GRE word list

agnomen \ag-NOH-muhn\, noun

1. A nickname.

2. An additional, fourth name given to a person by the ancient Romans in allusion to some achievement or other circumstance, as “Africanus” in “Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus.”

He was thin in person and low in stature, with light sandy-colored hair, and small pale features, from which he derived his agnomen of Bean or white.

-- Sir Walter Scott, Waverley

Successful Roman generals were frequently given an agnomen celebrating the source of their victories.

-- Waldo E. Sweet, Lectiones Primae

Agnomen comes from the Latin tradition of adding a fourth nickname to someone's given name. Ag- is a variation of the prefix ad- meaning "to" or "near." Nomen means "name."

austral \AW-struhl\, adjective

1. Southern.

2. (Initial capital letter) Australian.

That, at least, was not difficult to do; as they filtered through branches and thick treetops, the rays of the austral sun covered bodies and houses and all the objects of the inhabited area with undulating patterns of light and shadow blended spectrally into random jungle forms.

-- Carlos Fuentes, Terra Nostra

The church, from the north, seems a precious stone, on its austral side it is blood-colored, to the west white as snow, and above it shine countless stars more splendid than those in our sky.

-- Umberto Eco, Baudolino

Austral is derived from the Latin word australis meaning "southern."

GRE Word of the Day

demulcent \dih-MUHL-suhnt\, adjective:

1. Soothing or mollifying, as a medicinal substance.

noun:

1. A demulcent substance or agent, often mucilaginous, as for soothing or protecting an irritated mucous 

membrane.

It will do you no harm to keep close, drink nothing but demulcent barley-water and eat gruel, thin gruel—no 

beef or mutton, no wine or spirits.

-- Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander

She knew where sour grass grew, which you chew for dyspepsy, and mint, excellent for the nau-shy, and the 

slippery elm, whose fragrant inner bark was the favorite demulcent of a hundred years ago—the thing to use 

for raw throat and other sore tishas.

-- James Thurber, Writings and Drawings

Demulcent comes from the Latin word demulcere which meant "to soften."