SAT Vocabulary Level 1 — Set 133

Set 133 of SAT Vocabulary Level 1 covers 5 words: poverty, recall, organism, weakness, ghetto. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. poverty · noun/ˈpɑː.vɚ.t̬i/

   the state of being extremely poor and lacking basic necessities

   Many families around the world live in extreme poverty, struggling to meet even their most basic needs.

   Synonyms: indigence, destitution, deprivation

   Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'poverte', from Latin 'paupertas', from 'pauper' meaning 'poor'.

2. recall · noun/rɪˈkɔl/

   the act of bringing a memory or thought back into one's mind

   During the therapy session, she had a vivid recall of her childhood memories that she had long suppressed.

   Synonyms: remembrance, recollection, memory

   Origin: Middle English: from Old French 'recaller', from Latin 'recallere', meaning 'to call back'.

3. organism · noun/ˈɔrɡənɪzəm/

   a living being that has the ability to grow, reproduce, and maintain homeostasis

   The human body is a complex organism composed of millions of cells working together to maintain homeostasis.

   Synonyms: being, creature, living thing

   Origin: from the Greek 'organon' meaning 'tool' or 'instrument' combined with the suffix '-ism' indicating a state or condition

4. weakness · noun/ˈwiknəs/

   a state or condition of lacking strength or power

   Despite his impressive achievements, his lack of physical fitness revealed a significant weakness that he needed to address.

   Synonyms: fragility, frailty, infirmity

   Origin: from Old English 'wǣcniss', related to the verb 'wecan' meaning 'to be weak or faint'

5. ghetto · noun/ˈɡɛtoʊ/

   a part of a city, often poor and crowded, where a specific group of people live

   The city's ghetto is often overlooked by those living in more affluent neighborhoods, highlighting the stark economic divide.

   Synonyms: slum, impoverished area, barrio

   Origin: The word 'ghetto' originated in Venice, Italy in the early 16th century, where it referred to the area where Jews were required to live. The term is derived from 'gheto', which means 'foundry' in the Venetian dialect, since the area was located near a foundry.