Understanding ‘Parallel’: A Key SAT Vocabulary Word
Learn about the word ‘parallel’ for your SAT prep. This video covers its meaning as an adjective, noun, and verb, its Greek origins, synonyms, antonyms, and common usage examples. Avoid confusion with ‘perpendicular’ and improve your vocabulary skills.
Imagine two train tracks stretching into the distance, never meeting. This is a perfect example of parallel lines, and today we’re exploring the word parallel, a term you’ll likely encounter on your SAT.
Word type: Parallel is primarily used as an adjective, though it can also function as a noun or verb in certain contexts.
Meaning: Parallel describes things that are side by side and having the same distance continuously between them.
In a broader sense, it can mean similar, analogous, or corresponding.
Word history: The word parallel comes from the Greek word parallelos, which combines para, meaning beside, and allelos, meaning one another.
It entered the English language in the late 16th century through Latin and French. Synonyms for parallel include aligned, equidistant, and concurrent.
Some antonyms are perpendicular, intersecting, and divergent. Let’s look at some examples of parallel in sentences.
In geometry, we might say, The two lines are parallel and will never intersect. In a more figurative sense, The career paths of the twin sisters ran parallel, both becoming successful attorneys.
A common error in using parallel is confusing it with perpendicular. While parallel lines never meet, perpendicular lines intersect at right angles.
Another mistake is using parallel when comparing dissimilar things. For instance, it would be incorrect to say, The taste of an apple is parallel to the color red.
Understanding parallel and using it correctly can enhance your vocabulary and writing skills. Whether you’re describing geometric shapes, comparing ideas, or discussing similarities, parallel is a versatile word that can add precision to your language.
As you prepare for the SAT, keep this word in your arsenal, ready to deploy when you need to describe things that are side by side, similar, or running a corresponding course.
