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Building Vocab Roots
Building Vocab Roots
Building Vocab Roots
Rootwordsprovidethebasicstructureandmeaningtowords.Englishrootwordsandtheirmeanings
arecommonlyderivedfromGreekandLatinroots.Forexample,therootsophisderivedfromtheGreek
rootsophosmeaningwise.Learningandrecognizingthesecommonrootscanhelpyoudecipher
meaning.Forexample,ifyouwereunfamiliarwiththewordsophisticatedbutknewtherootwordsoph,
youcouldgathersomesortofmeaningforthewordfromtherootmeaning,wise.
Inmanycases,knowingtherootwordwillbeenoughtohelpyoudecipherthemeaningofawordina
sentence;inothercases,youllwanttousethedictionarytounderstandthewordfully.Ineither
instance,therootanditsmeaningwillatleastgiveapartialunderstandingofamorecomplete
definition.Forinstance,sophisticatedmeansfinelyexperiencedandaware(MerriamWebsters
CollegiateDictionary,2007,p.1190).
Whatfollowsisalistofcommonrootswordsthatyoucanremembertohelpexpandyourvocabulary
andincreaseyourreadingcomprehension.Tohelpbuildyourvocabulary,youcanaddwordsthatyou
arefamiliarwith,orwordsthatyoucomeacrossasyouread,tothelastcolumnofthetable.
Root
alter
Meaning
other
ami,amic
love
amphi
ann,enni
anthrop
bothendsorallsides
year
human,man
aqua,aque
arch
water
chief,leader,ruler
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Word
alternate,alterego
amiable,amicable
amphibian,amphitheater
anniversary,annual,biennial,
perennial
anthropology,anthropomorphic,
misanthrope
aquatic,aquarium,aqueduct
archangel,monarch,archaic,
archenemy
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Root
aud
Meaning
sound
bell
biblio
bio
brev
cap
carn
ced
war
book
life
short
take,seize
meat
yield,go
chrom
color
chron
time
cogn
cord/chord
corp
crac,crat
know
cord
body
rule,ruler
cred
believe
cruc
crusta
crypt
culp
dei
demo
cross
shell
hidden
guilt
god
people
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Word
auditorium,audible,audiologist,
audiotape
belligerent,bellicose
bibliography,bibliophile
biography,autobiography,
biology,antibiotic
brief,abbreviate,brevity
capture,captivate,capacity
carnivorous
recede,secede,proceed,
intercede,concession
chromatic,monochrome,
polychrome
chronicle,chronology,
chronometer,synchronize
recognize,cognitive,incognito
harpsichord
corpus,corpse,corporal,
aristocracy,autocrat,
democracy,bureaucrat
credible,credulous,credibility,
credit,credo,incredible
crucifix,crucial
crustacean
cryptogram,cryptology,cryptic
culpable,culprit
deity,deify
demography,democracy,
epidemic
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Root
derm
Meaning
skin
dic
dox
duc,duct
duo
dynam
ego
equ
speak,say
belief,opinion
lead
two
power
self
equal
fac
make,do
fil
frater
gam
geo
threadlike
brother
marriage
earth
grad,gress
graph
step
writing,printing
gyn
woman
hemo,hema,hem
blood
holo
hydro,hydr
whole,entire
water
ject
throw
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Word
dermatology,epidermis,
hypodermic
dictate,predict,diction,indict
orthodoxy,paradox,heterodoxy
induce,deduce,seduction,
conduct,abduction
duo
dynamo,dynamics
egotist,egomania
equal,equity,equanimity,
equate,equidistant
manufacture,factory,
benefactor
filament
fraternal,fraternize
monogamy,polygamy,bigamy
geopolitical,geology,geography,
geothermal
gradual,progression,
transgression
graphology,biography,
telegraph,geography
gynecologist,androgynous,
misogyny
hemophilia,hematology,
hemoglobin
holograph
dehydrate,hydraulics,
hydroelectric,hydroplane
inject,reject,subject,projection
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Root
leg,lect
liter
loc
log
luc
magn
man
Meaning
read,choose
letter
place
word
light
large
hand
mar
mat,mater
sea
mother
meta
metri,meter
behind,between,beyond
measure
min
mit,miss
small
send
mob,mot,mov
move
mon
mor,mort
morph
warn
death
form,structure
mut
neuro
nomen,nomin
change
nerve
name
nov
new
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Word
legible,lectern,lecturer,election
literature,illiterate,literal
local,location
monologue,epilogue
lucid,elucidate
magnify,magnate,magnificent
manufacture,manual,
manuscript
marine,mariner
maternal,maternity,matriarchy,
matricide
metacognition,metaphysics
geometric,thermometer,
odometer
minority,minuscule,minute
permit,submission,mission,
emit,
mobile,automobile,motion,
promote,movie
premonition,admonition
mortal,mortician,immortality
metamorphosis,amorphous,
morphology
mutant,mutability,mutate
neurology,neurosis,neuron
nominal,nominate,
nomenclature
novel,renovate,innovation
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Root
nym,onym
Meaning
word,name
odonto
ortho
tooth
straight,correct
pac
pater
peace
father
path
feeling,suffering
ped,pod
foot
pel,puls
push
pend
hang,weigh
phon,phono
sound,voice
plan
pneum
pod
port
flat
lung
feet
carry
pot
psych
pug,pugna
quer,quis
scent,scend
schizo,schiz
power
soul,spirit,mind
fight
ask
climb
division,split
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Word
synonym,acronym,anonymous,
pseudonym
orthodontist
orthodox,orthodontist,
orthopedic
pacify,pacifist
paternal,paternity,patricide,
patriotic
sympathy,apathy,empathy,
telepathy,pathology
pedal,pedometer,centipede,
gastropod
pulsate,repulsive,impulse,
compel,propel
append,depend,pendulum,
pendant,suspend,pending
cacophony,euphony,
phonograph,telephone,
planar,plantation,plane
pneumatic,pneumonia
podiatrist,tripod
portable,transport,portage,
report
potent,omnipotent,potentate
psychology,psychic
pugnacious,pugilist
query,inquisition,
ascend,ascent
schizophrenic,schism
(361) 570-4288
Root
sci
scrib,script
sec,sect
sed,sess
sens,sent
sequ,secu
serv
simil
Meaning
know
write
cut
sit
feel,beaware
follow
serve,protect
same
siphon
sol
son
soph
spec,spic
tube
sun
sound
wisdom,knowledge
look,see
spir
spir
spond,spons
spont
stat
tang,tact
temp
ten
ter,terr
coil
breathe
promise,answerfor
byone'sownforce
stand,position
touch
time
hold
earth
theo
god,deity
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Word
scientific
manuscript,scribe,scripture
dissect,section
sedentary,session
sensible,sentient
sequence,sequel,consecutive
service,servile
similar,assimilate,simile,
facsimile
siphon
solar
sonar,resonate,unison
philosophy,sophomoric
spectacles,spectator,
inauspicious,prospect
spiral
inspire,respiration,conspire,
perspiration
respond,responsible
spontaneous
station,status
tangible,tactile
temporary,temporize
tenable,tenant
subterranean,terrain,terrestrial,
disinter
theology,polytheism,atheist
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Root
therm
trophy
uro
vac
ven,vent
ver
vert
vit
voc
Meaning
heat
nutrition,food
urine
empty
come,go
truth
turn
life
call
Word
thermal,thermos,thermometer
atrophy
urologist
vacuum,vacuous,vacant
intervene,convene,contravene
veracity,verify,verity
introvert,irreversible,vertigo
vital,revitalize,vitamin
revoke,invocation,vocal,
evocative,convocation
zoo,zoology,zoolatry
zoo
animal
Nowthatyourefamiliarwithcommonrootwords,werecommendthatyoucontinuewiththehandouts
BuildingVocabulary:CommonPrefixesandBuildingVocabulary:CommonSuffixes.
Also,thehandoutsandUnderstandingDictionaryEntriesandUsingtheDictionary:WordOriginswill
helpyouinbuildingyourvocabularybyshowingyouhowtouseadictionaryandhowtouseawords
origintodevelopabasicunderstandingofaword.
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