1. Root Word and SAT Vocabulary
9th Grade

2. path: feeling Ex: empathy
Def: the ability to understand the thoughts, feelings, or emotions of someone else
When my best friend told me she was getting married, I became as excited as she was, and we shed tears of joy together.

3. path: feeling Ex: apathy Def: lack of enthusiasm, interest, or concern
Voter apathy is at an all-time high this year.

4. path: feeling Ex: telepathy
Def: communication of thoughts or ideas by means other than the known senses
Some people believe twins share a telepathic connection because they are always in sync.

5. ped: child Ex: pedophile
An adult with an abnormal sexual desire for children
Pedophiles released from prison are not allowed to live close to schools.

6. ped: child Ex: pediatrics
Def: branch of medicine dealing with children and their diseases
Volunteering at a pediatrics ward is highly rewarding.

7. ped: child Ex: pediatrician
Def: a medical practitioner specializing in children and their diseases
Pediatricians must have the ability to make children feel calm and comfortable.

8. per: through, throughout
Ex: perennial
Def: lasting for a long or infinite amount of time
She is a perennial optimist, so it’s unusual for her to be in a bad mood.

9. per: through, throughout
Ex: perpetual
Def: never ending or changing; occurring repeatedly
After she suffered a stroke, her face was in a perpetual grimace.

10. per: through, throughout
Ex: permeate
Def: to spread throughout something
The smell of the burnt popcorn permeated the small office.

11. peri: around Ex: perimeter
Def: the outer boundary around a figure or area
The perimeter of the concert stage was roped off to hold back over-enthusiastic fans.

12. peri: around Ex: periodic Def: appearing or occurring at intervals
The professor took a periodic pause throughout the lecture for dramatic effect.

13. peri: around Ex: peripheral
Def: of, relating to, or situated on the edge of something
I don’t like the President because he is focused on peripheral issues instead of the pressing ones.

14. sacr/sanct: holy Ex: sanctuary
Def: a place of refuge or rest, a place where you can feel at peace, or the holiest part of a temple or a church.
The sanctuary is quiet now, but soon it will be filled with devoted worshipers.

15. sacr/sanct: holy Ex: sanction
Def: a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule; official approval for an action
The principal threatened to sanction the homecoming dance if the students’ behavioral problems didn’t subside.

16. sacr/sanct: holy Ex: sacred
Def: entitled to honor or religious respect by association with divinity or divine things; holy
This is sacred family ground because our father is buried here.