1. Education

Glossary

Definitions and terms relating to homework, study skills, paper assignments, and college preparation.
  1. College Terms (1)
  2. Words We Mispronounce (22)

Rote Learning

Rote memorization is a term for fixing information to your memory through sheer repetition. Rote learning is often viewed as bad practice, although some would argue that rote memorization is a necessary first step in learning some subjects.

valedictorian

Get a head start by reviewing the dictionary of terms for academic success in high school and college.

Zoology

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Lackadaisical

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Height

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Genuine

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Especially

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Etcetera

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Espresso

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Culinary

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Asterisk

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Arctic

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Library

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Mischievous

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Moot Point

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Utmost

Pronounce utmost.

Suite

Pronounce suite

Sandwich

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Salmon

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Realtor

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Prescription

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Often

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Nuclear

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Ally

Ally - To join formally in common cause. To unite by treaty or league. Two or more countries can become allies in the effort to address a problem such as war, hunger, or natural disaster.

Naturalization

Naturalization - The process of earning citizenship; to grant new citizenship to a foreign-born person.

Democratic

Democratic - Relating to government by the people. The notion in government that the majority of the people will have a say in a particular decision.

Compact

Compact - An official agreement based upon a written document.

Colony

Colony - A group that leaves one country to settle in a new land.

Civil Rights

Civil Rights - Political fairness and equal treatment for all Americans. Civil rights were promoted in a movement that took place during the 1960s in the United States. The movement was prompted by unfair laws and practices that targeted citizens of African descent.

Civil Liberties

Civil Liberties - Freedoms for individual citizens that preserve their rights against the encroachments or offenses of the government. In the United States citizens can look to the Bill of Rights for proof of civil liberties.

Census

Census - An official count of the population living within a country. Among other functions, the census provides data for funding and provides a comprehensive list of potential tax payers.

Branches of Government

Branch - A section or division of the government that carries out a specific role. The U.S. government has branches that serve to provide checks and balances.

bill

Bill - Legislation that is proposed in Congress; a form or draft of a proposed statute not yet enacted, voted upon, and/or passed and made law.

ambassador

Ambassador - An official or authorized representative of a nation who serves somewhere outside the country he or she represents.

Irony

Irony is a figure of speech in which an expression means the opposite of or very contrary to its literal meaning.

Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech involving the artful use of a word or expression that substitutes for another. The words in a metaphor are not symbolic, not literal.

Figure of Speech

A figure of speech is an expression that is designed to evoke emotion or create deeper meaning. The words used in a figure of speech are not literal; instead, they are used as symbols.

rhombus

An equilateral parallelogram (having four equal sides).

trapezoid

A quadrilateral with (only) two parellel sides.

variable

Likely to change. A letter used to represent a value in a mathematical equation.

volume

The measurement of space or capacity inside an object or area.

whole numbers

The set of numbers including and above zero.

zero

Zero is the a numerical value that, when added to n, equals n.

federal

Of or pertaining to the central government in a federation of states.

gerrymandering

The act of establishing new boundaries for a district in order to favor a political party.

ratify

To approve, often by a vote. To affirm.

Veto

What is a veto?

initiative

What is initiative? An action taken without outside motivation.

citation

A reference of an authoritative source.

degrade

To reduce in composition, worth, rand, or status.

acronym

An acronym is formed from the initial letters or syllables of two or more words.

affect

To affect is to inspire a reaction or effect, physical or emotional. To influence or produce a result.

biography

A written account of a particular person, living or deceased. A narrative of a person's life.

brainstorming

What is brainstorming? Students can use this imaginative method to come up with ideas for research projects.

argument essay

argument essay

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