Vocabulary Made Easy

-let’s become Intelligent!

The limits of my language
are the limits of my mind.
All I know is what I have
words for.
-Ludwig Wittgenstein
 How do you build
1) ETYMOLOGY.
vocabulary?

The Study of Word Origins and Root Words

A root word is a word that has a prefix,
suffix, or both added to it.
 Here is an example:
The Ancient Greek word
hippos means horse.
And potamus means river.
Hippopotamus literally
means river horse.
 The Latin root ‘port’
means
porter to carry.
exportable
portable deport reporter
importable deportation importer
import important portage
export report portfolio
If you understand that there are two
Latin roots that mean light:
luc- and lum-
you can begin to figure out some of
the meanings of the words below.

luminous illuminate
lucid luminaria
luminescent translucent
luminousness illumination
The Latin roots ‘pod’ and ‘ped’ mean
foot. Knowing this, you will be able
to figure out the meanings of each
of these words:

podiatrist = treats foot ailments

pedestrian = person who walks
pedicure = care of the feet
pedal = lever worked by the foot
quadruped = animal with four feet
 root + suffix
astrology biology
astro = stars bio = life
-logy = study of -logy = study of
So it means: So it means:
"the study of stars” “the study of life”
 prefix + root
empathy enamor
em- = having en- = having
pathy = feeling amor = love
So it means: What does enamor mean?

“having feeling” “having love”

 root + root
pseudonym aqueduct
pseudo = false aque = water
nym = name duct = to lead/pull
”false name” What is an aqueduct used for?
How do you know that?

Samuel Clemens wrote under the

pseudonym “Mark Twain.”
 prefix + root + suffix

retrospective carnivore
retro = backwards carni = meat
spect = look vor = eat
-ive = having quality of -e = one who
“quality of looking “one who eats meat”
backward”
History is a retrospective way of
looking at life.
 How do you build
2) MNEMONICS.
vocabulary?

A mnemonic is a tool to help remember

facts or a large amount of information
DIFFIDENT IS DIFFERENT FROM CONFIDENT
 winsome
attractive in appearance or character
ABSTAIN
FRUGAL
You have five minutes go and swap as many
definitions as you can.
Now match the words up.
1. Spacious a. Despicable or
foul
2. noxious
b. Inspiring awe
3. Beastly c. beautiful
4. Awesome d. generous
5. Ample e. animalistic
6. lovely f. much room
 Answers.
• 1f
• 2a
• 3e
• 4b
• 5d
• 6c