Word parts

let you assemble meaning from prefixes, suffixes, and roots.

The Mars rover has autonomous navigation abilities.

(The prefix auto means “self,” the root nom means “law,” and the suffix ous means "having to do with," so autonomous must mean “having self-rule,” or "self-governing" or "self-guiding.")

Cause-and-effect

clues let you infer meaning.

In the first year of the Civil War, Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus so that he could hold rebels in jail without having to bring them to trial.

(If suspending a writ of habeas corpus means that people can be held without trial, the writ of habeas corpus must prevent the government from holding people in jail without trial.)

Definitions

embedded within the text spell out the meaning.

Ovo-lacto vegetarians consume eggs and milk as well as plants but avoid other animal products.

(Ovo-lacto vegetarians consume eggs, milk, and plants; ovo means "egg," lacto means "milk," and vegetarian means "plant eater.”)

A series

includes an unknown word with known words of the same type.

Whether they spot a brown bear, grizzly, or Kodiak, hikers should keep their distance.

(Since brown bears and grizzlies are North American bears, the Kodiak must also be a species of North American bear.)

Examples

provide specific instances of general ideas.

Algebra 1 and 2 and Geometry are prerequisites for Trigonometry.

(Algebra 1 and 2 and Geometry are basic high school math courses, while Trigonometry is an advanced high school math course, so a prerequisite must be a basic course required before taking an advanced course.)

Synonyms

have the same meaning as the unfamiliar word.

For this year's solo and ensemble contest, you could sing a song or an aria.

(An aria must be a sort of song.)

Antonyms

have the opposite meaning as an unfamiliar word.

After months of public appearances, the candidate enjoyed a weekend of reclusion.

(As the opposite of "public appearances," reclusion must mean "being away from other people.")

Tone

reveals the writer’s thoughts about a word.

The early summer evening was redolent with apple blossoms, charcoal smoke, and fresh-mown grass.

(The pleasant smells in an early summer evening suggests that redolent means "fragrantly scented.")