Overview

Words are created to express concepts and communicate ideas. A large vocabulary helps you choose words that express exactly what you mean. And, the larger your vocabulary becomes, the more words you have to draw from to figure out the meanings of new words.

How do you learn a new word? Often, you encounter a new word in a document or in verbal communication. You can usually figure out the meaning of a new word from the way it is used. The context provides words that you know around the unfamiliar word; because you understand the familiar words, you can figure out what the unfamiliar word means. Examples, comparisons, contrasts, causes and effects, definitions, and restatements are specific context clues that can help you understand a new word. If specific context clues are not available, you can figure out the meaning of a new word from the general context of the sentence or paragraph in which it appears.

Analyzing the parts of a new word is another way to figure out its definition. The root of a word provides a clue to its meaning. Prefixes and suffixes enhance or alter the meaning of the root word. Of course, to make sure you've understood the definition of a word, you should consult a dictionary.