400 Must Have Words for the TOEFL LESSON 14 - Anthropology Vocabulary Test
Word List
assimilate [əˈsɪməˌleɪt] v.
To consume and incorporate; to become similar
→ Not all of the overseas students could assimilate into the rigidly controlled school.
Usage tips Assimilate is often followed by into.
Parts of speech assimilation n.
cremation [krəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n] n.
The act of burning the dead
→ Cremation is particularly common in Japan, where land for burial is very limited.
Parts of speech cremate v.
domesticate [dəˈmestɪkeɪt] v.
To make something suitable for being in a home
→ The Barnes family hoped to domesticate the tiger, but their neighbors were skeptical.
Usage tips The object of domesticate is usually a plant or animal.
Parts of speech domestic adj.
folklore [ˈfəʊklɔːr] n.
Traditional myths of a people transmitted orally
→ Through folklore, archaeologists have learned about the migration of Native Americans in North America.
Parts of speech folkloric adj.
fossilize [ˈfɑsəˌlaɪz] v.
To become preserved in clay or stone or ash after death, so that a natural record is left of the original organism; to become rigid and stuck in old ways
→ The dinosaur eggs had fossilized over thousands of years.
Parts of speech fossilization n., fossil n.
relic [ˈrelɪk] n.
Something left from a long-ago culture, time period, or person
→ Relics of the war can still be found in the sand dunes along this shore.
rite [raɪt] n.
A ceremony meant to achieve a certain purpose
→ Many cultures have fertility rites that supposedly make it more likely for women to bear children.
ritually [ˈrɪtʃ(u)əli] adv.
As part of a traditional ceremony or habit
→ The children ritually kissed their parents on the cheek before bed.
Parts of speech ritual n., ritual adj.
saga [ˈsɑːgə] n.
A long story about important events long ago
→ Many American families tell sagas about their ancestors’ arrival in the United States.
vestige [ˈvestɪdʒ] n.
A visible trace that something once existed
→ The wilted flowers were the only vestige of their romantic weekend.
