Greek and Latin Stems 6th Grade ELA
Week 1:
Stem:
Ad
Definition of Stem:
Near/toward
Associated Word:
Advocate
Dia
Through/across
Diatribe
Equi
Equal
Equilateral
Tri
Three
Tripod
Hexa
Six
Hexagon
Definition of Word:
Support/speak up for
someone
A bitterly critical
speech/to cut through
someone with your
words
A triangle with three
equal sides
A three-legged
stool/table/stand
A shape with six angles
Joe had to advocate, or speak up for, his friend who was being bullied.
The newspaper article seemed more like a diatribe, a bitterly critical argument, against nuclear power
than an investigation or calm discussion of the issues.
A triangle with three equal sides is called an equilateral triangle.
My friend uses a tripod, or a stand with three legs, to make sure his pictures are in focus.
Her swimming pool with its six sides and six angles looked like a hexagon.
Week 2:
Stem:
Definition of Stem:
Associated Word:
Definition of Word:
Gon
Lat
Angle
Side
Paragon
Latitude
Ex
Oct
Outside
Eight
Exuberant
Octet
Deci
Ten
Decade
Example
Lines running from side
to side on a map
Uncontrollably joyous
A group of eight
people/things
A period of ten years
The student body president is usually a paragon of what it means to be an excellent student because
he/she follows the three Rs and makes good grades.
The equator is a well-known line of latitude on world maps.
Clara was so excited about meeting her favorite actor that she was exuberant.
My dad sings in an octet with seven other people.
At my big sister’s 20th birthday party, we celebrated her being alive for two decades.
Week 3:
Stem:
Definition of Stem:
Associated Word:
Definition of Word:
Circum
Around
Circumspect
Inter
Scrib
Quad
Inside
Write
Four
Interior
Circumscribe
Quadrangle
Uni
One
Universal
Cautious/looking
around before doing
something
The inside of an object
To draw a line around
A shape with four
anglesq
One rule/idea/thing
that applies to all
Since he was certain his little brothers were up to something, George was circumspect when he entered
the room by looking in every corner and under the couch before sitting down.
Interior paint is made for the inside of your house because it cannot handle things like rain and sun
damage.
Football and soccer fields have a line circumscribed to show where the boundaries are.
Squares and rectangles are both quadrangles.
Needing to have a license to drive a car is a universal law in the United States.
Week 4:
Stem:
Meter
Definition of Stem:
Measure
Associated Word:
Metric
Sym
With
Symmetry
Peri
Around
Perimeter
Ob
Poly
Against
Many
Obstinate
Polygon
Definition of Word:
A system of
measurement
When two sides are
equal with each other
The boundary around a
shape
Stubborn
A shape with many
angles
America is the only country in the world that does not use the metric system to measure things.
That flower has perfect symmetry; both sides are the same shape and size.
The camp counselors had to patrol the perimeter of the camp to look for the missing camper.
My two-year-old brother can be really obstinate when mom forces him to eat something he does not
like; no matter what she does, he will not eat it.
Polygons, with their many angles, are way more interesting than circles.
Week 5:
Stem:
Sub
Definition of Stem:
Below
Associated Word:
Subtle
Trans
Hyper
Across
Above
Translucent
Hyperbole
Fore
Before
Foreshadow
Post
After
Postmortem
Definition of Word:
Difficult to
detect/delicate
Lets light through
An over exaggeration
for effect
A hint at events that
will happen later
A discussion after an
event
Her smile was so subtle it was hard to tell that she was joking.
Our dining room curtains are translucent so that the room does not get too dark when they are shut.
When I said that the chili was so hot it set my mouth on fire, I didn’t mean it really set my mouth on fire.
I was using a hyperbole.
The dark clouds on the horizon foreshadowed a major storm later in the day.
After the play, my class stayed and had a postmortem with the actors and director where we each were
given the chance to ask one question.
Week 6:
Stem:
Pro
Retro
Definition of Stem:
Forward
Backwards
Associated Word:
Provoke
Retrospection
Hypo
Under
Hypocrite
Re
Back/again
Redundant
Se
Apart/away
Seclusion
Definition of Word:
To stir up anger
To look back at past
events
Someone who doesn’t
practice what he
preaches
Repeating words or
ideas
Separation from other
people
Sometimes I do things that I know will get on my big sister’s nerves just to provoke her.
The television special that reflected on all of the best parts the actor had played was a nice
retrospection of his career.
Charles, the head of the anti-bullying club, was being a hypocrite when he bullied the new kid in gym
class.
It is redundant to say “freeze, do not move.”
The hermit who lived by himself in a cabin in the middle of the woods loved living in seclusion.
Week 7:
Stem:
Extra
Co
Definition of Stem:
Excessive
With/together
Associated Word:
Extraneous
Coerce
Anti
Contra
Against
Against
Antagonist
Contradict
Bi
Two
Bilateral
Definition of Word:
Extra/unneeded
To use threats or force
to get someone to do
something.
The bad guy in a story
To go against what
someone says
Two-sided
My purse always has extraneous stuff in it like an extra hairbrush, old receipts, and expired coupons.
Darla coerced Mary into giving the answers to her math homework by threatening to tell Mary’s crush
that she liked him.
Voldemort is the antagonist in the Harry Potter books.
When my dad said that I could have a friend over for dinner, he contradicted what my mom had said
about not inviting anyone over today.
Japan and the United States reached a bilateral agreement when both sides decided to end illegal
whaling.
Week 8:
Stem:
Penta
Mono
Definition of Stem:
Five
One
Associated Word:
Pentagram
Monologue
Inter
Between/among
Interrelated
Para
Epi
Beside
On/beside/among
Paradigm
Epicenter
Definition of Word:
A shape with five points
A long speech by one
person
When two things share
a connection between
them
An example or model
The central point of
something
Because it has five angles and five sides, the government building, the Pentagon, can be considered a
pentagram.
I was so nervous in drama class when I had to recite the five minute monologue by myself in front of the
entire class.
Sports Illustrated and ESPN Magazine are interrelated because both magazines are about sports.
Because so many kids who want to become famous athletes look up to Michael Jordan, he has become a
paradigm for young athletes.
Unlike the guest bedroom that hardly anyone uses, the kitchen is the epicenter of activity in our house.
Week 9:
Stem:
Foli
Mitt
Manu
Definition of Stem:
Leaf
To send
Hand
Associated Word:
Foliage
Intermittent
Manufacture
Mal
Gen
Bad
Birth/origin
Malicious
Genetic
Definition of Word:
A group of leaves
Occurring at intervals
To make something on
a large scale
Evil
Having to do with genes
In the Fall, when the leaves turn gold and red, many tourists will drive to the mountains to see the
colorful foliage.
The boat sounded intermittent blasts from its horn that occurred about once every five minutes.
The Champion Paper Mill in Canton used to manufacture a variety of colored copy paper.
Ghost stories about malicious spirits that try to harm people always give me nightmares.
Eye color is genetic, that is, your parents’ genes determine what color eyes you will have.
Week 10:
Stem:
Geo
Definition of Stem:
Earth
Associated Word:
Geography
Ped
Astr
Aqua
Mot
Foot
Star
Water
Move
Pedestrian
Astronomical
Aquatic
Motive
Definition of Word:
Study of the earth’s
landforms
One who travels on foot
Extremely large
Having to do with water
The reason behind
someone’s actions
Geography, the study of the earth’s landforms, is one strand of social studies that we will learn this year.
Instead of riding a bike or a car, Joe decided to be a pedestrian today.
My mom says that we can’t afford to buy clothes from Abercrombie and Fitch because their prices are
astronomical.
Because they live in the water, whales are considered aquatic mammals.
Discovering someone’s motives can be tricky because most people do not even know why they do what
they do.
Week 11:
Stem:
Cap
Definition of Stem:
Head
Associated Word:
Caption
Mater
Mother
Maternity
Pater
Father
Patronize
Bene
Ject
Good
Throw
Benevolent
Interject
Definition of Word:
A title/explanation of an
article, illustration, or
poster
Having to do with
motherhood
To act like a patron,
protect or support
Kindhearted/generous
To interrupt a
conversation between
people/to throw in a
comment
I think the caption on this picture is wrong. It says that the picture is a type of dog, but it looks like a
giraffe to me.
In the hospital, babies are born on the maternity ward.
The “Buy Local” stickers I see all over Asheville are asking people to patronize locally owned stores.
Joe didn’t give a large amount of money to the Eblen Foundation in order to get his name in the
newspaper; he did it for more benevolent reasons.
My annoying little sister always tries to interject or interrupt when mom and I are talking.
Week 12:
Stem:
Flam
Prim
Definition of Stem:
Fire
First
Associated Word:
Flammable
Primordial
Volv/volut
Turn
Convoluted
Cor
Heart
Discord
Reg
Rule
Regulate
Definition of Word:
Can catch on fire
Formed long
ago/primitive
Twisted
together/confusing
To have an
argument/disagree
To apply a rule
Lighter fluid should not be kept in the house because it is highly flammable.
The layer of rock at the bottom of the canyon revealed primordial fossils.
I had a hard time putting together the bookcase because the fifteen page instruction booklet was
convoluted.
Penny agrees with whatever anyone says because she wants to avoid discord.
When the hallways became too crowded during class change, the teachers had to regulate them by only
allowing half the class to leave at a time.
Week 13:
Stem:
Dict
Cred
Sci
Alter
In
Definition of Stem:
To say
Believe
To know
Other
Not
Associated Word:
Diction
Incredulous
Omniscient
Altercation
Indict
Definition of Word:
How one talks
Does not believe easily
One who knows all
A noisy argument
To accuse someone
My father always tells me to use proper diction when I am talking to someone in authority.
Unlike her cousin who believed that fairies lived in her backyard, the little girl was incredulous.
An omniscient narrator in a story can see the thoughts and feelings of all characters, not just the
protagonist.
The noise from the two birds’ altercation over a worm outside my window woke me up this morning.
The government indicted the spy when they suspected he was giving government secrets to China.
Week 14:
Stem:
Pre
Definition of Stem:
Before
Associated Word:
Predecessor
Path
Feeling
Apathy
Sol
Arch
Alone
Chief/first
Solitary
Archrival
Brev
Short
Brevity
Definition of Word:
Person who was in a
job/position before you
To have no feelings for
something
To be alone
Biggest
enemy/competition
Briefness/conciseness
When Maria became captain of the soccer team, she was given a stack of play books from her
predecessor, Alice, who was the captain the year before.
Unlike the excitement Anthony felt when he watched Iron Man 3, he felt nothing but apathy for the new
One Direction movie.
I wanted to have some alone time, so I took a solitary walk in the woods.
Duke is UNC’s archrival.
Since it takes my friend thirty minutes to explain the movie she just saw, clearly brevity is not her
strength.
Week 15:
Stem:
Chrono
Definition of Stem:
Time
Associated Word:
Synchronize
Loqu
Talk
Eloquent
Definition of Word:
Happening at the same
time
To speak well
Nym
Tude
Ize
Name
State of
Make
Pseudonym
Solitude
Synthesize
A fake name
The state of being alone
To bring different things
together to make
something new
My dad and I synchronized our watches so that we would meet up at the same time.
People who speak well are often called eloquent.
I heard that JK Rowling just wrote a book under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith.
Unlike my sister who enjoys having people around her all the time, my brother prefers to have solitude.
Tony had to synthesize information from a dozen different sources to write his research paper about sea
horses.
Week 16:
Stem:
Rat
Definition of Stem:
Think
Associated Word:
Rationalize
Par
Val
Gress
Equal
Worth
Step
Disparate
Equivalent
Digress
Im
Not
Impede
Definition of Word:
To make something
make sense
Different
Equal value
To move away from the
main point when
writing or speaking
To get in the way
My mom asked me to rationalize my behavior when I lied to her about failing my math test.
The United States and Italy are disparate countries; they have many differences.
The sign says that if you buy one pair of shoes you can get an equivalent pair for free.
I was following the speech until the speaker digressed to another topic, and then I became a little lost.
The dust storm impeded the caravan’s progress through the desert.
Week 17:
Stem:
Pot
Tempo
Definition of Stem:
Power
Time
Associated Word:
Omnipotent
Extemporaneous
Vers
Turn
Aversion
Tain
Fid
Hold
Faith/trust
Retain
Fidelity
Definition of Word:
All-powerful
To do something
without planning
Having a strong dislike
of
To keep possession of
Faithfulness/loyalty
The super hero villain claimed to be omnipotent but was no match for Spiderman’s powers.
Since I forgot to plan for my presentation today, I had to give an extemporaneous speech.
I think pickles are gross. I have an aversion to them.
The lady at the store made me leave my book bag at the door however she let me retain my purse since
it had my wallet in it.
The king insisted that all of his knights take an oath to prove their fidelity to the kingdom.
Week 18:
Stem:
Ity
Definition of Stem:
Condition/quality
Associated Word:
Proximity
Ist
Expert
Pacifist
Ion
Result/process
Jubilation
Ous
Ic
Full of
Like/similar
Perilous
Eccentric
Definition of Word:
Closeness/being near
something
Someone who refuses
to fight
A celebration that is a
result of joy
Full of danger
Different from most in
personality/behavior
The jet in front of Enka Middle School is in proximity to the school because it is so close to the building.
People who refuse to fight in wars are called pacifists.
When the teacher announced that there would be no homework this week, the class erupted in
jubilation.
Walking through the woods at night without a flashlight can be a perilous journey.
Because of her unusual costumes and stage sets, many people consider Lady Gaga to be a bit eccentric.
Week 19:
Stem:
Less
Ly
Definition of Stem:
Without
Like
Associated Word:
Restless
Erratically
Some
Same as
Meddlesome
Ment
Process/result
Attainment
Ship
Status/skill
Internship
Definition of Word:
Without rest
To move in an
unpredictable way
Acting the same as a
nosy person
The result of achieving a
goal
To work as an intern/to
learn a job by training in
that environment
I am always restless the night before my birthday and I usually don’t get much sleep.
The bee flew erratically around the room making it hard to catch.
My meddlesome neighbor often eavesdrops on our family cookouts and watches when we come and go.
The athlete’s gold medal was his attainment for years of hard work and sacrifice.
Many careers require that you complete an internship so that you have experience in the field before
you begin.
Week 20:
Stem:
Spec
Definition of Stem:
Look/see
Associated Word:
Perspective
Viv
Min
Tact
Life
Small
Touch/feel
Vivacious
Miniscule
Tactile
Tort
Twist
Contort
Definition of Word:
An outlook or way of
seeing
Lively/active/full of life
Very small
Relating to the sense of
touch
To bend out of shape
My father always told me that before I judged anyone I should try to see things from that person’s
perspective.
The vivacious puppy ran around and around the room, rolled in the middle of the floor and then jumped
on Perry’s lap.
The ant was so miniscule that I could hardly see it.
Babies love tactile toys that have many different kinds of textures and fabrics for them to touch.
Jerry had to contort himself to squeeze through the hole in the fence.
Week 21:
Stem:
Fort
Rect
Definition of Stem:
Strong
Straight
Associated Word:
Fortitude
Rectify
Sta
Ify
Stand
To make
Stagnant
Fortify
Graph
Write
Biography
Definition of Word:
Courage/strength
To make something
right
Motionless/unchanging
To make something
strong
The written story of
someone’s life
My cousin said that boot camp for the Marines really tested his fortitude.
Since I had hurt my friend’s feelings by laughing at her new hairstyle, I tried to rectify it by bringing her
an ice cream cone and apologizing.
Unlike the rushing stream by my house, my Grandmother’s pond it quite stagnant.
People often nail plywood over their windows before a hurricane to fortify their house.
I enjoyed Joe White’s biography on Abraham Lincoln; I learned so many new and interesting things
about his life.