughly; imbue; impregnate; charge; fill to capacity
saturnine morose; gloomy; Ex. Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance.
satyr half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus (resembling a goat), portrayed as wanton(unrestrained) and cunning; lecher; CF. faun; CF. goat: lecherous man
saunter stroll(go for a leisurely walk) slowly; N.
savant scholar; learned person; CF. savoir: know
savor enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality; N: taste or smell; distinctive quality
savory pleasant in taste; tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable; Ex. savory reputation
scabbard case for a sword blade; sheath
scad a great quantity; Ex. scads of clothes
scaffold temporary platform for workers (to work at heights above the ground); bracing framework; platform for execution
scale climb up; ascend; remove or come off in scales; N: flake of epidermis; ascending or descending series of musical tones
scanty meager; insufficient
scapegoat someone who bears the blame for others; whipping boy; CF. escape+goat
scavenge hunt through discarded materials for usable items or food; search, especially for food; N. scavenger: one who scavenges; animal that feeds on refuse and carrion
scenario plot outline; screenplay(script for a movie); opera libretto; outline of possible future events
schematic of a schema or scheme; relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols; N. schema: diagrammatic representation; outline
scheme systematic plan; plot; clever dishonest plan; orderly arrangement of elements; Ex. health insurance scheme; Ex. a scheme to escape taxes; Ex. a color scheme; Ex. a story with no scheme; V: contrive a scheme
schism division into factions (esp. within a religious body); split
scholarly full of learning; erudite; like a scholar; Ex. scholarly journal
scintilla trace; minute amount; shred; least bit; Ex. There is not a scintilla of truth; CF. spark
scintillate sparkle; flash; be animated; be full of life; Ex. scintillating conversation
scion detached plant shoot used in grafting; descendant
scoff laugh (at); mock; ridicule; Ex. scoff at their threats
scorch sear; N.
score number of points; written form of a musical composition; reason; group of 20; notch or incision; Ex. full/vocal score; Ex. Don’t worry on that score; V: mark with lines or notches; Ex. score the paper to make it easy to fold
scotch stamp out(put an end to); thwart; hinder; Ex. scotch the rumor; CF. cut; CF. ??? ??? ??
scourge lash; whip (formerly used for punishment); source of severe punishment; V: whip; afflict
scowl frown angrily; N: angry frown
scrap small bit or fragment; discarded waste material; fight; Ex. a scrap of paper/cloth; V: break into parts for disposal; discard as worthless; fight; quarrel
scrappy quarrelsome
scraps leftover food
screech unpleasant high sharp sound; shriek; V.
scrimmage disorderly fight between two or more people
scruple hesitate for ethical reasons; fret about; Ex. She did not scruple to read his diary; N: uneasy feeling arising from conscience; conscience
scrupulous conscientious; extremely thorough; Ex. scrupulous worker
scrutinize examine closely and critically; N. scrutiny
scuffle struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry; N. CF. scuffling twins ?
scurrilous abusive; obscene; indecent; Ex. scurrilous remark
scurry move hastily; hurry; move briskly
scurvy contemptible; despicable; N: disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin C
scuttle sink (a ship) by cutting holes in the hull; scrap; discard; N: small hatch in a ship’s deck or hull
seamy sordid; base; filthy; unwholesome; Ex. seamy side of city life
sear burn the surface of; char or burn; brand; parch; cause (a plant) to wither
season enhance the flavor of by adding a spice, etc.; inure; harden; N. seasoning: something used in seasoning
seasonable occurring at the proper time or season; opportune; Ex. seasonable intervention in the dispute
seasonal of a particular season; Ex. seasonal rise in employment
seasoned experienced
secession withdrawal; V. secede: withdraw formally from membership
seclusion isolation; solitude; V. seclude: set apart from others; isolate
secrete conceal; hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism; CF. secretive
sect separate religious body; faction; group of people with common beliefs within a larger group
sectarian of a sect; narrow-minded; parochial; N: member of a sect; narrow-minded person
secular worldly; not pertaining to church matters or religion; temporal
sedate composed (with no excitement); grave; V: administer a sedative to; CF. sedative
sedentary requiring sitting; done while sitting; not moving from one place to another; settled; Ex. sedentary job/population
sedition conduct or language inciting rebellion; rebellion; resistance to authority; insubordination; ADJ. seditious
seduce lead away from proper conduct; entice; ADJ. seductive
sedulous diligent; assiduous; paying attention; N. sedulity
seedy run-down; decrepit; disreputable; having many seeds; Ex. seedy downtown hotel
seemly (of behavior) proper; appropriate
seep pass slowly through small openings; ooze; trickle; N. seepage
seethe be violently disturbed; boil; (of a liquid) move about wildly as if boiling; Ex. The nation was seething with discontent.
seine seine net; net for catching fish
seismic pertaining to earthquakes
selective careful in choosing; having an effect only on certain things; not general; Ex. eclectic weed killer
self-indulgence excessive indulgence of one’s own desire
self-righteous sure of one’s own righteousness; moralistic
semblance outward appearance; guise; Ex. We called in the troops to bring a/some