Barron gre word list A

partial
incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for 
something 
partiality
state of being partial; inclination; favorable bias; special fondness; 
preference 
partisan
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party (with dislike of any 
others); N: strong supporter of a party; guerrilla 
partition
divide into parts 
parvenu
upstart; newly rich person 
pass\'e
old-fashioned; past the prime 
pass_off
present falsely; represent falsely to be 
passive
not active; acted upon; receiving an action without acting in return; 
accepting without resistance 
paste
smooth viscous mixture as of flour(powder made by crushing grain) 
and water (used as an adhesive); V: cause to adhere by applying paste 
pastiche
imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing; work 
of art openly imitating the works of other artists 
pastoral
rural; of rural life; idyllic; of a pastor 
pastry
paste of flour and water (eaten when baked) 
patent
obvious; easily seen; open for the public to read; of or protected by a 
patent; Ex. patent to everyone; N. 
pathetic
causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching 
pathological
pertaining to disease; N. pathology: study of disease 
pathos
tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these 
feelings; Ex. pathos that runs through the novel 
patina
green crust on old bronze works or copper; tone slowly taken by 
varnished painting 
patois
local or provincial dialect 
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe 
patrician
noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of 
the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian 

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patrimony
property inherited from a father 
patronize
support; act superior toward; treat in a condescending manner; be a 
customer of; N. patron: one that supports; regular customer; N. 
patronage; CF. boycott 
paucity
scarcity; dearth 
pauper
very poor person 
peccadillo
slight offense or fault; CF. sin 
pecuniary
pertaining to money 
pedagogue
teacher; CF. child leader 
pedagogy
teaching; art of education 
pedant
scholar who overemphasizes book learning, trivial details of learning, 
or technicalities 
pedantic
bookish; showing off learning; marked by an excessive ostentatious 
concern for book learning; N. pedantry 
peddle
travel about selling (wares); CF. foot 
pedestal
support or base as for a pillar or statue 
pedestrian
ordinary; dull; unimaginative(lacking in imagination); going on foot; 
Ex. pedestrian prose; N. 
pediatrician
physician specializing in children's diseases; N. pediatrics 
pedigree
ancestry; lineage 
peer
one who has equal standing with another; nobleman; V: look intently; 
N. peerage; CF. peeress 
peerless
having no equal; incomparable 
peevish
bad-tempered; irritable; V. peeve: make angry 
pejorative
(of a word or phrase) suggesting that someone is of little value; 
negative in connotation; having a belittling effect; Ex. Many women 
now considers ``housewife'' a pejorative expression, because it 
patronized them. 
pell-mell
in confusion; disorderly; Ex. dash pell-mell 
pellucid
transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to 
understand 
pen
fenced enclosure for animals; confining space; Ex. sheep pen; V: 
confine in a pen; enclose 
penance
self-imposed punishment for sin; Ex. do penance for one's sins; CF. 
penitent 
penchant
strong inclination; strong liking (esp. for something that is 

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disapproved of by other people); Ex. penchant for fast cars 
pendant(pendent) 
hanging down from something; pending; N: ornament (hanging from 
a necklace etc.) 
pending
not yet decided or settled; impending; Ex. pending decision; PREP. 
while awaiting; until; Ex. delay the decision pending his return 
pendulous
hanging; suspended 
penetrate
enter into; pierce; permeate; see through; grasp the inner significance 
of; understand 
penitent
repentant; N. 
penology
study of prison management and criminal rehabilitation 
pensive
dreamily or deeply thoughtful; sadly thoughtful; thoughtful with a 
hint of sadness; contemplative; CF. think over 
penumbra