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Essential Vocabulary for the GRE - Café Society

Here you will learn some English words about society, such as "stratum", "ethnicity", "caste", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.

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Essential Words Needed for the GRE
stratum
stratum
[noun]

a group of people with similar social standing, education, or income

Ex: The study focused on the middle-income stratum of society. 
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acculturation

the process of cultural exchange and adaptation when individuals or groups from different cultures come into contact, leading to changes in their respective cultural patterns

Ex: The immigrant community experienced acculturation as they integrated aspects of the host country's culture into their own traditions. 
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apartheid
apartheid
[noun]

a system where people are treated differently or separated based on their race, ethnicity, or other characteristics

Ex: Activists fought tirelessly to end apartheid and achieve equality. 
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aristocracy

people in the highest class of society who have a lot of power and wealth and usually high ranks and titles

Ex: The event was attended by members of the aristocracy in elegant attire. 
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bourgeoisie

the society's middle class

Ex: The bourgeoisie in the 19th century played a significant role in shaping economic and social structures. 
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class-conscious
class-conscious
[Adjective]

fully aware of the ranking system that distinguishes the general public

Ex: The students were very class-conscious, often discussing social status. 
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hierarchical
hierarchical
[Adjective]

relating to a system that is organized based on social ranking or levels of authority

Ex: The hierarchical structure of the organization ensures clear lines of authority and responsibility. 
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demographic

the statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, gender, and ethnicity

Ex: The new marketing strategy aims to target a younger demographic. 
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ethnicity
ethnicity
[noun]

the state of belonging to a certain ethnic group

Ex: The census form asked respondents to indicate their ethnicity. 
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subsistence

a situation in which one has just enough money or food to survive

Ex: The workers earned barely enough for subsisten 
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overlord
overlord
[noun]

someone who is in a position of power, especially in the past

Ex: The medieval lord acted as an overlord over the neighboring villages. 
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polity
polity
[noun]

the specific form or system of government of a society or institution

Ex: The church adopted a new polity emphasizing local autonomy. 
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to segregate

to employ a system that sorts out people in the society based on their race or religion

Ex: The organization's membership criteria segregate individuals based on their religious beliefs. 
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caste
caste
[noun]

a system that divides the people of a society into different social classes based on their wealth, privilage, or profession

Ex: The caste system in India historically divided society into hierarchical groups based on birth, occupation, and social status. 
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supremacist

someone who believes that a particular group of people, especially one determined by sex, religion, or race, is better than other groups and should dominate them

Ex: Authorities arrested a supremacist who was spreading hate speech online. 
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political asylum

the protection that a country grants to someone who has fled their home country because of political reasons

Ex: She sought political asylum after facing persecution in her home country. 
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benefactor

a person who gives money or support to help others

Ex: The charity thanked its generous benefactor at the annual gala. 
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class struggle

the conflict of interests between different social classes in a society, as mentioned in Marxist ideology

Ex: The novel explores themes of class struggle in a rapidly industrializing society. 
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deportation

the expulsion of a non-citizen or foreigner from a country, often for being undesirable or violating laws

Ex: The authorities ordered the deportation of illegal immigrants. 
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discrimination

the practice of treating a person or different categories of people less fairly than others

Ex: The company faced a lawsuit for discrimination against female employees. 
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to displace

to make someone leave their home by force, particularly because of an unpleasant event

Ex: The conflict in the region has continued to displace thousands of families. 
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elite
elite
[noun]

a small group of people in a society who enjoy a lot of advantages because of their economic, intellectual, etc. superiority

Ex: The elite gathered at the exclusive club for their annual meeting. 
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homophobia

hatred, antipathy, or prejudice toward homosexuals

Ex: The campaign aims to raise awareness about the effects of homophobia. 
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to impoverish

to take away a person or a country's riches to the point of poverty

Ex: The economic crisis began to impoverish many families in the region. 
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indigent
indigent
[Adjective]

extremely poor or in need

Ex: The indigent population relied on government assistance for survival. 
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intersectional
intersectional
[Adjective]

related to the social categories such as gender, race, sexuality, or age and the way they can extend over the experiences of an individual belonging to an oppressed population

Ex: Her research focused on intersectional issues affecting women of color. 
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to marginalize

to treat a person, group, or concept as insignificant or of secondary or minor importance

Ex: Historically, indigenous communities have been marginalized and deprived of their land rights. 
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to naturalize

to grant citizenship to a foreigner

Ex: He was naturalized after passing the citizenship exam. 
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parity
parity
[noun]

a state in which two or more things are equal

Ex: The company aims to achieve parity in salaries between male and female employees. 
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penury
penury
[noun]

a state of being exceedingly poor and in need

Ex: He grew up in penury, struggling to meet basic needs. 
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positive discrimination

the act of enhancing different opportunities for the people who have been treated as inferior due to belonging to a specific social category like race, sex, and etc. in a society

Ex: The company implemented positive discrimination to improve diversity in hiring. 
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quota system

a system that allows a limited number of immigrants to officially enter a country annually

Ex: The government implemented a quota system to control immigration numbers. 
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slumlord
slumlord
[noun]

an owner of a house of land in a location where people are exceedingly poor and have really bad living conditions, who demands rents more than one can afford

Ex: The city cracked down on slumlords who neglected their properties, leaving tenants living in squalor. 
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social conscience

an awareness of other people's pain and problems who have a bad condition in the society and feeling a sense of duty to take care of them

Ex: Her social conscience led her to volunteer at the homeless shelter. 
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bigotry
bigotry
[noun]

the fact of having or expressing strong, irrational views and disliking other people with different views or a different way of life

Ex: The community was shocked by the bigotry expressed in the hateful speech. 
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unrest
unrest
[noun]

a political situation in which there is anger among the people and protests are likely

Ex: The government’s decision sparked widespread unrest across the country. 
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