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100 Words Encountered in

Nature & Ecology

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rainforest
We visited the rainforest in Costa Rica.†
rainforest = a forest with heavy annual rainfall — perhaps in the order of 100 inches per year
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Library2 uses in 10 avg bks
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global warming
Al Gore is a champion for those who want to make global warming the top priority.†
global warming = a gradual warming of the Earth's surface temperature — especially as caused by human activity
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Library1 uses in 10 avg bks
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glacier
Scientist believe Europe will continue to face greater glacier retreat due to global warming.
glacier = a large mass of ice that moves over land like an exceedingly slow river
DefinitionGenerally glacier means:
a large mass of ice that moves over land like an exceedingly slow river

The form glacial, in addition to meaning relates to a glacier, can mean:
  • moves very slowly (like a glacier)
  • relates to a geological time period when much of the earth was covered with glaciers
  • relates to ice or cold (often metaphorically) — as in "She gave me a glacial stare."
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Library6 uses in 10 avg bks
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allocate
allocate time and resources†
allocate = distribute or set apart for a special purpose
DefinitionGenerally allocate means:
distribute according to a plan

or:

set apart for a special purpose
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Library2 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 1000
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habitat
a marine habitat
habitat = the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives
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Library5 uses in 10 avg bks
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radiation
Ionizing radiation has enough energy to ionize atoms or molecules.
radiation = particles emitted by nuclear decay (i.e., particles smaller than an atom that are sent out due to radioactivity)
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Library6 uses in 10 avg bks
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species
It is an endangered species.
species = a group of similar animals or plants
DefinitionGenerally species means:
a group of animals or plants that are similar — typically identified as a group because they can procreate together (reproduce new members of the group)
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Library14 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 2000
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adverse
She did an impressive job given the adverse circumstances.
adverse = working against one's interests
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Library1 uses in 10 avg bks
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dispose
as in:
dispose of the waste
How will they dispose of the waste?
dispose = throw away (get rid of)
DefinitionGenerally this sense of dispose means:
to throw away
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Library3 uses in 10 avg bks
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indicate
These maps are drawn with north to the top unless otherwise indicated.
indicated = pointed out (shown)
DefinitionGenerally indicate means:
to show (point out, demonstrate, express, or suggest)
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Library40 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 10
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topography
Los Angeles is prone to smog because of its topography.†
topography = the features of the surface area of a region; or their study — especially changes in elevation
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Library2 uses in 10 avg bks
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genus
It is a rare long-arm squid of the genus Magnapinna.†
genus = a taxonomic group containing one or more species
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emerge
China recently emerged as a world power.
emerged = came out (became)
DefinitionGenerally emerge means:
to come out, or to appear
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Library58 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 100
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arid
My skin dries in the arid desert climate.
arid = dry
DefinitionGenerally arid means:
lacking sufficient water or rainfall

or:

lacking vitality or spirit
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Library2 uses in 10 avg bks
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appropriate
as in:
it is appropriate
These clothes aren't appropriate for work.
appropriate = suitable (fitting)
DefinitionGenerally this sense of appropriate means:
suitable (fitting) for a particular situation
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Library28 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 100
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botany
She is studying botany.†
botany = the branch of biology that studies plants
DefinitionGenerally botany means:
the branch of biology that studies plants; or all the plant life in a particular region or period
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Library4 uses in 10 avg bks
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deplete
The poorer a country's people are, the greater the temptation to deplete the country's forests and fisheries.
deplete = use up (resources or materials)
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Library3 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 1000
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parasitic
She picked up a parasitic infection while in Africa.
parasitic = from a species that lives in another species and eats from it
DefinitionGenerally parasitic means:
of a species that lives on (or in) another species and eats from it without providing return benefit

or:

a person who lives off others' efforts without providing return benefit to them
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Library4 uses in 10 avg bks
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symbiotic
Canada and the U.S. each benefit greatly from a symbiotic relationship.†
symbiotic = a relationship between two species (or entities) that live in close proximity — typically helping each other
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flora
flora and fauna of the region†
flora = all the plant life in a particular region or period
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fauna
She is an expert on the fauna of the rain forest.†
fauna = all the animal life — especially in a particular region or period
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essential
The essential feature of the pen is that it writes so consistently.
essential = absolutely necessary; or of greatest importance
DefinitionGenerally essential means:
necessary or important or relating to the basic nature of something
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Library24 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 1000
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entomology
The entomologist is an expert on termites.
entomologist = someone who studies the branch of zoology that studies insects
DefinitionGenerally entomology means:
the branch of zoology that studies insects
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municipal
municipal government†
municipal = relating to a city or town
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Library3 uses in 10 avg bks
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compliance
Our policy is in compliance with the law.
compliance = to conform to rules or the wishes of others
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Library7 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 2000
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perish
...government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.
Abraham Lincoln  --  Gettysburg Address
perish = be destroyed or cease to exist
DefinitionGenerally perish means:
to die — especially in an unnatural way

or:

to be destroyed or cease to exist
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Library7 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 500
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vulnerable
The computers are vulnerable to cyberattacks.
vulnerable to = easily hurt by
DefinitionGenerally vulnerable means:
easily hurt or in need of help; or easily influenced or subject to temptation
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Library18 uses in 10 avg bks
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urban
want to revitalize the downtown and limit urban sprawl†
urban = relating to a city
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Library7 uses in 10 avg bks
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indigenous
Los Angeles replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.
indigenous = originally from there
DefinitionGenerally indigenous means:
of local origin
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flourish
as in:
the business is flourishing
The children are flourishing.
flourishing = growing or developing well
DefinitionGenerally this sense of flourish means:
to thrive (grow or develop well)
Word Statistics
Library6 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 2000
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confront
You must confront your problems.
confront = deal directly with an unpleasant situation
DefinitionGenerally confront means:
to deal directly with an unpleasant situation or person

or:

to challenge someone — often by presenting evidence
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Library27 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 2000
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photosynthesis
Nature helps to remove carbon from the atmosphere via photosynthesis.
photosynthesis = the process by which plants and other things make food (such as sugars) from carbon dioxide by using the energy of the sunlight
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Library0 uses in 10 avg bks
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diverse
The college wants a diverse student body.
diverse = varied (in this case, of different ethnic groups and genders)
DefinitionGenerally diverse means:
varied (having variety amongst things of the same kind) — especially with regard to ideas or members of a population group
Word Statistics
Library3 uses in 10 avg bks
SAT®top 1000
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hydrocarbon
They hope to create a genetically engineered yeast to produce a hydrocarbon replacement.†
hydrocarbon = an organic compound containing only carbon and hydrogen
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greenhouse effect
In 2010, the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication reported that only 57% of Americans can explain what the greenhouse effect is.†
greenhouse effect = the partial trapping of solar radiation as in a greenhouse or in the earth's atmosphere
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greenhouse gas
The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.†
greenhouse gases = gases that increase the greenhouse effect (global warming) when they are in the atmosphere; e.g., carbon dioxide
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taxonomy
animal taxonomy
taxonomy = a classification of organisms into groups based on similarities of structure or origin

or more rarely:

the classification of anything
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soluble
The doctor said I should include more soluble fiber in my diet.†
soluble = capable of being dissolved in some solvent — typically water
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stratified
Middle Schools are stratified into cliques of different types of students.†
stratified = divided into layers or subgroups
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plankton
Plankton are important in marine food chains.†
plankton = tiny or microscopic plants and animals that float in water such as oceans or lakes and are eaten by larger animals such as fish
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turbid
the turbid underworld of illegal drug traffickers†
turbid = of liquids:  clouded as with sediment

of thinking or conditions:  confused and not clear
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alkaline
an alkaline battery†
alkaline = having a pH greater than 7 (this is the opposite of acidic)
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Sierra Club
The Sierra Club has over half a million members.†
Sierra Club = an environmental organization
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carnivorous
Carnivorous plants are capable of trapping and digesting insects.
carnivorous = feeding on animals
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herbivorous
It is a peaceful herbivore.
herbivore = feeding only on plants
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potable
potable water†
potable = suitable for drinking
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diurnal
studied the creature's diurnal activities†
diurnal = happening daily, over the period of a day, or in the day rather than the evening
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biodiversity
Greater biodiversity increases the stability and resilience of an ecosystem.†
biodiversity = the variety of life in all its forms and levels — typically in a specified area
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tundra
Tundra reindeer travel as much as 3,000 miles a year.
tundra = a treeless plain where the subsoil is always frozen
DefinitionGenerally tundra means:
a vast treeless plain in the northern arctic regions where the subsoil is always frozen (between the ice cap and the tree line)
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attenuate
The problems of poverty are attenuated by the social safety net.†
attenuated = reduced in strength, amount, or size
DefinitionGenerally attenuate means:
reduce in strength, amount, or size (especially in thickness)
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aerate
the worms help to aerate the soil
aerate = expose to air
DefinitionGenerally aerate means:
expose to air

or:

to add a gas to a liquid such as adding carbonation to a soft drink
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chlorophyll
Chlorophyll absorbs light most strongly in the blue portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.†
chlorophyll = the green substance in plants that absorbs light energy that is converted to chemical energy through photosynthesis
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agrarian
China is transforming from an agrarian to an industrial economy.†
agrarian = relating to agriculture (farming)
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monsoon
We didn't extend our trip to visit India because it was the start of the monsoon system.
monsoon = rainy season in southern Asia when wind blows from the southwest
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Library2 uses in 10 avg bks
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arable
China has almost 20% of the world's population, but has only 7% of its arable land.
arable = capable of being farmed productively
DefinitionGenerally arable means:
of land:  capable of being farmed productively
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acidify
She wants to acidify the soil to grow blueberries.†
acidify = turn into an acid
DefinitionGenerally acidify means:
to turn something into an acid
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loam
In those days the loam in that area was four feet thick.
loam = rich soil
DefinitionGenerally loam means:
a rich soil consisting of a mixture of sand and clay and decaying organic materials
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grassroots
a grassroots movement for nuclear disarmament†
grassroots = of or involving the common people as contrasted to elite leaders
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pressure group
It's a classic example of a small, but effective pressure group due to concentrated interests.†
pressure group = a group of people who try actively to influence legislation
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interspecific
interspecific competition for light†
interspecific = arising or occurring between species
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intraspecific
intraspecific competition for prey†
intraspecific = arising or occurring within a species
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injurious
The belief is not only foolish, but potentially injurious.†
injurious = harmful — especially to human health
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arboreal
arboreal apes†
arboreal = relating to trees — often of a species that lives in trees
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ozone layer
seasonal thinning of the ozone layer
ozone layer = a layer in the stratosphere (roughly  20 miles up) containing enough ozone to block most ultraviolet radiation from the sun
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extirpate
The medication assists where surgery cannot completely extirpate a tumor.
extirpate = to completely remove, eliminate, or destroy
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half-life
Polonium-210 has a half-life of 138 days.†
half-life = the time required for something to fall to half its initial value — especially radioactivity or (within the body) medication
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biome
The Eden project houses artificial biomes.†
biomes = a basic type of ecological community such as tropical rain forest or desert
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Green Revolution
The Green Revolution largely consisted of the spread of existing technologies from industrialized nations.†
Green Revolution = the introduction of pesticides and high-yield grains and better management during the 1960s and 1970s which greatly increased agricultural productivity
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Greenpeace
He said he left Greenpeace in protest of its support for a universal ban on chlorine in drinking water.†
Greenpeace = an international organization that works for environmental conservation and the preservation of endangered species
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John Muir
As a young man, John Muir walked  a thousand miles from Indiana to Florida.†
John Muir = U.S. naturalist instrumental in forming Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Club (1838-1914)
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windward
The windward side of the island gets more rain.
windward = the direction from which the wind is coming
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ecotone
Frequently, there more species in the ecotone between a mature forest and the adjoining grassland than between two types of forest.†
ecotone = a transition zone between two types of ecological communities such as where a field meets a forest
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taiga
The Canadian taiga is being attacked from all sides.†
taiga = a cool forest of cone-bearing evergreen trees; also called a boreal forest
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chaparral
prescribed burns of chaparral
chaparral = dense vegetation typically consisting of bushes found in dry climates
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desalination
When water is already recycled and leaking infrastructure has been fixed, desalination may be a cost-effective for affluent communities near the coast.†
desalination = the removal of salt from sea water
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phylum
Angiosperms (flowering plants) are the largest phylum in the Plant Kingdom.†
phylum = a major category into which scientists group types of animals and plants (more precisely:  the taxonomic category below kingdom and above class)
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tragedy of the commons
Government needs to address this situation since it is clearly a tragedy of the commons in the making.†
tragedy of the commons = a metaphor used to illustrate the conflict between individual interests and the common good;

Specifically, a hypothetical example of a pasture shared by local herders. Since nobody has an owner's incentive to manage the pasture, it is overgrazed and thus ruined.
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friable
The remodeling was expensive because the floor tile was friable and contained asbestos.†
friable = easily broken into small fragments or reduced to powder
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continental shelf
Countries have exclusive right to mine minerals in the subsoil of their continental shelf.†
continental shelf = gently sloping underwater plain from the continent's shore to about 200 meters
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continental slope
Sediment from the continent settles at the base of the continental slope.†
continental slope = steep descent (2-5 degrees) of the seabed from the continental shelf to the deep ocean
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trade winds
The trade winds blow predominantly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere.†
trade winds = any surface winds that blow along a regular course with relatively regularly — especially strong easterly winds that blow through the tropics and subtropics
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El Niño
West coast surfers love El Nino for warm water and big waves.†
El Nino = warmer than usual ocean currents associated with drier winters in the Pacific Northwest and wetter winters in the Southwest United States
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La Niña
La Niña is often preceded by a strong El Niño.†
La Niña = cooler than usual ocean currents associated with wetter winters in the Pacific Northwest and drier winters in the Southwest United States
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deciduous
the eastern deciduous forests
deciduous = tending to fall off — typically of plants that shed leaves at the end of the growing season

or much more rarely:  of  teeth, antlers, and scales shed at the end of a period of growth
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red tide
The 2005 red tide closed shellfish beds in Maine and Massachusetts.†
red tide = a noticeable red (or brown) discoloration of sea water caused by an excessive growth of microscopic algae
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coniferous
Coniferous forests have less biodiversity than deciduous forests.†
coniferous = relating to plants bearing cones and evergreen leaves
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continental divide
The Continental Divide Trail runs 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada.†
continental divide = a line of elevated terrain from which a continent's rivers flow in two different directions
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sedimentary
This sedimentary rock was formed from a few millimeters of sediment that accumulated on the ocean floor each year.†
sedimentary = rock which has been created from layers of sediment laying on top of one another; one of three basic categories into which rocks can be classified
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anthropology
She majored in anthropology and just finished a report for the State Department that describes tribal customs in eastern Africa.
anthropology = the social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human beings
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secrete
The pancreas secretes insulin.†
secretes = produce and discharge small amounts of a substance — especially from biological glands
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capital
She worked hard to raise capital to start their new company.
capital = cash (or more generally, material wealth — especially assets available for use in the production of further assets)
DefinitionGenerally this sense of capital means:
material wealth — especially assets available for use in the production of further assets
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Amazon River
Most people associate the Amazon River with Brazil.†
Amazon River = South American river which is largest in world by volume of water and world's 2nd longest river (4000 miles)
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domestic
as in:
a domestic animal like a dog
We work to reduce abuse of domestic animals.
domestic animals = referring to animals kept as pets or for ranching
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domesticated
Dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago.
domesticated = made fit for service to humans or home life — by breeding or taming
DefinitionGenerally domesticated means:
to make fit for service to humans or home life — by breeding or taming
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† 
Sample usage followed by this mark was not checked by an editor. Please let us know if you spot a problem.
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