Mastering ‘Elicit’: A Key GRE Vocabulary Word
Learn the meaning, usage, and origins of ‘elicit’, an important verb for your GRE vocabulary. Discover how to use this word correctly, avoid common mistakes, and understand its synonyms and antonyms.
Imagine you’re a detective, trying to get a crucial piece of information from a witness. You ask carefully crafted questions, hoping to draw out the truth.
What you’re doing is attempting to elicit information. Today, we’re exploring the word elicit, a valuable addition to your GRE vocabulary arsenal.
Word type: Elicit is a verb. It’s pronounced ih-LIS-it, with the stress on the second syllable.
Meaning:
Elicit means to draw out or bring forth a response, reaction, or information from someone. It’s about evoking or extracting something, usually information or a reaction, that might not be readily offered.
Word history: The word elicit has Latin roots. It comes from the Latin elicitus, the past participle of elicere, which means to draw out or entice forth.
This Latin word is a combination of e, meaning out, and lacere, meaning to allure or entice.
Antonyms:
Some antonyms of elicit include suppress, conceal, and withhold. While elicit is about bringing something out, these words are about keeping something in or hidden.
Synonyms: Synonyms for elicit include evoke, extract, educe, and draw out. All these words share the idea of bringing forth something that wasn’t initially apparent or offered.
Examples use in sentences: The journalist’s probing questions elicited a surprising confession from the politician.
The beautiful sunset elicited gasps of awe from the tourists. The professor designed the experiment to elicit specific behaviors from the participants.
Common errors in use: One common error is confusing elicit with illicit. While they sound similar, illicit is an adjective meaning illegal or not permitted.
Another mistake is using elicit when extract would be more appropriate for physical objects. Remember, we elicit information or reactions, not tangible items.
To sum up, elicit is a powerful verb that means to draw out or evoke a response. Whether you’re a detective solving a case, a researcher gathering data, or simply trying to get an honest opinion from a friend, understanding how to elicit information effectively is a valuable skill.
Keep this word in your vocabulary toolkit, and you’ll be well-equipped to discuss the art of drawing out responses in your GRE and beyond.
