List of words with Use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words
Word | Root(s) | Meaning of Root(s) | Word Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
autograph | auto (self), graph (write) | Self + Write | A person’s own signature |
biology | bio (life), logy (study) | Life + Study | Study of life |
telescope | tele (far), scope (see) | Far + See | An instrument for seeing distant objects |
microscope | micro (small), scope (see) | Small + See | An instrument to see tiny objects |
geography | geo (earth), graphy (writing) | Earth + Writing | Study of the Earth’s surface |
photograph | photo (light), graph (write) | Light + Write | A picture made using light |
thermometer | thermo (heat), meter (measure) | Heat + Measure | An instrument for measuring temperature |
telephone | tele (far), phon (sound) | Far + Sound | A device to transmit sound over distance |
symphony | sym (together), phon (sound) | Together + Sound | Harmonious musical composition |
astronomy | astro (star), nomy (system/law) | Star + Law | Study of stars and space |
astronaut | astro (star), naut (sailor) | Star + Sailor | A person trained to travel in space |
hydraulic | hydr (water), aulic (pipe) | Water + Pipe | Operated by water pressure |
bicycle | bi (two), cycle (wheel) | Two + Wheel | A two-wheeled vehicle |
triangle | tri (three), angle (corner) | Three + Corner | A shape with three angles |
antibiotic | anti (against), bio (life) | Against + Life | A medicine that kills bacteria |
ecosystem | eco (house/environment), system | Environment + System | A community of living organisms |
television | tele (far), vis (see) | Far + See | Device to transmit images over distance |
manuscript | manu (hand), script (write) | Hand + Write | A handwritten or typed document |
dictate | dict (say), ate (do) | Say + Do | To give orders |
predict | pre (before), dict (say) | Before + Say | To say before something happens |
portable | port (carry), able (can be) | Carry + Can Be | Easy to carry |
transport | trans (across), port (carry) | Across + Carry | To carry across |
conductor | con (together), duct (lead) | Together + Lead | A person who leads; something that transmits |
construction | con (together), struct (build) | Together + Build | The process of building |
reject | re (back), ject (throw) | Back + Throw | To throw back; refuse |
project | pro (forward), ject (throw) | Forward + Throw | A planned undertaking |
inspector | in (into), spect (look) | Into + Look | A person who examines closely |
spectacle | spect (look) | Look | A visually striking performance or display |
invisible | in (not), vis (see) | Not + See | Not able to be seen |
audience | aud (hear), ence (state) | Hear + State | A group of listeners |
auditorium | aud (hear), torium (place) | Hear + Place | A large room for events or performances |
dismiss | dis (apart), miss (send) | Apart + Send | To send away |
admit | ad (to), mit (send) | To + Send | To allow entry |
submit | sub (under), mit (send) | Under + Send | To hand over for consideration |
benefit | bene (good), fit (make/do) | Good + Do | An advantage or good result |
malnutrition | mal (bad), nutrit (nourish) | Bad + Nourish | Poor nourishment |
erupt | e (out), rupt (break) | Out + Break | To burst forth |
interrupt | inter (between), rupt (break) | Between + Break | To break in |
export | ex (out), port (carry) | Out + Carry | To carry goods out |
import | im (in), port (carry) | In + Carry | To bring goods in |
scribble | scrib (write) | Write | To write carelessly |
describe | de (down), scribe (write) | Down + Write | To write or tell about something |
explode | ex (out), plod (to clap or strike) | Out + Burst | To burst violently |
postpone | post (after), pone (put) | After + Put | To delay |
inject | in (into), ject (throw) | Into + Throw | To force into something (like medicine) |
convert | con (together), vert (turn) | Together + Turn | To change into something else |
reverse | re (back), vers (turn) | Back + Turn | To go in the opposite direction |
inspect | in (into), spect (look) | Into + Look | To look carefully |
vision | vis (see) | See | The ability to see |
terrain | terr (earth) | Earth | A stretch of land |
aquarium | aqua (water) | Water | A tank of water with aquatic life |
audience | aud (hear) | Hear | People who listen |
fracture | fract (break) | Break | A break in a bone |
dictionary | dict (say) | Say | A book of word meanings |
manual | manu (hand) | Hand | A book or a task done by hand |
dismiss | dis (away), miss (send) | Away + Send | To send away or remove |
evident | e (out), vid (see) | Out + See | Clear to the eye or mind |
evacuate | e (out), vac (empty) | Out + Empty | To leave an area |
factory | fact (make), ory (place) | Make + Place | A place where things are made |
generation | gen (birth), tion (act) | Birth + Act | The act of producing or a group born together |
geography | geo (earth), graph (write) | Earth + Write | Study of Earth’s features |
thermal | therm (heat) | Heat | Related to heat |
psychology | psych (mind), logy (study) | Mind + Study | Study of the mind |
phonics | phon (sound) | Sound | Teaching reading by sounds |
hyperactive | hyper (over), active (act) | Over + Act | Too active |
monopoly | mono (one), poly (sell) | One + Sell | Control by one person |
polygon | poly (many), gon (angle) | Many + Angles | A shape with many angles |
thermometer | therm (heat), meter (measure) | Heat + Measure | Measures temperature |
biography | bio (life), graphy (writing) | Life + Writing | Story of a person’s life |
microscope | micro (small), scope (see) | Small + See | Device to see small things |
democracy | demo (people), cracy (rule) | People + Rule | Government by the people |
predict | pre (before), dict (say) | Before + Say | To tell in advance |
insect | in (in), sect (cut) | In + Cut | A small arthropod animal |
dismissive | dis (away), miss (send) | Away + Send | Showing disregard |
evacuate | e (out), vac (empty) | Out + Empty | To empty or leave |
revive | re (again), viv (live) | Again + Live | To bring back to life |
construction | struct (build) | Build | Building something |
submarine | sub (under), marine (sea) | Under + Sea | A vessel under the sea |
prescribe | pre (before), scribe (write) | Before + Write | To write a recommendation before treatment |
inspector | in (in), spect (look) | In + Look | A person who examines something |
eject | e (out), ject (throw) | Out + Throw | To throw out |
dehydrate | de (remove), hydr (water) | Remove + Water | To remove water |
omnivore | omni (all), vor (eat) | All + Eat | An animal that eats all kinds of food |
carnivore | carn (meat), vor (eat) | Meat + Eat | An animal that eats meat |
inspire | in (in), spir (breathe) | In + Breathe | To breathe into; motivate |
respiration | re (again), spir (breathe) | Again + Breathe | The process of breathing |
verdict | ver (truth), dict (say) | Truth + Say | A judgment or decision |
audible | aud (hear), ible (able) | Hear + Able | Able to be heard |
potential | poten (power), tial (related to) | Power + Related | Having power or ability |
territory | terr (earth), ory (place) | Earth + Place | An area of land |
Let’s practice!
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