400 Must Have Words for the TOEFL LESSON 21 - Wealth and Social Class Vocabulary Test
Word List
accumulate [əˈkjuːmjəleɪt] v.
To build up a large amount of something
→ Over several generations, the Hardington family accumulated vast wealth by buying and selling land.
Parts of speech accumulation n.
affluence [ˈæfluəns] n.
Wealth and the style of life that goes with it
→ Mohadzir grew up amid affluence, which poorly prepared him for his grad student days in crowded apartments with no servants.
Parts of speech affluent adj.
elite [eiˈliːt] adj.
Belonging to a special, honored group
→ Messner is an elite climber who recently ascended an 8,000-meter mountain without extra oxygen.
Parts of speech elite n., elitist adj.
impoverish [ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃ] v.
To make a person or group poor
→ The collapse of the steel industry impoverished several counties in eastern Ohio.
Parts of speech impoverishment n.
luxury [ˈlʌkʃərɪ] n.
Extreme comfort, beyond what anyone needs
→ Automakers try to give their cars an image of luxury by including extras like heated seats and satellite tracking systems.
Parts of speech luxuriate v., luxurious adj.
nobility [nouˈbɪlɪtɪ] n.
A group of socially prominent people with special titles given by a king or queen, such as “duke”or “countess”
→ In the Middle Ages, the nobility supposedly followed a code that required them to take care of poorer people who lived near their estates.
Usage tips Nobility is used as a name for a group of distinguished people; it can also mean “a highly dignified form of behavior.”
Parts of speech noble n., noble adj.
prestige [presˈtiːʒ] n.
Honor and respect for being better than the average
→ The Grassleys enjoyed the prestige of living in the historic town, but they did not feel at home there.
Parts of speech prestigious adj.
privileged [ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒd] adj.
Able to enjoy special advantages because of one’s position (usually because of being born into a wealthy or powerful family)
→ Despite his privileged position in one of America’s most powerful families, the politician tried to portray himself as an ordinary person.
Parts of speech privilege n.
prosper [ˈprɒspər] v.
To do very well in one’s business or personal life
→ Vargas prospered after finally patenting his new inventions.
Usage tips A person can prosper; so can a group, a company, or an area.
Parts of speech prosperity n., prosperous adj.
working class [ˈwərkɪŋ ˈˌklæs] n.
People with low-paying (often unskilled) jobs who are not poor but who are not securely in the middle class
→ The Farrelly family, like other members of the working class, were proud of their jobs and did not want any handouts from charity or the government.
