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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stratum [noun]

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

Ex: The upper stratum of the city is known for its luxury homes .

acculturation [noun]

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: Through acculturation , the indigenous population adopted new agricultural practices introduced by settlers .

apartheid [noun]

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

Ex: Under apartheid , people were denied basic rights based on their race .

aristocracy [noun]

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

Ex: The aristocracy often lived in grand estates and manors .

bourgeoisie [noun]

the society's middle class

Ex: The bourgeoisie of the city enjoyed luxurious lifestyles and social status .

class-conscious [adjective]

fully aware of the ranking system that distinguishes the general public

Ex: The class-conscious author wrote novels highlighting social inequalities .

hierarchical [adjective]

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

Ex: The company 's hierarchical management style may inhibit innovation and creativity .

demographic [noun]

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

Ex:

ethnicity [noun]

the state of belonging to a certain ethnic group

Ex: The school 's diversity program celebrates students of every ethnicity .

subsistence [noun]

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

Ex: Farming provided only subsistence , leaving no surplus for savings .

overlord [noun]

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

Ex: In ancient times , an overlord would command several lesser lords .

polity [noun]

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

Ex: The university 's internal polity allows for faculty self-governance .

to segregate [verb]

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

Ex: Some workplaces still segregate employees into different departments based on their ethnic background .

caste [noun]

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

Ex:

supremacist [noun]

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: The supremacist 's actions were condemned by community leaders .

political asylum [noun]

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

Ex: Many refugees apply for political asylum when they escape political violence .

benefactor [noun]

a person who gives money or support to help others

Ex: Their benefactor ’s contributions helped build the community center .

class struggle [noun]

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

Ex: The film depicts the class struggle between the wealthy elite and the working class .

deportation [noun]

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

Ex: Deportation is commonly applied to those convicted of serious crimes .

discrimination [noun]

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

Ex: Efforts to reduce discrimination in the workplace include implementing diversity training programs .

to displace [verb]

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

Ex: The government 's decision to construct a new highway project will displace numerous families .

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 business elite often frequented the luxurious downtown restaurant .

homophobia [noun]

hatred, antipathy, or prejudice toward homosexuals

Ex: The organization works to eliminate homophobia through advocacy and support .

to impoverish [verb]

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

Ex: Corruption in the government can impoverish a country ’s citizens .

indigent [adjective]

extremely poor or in need

Ex:

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: The workshop addressed intersectional challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals .

to marginalize [verb]

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

Ex: The company 's policies inadvertently marginalized employees with disabilities , making it difficult for them to fully participate in the workplace .

to naturalize [verb]

to grant citizenship to a foreigner

Ex: The state moves to naturalize eligible residents after they complete the required process .

parity [noun]

a state in which two or more things are equal

Ex: Efforts were made to achieve parity in access to healthcare services across different regions .

penury [noun]

a state of being exceedingly poor and in need

Ex: Despite his penury , he remained hopeful for a better future .

positive discrimination [noun]

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 affirmative action plan included elements of positive discrimination to promote equality .

quota system [noun]

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

Ex: They had to wait for the next year ’s quota system to apply for immigration .

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 slumlord was known for exploiting vulnerable tenants by charging exorbitant rents for substandard housing conditions .

social conscience [noun]

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: Their social conscience inspired them to support various charitable causes .

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 film highlighted the impact of bigotry on marginalized groups .

unrest [noun]

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

Ex: Unrest grew after the controversial election results were announced .

Essential Vocabulary for the GRE
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