Greek and Latin Roots

⦿ Most modern English words originated from other languages

act

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – do⦿ Examples

● action● actor● react● transact● enact

aero

⦿ Origin -Greek⦿ Meaning – air⦿ Examples

● aerobics● aerodynamics● aeronautics● aerate

agr

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – field or farm⦿ Examples

● agriculture● agrarian ● agronomy● agribusiness

alter

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – other⦿ Examples

● alter● alternate● alternative● altercation● alterego

anim

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning –life or spirit ⦿ Examples

● animate● animosity● animal● inanimate

ann or enn

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – year⦿ Examples

● annual● anniversary● annuity● biennial

aqua

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – water⦿ Examples

● aquarium● aquatic● aqueous● aquamarine● aquafier

ast

⦿ Origin – Greek⦿ Meaning – star

● astronaut● astronomy● disaster● asterisk● asteroid

aud

⦿ Meaning – hear⦿ Examples

● audience● auditorium ● audible● audition● audiovisual

Sample Question

Sample Question

Create

⦿ Two sentences for each root discussed, accurately use the words containing the roots.

biblio

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – book⦿ Examples

● bibliography ● bible● bibliophile

bio

⦿ Origin -Greek⦿ Meaning – life⦿ Examples

● biology● biography● biochemistry● biopsy● biosphere

card, cord

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – heart⦿ Examples

● cardiac● cardiology● cardigram● accord● cordial

chron

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – time⦿ Examples

● chronological● synchronize● chronical

claim, clam

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning –shout⦿ Examples

● proclaim● exclaim● clamor● exclamation

cogn

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – know⦿ Examples

● recognize● cognition● incognito

corp

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – body⦿ Examples

● corporation● corpse● corps

cosm

⦿ Origin – Greek⦿ Meaning – universe⦿ Examples

● cosmos● cosmonaut ● microcosm

cred

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – believe⦿ Examples

● credit● discredit● credential

cycl

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – circle or ring⦿ Examples

● bicycle● cyclone● recycle● encyclopedia

Example

Example

dic

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – Speak⦿ Examples

● dictate● predict● contradict● verdict

don or donat

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – Give⦿ Examples

● donation● donor● pardon● donate

doc

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – teach⦿ Examples

● doctrine● document● doctor● indoctrinate

duc

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – lead⦿ Examples

● duct● conduct● educate ● induct● aquaduct

fac or fic

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – make or do⦿ Examples

● factory● manufacture ● benefactor● efficient ● beneficial

flect or flex

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – bend⦿ Examples

● reflect● deflect● reflection● flexible● reflex

form

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – shape⦿ Examples

● form● uniform● transform● formal● reform

gen

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – birth or race⦿ Examples

● generate● genealogy● generation● genocide

gram

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – letter, written⦿ Examples

● telegram● diagram● grammar● monogram

geo

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – Earth⦿ Examples

● geography● geology● geometry● geophysics

graph

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – write⦿ Examples

● photograph● phonograph● autograph● graphite

homo, hom

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – man⦿ Examples

● homage● homo sapiens● homicide

junct

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – join⦿ Examples

● juncture● conjunction● adjunct● injunction

jud, jur, jus

⦿ Origin – Latin ⦿ Meaning – law⦿ Examples

● judge● judicial● justice● justify● jury

lab

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – work⦿ Examples

● labor● laboratory ● collaborate ● elaborate

liber

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – free⦿ Examples

● liberty● liberal● liberate

loc

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – place⦿ Examples

● location● locate● dislocate● allocate

man

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – hand⦿ Examples

● manual● manufacture● manipulate● manuscript

mar

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – sea⦿ Examples

● marine● mariner● submarine● maritime

mater, matr

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – mother⦿ Examples

● maternal ● matrimony● matron

meter

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – measure⦿ Examples

● thermometer● diameter● centimeter

migr

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – change, move⦿ Examples

● migration● immigrant● emigrate

miss, mit

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – send⦿ Examples

● missile● dismiss● transmit● admit

mob, mot, mov

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – move⦿ Examples

● mobile● demote● remove● motion

morph

⦿ Origin – Greek ⦿ Meaning – shape⦿ Examples

● metamorphosis● amorphous ● morphology

mort

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – death⦿ Examples

● mortal● immortal● mortuary

nat

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – born ⦿ Examples

● natal● nation● native

ordin, ord

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – row, rank⦿ Examples

● order● ordinance ● extraordinary

ortho

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – straight, right⦿ Examples

● orthodox● orthodontist● orthopedist

pater, patr

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – father⦿ Examples

● paternity● paternal● patriarch

path

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – disease, feeling⦿ Examples⦿ pathology⦿ sympathy⦿ empathy

ped

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – child⦿ Examples⦿ pedagogy⦿ pediatrician

ped

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – foot⦿ Examples⦿ pedal⦿ pedestrian⦿ biped

phil

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – love⦿ Examples⦿ philosophy⦿ philharmonic⦿ philanthropist

phon

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – sound⦿ Examples⦿ phonograph⦿ symphony⦿ telephone⦿ microphone

photo

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – light⦿ Examples⦿ photograph⦿ telephoto⦿ photogenic⦿ photosynthesis

pod

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – foot⦿ Examples⦿ podiatrist⦿ podium ⦿ tripod

poli

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – city⦿ Examples⦿ metropolis⦿ police⦿ political

port

⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – carry⦿ Examples⦿ portable⦿ transport⦿ import⦿ export⦿ porter

psych

⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – mind, soul⦿ Examples⦿ psychology⦿ psyche⦿ psychiatrist

ques, quer, quis⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – ask, seek⦿ Examples⦿ question⦿ inquest⦿ request⦿ inquisitive

rad⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – ray, spoke⦿ Examples⦿ radius ⦿ radio⦿ radiation⦿ radiator

rect⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – straight⦿ Examples⦿ erect⦿ rectangle⦿ rectify⦿ correct

rupt⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – break⦿ Examples⦿ interrupt⦿ erupt⦿ rupture⦿ abrupt

san⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – health⦿ Examples⦿ sanitary⦿ sane⦿ insanity⦿ sanitation

saur⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – lizard⦿ Examples⦿ dinosaur⦿ brontosaurus⦿ stegosaurus

sci⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – know⦿ Examples⦿ science⦿ conscious⦿ omniscient ⦿ conscience

scop⦿ Origin - Greek⦿ Meaning – see⦿ Examples⦿ stethoscope⦿ microscope⦿ telescope⦿ periscope

scribe, script⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – write⦿ Examples⦿ inscribe⦿ describe⦿ prescribe⦿ transcript⦿ scripture

sign⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – mark⦿ Examples⦿ signal⦿ signature⦿ significant ⦿ insignia

spec⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – see⦿ Examples⦿ inspect⦿ suspect⦿ respect⦿ spectator

struct⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – build⦿ Examples⦿ structure⦿ construct⦿ instruct⦿ destruction

tact⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – touch⦿ Examples⦿ tactile⦿ intact⦿ contact⦿ tact

terr⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – land⦿ Examples⦿ territory⦿ terrain⦿ terrestrial ⦿ terrace

therm⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – heat⦿ Examples⦿ thermometer ⦿ thermostat⦿ thermal⦿ thermos

tract⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – pull or drag⦿ Examples⦿ tractor⦿ attract⦿ subtract⦿ extract

trib⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – give⦿ Examples⦿ contribute⦿ tribute⦿ tributary⦿ attribute

vac⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – empty⦿ Examples⦿ vacant⦿ vacuum ⦿ evacuate⦿ vacate

var⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – different⦿ Examples⦿ vary⦿ variable ⦿ variety⦿ various

vid or vis⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – see⦿ Examples⦿ video⦿ evidence ⦿ provide⦿ visible

voc⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – voice⦿ Examples⦿ vocal⦿ advocate⦿ convocation⦿ evocation

void⦿ Origin - Latin⦿ Meaning – empty⦿ Examples⦿ void⦿ avoid⦿ unavoidable⦿ voided