Examples of Root Words: 45 Common Roots With Meanings

A root word is the Latin or Greek basis of a word that, generally speaking, can't be used as a standalone word. You may also see just "root" used to refer to ... HomeExamples ExamplesofRootWords:45CommonRootsWithMeanings ExamplesofRootWords:45CommonRootsWithMeanings Haveyouevernoticedthatmanywordscontain"act"or"form,"suchasaction,activity,conform,orinformation?Well,that'sbecausethosearerootwords.Getacleardefinitionofwhatarootwordis,alongwithseveralrootwordexamplesyoucanfindintheEnglishlanguage. Seniorcomesfromtherootwordsen Advertisement WhatIsaRootWord?Arootwordisawordorwordpartthatformsthebasisofnewwordsthroughtheadditionofprefixesandsuffixes.Intraditionalrootwords,thesewordscomefromLatinandGreek,andtypicallydonotstandaloneasacompleteword.Understandingthemeaningsofcommonrootscanhelpyouworkoutthemeaningsofnewwordsasyouencounterthem. Manyofthewordsweuseinourdailylanguagecomefromarootword.Onceyoupulloffanyprefixesorsuffixes,therootisusuallywhatremains.Forexample,“egotist”hasarootwordof“ego”plusthesuffix-ist.“Acting”hastherootword“act”and-ingismerelythesuffix.WhatAreRoots?WhiletraditionalrootwordscomefromGreekandLatin,youmightalsoseediscussionofmodernrootsinEnglish.Arootisacompletewordthatyoucan'tbreakdownanyfurther.Forexample,ifyoustartwiththeworduncomfortableandremovetheprefixun-andthesuffix-able,youwouldbeleftwiththerootof"comfort."Whilethisisn'taGreekorLatinrootword,itisthefurthestthatthewordcanbebrokendown. Nowthatyouknowthedifferencebetweentraditionalrootwordsandmodernroots,checkoutseveralexamplesofrootwordsalongwithafewofthewordsformedfromthem.RootWordsThatCanStandAloneSomerootwordscanbeusedindependentlyoraspartofothercommonwordsintheEnglishlanguage.Thefollowingrootwordsareprovidedwiththeirmeaningand,inparentheses,afewexamplesoftherootaspartofotherwords. act-tomoveordo(actor,acting,reenact)arbor-tree(arboreal,arboretum,arborist)crypt-tohide(apocryphal,cryptic,cryptography)ego-I(egotist,egocentric,egomaniac)form-shape(conform,formulate,reform)legal-relatedtothelaw(illegal,legalities,paralegal)meter-measure(kilometer,millimeter,pedometer)norm-typical(abnormal,normality,paranormal)phobia-fear(arachnophobia,claustrophobia,hydrophobia)RootWordsasWordStemsSincemuchoftheEnglishlanguageisderivedfromLatinandGreek,theremaybetimeswhentherootofawordisn’timmediatelyrecognizablebecauseofitsorigin.You’llfindthattherootslistedarefromGreekorLatinandcan'tstandaloneinEnglish;theyneedsomethingjoinedtothemtomakeawholewordinEnglish.Reviewthelist,aswellasafewexamplesofEnglishwordsthatarebasedontheseroots. acri-bitter(acrid,acrimony,acridity)astro-star(astronaut,astronomy,astrophysics)aud-hear(audience,audible,audio)auto-self(autonomy,autocrat,automatic)bene-good(benefactor,benevolent,beneficial)carn-flesh(carnal,carnivorous,reincarnate)corp-body(corporal,corporate,corpse)cred-believe(credible,credence,incredible)dict-say(diction,dictate,edict)fac-todo(factory,faculty,faction)gen-birth(genesis,genetics,generate)lum-light(lumen,luminary,luminous)micro-small(microbiology,microcosm,microscope)multi-many(multilingual,multiple,multifaceted)port-carry(portal,portable,transport)sect-cutapart(dissect,sectional,transect)sen-old(senator,senile,senior)sent-tofeel(consent,sensation,sensing)tele-far(telephone,telegraph,television)vor-toeat(herbivore,omnivore,voracious) Youcouldarguethatrootslike“sent”and“sect”canalsostandaloneasEnglishwords,buttheyhavedifferentmeaningsinthatcase.Formoreexamples,exploretheseGreekandLatinwordroots. Advertisement AdditionalRootWordExamplesWhethertalkingwithfriendsorreadingabook,you'reconstantlybombardedwithrootwords.Herearemoreexamplesofroots,theirmeaningsandotherwordsthatareformedbyaddingprefixesand/orsuffixestotheselanguagebuildingblocks. ambul-tomoveorwalk(ambulance,ambulate)cardio-heart(cardiovascular,electrocardiogram,cardiology)cede-togooryield(intercede,recede,concede)counter-againstoropposite(counteract,counterpoint,counterargument)dem-people(democracy,democrat,demographic)derm-skin(dermatitis,dermatology,epidermis)equi-equal(equity,equilateral,equidistant)hypno-sleep(hypnosis,hypnotic,hypnotism)intra-withinorinto(intrapersonal,intramural,intravenous)ject-tothrow(reject,eject,inject)magni-bigorgreat(magnificent,magnify,magnitude)mal-bad(malignant,malfunction,malice)omni-all(omnipotent,omnipresent,omnivore)pater-father(paternal,paternity,patriarch)script-towrite(manuscript,postscript,scripture)vis,vid-tosee(envision,evident,vision) Youprobablynotedthatacoupleofthesewordscaneitherstandalone,suchas“script”and“cede,”orserveasthebuildingblocktolonger,fullerwords.RootWordsvs.BaseWordsTheterms“rootwords”and“basewords”areoftenusedinterchangeably.Thetwoarerelated,butthey’renotexactlythesamething. AbasewordisastandaloneEnglishwordthatcanalsoformotherwordswithaffixes(prefixesandsuffixes).ArootwordistheLatinorGreekbasisofawordthat,generallyspeaking,can'tbeusedasastandaloneword.Youmayalsoseejust"root"usedtorefertothebasicGreekorLatinwordpartthatcannotstandalone.Formoreonthat,learnwhetherbasewordsandrootwordsthesame. Advertisement BenefitsofLearningRootWordsItmightbehardforyoutounderstandwhyyouneedtolearnrootwords.However,therootwordsareliketherootsofatree;everythingbuildsupfromthere.Therefore,rootwordsholdthemostmeaning.Learningrootwordscanhelpyouseehowthemeaningofwordsbuildsandgrows.Plus,ifyouknowrootwords,alotoftimes,youcanhaveaclueastothedefinitionofunfamiliarwords.BeWiseAboutYourRootsEveryrootwordhasameaning,andthatmeaningcorrespondstothenewwordmadefromit.Becareful,though;somerootwordcombinationsmakelesssense.Taketheword“apology.”Itsrootwordlogosmeans"speech"or"reason,"andtheprefixapo-means“awayfrom.”Ifyouweretointerpretthemeaningofapologybasedonrootwordsalone,youmightthinkthatitmeans"awayfromspeech."That’snotaverygoodexplanationforawordthatisusedtoexpressregretorremorse.Sounderstandingthemeaningoftherootscanhelpyouingeneral,butitwon'talwaysprovideyouwithacleardefinition.Tocontinuethiscompellingstudy,andlearnmoreaboutthehistoryofthewordsweuseeveryday,checkoutsomerootsofEnglishwordsfoundinGreekmythology. KitKittelstad StaffWriter middleschoolhighschoolcollegeRelatedArticlesWhatAreAffixes?Definition,ExamplesandTypesAnaffixisasetoflettersgenerallyaddedtothebeginningorendofarootwordorbasewordtomodifyitsmeaning.Therootistheportionofthewordthatremainswhenallprefixesandsuffixeshavebeenremoved.Nowthatyou'veansweredthequestion,"Whatareaffixes,"explorethetypesbylookingatseveralexamplesofprefixesandsuffixes.BoundandFreeMorphemeExamplesMorphemesarethesmallestunitsinalanguagethathavemeaning.Theycanbeclassifiedasfreemorphemes,whichcanstandaloneaswords,orboundmorphemes,whichmustbecombinedwithanothermorphemetoformacompleteword.BoundmorphemestypicallyappearasaffixesintheEnglishlanguage.