Rhetorical Terms and Common Greek and Latin
Roots
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Alliteration: The repetition of the same sound or letter at the
beginning of consecutive words or syllables.
Allusion: An indirect reference, often to another text or an
historic event.
Analogy: An extended comparison between two seemingly
dissimilar things.
Anaphora: The repetition of words at the beginning of
successive clauses.
Anecdote: A short account of an interesting event.
Annotation: Explanatory or critical notes added to a text.
Antecedent: The noun to which a later pronoun refers.
Antimetabole: The repetition of words in an inverted order
to sharpen a contrast.
Antithesis: Parallel structure that juxtaposes contrasting
ideas.
Aphorism: A short, astute statement of a general truth.
Appositive: A word or phrase that renames a nearby noun
or pronoun.
Archaic diction: The use of words common to an earlier
time period; antiquated language.
Argument: A statement put forth and supported by
evidence.
Aristotelian triangle: A diagram that represents a rhetorical
situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject,
and the audience (see rhetorical triangle).
15. Assertion: An emphatic statement; declaration. An assertion
supported by evidence becomes an argument.
16. Assumption: A belief or statement taken for granted
without proof.
17. Asyndeton: Leaving out conjunctions between words,
phrases, clauses.
18. Attitude: The speaker’s position on a subject as revealed
through his or her tone.
19. Audience: One’s listener or readership; those to whom a
speech or piece of writing is addressed.
20. Bias: Prejudice or predisposition toward one side of a
subject or issue.
21. Cite: Identifying a part of a piece of writing as being
derived from a source.
22. Claim: An assertion, usually supported by evidence.
23. Close reading: A careful reading that is attentive to
organization, figurative language, sentence structure,
vocabulary, and other literary and structural elements of a
text.
24. Colloquial/ism: An informal or conversational use of
language.
25. Common ground: Shared beliefs, values, or positions.
26. Complex sentence: A sentence that includes one
independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
27. Concession: A reluctant acknowledgment or yielding.
28. Connotation: That which is implied by a word, as opposed
to the word’s literal meaning (see denotation).
29. Context: Words, events, or circumstances that help
determine meaning.
30. Coordination: Grammatical equivalence between parts of a
sentence, often through a coordinating conjunction such as
and, or but.
31. Counterargument: A challenge to a position; an opposing
argument.
1
57. Parody: A piece that imitates and exaggerates the
prominent features of another; used for comic effect or
ridicule.
58. Pathos: A Greek term that refers to suffering but has come
to be associated with broader appeals to emotion; one of
Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals (see ethos and logos).
59. Persona: The speaker, voice, or character assumed by the
author of a piece of writing.
60. Personification: Assigning lifelike characteristics to
inanimate objects.
61. Polemic: An argument against an idea, usually regarding
philosophy, politics, or religion.
62. Polysyndeton: The deliberate use of a series of
conjunctions.
63. Premise: major, minor Two parts of a syllogism. The
concluding sentence of a syllogism takes its predicate from
the major premise and its subject from the minor premise.
64. Major premise: All mammals are warm-blooded.
65. Minor premise: All horses are mammals.
66. Conclusion: All horses are warm-blooded (see syllogism).
67. Propaganda: A negative term for writing designed to sway
opinion rather than present information.
68. Purpose: One’s intention or objective in a speech or piece
of writing.
69. Refute: To discredit an argument, particularly a
counterargument.
70. Rhetoric: The study of effective, persuasive language use;
according to Aristotle, use of the “available means of
persuasion.”
71. Rhetorical modes: Patterns of organization developed to
achieve a specific purpose; modes include but are not
limited to narration, description, comparison and contrast,
cause and effect, definition, exemplification, classification
and division, process analysis, and argumentation.
72. Rhetorical question: A question asked more to produce an
effect than to summon an answer.
73. Rhetorical triangle: A diagram that represents a rhetorical
situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject,
and the audience (see Aristotelian triangle).
74. Satire: An ironic, sarcastic, or witty composition that
claims to argue for something, but actually argues against
it.
75. Scheme: A pattern of words or sentence construction used
for rhetorical effect.
76. Sentence patterns: The arrangement of independent and
dependent clauses into known sentence constructions—
such as simple, compound, complex, or compoundcomplex.
77. Sentence variety: Using a variety of sentence patterns to
create a desired effect.
78. Simile: A figure of speech that uses “like” or “as” to
compare two things.
79. Simple sentence: A statement containing a subject and
predicate; an independent clause.
80. Source: A book, article, person, or other resource consulted
for information.
81. Speaker: A term used for the author, speaker, or the person
whose perspective (real or imagined) is being advanced in a
speech or piece of writing.
32. Cumulative sentence An independent clause followed by
subordinate clauses or phrases that supply additional detail.
33. Declarative sentence: A sentence that makes a statement.
34. Deduction: Reasoning from general to specific.
35. Denotation: The literal meaning of a word; its dictionary
definition.
36. Diction: Word choice.
37. Documentation: Bibliographic information about the
sources used in a piece of writing.
38. Elegiac: Mournful over what has passed or been lost; often
used to describe tone.
39. Epigram: A brief witty statement.
40. Ethos: A Greek term referring to the character of a person;
one of Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals (see logos and
pathos).
41. Figurative language: The use of tropes or figures of speech;
going beyond literal meaning to achieve literary effect.
42. Figure of speech: An expression that strives for literary
effect rather than conveying a literal meaning.
43. Hyperbole: Exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis.
44. Imagery: Vivid use of language that evokes a reader’s
senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing).
45. Imperative sentence: A sentence that requests or
commands.
46. Induction: Reasoning from specific to general.
47. Inversion: A sentence in which the verb precedes the
subject.
48. Irony: A contradiction between what is said and what is
meant; incongruity between action and result.
49. Juxtaposition: Placement of two things side by side for
emphasis.
50. Logos: A Greek term that means “word”; an appeal to
logic; one of Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals (see ethos
and pathos) .
51. Metaphor: A figure of speech or trope through which one
thing is spoken of as though it were something else, thus
making an implicit comparison.
52. Metonymy: Use of an aspect of something to represent the
whole.
53. Occasion: An aspect of context; the cause or reason for
writing.
54. Oxymoron: A figure of speech that combines two
contradictory terms.
55. Paradox: A statement that seems contradictory but is
actually true.
56. Parallelism: The repetition of similar grammatical or
syntactical patterns.
82. Straw man: A logical fallacy that involves the creation of
an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking
an opponent’s position.
83. Style: The distinctive quality of speech or writing created
by the selection and arrangement of words and figures of
speech.
84. Subject: In rhetoric, the topic addressed in a piece of
writing.
85. Subordinate clause: Created by a subordinating
conjunction, a clause that modifies an independent clause.
86. Subordination: The dependence of one syntactical element
on another in a sentence.
87. Syllogism: A form of deductive reasoning in which the
conclusion is supported by a major and minor premise (see
premise; major, and minor).
88. Syntax: Sentence structure.
89. Synthesize: Combining or bringing together two or more
elements to produce something more complex.
90. Thesis: The central idea in a work to which all parts of the
work refer.
91. Thesis statement: A statement of the central idea in a work,
may be explicit or implicit.
92. Tone: The speaker’s attitude toward the subject or
audience.
93. Topic sentence: A sentence, most often appearing at the
beginning of a paragraph, that announces the paragraph’s
idea and often unites it with the work’s thesis.
94. Trope: Artful diction; the use of language in a nonliteral
way; also called a figure of speech.
95. Understatement: Lack of emphasis in a statement or point;
restraint in language often used for ironic effect.
96. Voice: In grammar, a term for the relationship between a
verb and a noun (active or passive voice). In rhetoric, a
distinctive quality in the style and tone of writing.
97. Zeugma: A construction in which one word (usually a verb)
modifies or governs—often in different, sometimes
incongruent ways—two or more words in a sentence.
Become familiar with these terms as this is the first step in
a long journey to developing a new skill. There is very little
“memorization” needed, but you will need to establish
good habits of focused and concentrated reading in
preparation for this class. There are no shortcuts!
Greek roots are indicated with (g) and Latin roots with (l).
ROOT
MEANING
EXAMPLES
act (l)
agri (l)
alt (l)
alter (l)
ambul (l)
ambi or amphi (l)
amo, ami (l)
ang (l)
anim (l)
ann, enn (l)
anthr (g)
apt, ept (l)
do
field
high
other
walk, go
both, around
love
bend
life, spirit
year
man
suitable
action, actor, react, transact, enact
agriculture, agrarian, agronomy
altitude, altimeter, alto
alternate, alternative, altercation
ambulance, amble, preamble
ambidextrous, amphibian
amiable, amorous, amateur, amity
angle, triangle, quadrangle, angular
animate, animosity, animal, inanimate
annual, biennial, anniversary, annuity
anthropology, philanthropist
aptitude, inept, adept, apt
2
aqua (l)
arch (g)
arch (g)
art (l)
ast (g)
aud (l)
auto (g)
water
chief
primitive, ancient
skill
star
hear
self
aquarium, aquatic, aquamarine
monarch, archbishop, archenemy
archaeology, archaic, archive
artisan, artist, artificial, artifact
astronaut, astronomy, disaster, asterisk
audience, auditorium audiovisual, audible
automatic, autobiography
belli (l)
ben (l)
biblio (g)
bio (g)
brev (l)
war
good
book
life
short
bellicose, antebellum, belligerent, rebellion
benevolent, beneficial, benediction
bibliography, Bible
biology, biography, biochemistry, biopsy
abbreviation, brevity
cam (l)
cand (l)
cap (l)
cede, ceed (l)
ceive, cept (l)
centr (l)
cert (l)
cess (l)
chron (g)
cide, cise (l)
cip (l)
circ (l)
claim (l)
clar (l)
cline (l)
clud (l)
cogn (l)
commum (l)
cord (l)
field
glow, white
head
go, yield
take, receive
center
sure
go, yield
time
cut, kill
take, receive
around, circle
shout
clear
lean
shut
know
common
heart
camp, campus, campaign
candle, candidate, incandescent
cap, captain, capital, decapitate
proceed, exceed, succeed, concede
receive, reception, accept, conception
central, centrifugal, egocentric, eccentric
certain, certify, ascertain, certificate
process, recess, access, cessation
chronological, synchronize, chronicle
suicide, scissors, incision, insecticide
recipient, incipient, participate, recipe
circulation, circumvent
proclaim, exclaim, acclaim, clamor
clarity, declare, clarify, declaration
incline, recline, decline, inclination
include, conclude, exclude, seclude
recognize, cognition, incognito
community, communicate, communism
cordial, accord, concord, discord
ROOT
MEANING
EXAMPLES
corp (l)
cosm (g)
cred (l)
crat (g)
cred (l)
cur (l)
cur (l)
cycl (g)
body
universe
believe
rule
believe
care
run
circle, ring
corporation, corpus, corpse, corps
cosmos, cosmopolitan, microcosm
credible, incredible, credo
democrat, aristocrat, bureaucracy
credit, discredit, incredible
cure, manicure, curable
current, occur, excursion
bicycle, cycle, encyclopedia
dem (g)
dent (l)
dic ( l)
div (l)
doc (l)
don, donat (l)
people
tooth
speak
divide
teach
give
democrat, epidemic, demography
dentist, trident, indent
dictate, predict, verdict, contradict
divide, divorce, dividend
doctrine, document, doctor
donation, donor, pardon, donate
3
duc (l)
lead
duct, conduct, educate, induct
fac (l)
fer (l)
fic (l)
fid (l)
fig (l)
flect (l)
flex (l)
form (l)
fract (l)
frag (l)
frater (l)
fric (l)
fug (l)
function (l)
make, do
bear, carry
make, do
faith
form
bend
bend
shape
break
break
brother
rub
flee
perform
factory, benefactor, facsimile
transfer, ferry, infer, refer
efficient, proficient, sufficient
fidelity, confidence, bona fide
figure, configuration, disfigure
reflect, reflection, deflect
reflex, flexible
form, uniform, transform, reform
fracture, fraction
fragment, fragile
fraternal, fraternity, fratricide
friction, dentifrice
fugitive, refugee, centrifugal, refuge
function, malfunction, dysfunctional
gam (g)
gen (g)
geo (g)
gon (g)
grad (l)
gram (g)
graph (g)
grat (l)
greg (l)
marriage
birth, race
earth
angle
step, stage
letter, written
write
pleasing
gather
polygamy, monogamy, bigamy
generation, genocide, genealogy
geography, geometry, geology
pentagon, octagon, diagonal
grade, gradual, graduation
telegram, diagram, grammar
telegraph, photograph, autograph
gratitude, congratulate, ungrateful
gregarious, congregation, segregation
hab, hib (l)
hosp, host (l)
hydr (g)
iatr (g)
imag (l)
init (l)
integ (l)
hold
host
water
medical care
likeness
beginning
whole
habit, habitat, prohibit, exhibit
hostess, hospital, hospitality
hydrogen, hydrant, hydrate
psychiatry, pediatrician, geriatrics
image, imagine, imaginative, imagery
initial, initiate, initiative
integrate, integral, integrity, integer
ROOT
MEANING
EXAMPLES
ject (l)
junct (l)
jud (l)
jur (l)
just (l)
throw
join
law
law
law
project, inject
juncture, conjunction, adjunct
judge, judicial, judicious
jurisdiction, jury
justice, just, justify
kine, cine (g)
movement
kinetic, kinesthetic, cinema
lab (l)
laps (l)
lat (l)
lat (l)
liber (l)
loc (1)
log (g)
luc (l)
work
slip
carry
side
free
place
word
light
labor, laboratory, collaborate, elaborate
elapse, collapse, relapse
translate, relate, collate
lateral, bilateral, unilateral
liberty, liberal, liberate
location, locate, dislocate, allocate
prologue, apology, dialogue, eulogy
lucid, elucidate, translucent
4
lud (l)
lum (l)
luna (l)
lus (l)
lust (l)
lys (g)
play
light
moon
play
shine
break down
ludicrous, interlude, elude
luminous, illuminate, luminescent
lunar, lunatic
illusion, illusive
luster, illustrate, lackluster, illustrious
analysis, paralysis, catalyst, electrolysis
man (l)
mand (l)
mania (g)
mar (l)
mater (l)
matr (l)
max (l)
mech (g)
mem (l)
ment (l)
merge (l)
mers (l)
meter (g)
migr (l)
mim (l)
min (l)
minist (l)
miss (l)
mit (l)
mob (l)
mon (l)
morph (g)
mort (l)
mot (l)
mov (l)
mut (l)
hand
order
madness
sea
mother
mother
greatest
machine
mindful of
mind
dip
dip
measure
change, move
same
small, less
serve
send
send
move
advise
shape
death
move
move
change, interchange
manual, manufacture, manuscript, manipulate
command, demand, mandate
maniac, pyromania, kleptomania
marine, maritime, submarine, mariner
maternal, maternity
matricide, matrimony, matron, matrix
maximum, maximize
mechanic, mechanism, mechanize
memory, remember, memorial, commemorate
mental, mention, demented
submerge, emerge, merge, merger
immerse, submerse
thermometer, centimeter, diameter
migrate, immigrant, emigrate, migratory
mime, mimic, pantomime
minute, mini, minor, minus, minimize
minister, administer, administration
missile, dismiss, mission, remiss
submit, remit, admit, transmit
automobile, mobile, mobilize, mobility
admonish, premonition, admonition, monitor
metamorphosis, amorphous, anthropomorphic
mortician, mortuary, mortal, immortal
motion, motor, promote, demote
remove, movement, unmoved
mutation, mutual, commute
ROOT
MEANING
EXAMPLES
narr (l)
nat (1)
nav (l)
neg (l)
neo (g)
not (l)
tell
born
ship
no
new
mark
narrate, narrative, narrator
native, nation, nativity
navy, naval, navigate
negation, negative, renege
neoclassic, neon, neonatal
notation, notable, denote, notice
nun, noun (l)
nov (l)
numer (l)
declare
new
number
announce, pronounce, denounce
novel, novelty, novice, innovate
numeral, enumerate, numerous
ocu (l)
onym (g)
opt (g)
ord (l)
orig (l)
ortho (g)
eye
name
eye
row
beginning
straight, right
oculist, binocular
synonym, antonym, pseudonym
optician, optometrist, optic, optical
order, ordinary, extraordinary
origin, original, originate
orthodontist, orthodox, orthopedist
5
pater (l)
path (g)
ped (g)
ped (l)
pel (l)
pend (l)
pens (l)
phil (g)
phob (g)
phon(g)
photo (g)
phys (g)
plex (l)
plic (l)
plur (l)
pod (g)
poli (g)
pon (l)
pop (l)
port (l)
pos (l)
psych (g)
pug (l)
pul (l)
put (l)
father
feeling, suffer
child
foot
drive
hang
weigh
love
fear
sound
light
nature
fold
fold
more
foot
city
place
people
carry
place
mind, soul
fight
urge
think
paternity, paternal, patriarch
pathology, sympathy, empathy
pediatrician, encyclopedia, pedagogical
pedal, pedestrian, biped, pedestal
compel, propel, expel, repel
pendulum, suspend, append, appendix
pensive, pension, compensate
philosophy, philanthropist, philharmonic
claustrophobia, acrophobia
phonograph, symphony, telephone, phonics
photograph, telephoto, photosynthesis
physical, physique, metaphysical, physician
complex, duplex, plexiglass, perplex
complicated, multiplication, duplicate
plural, plurality, pluralism
podiatrist, podium, tripod
metropolis, cosmopolitan, police, political
opponent, exponent, proponent, postpone
population, popular, pop, populace
portable, transport, import, porter
position, compose, deposit, composite
psychology, psyche, psychiatrist
pugnacious, pugilist, repugnant
compulsory, expulsion, compulsion, repulse
computer, reputation, deputy, disrepute
quer, quir (l)
ques (l)
ask, seek
ask, seek
query, inquiry
question, inquest, request, quest
ROOT
MEANING
EXAMPLES
rad (l)
ras (l)
rect (l)
reg (l)
retro (l)
rid (l)
rupt (l)
ray, spoke
scrape
straight
guide, rule
back
laugh
break
radius, radio, radiology, radium
erase, abrasive, rasp, razor
erect, rectangle, rectify, direction, correct
regal, reign, regulate, regime, regent
retroactive
ridiculous, deride, ridicule, derisive
erupt, interrupt, abrupt, rupture, bankrupt
san (l)
scend (l)
sci (l)
scop (g)
scribe (l)
script (l)
sect (l)
sed (l)
6
health
climb
know
see
write
write
cut
settle
sanitary, sanitarium, sane, insanity
ascend, descend, descendent, transcend
science, conscience, conscious, scientific
microscope, telescope, periscope
scribe, inscribe, describe, prescribe
script, transcript, scripture
section, dissect, intersect, sect
sedative, sediment, sedentary, sedate
sens (l)
sent (l)
serv (l)
serv (l)
sign (l)
sim (l)
sist (l)
sol (l)
solv (l)
son (l)
soph (g)
spec (l)
spir (l)
sta (l)
stell (l)
stimu (l)
strict (l)
struct (l)
sum (l)
surg (l)
surr (l)
feel
feel
save, keep
serve
mark
like
stand
alone
loosen
sound
wise
see
breathe
stand
star
goad
draw tight
build
highest
rise
rise
sensation, sense, sensitive, sensible, sensory
consent, sentimental, dissent, assent
conserve, preserve, reserve, reservoir
serve, servant, service, servile
signature, signal, significant, insignia
similar, simultaneous, simulate, simile
consist, resist, subsist, assist
solo, solitary, desolate, soliloquy
dissolve, solve, solvent, resolve
sonar, sonata, sonnet, unison, sonorous
philosopher, sophomore, sophisticated
inspect, suspect, respect, spectator, spectacle
respiration, inspire, spirit, perspire
station, status, stagnant, statue, stationary
stellar, constellation
stimulate, stimulus, stimulant
strict, restrict, constrict, stricture
structure, construct, instruct, destruction
summit, summary, sum, summons
surge, insurgent, resurgent
resurrect, insurrection, resurrection
tact (l)
tain (l)
tang(l)
ten (l)
ten (l)
term (l)
terr (l)
tex (l)
the (g)
therm (g)
ROOT
touch
hold
touch
hold
stretch
end
land
weave
god
heat
MEANING
tactile, intact, contact, tact
retain, contain, detain, attain
tangible, tangent, intangible
tenacious, tenure, tenant, retentive
tendon, tendency, tension, tent, tense
terminal, determine, exterminate
territory, terrain, terrestrial, terrace
text, texture, textile, context
theology, monotheism, polytheism, atheism
thermometer, thermal, thermostat, thermos
EXAMPLES
tort (l)
tract (l)
trib (l)
trud (l)
trus (l)
turb (l)
twist
pull, drag
give
push
push
confusion
torture, contort, retort, tort
tractor, attract, subtract, traction
contribute, tribute, tributary, attribute
intrude, protrude, intruder
intrusive, obtrusive
disturb, turbulent, perturb, turbine
urb (l)
city
urban, suburb, urbane, suburban
vac (l)
vag (l)
var (l)
ven (l)
ver (l)
ver (l)
vict (l)
7
empty
wander
different
come
truth
turn
conquer
vacant, vacation, vacuum, evacuate
vagrant, vague, vagabond, vagary
vary, invariable, variant, variety
convene, convention, advent, invent, venue
verdict, verify, veracity
convert, reverse, versatile, introvert
victory, victim, conviction
vid (l)
vinc (l)
voc (l)
void (l)
vol (l)
volv (l)
vor (l)
8
see
conquer
voice
empty
wish, will
roll
eat
video, evidence, provide, providence
convince, invincible
vocal, advocate, convocation
devoid, avoid, void, voided
volition, volunteer, voluntary, benevolent
revolve, involve, evolve, revolution
carnivorous, voracious, herbivorous