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