Year 3, Trimester 1
tri
Greek, Latin
 Three; third; happening once out of
every three

 Triceps
 Trimester
 Triathlon
Triceps
Part of Speech: Noun
 Definition: A three-part muscle

In anatomy class, Jake learned that the
triceps are the muscles in the back of the
arm that help to extend the elbow.
Trimester
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: a term or period of
three months; a term or period
that is divided into three equal
parts

At Crossroads, the school year is split into
three parts, called trimesters.
Triathlon
Part of Speech: noun
 Definition: An athletic
contest made up of three
consecutive events

The Olympic triathlon contest requires athletes to
swim .93 miles, bicycle 25 miles, and run 6.2
miles.
At the academic triathlon, students competed in
math, geography, and science categories.
scope/spec
Greek
 See, look, examine, observe

 Spectacular
 Speculate
 Periscope
Spectacular
Part of speech: adjective
 Definition: exciting to see

The hike to the top of
Bear Mountain was
difficult, but the view
of the valley below
was spectacular!
Speculate
Part of speech: verb
 Definition: to think or
wonder about

Because Rita didn’t know why James broke up
with her, she could only speculate on the
reasons behind his decision.
Mrs. Frost asked the students to speculate
about what they would like to be when they
grow up.
Periscope
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: instrument for viewing
things not in direct sight

A periscope uses mirrors to reflect images of
things that are not in a direct line of sight.
The crew in the submarine used a
periscope to see what was
happening above the water.
phil/philo
Greek
 Love; friend

 Philanthropic
 Philosophy
 Philology
Philanthropic
Part of speech: adjective
 Definition: showing concern
for humanity, especially by
performing charitable acts

The company has many philanthropic initiatives,
including a food drive and raising money for the
American Cancer Society.
This year, the student council will try to be more
philanthropic by supporting charities in the
community.
Philosophy
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: the love and pursuit of
wisdom

Amy went to college to
study philosophy, where
she learned about the
great thinkers Aristotle,
Descartes, Confucius, and
Plato.
Philology
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: the love and study of
words/literature

Ms. Quintana considers herself a true philologist;
she loves to read, work on crossword puzzles,
and write whenever she has free time.
son
Latin
 Sound

 Sonorous
 Consonant
 Sonar
Sonorous
Part of speech: adjective
 Definition: Loud, deep, or rich in
sound

The sonorous cadence of the cello in the orchestra
perfectly matched the heaviness of the play’s
themes.
The sonorous echoes
reverberating from the cave told
us that it was very deep.
Consonant
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: a speech sound
(with the exception of vowel
sounds)

The contestant on Wheel of Fortune had guessed
all of the consonants in the alphabet, so she was
forced to buy a vowel at her next turn.
Sonar
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: using sound waves to detect
objects.

Bats have terrible vision, but
they are able to ‘see’ their
surroundings by using sonar.
The researchers used sonar
to see the Titanic at the
bottom of the ocean.
vert/vers
Latin
 Turn

 Introvert
 Controversy
 Version
Introvert
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: being turned
toward the inside

Jamie was often described as an introvert; she is
very shy and prefers to be alone rather than in
large crowds.
Controversy
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: a long term public
dispute or disagreement due to
conflicting opinions

The long standing controversy between the
government and the Occupy Wall Street protesters will
likely not be resolved any time soon.
Animal testing is a controversial issue; supporters
believe it is necessary to ensure products are safe for
humans, but protesters believe it is cruel.
Version
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: a variation of an original

The teacher created several different
versions of the test to discourage students
from cheating.
The newest version of Angry Birds has
more levels and better graphics.
quad/quadr/quadri
Latin
 Four

 Quadrant
 Quadriceps
 Quadriplegic
Quadrant
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: any of the four quarters into which
something is divided

Mrs. Phelan told the students to
graph the shape into quadrant II of
the grid.
The traffic camera is directed at the northern
quadrant of the intersection.
Quadriceps
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: a large, four-part muscle in front of
the thigh

After completing ten sets
of squats and lunges,
Alex’s quadriceps were
very sore.
Quadriplegic
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: one affected
with paralysis of both
arms and both legs

After a tragic spinal injury during a football
game, Rutgers’ defenseman Eric LeGrand was
left as quadriplegic.
locu/loqu
Latin
 Speak

 Elocution
 Eloquent
 Loquacious
Elocution
Part of speech: noun
 Definition: the art of public speaking

The actress’s superb elocution
captured the audience’s
attention.
Eloquent
Part of speech: adjective
 Definition: speaking beautifully and
forcefully

The politician was so eloquent in his
delivery that it was hard to disagree
with his points.
In order to be a princess, one
must be both elegant and
eloquent.
Loquacious
Part of speech: adjective
 Definition: excessive
talking or wordiness

Kristy was a very nice and friendly person, but
she had the tendency to be quite loquacious at
times.
Frank’s loquacious nature made it difficult for
Samantha to get her voice heard.
super/hyper
Latin, Greek
 Higher in quality or quantity; too much,
excessive

 Supersede
 Superlative
 Hyperbolic
Supersede
Part of speech: verb
 Definition: to replace or set aside in favor of
something new or better

The new disciplinary policy at school has
superseded last year’s rules.
Superlative
Part of speech: noun or adjective
 Definition: n- the highest degree or
status; adj - describing the highest
degree or status

At the end of the year the students were awarded
superlatives for their achievements during the school
year.
The fit on my new jeans is superlative; I will never buy
another brand again!
In grammar, the superlative form of ‘better’ is ‘best.’
Hyperbolic
Part of speech: adj
 Definition: exaggerated

The hyperbolic language
of the newscasters only
made the audience’s
anxiety during the crisis
worse.