English for Students

GRE Word List-C

This is a Complete List of GRE Word List-C.

Cabal =small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
cache =hiding place
cacophonous =discordant; inharmonious
cacophony =unpleasant mixture of loud sounds
cadaver =corpse; dead human body
cadaverous= like a corpse; pale
cadence =rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat; regular beat of sound; rhythm
cadet =student at a military school
cajole =persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle
calamity =disaster; misery
calculated =deliberately planned; likely
caldron(cauldron) =large kettle
caliber =ability; quality; diameter of the inside of a round cylinder
calligraphy =beautiful writing; excellent penmanship
callous =hardened; unfeeling; without sympathy for the sufferings of others; unkind
callow= youthful; immature; inexperienced
callus =area of thick hard skin
calorific= heat-producing
calumny= malicious misrepresentation; slander
camaraderie= good-fellowship
cameo =shell or jewel carved in relief; star’s special appearance in a minor role in a film
camp =group sharing a common cause or opinion
canard =unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report
candor= frankness; open honesty
canine =related to dogs; doglike
canker =any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil
canny =shrewd in money matters; thrifty
cant= insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves
cantankerous =ill-humored; irritable
cantata =story set to music to be sung by a chorus (shorter than an oratorio)
canter =slow gallop
canto= division of a long poem
canvass =determine or seek opinions, votes
capacious=spacious
capacity =mental or physical ability; role; position or duty
capillary =having a very fine bore; resembling a hair; fine and slender
capitulate =surrender; give up all resistance
caprice= whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause
capricious= unpredictable; fickle
capsize = (of a boat) turn over
caption= title; chapter heading; text under illustration
captious= faultfinding; too critical
carafe =glass water bottle; decanter
carapace =shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.)
carat(karat) =unit of weight for precious stones; measure of the purity of gold
carcinogenic= causing cancer
cardinal =chief; most important
cardiologist =doctor specializing in ailments of the heart
careen =lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger
career= rush wildly; go at full speed
carefree =free from worries; having no problems
caricature =distortion; burlesque
carillon =a set of bells (often in a tower) capable of being played
carnage =destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals
carnal =fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body
carnivorous= meat-eating
carousal =drunken revel
carping= petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble
carrion =rotting flesh of a dead body
cartographer =map-maker
cascade= small waterfall
caste =one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society
castigation= punishment; severe criticism or disapproval
castrate =remove the sex organs (of a male animal or person)
casual =happening by chance
casualty =serious or fatal accident; person killed or wounded in an accident or battle
cataclysm= deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change
catalyst =agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged
catapult =slingshot; hurling machine
cataract =great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a gradual loss of eyesight)
catastrophe =calamity ; disaster
catcall= shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match)
catechism= book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form
categorical=without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute
cater =provide food and drink (for); cater to
catharsis =purging or cleansing of any passage of the body
cathartic= purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty
catholic = (of likings and interests) universal; general; broad
caucus =private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers
caulk(calk) = make watertight (by blocking up cracks as in a ship)
causal =implying a cause-and-effect relationship
caustic =burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical action
cauterize =burn (a wound or snakebite, etc.) with hot iron
cavalcade =procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade
cavalier= casual and offhand; arrogant
cavil =quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault unnecessarily
cede =yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally
celerity =speed; rapidity
celestial =heavenly
celibate =abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried
cemetery =place for burying the dead
censor = (in ancient Rome) overseer of morals (also taking the census)
censorious= severely critical
censure= blame; criticize; express strong disapproval
centaur =mythical figure, half man and half horse
centigrade= denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius)
centrifugal= radiating; departing from the center
centrifuge= machine that separates substances by whirling them
centripetal =tending toward the center
centurion =Roman army officer (commanding a company of about 100 soldiers)
cerebral =pertaining to the brain or intellect
cerebration= thought; working of the brain
ceremonious= marked by formality; extremely formal and polite
ceremony =conventional social courtesy
certitude =certainty
cessation =stoppage
cession= yielding to another; ceding
chafe =warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing
chaff =worthless products of an endeavor; husk
chaffing =bantering; joking
chagrin =annoyance and disappointment
chalice= goblet; consecrated cup
chameleon =lizard that changes color in different situations
champion =support militantly; fight for
Championship= position of champion; competition held to determine a champion
chancellor= legal official of high rank
chancellery= position of a chancellor
chant =tune(melody) in which a number of words are sung on the same note
chaotic= in utter disorder
chapel =small church (in a prison, college, or hospital)
chaperon= older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman
chaplain= clergyman attached to a chapel
char =make or become black by burning; reduce or be reduced to carbon or charcoal
charisma =divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism
charlatan =quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine)
charm =quality of pleasing; amulet; action or formula thought to have magical power; spell
chary =cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or restrained about giving
chase =ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch
chasm= abyss; very deep crack
chassis= framework and working parts of an automobile; framework to which components are attached
chaste =morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest
chasten =discipline; punish in order to correct
chastise= punish as by beating; criticize severely
chauvinist =blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex
check =stop motion; curb or restrain
checkered =marked by great changes in fortune
Checked= having a pattern of squares
cherubic= angelic; innocent-looking
cherub= winged angel of the highest order
chicanery= trickery; deception
chide= scold; rebuke (someone who has done wrong)
chimerical =fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic
chimera =unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature
chip =lose a small piece from the surface or edge
chisel =swindle or cheat
chivalrous =courteous; faithful; brave
choice =delicate; of very fine quality
choir= group of people who sing together (esp. during religious services)
choleric =hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable
chore =daily domestic task (such as cleaning, cooking, and shopping)
choreography= art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances
chortle =chuckle with delight
chorus =phrase repeated throughout a song or poem
chronic= long established as a disease
chronicle= report; record (in chronological order)
chuckle =laugh quietly
churlish= boorish; rude
ciliated =having minute hairs
cipher =nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code
circlet =small ring; band of gold, silver, jewel
circuit= closed circular line around an area; circumference
circuitous =roundabout
circumlocution= indirect or roundabout expression (by using an unnecessarily large number of words)
circumscribe =limit; confine; draw a line around
circumspect =prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought
circumvent= outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart
cistern =reservoir or water tank
citadel =fortress
cite =quote; commend
civil having =to do with citizens; not military or religious
clairvoyant= having foresight; fortuneteller
clamber =climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble
clamor= loud continuous noise; continuous demand
clandestine =secret
clangor= loud resounding noise; sound of repeated clanging
clap= strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound
clapping= loud or explosive sound
clapper= striker (tongue) of a bell
clarion= shrill, trumpet like sound; kind of trumpet used in former times
clasp= hold firmly within arms
claustrophobia= fear of being locked in
clavicle =collarbone
cleave =split or sever; cling to; remain faithful to
cleft= split
clemency =disposition to be lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather
cliché =phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; platitude
clientele =body of customers
climactic= relating to the highest point
clime =climate
clip =cut off with shears; fasten
clipper =sailing vessel built for great speed
clique =small exclusive group of people
cloister =monastery or convent
clot= half-solid lump formed from a liquid (or blood)
clout =great influence (especially political or social); hard blow with fist
clown =act stupidly; play the fool
cloying= distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental
cloy =become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess
coagulate =congeal; thicken; clot
coalesce =combine; fuse
coalition= partnership; league; union of separate political parties
coax =persuade by flattery
coda =concluding section of a musical or literary composition
coddle= treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle
codicil= supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will
codify =arrange (laws or rules) as a code; classify
coercion= use of force to get someone to object; compelling
coeval= living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time
cog =tooth projecting from a wheel
cogent =convincing
cogitate =think over; ponder
cognate= having a common origin; related linguistically
cognitive =having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes
cognition= the mental process of knowing
cognizance= knowledge
cognizant =having knowledge; aware
cohabit =live together

cohere =stick together
cohesion =tendency to keep together
cohorts= group of people who share some common quality; armed band
coiffure =hairstyle
coin= make coins; invent or fabricate (a word or phrase)
coincidence= the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events
coincide= happen at the same time; be in agreement
colander =utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
collaborate= work together; cooperate treasonably with the enemy
collage =work of art put together from fragments
collate =examine and compare in order to verify authenticity
collateral= security given for loan
collation =a light meal; collating
collected =composed; calm; self-possessed
colloquial =pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal
colloquialism= colloquial expression
colloquy= informal discussion; conversation
collusion =conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others
colossal =huge
colossus =gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance
coma =deep prolonged unconsciousness caused by disease
comatose= in a coma; extremely sleepy
combustible= easily burned
comeback =retort; quick clever reply; return to former status
comely =attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
comestible =something fit to be eaten
comeuppance= deserts; well-deserved punishment
comity =courtesy; civility
commandeer =take (private property) for military use without needing permission or giving payment
commemorate =honor the memory of; serve as a memorial to
commemorative =remembering; honoring the memory of
commensurate =equal in extent; of the same size
commiserate =feel or express pity or sympathy for
commodious =spacious and comfortable
commonplace= ordinary
commonwealth =nation governed by the people; republic; people of a nation
communal= held in common; public; of a group of people; of a commune
commune =small (often rural) community whose members share work and income
compact =agreement; contract
compartment =one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided
compassion =sympathy for the suffering of others
compatible =harmonious; in harmony with; able to exist together
compelling= overpowering; irresistible in effect
compendium =brief, comprehensive summary
compensatory= making up for; repaying
compilation =listing of information in tabular or book form; compiling
compile =assemble; gather; accumulate; make (a report or a book) from facts and information found in various places
complacency =self-satisfaction; smugness
complaisant =trying to please; obliging; willing to please others
complement =complete; consummate; make perfect
complementary =serving to complete something
compliance =conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield
compliant =readily acting in accordance with a rule, order
complicity =participation; involvement (in a questionable act or a crime)
component= element; ingredient
comport =bear one’s self; behave
compost =mixture of decaying organic matter used as fertilizer
composure= mental calmness
compound= combine; produce by combining; increase
comprehend= include; understand
comprehensive= broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive
compress= force into less space; squeeze; contract; put into fewer words
comprise =include; consist of
compromise =adjust or settle by making mutual concessions
compulsion =compelling; strong desire that is difficult to control
compulsive= resulting from compulsion
compulsory= obligatory; that must be done
compunction= remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt
compute= reckon; calculate
concatenate= link as in a chain
concave =hollow; curved inwards
concede =admit; acknowledge as being true (often reluctantly)
conceit =vanity or self-love
concentric =having a common center
conception= beginning; forming of an idea; fertilization
conceive= form an idea in the mind; devise; become pregnant
concerted= mutually agreed on; done together by agreement
concession= an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded
conciliatory =reconciling; soothing
conciliate= reconcile; soothe; win the friendly feelings (by removing anger)
concise= brief and compact
conclave =private secret meeting
conclusive =decisive; ending all debate
concoct =prepare by mixing or combining
concomitant= that which accompanies
concord= harmony; accord
concordat= formal agreement
concur =agree; coincide; happen at the same time
concurrent= happening at the same time
condescend= bestow courtesies with a superior air
condign =adequate; (of punishment) severe and well deserved
condiments =seasonings; spices
condole =express condolences
condolence= sympathy for someone who has experienced great sorrow
condone =overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
conducive =helpful; contributive
conduit =aqueduct; passageway for fluids
confidant= (confidante) trusted friend (to whom one tells one’s secret)
confide =tell in confidence (to a person one trusts)
confidence =self-assurance; calm unworried feeling based on a strong belief in one’s abilities
confidential =spoken or written in secret; trusted with private matters
confine= shut in an enclosed space; keep within limits
confiscate =seize; take possession of (private property) by official order
conflagration= great fire
confluence= flowing together; the place where two rivers flow together
conformist =person who uncritically conforms to the customs of a group
Nonconformist= one who does not conform to accepted beliefs of norms
conformity= harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity
conform= be similar; act in agreement; comply
confound= confuse; puzzle
congeal =freeze; coagulate
congenial =pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one’s tastes and nature
congenital =existing at birth
conglomerate= corporation made up of several different companies in diversified fields
conglomeration= mass of material sticking together
congruence= correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship
congruent =in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly
conifer= pine tree (usu. evergreen); cone-bearing tree
conjecture =surmise; guess
conjugal= pertaining to marriage
conjure =cause to appear by magic; summon (a devil or a spirit) by magical power
Conjure up= bring into the mind
connivance =pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend
connive= feign ignorance (of a wrong); conspire
connoisseur =person competent to act as a judge of art; a lover of an art
connotation =suggested or implied meaning of an expression
connubial =pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state
consanguineous= (consanguine) having a common ancestor
consanguinity= kinship; relationship by birth
conscientious =scrupulous; through and careful
conscript =draftee; person forced into military service
consecrate =dedicate; sanctify; declare as sacred
consensus =general agreement; opinion reached by a group
consequential =self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result
conservatory= (conservatoire) school of the fine arts (especially music or drama)
consign =send to a person or place for sale; deliver officially; entrust
consistency =absence of contradictions; uniformity
console= lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort
consolidation= unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger
consolidate= merge; strengthen
consonance= harmony; agreement
consonant= harmonious; in agreement
consort =associate with; keep company
conspiracy =treacherous plot; secret plan against the law
conspire =take part in a conspiracy; (of events) work together
consternation= great shock; dismay
constituency =voters represented by an elected official; district so represented
constituent =supporter; voter; member of a constituency; component
constitution= constituting; system of laws; composition of something
constraint =restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings; reticence
constrain =hold back; restrain; compel
construe= explain; interpret
consummate =complete
contagion =infection (by contact)
contaminate =pollute
contempt= scorn; disdain
contend =struggle; compete; assert earnestly
contention =assertion; claim; thesis
contentious =quarrelsome; controversial
contest =dispute; argue about the rightness of; compete for; try to win
context =writings preceding and following the passage quoted; circumstance in which an event occurs
contiguous= adjacent to; touching upon
continence= self-restraint; sexual chastity; sexual abstinence
contingent= dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional
Contingency= future event that may or may not occur; possibility
contortions= twisting; distortions
contort= twist violently out of shape
contraband= illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods
contravene= contradict; oppose; violate (a rule, law, or custom)
contrite =penitent; repentant
contrivance= something contrived; machine or apparatus; clever deceitful plan
contrive= invent or fabricate in a clever way (by improvisation)
contrived =unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous
controvert =oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict
contumacious= stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority
contusion= bruise
conundrum =riddle; difficult problem
convene= come together; assemble; call to meet
convention =social or moral custom; established practice; formal meeting; international agreement
conventional= ordinary; typical; not nuclear
converge =approach; tend to meet; come together
conversant =familiar with; having knowledge of
converse= opposite
convert =one who has adopted a different religion or opinion
convex =curving outward
conveyance= vehicle; transfer; act of conveying
conviction= judgment that someone is guilty of a crime
convivial =pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; gay
convoke= call together
convoluted =coiled around; twisted; involved; complicated; intricate
convolution= twist
convulsion= violent uncontrollable shaking movement
copious= plentiful
coquette= flirt; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings
cordial =warmly friendly; gracious; heartfelt
cordon= extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress
cornice =projecting molding on building (usually above columns or pillars)
cornucopia= horn (or horn-shaped container) overflowing with fruit and grain
corollary =natural consequence (which naturally follows from something else)
coroner= public official who investigates any death thought to be of other than natural causes
corporeal =bodily (rather than spiritual); of a bodily form; material; tangible
corpulent =very fat
corpus =collection (of writings or information)
corpuscle =red or white cell in the blood
correlate= either of the correlated things
correlation= mutual relationship
corroborate =confirm; support; strengthen
corrode =destroy or wear away gradually by chemical action
corrosive= eating away by chemicals or disease
corrugated=wrinkled; ridged
cosmic =pertaining to the universe; vast
coterie =group that meets socially; select circle
countenance= approve; support; tolerate
countermand =cancel; revoke (an order)
counterpart= thing that completes another
coup= highly successful action or sudden attack
coup de grace =deathblow or shot which kills
couple =join; unite
courier= messenger
court =attempt to gain; seek; woo; risk; behave so as to invite
covenant =binding agreement between two groups or people; compact
covert =secret; hidden; implied
covetous= avaricious; desirous of (someone else’s possessions)
covet= desire eagerly (someone else’s possessions)
cow =terrorize; intimidate
cower =shrink quivering as from fear; cringe
coy =shy (flirtatiously); showing a (pretended) lack of self-confidence; coquettish
cozen =cheat; hoodwink; swindle
crabbed= sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting
craft= skill (esp. with one’s hands); guile
crafty =cleverly deceitful; cunning
crass =very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating
crave =desire; want intensely
craven =cowardly
credence =belief
credential =evidence concerning one’s authority
credo =creed
credulity= belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naiveté
creed =system of religious or ethical belief
creep= move with body close to the ground; move stealthily or slowly
cremate= incinerate (a corpse)
crescendo= increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax
crest =top (as of a hill or wave); showy feathers on the head of a bird
crestfallen =dejected; dispirited
crevice= crack; fissure
cringe =shrink back as if in fear; cower
crinkle= wrinkle
criteria =standards used in judging
crochet =make (a piece of needlework) by looping thread with a hooked needle
crone= hag; ugly old woman
cross =bad-tempered; showing ill-humor; angry
crossbreed= hybridize
crotchety= (of someone old) eccentric; odd; bad-tempered
Crotchet =odd or whimsical notion
crust= hard outer covering (as of earth or snow)
crux =essential or main point
crucial =of deciding importance
crypt= secret recess or vault usually used for burial; underground room (under a church)
cryptic= mysterious; hidden; secret
cubicle= small chamber used for sleeping or work
cue= word or signal (as in a play to prompt another actor’s speech or entrance)
cuisine =style of cooking
culinary =relating to cooking or kitchen
cull =pick out from others (to kill the weakest members)
culmination= highest point; climax
culminate in= reach the highest point in; end in
culpable= deserving blame; blameworthy
culprit= one guilty of a crime
culvert =artificial channel for water; drain crossing under a road
cumbersome =heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome
cumulative= growing by addition; accumulative
cunning =clever in deceiving; sly
cupidity =greed (for wealth)
curator =superintendent; manager (in charge of a museum or a library)
curb= chain or strap used with a bit to restrain a horse
curfew =regulation requiring all people to leave the streets at stated times
curmudgeon= churlish, miserly individual; bad-tempered old person
cursive= (of writing) flowing; running; having the successive letters joined
cursory =casual; hastily done with little attention to detail
curtail= shorten; reduce
cynical= skeptical or distrustful of human motives
Cynic= person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness
cynosure= person or thing that is a center of attention

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