
According to Wikipedia: The root word is the primary lexical
unit of a word, and of a word family
o

(root is then called base word), which carries the most significant
aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced into smaller
constituents.
According to dictionary.com: (linguistic) the form of a word
after all the affixes are removed
ambi means both
Examples
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ambivalent
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ambidextrous
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having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or
someone
able to use the right and left hands equally well
ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning
duc/duct means lead or
guide
Examples
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conduct
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Induce
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bring about or give rise to
abduction
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organize and carry out
the action or an instance of forcibly taking someone away against
their will
educate

give intellectual, moral, and social instruction to
mal means bad
Examples

malevolent
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malicious
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having or showing a wish to do evil to others
intending or intended to do harm
malaria

an intermittent and remittent fever caused by a protozoan
parasite that invades the red blood cells
sent means to feel; to send
Examples
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consent
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give permission for something to happen
resent

feel bitterness or indignation at (a circumstance, action, or
person)
ced/cede means to yield or
withdraw
Examples

recede
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secede
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
go or move back or further away from a previous position
withdraw formally from membership in a federal union, an
alliance, or a political or religious organization
precede

come before (something) in time
dys means bad; hard; unlucky;
abnormal
Examples
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dysfunctional
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not operating normally or properly
dysplasia
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the enlargement of an organ or tissue by the proliferation of cells
of an abnormal type, as a developmental disorder or an early
stage in the development of cancer
gram means things written
Examples

telegram
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epigram
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a message sent by telegraph and then delivered in written or
printed form
a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and
amusing way
monogram

a symbol that has the first letters of a person's first, middle, and
last names and that is put on towels, blankets, clothes, etc., as a
decoration or to show ownership
hypo means below; beneath
Examples

hypothermia
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hypothetical
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the condition of having an abnormally low body temperature,
typically one that is dangerously low
something that is assumed or based on theory
hypothesis

a proposition made as a basis for reasoning, without any
assumption of its truth
morph means form; shape
Examples
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morphology
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morphing
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the study of the forms of things
change smoothly from one image/thing to another
metamorphosis

change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a
completely different one, by natural or supernatural means
nym means name
Examples

antonym
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synonym


a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another
word or phrase in the same language
homonym


a word opposite in meaning to another
each of two or more words having the same spelling but different
meanings and origins
acronym

an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and
pronounced as a word
psych means soul; spirit
Examples

psychology
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psychic
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the scientific study of the human mind and its functions,
especially those affecting behavior in a given context
of or relating to the soul or mind
psychoanalysis

a system of psychological theory and therapy that aims to treat
mental disorders by investigating the interaction of conscious and
unconscious elements in the mind and bringing repressed fears and
conflicts into the conscious mind by techniques such as dream
interpretation and free association
pseudo means false
Examples

pseudonym


a fictitious name, especially one used by an author
pseudoscience

a collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being
based on scientific method
bene means well, good
Examples

benefit
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benign
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an advantage or profit gained from something
not harmful in effect
beneficial

favorable or advantageous; resulting in good
mis/miso means hate
What does miscreant mean? Use
the cartoon to help you.
Remember mis means hate.
Examples
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misogyny
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misanthrope
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dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women
a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society
miscreant
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a person who behaves badly or in a way that breaks the law