Did you know Greek and Latin words form the basis, or root, for several words in the English language? Indeed, we have borrowed from Greek, Latin, French, and almost every other classic or romance language. Why is this important? Well, sometimes we come across words that not even context clues can help us define. So, understanding the root of as many words as possible will help us decipher complex words that are unfamiliar to us. Show In this way, if you understand the root, a simple suffix or prefix won't deter you from comprehension. Let's take the word antisocial, for example. As long as you remember the prefix anti- means against or opposite, and social refers to community or companionship you'll quickly understand antisocial means unfriendly or against society's norms. In English grammar, a root is a word or portion of a word from which other words grow, usually through the addition of prefixes and suffixes. By learning root words, you can decipher unfamiliar words, expand your vocabulary, and become a better English speaker. The Roots of WordsMost words in the English language are based on words from ancient Greek and Latin. The root of the word "vocabulary," for example, is voc, a Latin root meaning "word" or "name." This root also appears in such words as "advocacy," "convocation," "evocative," "vocal," and "vowel." By dissecting words such as these, etymologists can study how a word has evolved over time and tell us about the cultures they came from. In some cases, root words might be slightly transformed en route to becoming part of words that we're familiar with. In the above example, "vowel" is a word that's clearly related to the voc root and its family of derivative words, and yet the "c" in "voc" is not present. There are several reasons for this sort of pattern, and the changes often depend on what language each individual word comes from, but it serves as a reminder that not every word with the same root will look exactly the same. Root words are also useful for creating new words, especially in technology and medicine, where new innovations occur frequently. Think of the Greek root word tele, which means "far," and inventions that traverse long distances, such as the telegraph, telephone, and television. The word "technology" itself is a combination of two other Greek root words, techne, meaning "skill" or "art," and logos, or "study." Because several modern languages share some of the same ancestor languages, it's not entirely uncommon for several related languages to share root words. For instance, the Latin root voc, described above, is shared by several Romance languages. Connections between languages can be found in the shared roots between them, although one always has to be wary of false cognates - that is, words that sound like they have the same roots (and thus related meanings) but actually don't. Greek Root WordsThe table below defines and illustrates 25 of the most common Greek roots. RootMeaningExamplesantiagainstantibacterial, antidote, antithesisast(er)starasteroid, astronomy, astronautautoself Latin Root WordsThe table below defines and illustrates 25 of the most common Latin roots. RootMeaningExamplesabto move awayabstract, abstain, aversionacer, acribitteracrid, acrimony, exacerbateaquwateraquarium, aquatic, aqualungaudihearaudible, audience, auditoriumbenegoodbenefit, benign, benefactorbrevshortabbreviate, briefcircroundcircus, circulatedictsaydictate, edict, dictionarydocteachdocument, docile, doctrinalduclead, makededuce, produce, educatefundbottomfounder, foundation, fundinggento birthgene, generate, generoushabto haveability, exhibit, inhabitjurlawjury, justice, justifylevto liftlevitate, elevate, leverageluc, lumlightlucid, illuminate, translucentmanuhandmanual, manicure, manipulatemis, mitsendmissile, transmit, permitomniallomnivorous, omnipotent, omniscentpacpeacepacify, pacific, pacifistportcarryexport, import, importantquitsilent, restivetranquil, requiem, acquitscrib, scriptto writescript, proscribe, describesensto feelsensitive, sentient, resentterrearthterrain, territory, extraterrestrialtimto feartimid, timorousvacemptyvacuum, vacate, evacuatevid, visto seevideo, vivid, invisible Understanding the meanings of the common word roots can help us deduce the meanings of new words that we encounter. But be careful: root words can have more than one meaning as well as various shades of meaning. In addition, words that look similar may derive from different roots. In addition, a handful of root words can stand on their own as whole words in and of themselves. This list includes words such as photo, kinesis, chrome, port, and script. Words like this tend to have related meanings on their own, then can also act as roots for longer, more complex words. Sources
Cite this Article Format Your Citation Nordquist, Richard. "Boost Your English Vocabulary With These 50 Greek and Latin Root Words." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/common-word-roots-in-english-1692793 (accessed December 13, 2022). What is the root word for see?This is reconstructed to be from PIE root *sekw- (2) "to see." That PIE root often was said to be probably identical with *sekw- (1) "to follow," which produced words for "say" in Greek and Latin, and also words for "follow" (such as Latin sequor), but "opinions differ in regard to the semantic starting-point and ...
What does Latin root spect mean?To look at, perceive, or observe.
What does the Latin word Vis mean?vis (plural vires) Force; energy; might; power.
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Which word contains a Latin root that means to see?
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