Greek and Latin Roots

Most modern English words originated
from other languages
act
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – do
 Examples

 action
 actor
 react
 transact
 enact
aero
Origin -Greek
 Meaning – air
 Examples

 aerobics
 aerodynamics
 aeronautics
 aerate
agr
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – field or farm
 Examples

 agriculture
 agrarian
 agronomy
 agribusiness
alter
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – other
 Examples

 alter
 alternate
 alternative
 altercation
 alterego
anim
Origin - Latin
 Meaning –life or spirit
 Examples

 animate
 animosity
 animal
 inanimate
ann or enn
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – year
 Examples

 annual
 anniversary
 annuity
 biennial
aqua
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – water
 Examples

 aquarium
 aquatic
 aqueous
 aquamarine
 aquafier
ast
Origin – Greek
 Meaning – star

 astronaut
 astronomy
 disaster
 asterisk
 asteroid
aud
Meaning – hear
 Examples

 audience
 auditorium
 audible
 audition
 audiovisual
Sample Question
1. Read this sentence.
The children were unsure of the
origin of the inanimate object they
had found
The root word in inanimate means.
A
B
C
D
exciting
large
has a negative charge
life
Sample Question
2. Read this sentence.
The teacher offered Jack an
alternative assignment.
The word alternative includes the
root alter. What does alter mean?
A exciting
B other
C life
D challenging
Create

Two sentences for each root discussed,
accurately use the words containing the
roots.
biblio
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – book
 Examples

 bibliography
 bible
 bibliophile
bio
Origin -Greek
 Meaning – life
 Examples

 biology
 biography
 biochemistry
 biopsy
 biosphere
card, cord
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – heart
 Examples

 cardiac
 cardiology
 cardigram
 accord
 cordial
chron
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – time
 Examples

 chronological
 synchronize
 chronical
claim, clam
Origin - Latin
 Meaning –shout
 Examples

 proclaim
 exclaim
 clamor
 exclamation
cogn
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – know
 Examples

 recognize
 cognition
 incognito
corp
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – body
 Examples

 corporation
 corpse
 corps
cosm
Origin – Greek
 Meaning – universe
 Examples

 cosmos
 cosmonaut
 microcosm
cred
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – believe
 Examples

 credit
 discredit
 credential
cycl
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – circle or ring
 Examples

 bicycle
 cyclone
 recycle
 encyclopedia
Example
1. Read this sentence.
The story was written in
chronological order.
What does the root word in
chronological mean?
A
B
C
D
exciting
time
alphabetical
reverse
Example
8. Read this sentence.
McDonalds is a very large
corporation with many locations.
The word corporation includes the
root corp. What does corp mean?
A month
B body
C life
D year
dic
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – Speak
 Examples

 dictate
 predict
 contradict
 verdict
don or donat
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – Give
 Examples

 donation
 donor
 pardon
 donate
doc
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – teach
 Examples

 doctrine
 document
 doctor
 indoctrinate
duc
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – lead
 Examples

 duct
 conduct
 educate
 induct
 aquaduct
fac or fic
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – make or do
 Examples

 factory
 manufacture
 benefactor
 efficient
 beneficial
flect or flex
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – bend
 Examples

 reflect
 deflect
 reflection
 flexible
 reflex
form
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – shape
 Examples

 form
 uniform
 transform
 formal
 reform
gen
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – birth or race
 Examples

 generate
 genealogy
 generation
 genocide
gram
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – letter, written
 Examples

 telegram
 diagram
 grammar
 monogram
geo
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – Earth
 Examples

 geography
 geology
 geometry
 geophysics
graph
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – write
 Examples

 photograph
 phonograph
 autograph
 graphite
homo, hom
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – man
 Examples

 homage
 homo sapiens
 homicide
junct
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – join
 Examples

 juncture
 conjunction
 adjunct
 injunction
jud, jur, jus
Origin – Latin
 Meaning – law
 Examples

 judge
 judicial
 justice
 justify
 jury
lab
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – work
 Examples

 labor
 laboratory
 collaborate
 elaborate
liber
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – free
 Examples

 liberty
 liberal
 liberate
loc
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – place
 Examples

 location
 locate
 dislocate
 allocate
man
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – hand
 Examples

 manual
 manufacture
 manipulate
 manuscript
mar
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – sea
 Examples

 marine
 mariner
 submarine
 maritime
mater, matr
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – mother
 Examples

 maternal
 matrimony
 matron
meter
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – measure
 Examples

 thermometer
 diameter
 centimeter
migr
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – change, move
 Examples

 migration
 immigrant
 emigrate
miss, mit
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – send
 Examples

 missile
 dismiss
 transmit
 admit
mob, mot, mov
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – move
 Examples

 mobile
 demote
 remove
 motion
morph
Origin – Greek
 Meaning – shape
 Examples

 metamorphosis
 amorphous
 morphology
mort
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – death
 Examples

 mortal
 immortal
 mortuary
nat
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – born
 Examples

 natal
 nation
 native
ordin, ord
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – row, rank
 Examples

 order
 ordinance
 extraordinary
ortho
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – straight, right
 Examples

 orthodox
 orthodontist
 orthopedist
pater, patr
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – father
 Examples

 paternity
 paternal
 patriarch
path
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – disease, feeling
 Examples
 pathology
 sympathy
 empathy

ped
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – child
 Examples
 pedagogy
 pediatrician

ped
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – foot
 Examples
 pedal
 pedestrian
 biped

phil
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – love
 Examples
 philosophy
 philharmonic
 philanthropist

phon
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – sound
 Examples
 phonograph
 symphony
 telephone
 microphone

photo
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – light
 Examples
 photograph
 telephoto
 photogenic
 photosynthesis

pod
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – foot
 Examples
 podiatrist
 podium
 tripod

poli
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – city
 Examples
 metropolis
 police
 political

port
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – carry
 Examples
 portable
 transport
 import
 export
 porter

psych
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – mind, soul
 Examples
 psychology
 psyche
 psychiatrist

ques, quer, quis
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – ask, seek
 Examples
 question
 inquest
 request
 inquisitive

rad
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – ray, spoke
 Examples
 radius
 radio
 radiation
 radiator

rect
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – straight
 Examples
 erect
 rectangle
 rectify
 correct

rupt
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – break
 Examples
 interrupt
 erupt
 rupture
 abrupt

san
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – health
 Examples
 sanitary
 sane
 insanity
 sanitation

saur
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – lizard
 Examples
 dinosaur
 brontosaurus
 stegosaurus

sci
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – know
 Examples
 science
 conscious
 omniscient
 conscience

scop
Origin - Greek
 Meaning – see
 Examples
 stethoscope
 microscope
 telescope
 periscope

scribe, script
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – write
 Examples
 inscribe
 describe
 prescribe
 transcript
 scripture

sign
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – mark
 Examples
 signal
 signature
 significant
 insignia

spec
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – see
 Examples
 inspect
 suspect
 respect
 spectator

struct
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – build
 Examples
 structure
 construct
 instruct
 destruction

tact
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – touch
 Examples
 tactile
 intact
 contact
 tact

terr
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – land
 Examples
 territory
 terrain
 terrestrial
 terrace

therm
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – heat
 Examples
 thermometer
 thermostat
 thermal
 thermos

tract
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – pull or drag
 Examples
 tractor
 attract
 subtract
 extract

tribe
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – give
 Examples
 contribute
 tribute
 tributary
 attribute

vac
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – empty
 Examples
 vacant
 vacuum
 evacuate
 vacate

var
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – different
 Examples
 vary
 variable
 variety
 various

vid or vis
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – see
 Examples
 video
 evidence
 provide
 visible

voc
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – voice
 Examples
 vocal
 advocate
 convocation
 evocation

void
Origin - Latin
 Meaning – empty
 Examples
 void
 avoid
 unavoidable
 voided
