Latin & Greek Root Words
Dr. T. Robyn Wilson
ROOT WORDSWhat are root words?
Words originating from Latin (ancient Rome) and Greek.
Why is it important to learn root words?
Almost every word in English has root words, so this makes it easier to understand a new word and remember how to spell them.
1. photo2. graph3. tele4. meter5. tropic
Roots are word parts.
Build more words with root words.
GREEK DERIVATIVES
• English has built largely on the old Greek roots and still continues to utilize them as foundations upon which to construct new terms.
• In the following table are some words which were derived from the old-time Greek roots
Greek Roots:
ROOT DEFINITION DERIVATIVE
aer air aerostatagon contest antagonistallos another allegoryangelos messenger evangelistanthos flower anthologyanthropos man anthropology
GREEK:
arche rule monarcharistos best aristocracyaster star asteroidatmos vapor atmosphereautos self automobileballo throw symbolbapto dip baptism
GREEK ROOTS:
biblos book bibliomaniabios life amphibiouscheir hand chirographychronos time chronicledaklulos finger dactylicdeka ten decadedemos people epidemic
Greek and Latin Words from Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
arma – weapons, armourdens – a toothdormio – I sleep lumen – lightludo – I playnox – night, darknessnunquam (or numquam) – neverpatronus – a protector or sponsor
Sirius Black Draco Malfoy Sirius is the Latin name for the bright dog star and the title of the Cornhusker tunnel walk song.
Draco is the Latin word for dragon.
Greek letters are still used in math and science today.
th, ph, ch, and ps stand for Greek letters not in our alphabet.
adto
adhesive, adapt, addition
Root word aer-, aero-
Origin Greek
Meaning Air, atmosphere
Example Aeronautics
alaction
removal, referral, disposal
Root word agri-
Origin Greek and Latin
Meaning Field
Example Agriculture
Root word anima-
Origin Latin
Meaning Breathe
Example Animal
Root word ann-
Origin Latin
Meaning Year, yearly
Example Annual
antebefore
antecedent, antebellum
Root word aqu-
Origin Latin
Meaning Water
Example Aquarium
Root word astro-
Origin Greek
Meaning Star
Example Astronomy
astro
starastronomy, astrology, asteroid
Root word aud
Origin Latin
Meaning Hearing, listening, sound
Example Auditorium
audihear
auditory, audience
To hear or listen
• Audio• Audition• auditorium
Root word auto
Origin Greek
Meaning Self
Example Automobile
Root word avi-
Origin Latin
Meaning Bird
Example Aviation
bene
goodbenefit, beneficial
Root word bi-
Origin Latin
Meaning Two
Example Bicycle
Root word bi(o)-
Origin Greek
Meaning Life
Example Biology
Root word cap-
Origin Latin
Meaning Hold, take
Example Capture
To take, catch, hold, receive.
• Recap• Receipt• receive
cedego
precede, recede
Root word cent-
Origin Latin
Meaning Hundred
Example Century
chron
timechronological, synchronize
Root word clar-
Origin Latin
Meaning Clear
Example Clarity
Root word con-
Origin Latin
Meaning with
Example connect
To Believe
• Credit• Incredible• Accredit
To Run Or Go
• Current• Curricular• Cursive• Cursor
Root word cycl
Origin Greek
Meaning Round
Example Bicycle
Root word de-
Origin Latin
Meaning From, away from
Example Delete
de
downdeposit, demolish, deplete
Root word dem-
Origin Greek
Meaning People
Example Democracy
What is a derivation?(pronounced: “dir-ah-va-tion”)
• Derivation means drawing off water from a main stream
From Latin
de: down from, away from+
rivus: brook, stream• English words may be derived or drawn off of
mainstream Greek or Latin roots. Roots may not be spelled the same way all the time.
To Say Or Tell
• Dictionary• Ridiculous• Addiction• Dictator • Prediction
Root word dict-
Origin Latin
Meaning Say, speak
Example Dictation
dictsay, speak
dictionary, predict, contradict
Root word digit-
Origin Latin
Meaning Finger
Example Digital
Root word dorm-
Origin Latin
Meaning Sleep
Example Dormitory
To Lead
ConductEducateProduceIntroduction
Root word eco-
Origin Greek
Meaning House
Example Ecology
et cetera
etc.
What does this term mean?
etc. is a Latin term that
means and so forth
To Make Or Do
• Factory• Fact• Facility
fecmake-do
factory, benefactor, manufacture
fercarry
transfer, infer, ferry
To Bear or Yield
• Conference• Confer• Difference
flectband
reflect, deflect
To Bend Or Curve
• Flexible• Flexibility• Reflex
flex
bandflexible, circumflex
To Bend Or Curve
• Reflect• Reflection• Reflector
Root word form-
Origin Latin
Meaning Shape
Example Formation
To Shape
• Formula• Inform • Perform• Uniform• Transform
Root word frig-
Origin Latin
Meaning Cold
Example Frigid
Root word ge(o)-
Origin Greek
Meaning Earth
Example Geology
graph
• Definition: to write or draw• Example: autograph
heliosun
heliocentric, perihelion
hetero
different
heterogeneous, heterodox
Root word hex-
Origin Greek
Meaning Six
Example Hexagon
homo
samehomonym, homophone
bawl or ball
Root word hydr(o)-
Origin Greek
Meaning Water
Example Hydroponic
hydro
water
dehydrate, hydrate, hydrosphere
imnot
impossible, immature, immeasurable
inter
betweeninternational, interlude, interstellar
-ismdoctrine
capitalism, cubism, Marxism
-izeto make
crystallize, synchronize
ject throweject, projectile
To throw Or lie
• Project• Reject • Eject
Root word juven-
Origin Latin
Meaning Young
Example Juvenile
kinesisDefinition: movement
Examples: kinetic: movement of bodies cinema: motion pictures (movies) telekinesis: moving things without physical contact
Root word kil(o)-
Origin Greek
Meaning Thousand
Example Kilogram
Law
• Legislative• Legislation• Legislate
Root word leg-
Origin Latin
Meaning Law
Example Legal
Root word liber-
Origin Latin
Meaning Free
Example Liberation
mal
baddismal, malady, malignant
Root word manu-
Origin Latin
Meaning Hand
Example Manual
MAN & MANU mean BY HAND Manu=hand
Manual :relating to the hand; manual labor
Chains for the hands: manacles
Manicure : The care of the hands and nails
metron
• Definition: measure
• Examples: thermometer, meter stick,
geometry
To send
• Dismiss• Admission• Dissmissal
neonew
neonatal, neophyte
Root word nov-
Origin Latin
Meaning Nine
Example November
Root word numer-
Origin Latin
Meaning Number
Example Numeral
Root word oct-
Origin Latin and Greek
Meaning Eight
Example Octangular
-ous
full of or likeambidextrous, glorious
paleo
oldPaleolithic, paleomagnetism
pend
hangpendulum, pendant, impending
Foot
• Peddle• Pedometer• Pedicure
To Drive Or Push
• Expel• Propeller• Repellent
Root word pent-
Origin Greek
Meaning Five
Example Pentagon
To Hang Or Weigh
• Dispense• Expense• Expensive• Suspense
Philia (“feel-ya”)
Definition: love, friendship
Examples: Philadelphia, philosopher, Philip, philharmonic, philanthropist
philia
Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia -- city of brotherly love
Root word phob(ia)-
Origin Greek
Meaning Fear
Example Hydrophobia
Root word phos-, phot-
Origin Greek
Meaning Light
Example Photograph
photos
Definition: light
Examples: photograph, photosynthesis
Root word phys-
Origin Greek
Meaning Nature
Example Physics
phobosDefinition: unusual fear
Examples: claustrophobia: fear of closed places acrophobia: fear of heights arachnophobia: fear of spiders myctophobia: fear of darkness suriphobia- fear of mice testophobia- fear of taking tests
To Fold
• Accomplice• Complication• Duplicate
portcarrytransport, import, porter
To Carry
• Airport• Export • Portable• Transport
To Put, Place, or Set.
• Compose• Pose• Opposite
Root word pre-
Origin Latin
Meaning Before
Example Previous
PRIM & PRIME are ROOT-WORDS meaning FIRST
First, as in qualityThe foremost; the best
Root word pseud(o)-
Origin Greek
Meaning False
Example Pseudonym
Root word pyr(o)-
Origin Greek
Meaning Heat, fire
Example Pyrolysis
Root word quadr-
Origin Latin
Meaning Four
Example Quadrangle
Root word quint-
Origin Latin
Meaning Fifth
Example Quintary
Root word re-
Origin Latin
Meaning Again, back
Example Recede
rupt
breakrupture, erupt
To Write
• Describe• Indescribable• Prescribe• Scribble
semihalf
semicircle, semiannual
Root word sept-
Origin Latin
Meaning Seven
Example September
Root word serv-
Origin Latin
Meaning Save, protect, serve
Example Conservation
To Stand
• Assistant• Status• Constant
solalone
solo, solitude, solitaire
stella
starstellar, constellation, interstellar
syn
togetherExamples: synonyms: words that go together symphony: sounds that go together synchronize: do things at the same time synagogue: to bring people together for Jewish worship
present - gift
syntogether
symmetry, symphony
To Break or Burst
• Disrupt• Eruption• Interrupt
To Write
• Scripture• Subscription
To see, watch, or observe
• Aspect• Inspect• Perspective• Suspect
To see, watch, or observe
• Suspicious • Suspicion
To Build
• Construct• Destruction • Instruct• Structure
tele• Definition: far away, distant• Examples: telephone, telescope
To hold
• Contain• Container• Contents
temptime
temporary, contemporary
tempo
timetemporarily, contemporary
To Stretch Or Strain
• Extend• Tendency• Pretend
Root word terr-
Origin Latin
Meaning Dry land, earth
Example Terrain
thesisDefinition: put, place, position
-tionact or state
completion, devastation, production
Root word tri-
Origin Latin and Greek
Meaning Three
Example Triangle
trithree
tricycle, triangle
tropos
• Definition: turning toward something such as the sun
• Examples: Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Tropics
To Turn
• Advertise• Invert• Convert• Vertical
To see
• Visual• Visor• visit
To live
• Survival• Revive• Vitamin
voc
voicevocal, advocate
Using root words guess what the
meaning of these words.
“Dynamics” is used in physics to describe the process of how things work.
Aerodynamics
Hydrodynamics
Air
Water
What does biofuel mean?
Fuel made from living organisms such as corn, sugar and plants.
What does animation mean?
Cartoon