Looking for an MCAT vocabulary list? You’re in the right place! The AAMC doesn’t publish an official one, so we grouped 128 words by where they turn up on the exam, from CARS tone words to the science terms you’ll meet in passages.
Each word comes with a plain meaning we wrote ourselves and a note on where you’ll meet it. Further down, you’ll find the word roots that decode science terms and a few habits that help as you prepare and study for the MCAT.
We hope it helps!
Free download
17 pages of MCAT mnemonics to get content into long-term memory faster
Every mnemonic our mentors used across all four sections, printable, in one PDF.
On its way.
Check your inbox in the next minute.
Is Vocabulary Important for the MCAT?
There’s no vocabulary test on the MCAT. Vocabulary still matters, because nearly every question sits in a passage, and you have to follow the passage to answer it.
The AAMC describes CARS passages as complex writing with “sophisticated vocabulary and, at times, intricate writing styles.” The same page says you need no outside knowledge, since everything you need is in the passage and the questions.
Some CARS questions go a step further. The AAMC’s comprehension skills page says they can ask you to pick the definition of a word or phrase as it’s used in context.
When a word stops you, the sentence around it usually carries a clue. You get 90 minutes for 53 CARS questions, so the fewer words that stop you, the more time you keep for reasoning!
Our CARS passage dissections show how top scorers read a passage for meaning, one paragraph at a time.
Vocabulary in one line
The MCAT doesn’t test a word list. It tests whether you can follow a passage, and every word you know makes that faster!
In Chem/Phys, Bio/Biochem and Psych/Soc, vocabulary means technical terms. A passage on a genetic disease might say congenital or deleterious and expect you to keep up. Good news, your content review covers most of these!
MCAT CARS vocabulary comes from humanities and social science writing, about half each, per the AAMC. Tone words carry extra weight there, because questions ask about an author’s intentions, tone and word choice.
(Optional) If you’d like to practice reading for tone with a group, our 6-Week Live MCAT Accelerator works through live passages in every section.
A word you don’t know costs you time in any section, so vocabulary feeds into your MCAT score even though no question is labeled vocabulary.
Tone words answer attitude questions
When a question asks for the author’s attitude, the answer choices are tone words like ambivalent, skeptical or laudatory. If you know them well, you won’t be stuck guessing between two close options!
Is There an Official MCAT Vocabulary List?
No. The AAMC doesn’t publish an MCAT vocabulary list or lexicon. Its content outline lists the science concepts and reasoning skills it tests, and CARS needs no outside knowledge at all.
Every MCAT vocabulary list online, ours included, is a study aid. Use one to widen your range, and let daily reading do most of the work. That’s good news if you love a good book :)
Read things you enjoy, like a short novel about a kid wizard or a basketball coach’s autobiography. Mix in pieces from the fields CARS draws on, which the AAMC says include ethics, philosophy, studies of diverse cultures and population health.
When you hit a word you don’t know, guess its meaning from the author’s tone and the words around it, then look it up. Guessing first builds the in-context reading CARS asks for!
Greek and Latin Roots for MCAT Science Vocabulary
Greek and Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes decode many science terms. If you know your roots, you can read words like hepatitis and intravenous without ever having seen them. It’s a little like a cheat code for MCAT vocabulary!
The roots below turn up across B/B, C/P and P/S passages.
Root
Meaning
Example
a-, an-
without
anaerobic
cardi(o)
heart
cardiomyocyte
-cyte
cell
lymphocyte
endo-
inside
endocytosis
erythr(o)
red
erythrocyte
exo-
outside
exocytosis
gastr(o)
stomach
gastrin
-genesis
creation
gluconeogenesis
hemat(o)
blood
hematocrit
hydr(o)
water
hydrolysis
hypo-
below normal
hypotonic
iso-
equal
isotonic
leuk(o)
white
leukocyte
lip(o)
fat
lipoprotein
-ase
enzyme
lipase
-lysis
breaking apart
glycolysis
nephr(o)
kidney
nephron
neur(o)
nerve
neurotransmitter
-philic
attracted to
hydrophilic
-phobic
repelled by
hydrophobic
poly-
many
polypeptide
somat(o)
body
somatic
trans-
across
transmembrane
Split it, then check it
When a science word stops you mid-passage, split it, read each piece, then check the meaning against the sentence. Hypo plus tonic, in an osmosis passage, points to a solution with a lower solute concentration. You’ve got this!
How to Improve Your Vocabulary for the MCAT
Building your MCAT vocabulary works best a little at a time, alongside your content review. Here’s a routine that’ll fit around your science studying:
Read every day. Pick long-form writing on health, history, philosophy and the arts. Podcasts on health and medicine help too.
Guess, then look it up. Use the sentence to guess, then check a dictionary and see how close you came.
Keep a word journal. Write each new word with its meaning and the sentence you found it in.
Make flashcards. Put the word on the front and the meaning plus your sentence on the back. Our MCAT flashcards guide covers how to build them, and our best Anki decks list covers ready-made decks.
Group words by kind. Sort them into sets like tone, change or size, the way the tables below do, so you review a few groups instead of one long list.
Use mnemonics. An odd, vivid image helps a word stick. Our MCAT mnemonics page has examples for every section.
If CARS passages still feel dense after a few weeks of reading, our CARS Mastery course includes a 1:1 session with a 130+ CARS scorer and weekly live office hours with passage breakdowns. We’d love to help!
Put a sentence on every card
Write the sentence where you found the word on the back of each flashcard. CARS tests words in context, so practice them that way!
Get the MCAT mnemonics list
On its way.
Check your inbox in the next minute.
MCAT Vocabulary List for CARS
Our MCAT vocabulary list for CARS comes in three groups. Cover the meaning column, guess, then check yourself. Words with a second science meaning say so. If you’re short on time, we’d learn the tone words first!
If you’d like an MCAT vocabulary PDF, print this page from your browser and choose Save as PDF :)
Words for tone and attitude
Word
Meaning and where it shows up
abstemious adj.
Sparing or moderate in eating and drinking Literature and history passages
acumen noun
The ability to judge situations quickly and well Business and history passages
ambivalence noun
Mixed feelings, pulled toward and away from something at once Author’s attitude questions; P/S attachment styles
anathema noun
Someone or something a person rejects or hates intensely Religion and ethics passages
bigot noun
A person who’s intolerant of other groups or of views unlike their own Social science passages on prejudice
blandishment noun
Flattery or coaxing used to talk someone into something Politics and history passages
calumny noun
A false statement made to damage someone’s reputation History and law passages
capricious adj.
Changing mood or direction suddenly, with no clear reason Character descriptions in literature passages
caustic adj.
Bitterly harsh or sarcastic. In chemistry, able to burn or corrode tissue Tone questions; acids and bases in C/P
certitude noun
Complete confidence that something is true Philosophy passages
commiserate verb
To share someone’s sadness and show sympathy Literature passages
connoisseur noun
An expert judge of something like art, music, food or wine Art and music passages
decorum noun
Behavior that follows accepted standards of politeness History and culture passages
deride verb
To mock someone or something as foolish or worthless Tone questions
didactic adj.
Meant to teach a lesson, sometimes in a preachy way Literature and art passages
disparage verb
To describe something as having little value Tone questions
dogmatic adj.
Insisting your views are right without weighing evidence or other views Author’s attitude questions
equivocal adj.
Open to more than one reading, often on purpose Author’s attitude questions
esoteric adj.
Understood by only a small group with special knowledge Philosophy and art passages
hubris noun
Excessive pride or self-confidence, often before a fall Literature and history passages
idiosyncrasy noun
A habit or trait that’s peculiar to one person Psychology and literature passages
ironic adj.
Saying the opposite of what you mean, or describing an outcome opposite to what was expected Literature passages; tone questions
lachrymose adj.
Tearful, or likely to bring on tears Literature passages
laudatory adj.
Expressing praise Tone questions
orthodox adj.
Following the traditional, widely accepted beliefs of a group Religion and history passages
pejorative adj.
Expressing contempt or disapproval Tone questions
philistine noun
A person who’s indifferent or hostile to art and culture Art passages
quirk noun
An odd habit, or an unexpected twist Literature passages
rectitude noun
Moral integrity and correct behavior Ethics passages
reprobate noun
A person without moral principles Literature passages
sacrosanct adj.
Treated as too sacred or important to question or change Religion and politics passages
skeptical adj.
Doubtful, and wanting evidence before believing Author’s attitude questions
urbane adj.
Polished, courteous and at ease in social settings Literature passages
zealot noun
A person whose devotion to a cause is extreme and uncompromising Religion and politics passages
Words for arguments and ideas
Word
Meaning and where it shows up
a priori adj.
Known through reasoning alone, before or apart from experience Philosophy passages
abdicate verb
To formally give up a throne, power or responsibility History and politics passages
abrogate verb
To formally cancel or repeal a law or agreement Law and politics passages
adumbrate verb
To sketch an idea in outline, or hint at what’s coming Literature and philosophy passages
alchemy noun
The medieval forerunner of chemistry, which tried to turn common metals into gold. Also any seemingly magical change History of science passages
archetype noun
An original model, or a perfect typical example of something Literature and myth passages
befuddle verb
To confuse someone completely Literature passages
broach verb
To bring up a difficult or awkward topic Social science passages
capitulate verb
To stop resisting and give in History passages
catharsis noun
The release of strong emotion, like an audience feels at the end of a tragedy Theater and art passages
concise adj.
Brief while still saying everything needed Questions about an author’s style
concomitant adj.
Happening along with something else, often as a result of it Social science and research passages
deterrent noun
Something that discourages an action Law and policy passages
embody verb
To give an idea a concrete form, or to be a clear example of it Art and philosophy passages
extraneous adj.
Unrelated to the matter at hand, or coming from outside it Answer choices that go beyond the passage
feasible adj.
Possible to do in practice Policy passages
ideology noun
A system of beliefs that shapes a group’s politics or way of life Politics and sociology passages
illicit adj.
Forbidden by law, rules or custom Law and history passages
inherent adj.
Part of the basic nature of something Philosophy passages
jargon noun
The specialized words of a field, hard for outsiders to follow Passages about language and professions
limpid adj.
Clear and easy to understand, said of writing (or water) Questions about an author’s style
paradigm noun
A model or pattern. In science, a shared framework of accepted ideas Philosophy of science passages
parameter noun
A limit or set factor that defines how something can work Research and policy passages
recapitulate verb
To restate the main points briefly Questions about a paragraph’s purpose
sanction noun
Official approval, or a penalty for breaking a rule. Context tells you which Law and politics passages
turgid adj.
Pompous and overblown, said of writing. In biology, swollen with fluid Style questions; plant cells in B/B
unalloyed adj.
Pure and complete, with nothing mixed in Literature passages (“unalloyed joy”)
Words for amount, change and time
Word
Meaning and where it shows up
abeyance noun
A state of temporary suspension Law and history passages
abortive adj.
Failing to produce the intended result History passages
accrue verb
To build up over time Economics passages
amalgamate verb
To combine separate parts into one whole History and business passages
barrage noun
A heavy burst of artillery fire. Also a rapid, overwhelming stream, like a barrage of questions History passages
blighted adj.
Damaged or ruined. Said of plants, diseased Urban history and farming passages
burgeon verb
To grow or expand quickly History and economics passages
cacophonous adj.
Made of harsh, clashing sounds Music passages
capacious adj.
Able to hold a lot; roomy Architecture passages
celerity noun
Swiftness of movement or action Literature passages
coalesce verb
To come together into one mass or group Passages on social movements
debase verb
To lower the quality, value or character of something Economics and ethics passages
defoliate verb
To strip a plant or an area of its leaves, often with chemicals History and environment passages
defunct adj.
No longer existing or working History passages
detrimental adj.
Causing harm or damage Policy passages
diminutive adj.
Unusually small Literature passages
efface verb
To wipe out or erase. To efface yourself is to stay out of notice Literature passages
enhance verb
To improve the quality, value or strength of something Every section
ephemeral adj.
Lasting a very short time Art and culture passages
evanescent adj.
Fading quickly from sight or memory Literature passages
fluctuate verb
To rise and fall irregularly Economics passages; data in every section
gargantuan adj.
Enormous Literature passages
hinder verb
To slow down or get in the way of progress Every section
impinge verb
To have an effect on something, often by limiting it Law and ethics passages (“impinge on rights”)
marginal adj.
Small and of minor importance, or at the edge of something Economics passages
motley adj.
Made of mixed, mismatched parts Literature passages (“a motley crew”)
myriad noun
A very large number of things. Also works as an adjective Every section
nascent adj.
Just starting to exist or develop History and science passages
plethora noun
More of something than is needed Every section
pliable adj.
Easily bent, or easily influenced Literature passages
predominant adj.
Most common, or strongest Every section
prolific adj.
Producing a lot, like a writer with many books Literature and art passages
sporadic adj.
Happening now and then, with no regular pattern History passages
vicissitude noun
A change in circumstances, usually for the worse (often plural) Biography passages
Sort tone words by direction
Tone words lean positive (laudatory), negative (pejorative, caustic) or mixed (ambivalent, equivocal). Once you sort them that way, it’s easier to rule out attitude answers that point the wrong direction!
MCAT Vocabulary List for the Science Sections
These terms come up in B/B, C/P and P/S passages, and most of them are part of your content review. A few words, like caustic and turgid, sit in the CARS tables with both meanings.
Think of this part of the MCAT vocabulary list as a quick check on your science content!
Bio/Biochem words
Word
Meaning and where it shows up
absorption noun
Taking a substance up into or across tissue, like nutrients crossing the gut wall into the blood Digestion passages; light absorption in C/P
analgesic noun
A drug that relieves pain without causing unconsciousness. Also an adjective Pharmacology passages
atrophy noun
Shrinking or wasting of a tissue or organ from disease, injury or disuse Muscle and nervous system passages
benign adj.
Harmless. A benign tumor doesn’t invade nearby tissue or spread Cell division and cancer passages
chromosome noun
A threadlike structure of DNA that carries genes Genetics passages
comatose adj.
In a coma, a deep and lasting state of unconsciousness Nervous system passages
congenital adj.
Present from birth Genetics and development passages
contusion noun
A bruise, an injury to tissue under the skin that doesn’t break the skin Clinical passages
deleterious adj.
Harmful. A deleterious mutation lowers health or survival Genetics and evolution passages
efficacy noun
How well something, like a drug, produces the result it’s meant to Drug trial and research passages
emollient adj.
Softening and soothing, especially to the skin Clinical passages
endemic adj.
Regularly found in a particular place or group, like a disease in one region Microbiology and population health passages
germinal adj.
Relating to germ cells or the earliest stage of development. Also, full of new ideas Development passages
therapeutic adj.
Relating to treating disease, or having a healing effect Pharmacology passages
virulent adj.
Able to cause severe disease, said of a pathogen. Also, bitterly hostile Microbiology passages
Chem/Phys words
Word
Meaning and where it shows up
amorphous adj.
Lacking a definite shape. An amorphous solid, like glass, has no ordered crystal structure Phases of matter passages
attenuate verb
To weaken or reduce, like a wave losing energy as it travels Waves and sound passages
buoyant adj.
Able to float. The buoyant force equals the weight of the fluid an object displaces Fluids passages
catalyst noun
A substance that speeds up a reaction by lowering its activation energy, without being used up Kinetics and enzyme passages
diffuse verb
To spread from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration Gas and membrane transport passages
homogeneous adj.
The same composition all the way through Solutions and mixtures passages
malleable adj.
Able to be hammered or pressed into shape without breaking, like most metals Periodic table passages
nuclear adj.
Relating to the nucleus of an atom, or of a cell Nuclear decay passages; cell biology in B/B
opaque adj.
Letting no light pass through Light and optics passages
static adj.
Not moving or changing. Static friction acts on an object at rest Mechanics and electrostatics passages
Psych/Soc words
Word
Meaning and where it shows up
acrophobia noun
An intense, irrational fear of heights, one kind of specific phobia Anxiety disorder passages
acuity noun
Sharpness of the senses or the mind. Visual acuity is sharpest at the fovea Sensation and perception passages
altruistic adj.
Acting for someone else’s good, even when it costs you something Prosocial behavior passages
gustatory adj.
Relating to the sense of taste Sensation and perception passages
hierarchy noun
A system that ranks people or things by level, as in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Motivation and social stratification passages
hypochondriac noun
A person who worries constantly about being seriously ill with little or no evidence. The DSM-5 now files this under illness anxiety disorder or somatic symptom disorder Psychological disorder passages
placebo noun
An inactive treatment, like a sugar pill, given to a control group Research design in P/S and B/B
vertigo noun
A feeling of spinning or dizziness, often tied to the vestibular system Sensation and balance passages
If science terms keep slowing you down in passages, a 1:1 MCAT tutor who scored 515+ can find the content gaps behind them and build a plan that fits you.
Same word, two meanings
Words like benign, caustic and nuclear mean one thing in a CARS passage and another in a science passage. Read the sentence first and let it pick the meaning!
MCAT Vocabulary FAQs
Does spelling matter on the MCAT?
No. Every MCAT question is multiple choice, so you never write an answer out. Knowing how a term is spelled still helps you spot it fast in a passage.
Is vocabulary tested only in the CARS section?
No. Vocabulary matters in all four sections. CARS leans on general academic words, and the science sections lean on technical terms.
Is there an MCAT vocabulary PDF?
There’s no official one from the AAMC. You can save this page as a PDF from your browser’s print menu, or copy the tables into your own flashcards.
Should I make Anki cards for CARS vocabulary?
If flashcards work for you, yes! Add the sentence where you met each word, and review a few cards a day. Our MCAT vocabulary tables make a ready-made starting deck :)
How many MCAT vocabulary words should I learn?
There’s no set number. Start with the tone words, since CARS asks about attitude, then add words as you meet them in practice passages.
Build Your MCAT Vocabulary a Little Every Day
You don’t need every word on this page by tonight! Pick one table, cover the meanings and see how many you know. Then add a few new words each day as you read.
If you’d like a plan built around your weak spots, our 6-Week Live MCAT Accelerator includes 12 live strategy classes with a 520+ scorer and seven 1:1 sessions with a 515+ scorer.
If the cohort dates don’t line up with your test, 1:1 MCAT tutoring with a 515+ scorer fits around your schedule.
The MCAT is one of the most challenging exams you’ll take, and your MCAT vocabulary can grow one word at a time. We’re rooting for you. Happy reading :)
Your MCAT Success Mentors
About the Author
We're a team of future doctors passionate about giving back and mentoring other future doctors! All mentors on the team are top MCAT scorers and we all are committed to seeing you succeed in achieving your physician dreams To help you achieve your goal MCAT score, we take turns hosting these Live MCAT Courses and are also available for 1:1 private tutoring!
To help you achieve your goal MCAT score, we take turns hosting these 
