Whether you’re a native speaker of English or a polyglot who’s applying for admission to a graduate school in another country, there will undoubtedly be some strange new words in the list of recommended vocabulary to study for the GRE. One of the tips in studying new words is to see if there are parts of the words – a root, a suffix, or a prefix – that will give you clues about what the words might mean. The first word we’re going to look at today has two roots, and knowing what they mean will lead you straight to the definition of the word.

Can you define xenophobia? Have you ever seen this word? If not, we expect that at least the second part of the word might be familiar to you: phobia. Do you know anyone who has a phobia about spiders (arachnophobia) or heights (acrophobia) or open spaces (agoraphobia)? A phobia is a fear. This word comes from the Greek word phobos, or fear. Therefore, the word xenophobia means fear of – something. What does xeno- mean? This root comes from the Greek word xenos, meaning “foreign.” The word xenophobia, then, means “fear of [the] foreign.” In general, this word refers to fear of strangers, particularly those who come from different countries or ethnicities.

Example: The radical right-wing political parties in many countries attract supporters whose xenophobia makes them eager to believe that immigrants are a threat to their jobs and families.

The United States is a country that was settled by immigrants from around the world – who, regrettably, killed most of the Native American residents who had been there for several thousand years already. In any event, the image of the US as a country that is the promised land for “huddled masses yearning to breathe free” (according to the inscription at the base of the Statue of Liberty) has been around for many generations. Even today, there are many people who yearn to escape oppressive political situations, corrupt military regimes, poverty, disease, and drought, and make a new start in another country. To yearn means to long for, or to desire something or someone.

Example: Even though Angela has a comfortable home in London, she still yearns for a villa in the Italian countryside.

Having the wealth to afford a vacation home can seem like the absolute pinnacle of success to many people. The word zenith means pinnacle: the highest point, the peak, the absolute top. If you’re speaking of something measured in terms of time, it’s the culmination of that timeline. You’ll also hear the word used in astronomy: the zenith is the point directly above any particular location on Earth, from the perspective of someone standing on the ground looking straight overhead.

Example: Investment in internet startups during the dot-com craze reached its zenith in the late 1990s, when a new business was going public every few days.

We’ve reviewed words from A to Z in this GED vocabulary series. Come back tomorrow and take the quiz – don’t be timorous! We know you’re erudite, and we’ll shower you with accolades when you’ve successfully completed the test.