| Term | Definition |
| ambiguous | to drive around (in an uncertain manner because there were few roads in the early day); uncertain; having two possible meanings |
| amphitheater | an oval or round structure with tiers of seats around an open space |
| ambidextrous | both right hand; able to use both hands with equal ease |
| ambiguity | the quality of having two possible meanings |
| ambivalence | conflicting (both kinds of) feelings towards someone or something |
| ambivalent | having conflicting (both of kinds) feelings toward someone or something |
| agnostic | one who does not know whether there is a god |
| amoral | without moral standards; neither moral or immoral; unable to distinguish between right and wrong |
| anemia | without blood; a deficiency of red corpuscles in the blood |
| asymmetrical | not measured together; not having both sides exacly alike; not symmetrical |
| atheist | one who is without a God; one who denies the existence of God |
| vital | full of life and vigor: characteristic of life or living beings |
| survive | to remain alive or in existence: live on or to function or prosper |
| viable | capable of growing or developing; capable of working, functioning, or developing adequetely; capable fo existence and development as an independent unit |
| vivify | to endow with life or renewed life |
| vivacious | long-lived, virgorous, high-spirited |
| mortal | causing or having caused death; subject to death |
| mortician | one whose business is to prepare the dead for burial and to arrage and manage funerals |
| mortify | to destroy the strength, vitality, or functioning; to subdue or deaden |
| immortal | exempt from death |
| antecedent | logically goes before something else |
| anticipate | to realize beforehand |
| antiquated | so old as to be no longer useful |
| antiquity | ancient (before) times |
| annals | written account of events year by year |
| annual | yearly, lasting only one year |
| perennial | having a life cycle lasting through more than two years |
| antagonist | a person one struggles against in a contest |
| antagonize | the act of incurring or provoking hostility |
| antipathy | a strong feeling of dislike |
| anthropologist | one who studies the physical, social, and cultural development and behavior of human beings |
| anthropology | the study of physical, social, and cultural development and behavior of human beings |
| anthropomorphism | the attributing of human form or characteristics to a god, animal, or inanimate thing |
| misanthrope | one who hates people |
| philanthropy | the effort to increase the well-being of humanity by charitable donations |
| vit-, viv- | to live, life |
| ante-, anti- | before |
| mort- | death |
| ambi-, amphi- | around or both |
| ann-, enn- | year |
| a-, an- | not, without, unusual, or irregular |
| anti- | against, opposite |
| anthrop- | human |
| auto- | self |
| bene- | well, good |
| beneficiary | a person who recieves benefits, as from a will or insurance policy |
| benevolence | an inclination to do good; inclined to do good |
| benign | harmless |
| autocratic | ruling by oneself; domineering |
| autonomous | self-governing |
| autopsy | a seeing for oneself, an examination of a dead body to discover the cause of death |
| bio- | life |
| biodegradeable | capable of being broken down by living microorganismsand absorbed by the environment |
| biology | the study of plant and animal life |
| biosphere | the part of the Earth, extending from its crust out into the surrounding atmosphere, in which living things exist |
| symbiotic | living togther in a close relationship, often to the benefit of both |
| bi- | two |
| bicameral | composed of two legislative chambers or branches |
| bilingual | able to use two languages |
| bisect | to cut in two |
| proceed | to continue |
| secede | to withdraw formally from membership in an organization |
| succeed | to come after in time or order |
| anachronism | anything out of its proper historial time |
| chronic | continuing for a long time |
| chronological | arranged in order of occurence |
| synchronize | to cause to operate in unison |
| coherent | sticking togther; having an orderly relation of parts |
| commiserate | to sympathize |
| consensus | a feeling together; general agreement |
| com-, con-, col-, cor- | together, with |
| circum- | around |
| circuitous | roundabout, winding |
| circumspect | cautious careful to consider possible consequences |
| circumvent | to come around; to get around or to overcome by artful maneuvering; to prevent |
| credibility | trustworthiness |
| credible | believable |
| credulous | believeing too readily on too little evidence; gullible |
| incredible | unbelievable |
| miscreant | originally, an unbeliever in religion; now, and evil doer or criminal |
| cre- | to believe |