What are “Root Words”?
A root or root word is a word that is used to form another word. It is also called a base word. A root does not have a prefix (a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word) or a suffix (a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word).
The root is the primary lexical unit of a word, and of a word family.
For example, pure is a root. By adding prefixes and suffixes, the following words could be made:
impure, purity, pureness
Similarly, play and move are root words. By adding prefixes and suffixes, the following words could be made:
plays, played, playing, player
moving, movement, moved, movable, mover, movingly
In this book, I have given the most common Greek and Latin roots which are used in English language.
Sample This:
Root Words -- A
AB/ABS
Origin: Latin | Meaning: away, from, off
Examples:
abate -- to subside
abject -- hopeless
abjure -- to renounce
abnormal -- unusual | related words: abnormally, abnormality
abroad -- out of the country
abscess -- swelling
abscond -- to run away | related word: absconder
abseil -- to go down a steep cliff
absence -- nonattendance | related words: absent, absentee, absenteeism, absentia, absently
absolve -- to forgive
absorb -- to soak up | related words: absorbable, absorbance, absorbed, absorbency, absorbent, absorbing, absorption
abstain -- to give up something for moral reason | related words: abstainer, abstention, abstinence
abstemious -- critical
abstinent -- not having something for moral reason
abstract -- not real; theoretical | related words: abstracted, abstractedly, abstraction, abstractly
abstruse -- difficult to understand; obscure
absurd -- ridiculous | related words: absurdist, absurdity, absurdly
AGG
Origin: Latin | Meaning: collected
Examples:
agglomerate -- to collect things and form them into a mass or group | related word: agglomeration
aggrandize -- to increase your importance or power | related word: aggrandizement
aggregate -- to put together different items, amounts, etc. into a single total | related words: aggregation, aggregator
ALTR/ALTER
Origin: Latin | Meaning: other
Examples:
altruism -- caring about the needs of other people | related word: altruistic
alterable -- that can be changed | related word: unalterable
altercation -- noisy argument
alternate -- to follow one after other | related words: alternately, alternation, alternative
Some More Root Words -- A
Root Word [Origin] -- Meaning | Example(s) (Related Words in Bracket)
a [Greek] -- not | atheism, apolitical, atypical
ablat [Latin] -- remove | ablation
ablut [Latin] -- wash | ablutions
abort [Latin] -- born too soon | abortion
abras [Latin] -- rub off | abrasion (abrasive, abrasively, abrasiveness)
abstemi [Latin] -- controlled; moderate | abstemious
abund [Latin] -- overflow | abundance (abundant, abundantly)
ac [Latin] -- to, toward | accept (acceptability, acceptable, acceptably, acceptance, acceptation)
acanth [Greek] -- thorn | acanthus
acceler [Latin] -- hasten | accelerate (acceleration, accelerator)
acet [Latin] -- vinegar | acetate, acetic, acetone
achr [Greek] -- colorless | achromic
acm [Greek] -- summit | acme
aco [Greek] -- relief | aconite
adama [Greek] -- invincible | adamant (adamantly)
ade [Greek] -- enough | adequate (adequacy, adequately)
adip [Latin] -- fat | adipose
adolesc [Latin] -- growing up | adolescent (adolescence)
Other Root Words -- A
Root Word [Origin] -- Meaning
aapt [Greek] -- indomitable, unfriendly
abact [Latin] -- driven away
abdit [Latin] -- secret/hidden
ablep [Greek] -- loss of sight
abr [Greek] -- delicate
abscis [Latin] -- cutoff
absit [Latin] -- distant
aca [Greek] -- a point; silence
acar [Greek] -- tiny
accip [Latin] -- allow, snatch
accliv [Latin] -- steep; up-hill
accresc [Latin] -- increase
ace [Greek] -- heal
acer [Latin] -- sharp
acerv [Latin] -- pile
acest [Greek] -- healing; remedy
