ROOT WORDS
Roots form the
base of different words and help give them meaning. Sometimes a root is an entire word, such as
act, but other times, it is only part of a word, such as
deca.
Affixes can be added to a root to form new words and change their meanings.
Many words in English use Greek and / or Latin roots. Understanding the meanings of these different roots can help you decipher the meanings of new and unfamiliar words.
|
claim / clam — Latin roots that mean yell or declare
|
• acclaim, clamorous, exclaim, proclamation, disclaimer, exclamation
clamorous
The root clam means yell.
The suffix or means condition or state.
The suffix ous means full of.
Based on the root and affixes, the word clamorous likely describes a situation that is full of yelling.
The debate between the politicians began civilly, but it soon devolved into a clamorous mess.
The debate between the politicians began civilly, but it soon devolved into a mess that was full of yelling.
|
path — Greek root that means feeling, suffering, or disease
|
• apathetic, pathology, pathogen, empathy, sympathy, antipathy
The prefix a means opposite or without.
The root path means feeling.
The suffix ic is used to denote adjectives.
Based on the roots and affixes, the word apathetic likely is used to describe someone or something without feelings or does not feel anything.
Ticket sales for the play had been abysmal, so the performance that the actors put on for the meager audience was quite apathetic.
Ticket sales for the play had been abysmal, so the performance that the actors put on for the meager audience was without much feeling.
NOTE: Using roots and affixes to determine the general meanings of unfamiliar words can be helpful, but it is not always exactly accurate.
An apology is an expression of regret for wrongdoing. However, the meanings of apo (away/without) and logos (speech), which form the word, do not make this meaning clear.
Be careful when relying on roots and affixes to determine meaning!
Below is a list of some more common Greek and Latin roots used in everyday words. It is only a small fraction of all the possible Greek and Latin roots.
| Root |
Meaning |
Example Word |
| dict |
speech |
diction (style of speaking) |
| log/logue |
word |
dialogue (words exchanged between people) |
| duc |
lead |
conductor (one who leads) |
| bene |
well |
beneficial (good or helpful) |
| gen |
birth/produce |
generate (to create) |
| ast/astr |
star |
asteroid (a rock from space) |
| luc/lum/lus |
light |
luminous (full of light) |
| mand/mend |
to order |
command (to give an order) |
| vac |
empty |
vacant (characterized by emptiness) |
| sens/sent |
feel |
sensitive (susceptible to feelings) |
| jur/jus |
law/justice |
juror (a person who helps decide a trial) |
8th Grade Reading - Greek & Latin Roots Lesson