ROOT WORDS

act, ag: do, act, drive
o Latin, agere: to drive, lead, act,
do
o active (adjective): moving
about

am, ami: love, like
o Latin, amare: to love
o amorous (adjective): loving

anim: mind, life, spirit, anger
o Latin, animus: spirit
o animal (noun): a living
creature

annu, enni: yearly
o Latin, annuus: yearly
o annual (adjective): yearly

auc, aug, aut: to originate, to increase
o Latin, augere: to originate,
increase
o augment (verb): to increase, to
add to
o
o
Latin, clamare: to call out,
shout
clamor (verb): to make noise

cogn, gnos: know to know
o Latin, cognoscere: to know
o recognize (verb): to know, to
identify

corp: body
o Latin, corpus: body
o corporate (adjective): formed
into a body or association,
united in one group

cre, cresc, cret: grow
o Latin, crescere: to grow
o create (verb): to originate, to
produce through imagination

cred: trust, believe
o Latin, credere: to believe
o incredible (adjective):
unbelievable

aud, audit, aur: hear
o Latin, audire: to hear
o audible (adjective): can be
heard

cour, cur, curr, curs: run, course
o Latin, currere: run
o occur (verb): to happen, to
come to mind

bene, ben: good, well, gentle
o Latin, bene: good
o benign (adjective): harmless,
mild, gentle

dic, dict, dit: say, speak
o Latin, dicere: to say
o indicate (verb): to show, to
point out

bio, bi: life
o Greek, bios: life
o biography (noun): a book
written about a person's life

doc, doct: teach, prove
o Latin, docere: to teach
o docile (adjective): obedient,
easily taught

bibli, biblio: book
o Greek, biblion: book
o bibliophile (noun): a person
who likes or collects books

dog, dox: thought, idea
o Greek, dokein: seem, think
o dogma (noun): an established
opinion

brev: short
o Latin, brevis: short
o abbreviate (verb): to shorten

dec, dign: suitable
o Latin, decere: to be suitable
o decent (adjective): conforming
to standards, suitable, good

cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid: to take, to
seize, to hold
o Latin, capere: to seize
o receive (verb): to take in, to
acquire

duc, duct**: lead
o Latin, ducere: to draw or lead
o conduct (verb): to lead or
guide
(noun) - a person's behavior
o ** ducere is one of the most
prolific sources of English
words

ev, et: time, age
o Latin, aevum: lifetime
o medieval (adjective): related to
the Middle Ages (500 - 1500
AD)

fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea: make do, do
o Latin, facere - make, do
o difficult (noun): hard to do,
troublesome
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ceas, cede, ceed, cess: go, yield
o Latin, cedere: to go
o exceed (verb): to go beyond a
limit, to be greater than
chron: time
o Greek, khronos: time
o chronological (adjective):
arranged in order of time or
sequence
clam, claim: shout

fer: bear, carry
o Latin, ferre: bear, carry
o infer (verb): to come to a
conclusion from looking at
facts, to guess

fict, feign, fain: shape, make, fashion
o Latin, fingere: shape, make
o fiction (noun): something
produced from imagination, an
invented story

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fid: belief, faith
o Latin, fidere: to trust
o confide (verb): to trust, to trust
another person with a secret
fig: shape, form
o Latin, figura: form, shape,
figure
o figurem (noun): shape, pattern,
drawing
(verb) - decide, plan, decipher

jac, ject, jet: to throw
o Latin, jacere: to throw, to lie
o reject (verb): to throw out,
unwilling to accept

jug, junct, just: to join
o Latin, jungere: to join
o junction (noun): a place at
which two things join

lex, leag, leg: law
o Latin, lex: law
o legal (adjective): based on law

lect, leg, lig: choose, gather, select, read
o Latin, legere: to choose
o collect (verb): to gather, to
bring together

loc: place, area
o Latin, locare: to place
o location (noun): a place, a
position occupied

flu, fluct, flux: flow
o Latin, fluere: to flow
o fluid (adjective): capable of
flowing, a smooth easy style
(noun) - a liquid

log: say, speech, word, reason, study
o Greek, logos: speech, word,
reason
o logic (noun): the study of
reason, reasoning

form: shape
o Latin, forma: beauty, shape,
form
o format (noun): the shape and
size of something


fract, frag, frai: break
o Latin, frangere: to break
o frail (adjective): easily broken,
not strong, weak
luc, lum, lust: light
o Latin, lucare: shine
o Latin, lumen: light
o Latin, lustrare: light-up
o translucent (adjective):
permitting some light to come
through

man: hand, make, do
o Latin, manus: hand
o manage (verb): to handle with
skill, to be able to do

geo: earth
o Greek, ge: earth
o geography (noun): a science
that describes the earth's
surface
mem: recall, remember
o Latin, memor: mindful
o memory (noun): the ability to
recall or to bring to mind

ment: mind
o Latin, mens: mind
o mental (adjective): related to
the mind
gor: to gather, to bring together
o Greek, ageirin: to gather
o category (noun): a class or set
in which a thing is placed

min: little, small
o Latin, minuere: to lessen
o minor (adjective): less
important, lesser
grad, gress, gree: step, go, move
o Latin, gradus: step
o degree (noun): a step or stage
in a process

mit, miss: send
o Latin, mittere: put, send
o admit (verb): to accept, to
allow entry

mob, mov, mot: move
o Latin, movere: move
o motion (noun): act of moving,
action

nasc, nat, gnant, nai: to be born
o Latin, nasci to be born
o nascent (adjective) - just born
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gen, gin: to give birth, kind
o Greek, genus: birth
o generate (verb): to produce, to
create
graph, graf: write, draw
o Greek, graphein: write,
scratch, carve
o graphic (adjective): written,
drawn, vividly shown
her, hes: to stick
o Latin, haerere: to stick
o adhere (verb): to stick


o
import (verb): to bring in from
a foreign country
nom, nym: name
o Latin, nomen: name
o nominate (verb): to name for
office

nov: new
o latin, novus: new
o novice (noun): a beginner or
newcomer
pli, ply: fold
o Latin, plicare: fold
o reply (verb): to respond, to
answer

pon, pos: put, place
o Latin, ponere: to lay down,
put, place
o postpone (verb): to put off to a
later time

psych: mind
o Greek, psukhe: soul, spirit
o psychology (noun): study of
how the mind works

oper: work
o Latin, opus: work
o operate (verb): to work, to
perform

pat, pass: feel, suffer
o Latin, pati: suffer
o passion (noun): a strong
feeling or emotion


path: feel
o Greek, pathos: feeling
o sympathy (noun): sharing
another person's feelings
quir, quis, quest, quer: seek, ask
o Latin, quaerere: seek, ask
o query (verb): to ask questions

ped: foot
o Latin, pes: foot
o impede (verb): to hinder, to
slow down
rupt: break
o Latin, rumpere: break
o rupture (verb): to break or
burst

sci, scio: to know
o Latin, scire: to know
o conscious (adjective): aware,
having knowledge of oneself

scrib, scrip: write
o Latin, scribere: to write
o script (noun): handwriting,
something written

sent, sens: feel, think
o Latin, sentire: feel
o sentiment (noun): a thought
prompted by feeling

sequ, secut, sue: follow
o Latin, sequi: to follow
o sequence (noun): a continuous
series

sist: to withstand, make up
o Latin, sistere: to make a stand
o insist (verb): to be firm about
something needed, to demand

soci: to join, companions
o Latin, sociare, socius: to join,
a companion
o sociable (adjective): inclined to
seek friendship,
companionship
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pod: foot
o Greek, pous: foot
o podium (noun): a platform, an
area raised above the
surrounding ground
pel, puls: drive, push
o Latin, pellere: to drive, push,
beat
o repel (verb): to drive away or
push back
pend, pond: to hang, weigh
o Latin, pendere: to hang, to
weigh
o append (verb): to add or
correct
phan, phas, phen, fan, phant, fant:
show, make visible
o Greek, phainein: show
o phantom (noun): something
seen but having no physical
existence, a ghost

phil: love
o Greek, philos: loving
o philosopher (noun): a person
who seeks (loves) wisdom

phon: sound
o Greek, phone: voice, sound
o phonetic (adjective): related to
speech sounds

sol: alone
o Latin, solus: alone, single
o solitary (adjective): being
alone

pict: paint, show, draw
o Latin, pingere: to paint
o picture (verb): to paint or draw

solv, solu, solut: loosen, explain
o Latin, solvere: too loosen,
release
o solve (verb): to find an answer

port: carry
o Latin, portare: carry

spec, spi, spic, spect: look

tract, trai, treat: pull, draw
o Latin, trahere: pull
o attract (verb): to draw toward,
to arouse interest
spir: breath, soul
o Latin, spirare: breathe
o respiration (noun): breathing

stab, stat: stand
o Latin, stare: to stand
o stature (noun) - height of a
standing body, importance of
position
uni: one
o Latin, unus: one
o unite (verb): to make one, to
join together

vac: empty
o Latin, vacare: to be empty
o vacant (adjective): empty, not
occupied

ven, vent: come
o Latin, venire: to come
o convene (verb): to assemble, to
come together
o
o
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Latin, specere: look, look at
spectator (noun): a person who
watches
strain, strict, string, stige: bind, pull
o Latin, stringere: to bind or pull
tight
o constrict (verb) - to squeeze, to
make narrow

stru, struct, stroy: build
o Latin, struere: to build
o destroy (verb): to ruin, to pull
down

ver: true
o Latin, venus: true
o verify (verb): to confirm that
something is true

tact, tang, tig, ting: touch
o Latin, tangere: to touch
o tactile (adjective): related to
the sense of touch

verb, verv: word
o Latin, verbum: word
o verbalize (verb): to express in
words, to put into words

tele: far away
o Greek, telos: end
o telepathy (noun):
communication from one mind
to another without verbal or
written communication

vers, vert: turn,change
o Latin, versare: to turn
o versatile (adjective): capable of
changing or adapting, useful

vid, vie, vis: see
o Latin, videre: to see; Latin,
videre: to separate
o visible (adjective): able to be
seen
o divide (verb): to separate

tend, tens: stretch
o Latin, tendere: to stretch
o contend (verb): to strive or
reach for, to argue

tain, ten, tent, tin: hold, keep, have
o Latin, tenere: to hold
o retain (verb): to keep, to hold
in place

vit, viv: live
o Latin, vivere: to live
o vital (adjective) - necessary for
life

term: end, boundary, limit
o Latin, terminusm: limit,
boundary
o exterminate (verb): to kill off,
to get rid of

voc, voke: call
o Latin, vocare: call, voice
o vocal (adjective): spoken or
uttered by the voice
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terr: earth
o Latin, terra: earth
o territory (noun): area of land
volv, volt, vol: roll, turn
o Latin, volvere: to roll, turn
o revolve (verb): to turn around

test: see, witness
o Latin, testis: witness
o attest (verb): to provide proof,
to say something is true

therm: heat
o Greek, therme: heat
o thermometer (noun): a device
for measuring heat

tor, tors, tort: twist
o Latin, torquere: twist
o torsion (noun): twisting of the
body