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Word roots, along with prefixes and suffixes, are a useful way to build vocabulary. This page explains what word roots are and gives examples of some common roots. At the end there are some exercises to help you practise.
What are word roots?
As noted in the section on vocabulary building, word roots are the base of the word which gives the word its main meaning. Prefixes and suffixes can be added, respectively, to the beginning and end of the root. Many words in English are based on words from ancient Greek and Latin. For example, the root phon, from Greek, means sound, and can combine with prefixes tele- (distant, from Greek) and micro- (small, from Latin) to make the words telephone and microphone. Likewise, the root vis or vid, from Latin, means see, and leads to words like vision (sight) and video (visual media with moving images). This Latin root can also combine with the Greek prefix tele- to make television.
Common roots
The following table shows some common roots, along with their meaning and some example words. There are fifty roots in total. The majority of these are of Latin or Greek origin. They are colour-coded according to language of origin: Greek roots in green, Latin roots in red, other roots in black.
| Root | Meaning | Examples |
| ann(u), enn | yearly | annual, annuity, anniversary, millennium |
| arch | chief, first, rule | architect, archaic, monarchy |
| aud | hearing | audio, audience, audition, audiovisual, auditorium, inaudible |
| ced(e), ceed, cess, ceas | to go, to yield | succeed, proceed, process, precede, recede, exceed, succession, accessible, cease, cessation |
| chron | time | chronic, chronology, chronicle, synchronize, anachronism |
| dem(o) | the people | democracy, demography, demagogue, endemic, pandemic |
| dic(t) | speak, tell | dictate, dictation, diction, dictator, verdict, predict, contradict, dictionary |
| fin | end, ended, finished | final, finite, finish, finale, confine, refine, define |
| fix | repair, attach | fix, fixation, fixture, affix, prefix, suffix |
| flex, flect | bend | flex, reflex, flexible, inflexibility, reflect, deflect |
| fort | strength, strong | effort, fort, forte, fortify, fortitude |
| form | shape, resemble | form, format, formulate, formal, formula, conform, perform |
| fract, frag, frai | break | fracture, infraction, fraction, refract, fragile, frail |
| gen | birth, race, produce | gene, genesis, genetics, eugenics, genealogy, generate, generous, antigen, pathogen |
| geo | earth | geology, geologist, geometry, geography, geographer, geopolitical |
| grad, gress, gree | go, step | grade, gradual, graduate, digress, progress, degree |
| graph | to write, to draw | graph, graphic, autograph, biography, photograph, telegraph, demographic |
| grav | heavy, weighty | grave, gravity, aggravate, gravitate |
| her(e), hes | stick | adhere, cohere, cohesion, inherent, hereditary, hesitate |
| hydr(o) | water | dehydrate, hydroelectric, hydrogen, hydropower |
| liber, liver | free | liberty, liberal, liberalize, deliverance |
| liter | letters | literary, literature, literal, alliteration, obliterate |
| meter | measure | meter, thermometer, diameter, barometer |
| mob, mov, mot | move | motion, remove, mobile, motor |
| pel, puls | drive, push, urge | compel, dispel, expel, repel, propel, pulse, impulse, pulsate, compulsory, expulsion, repulsive |
| pend, pens | hang, weigh | pendant, pendulum, suspend, appendage, pensive, append |
| phon | sound | microphone, phonograph, telephone , symphony, phonetic |
| photo | light | photograph, photocopy, photon, photosynthesis, telephoto, photometer, photosensitive |
| plu(r) | more | plural, pluralist, plus |
| poli | city | metropolis, megalopolis, acropolis, police, politics |
| pon, pos, pound | place, put | component, opponent, proponent, expose, impose, deposit, postpone, posture, position, expound, impound |
| pop | people | population, populous, popular |
| port | carry | porter, portable, transport, report, export, support, import, important |
| prin, prim(e) | first | primary, primitive, primacy, primal, prince, principal |
| rupt | to break | disrupt, interrupt, rupture, corrupt, abrupt |
| sci | know | science, conscious, omniscient |
| sec(t) | cut | intersect, transect, dissect, secant, section |
| sent, sens | feel, think | sentiment, consent, resent, dissent, sentimental, sense, sensation, sensitive, sensory, dissension |
| sequ, secu, sue | follow | sequence, consequence, sequel, subsequent, prosecute, consecutive, second, ensue, pursue |
| serv | save, serve, keep | servant, service, subservient, servitude, preserve, conserve, reservation, deserve, conservation, observe |
| sign(i) | sign, mark, seal | signal, signature, design, insignia, significant |
| simil, simul | like, resembling | similar, assimilate, simulate, simulacrum, simultaneous |
| solv, solu(t) | loosen, explain | solve, solvent, absolve, resolve, soluble, solution, resolution, resolute |
| spect | see | respect, inspection, inspector, spectator, spectacles, prospect, aspect |
| stru(ct), str(o)y | build, form | instruct, instruction, construction, reconstruction, obstruct, destruction, infrastructure, construe, instrument, instrumental, industry, ministry |
| tem(po) | time | tempo, temporary, extemporaneously, contemporary, |
| ver(i) | true | very, aver, verdict, verity, verify, verisimilitude, veracity |
| vid, vis | see | video, evident, provide, visible, revise, supervise, vista, visit, vision |
| viv(i), vita | alive, life | revive, survive, vivid, vivacious, vitality, vital, vitamins, revitalize |
| volv, vol(t) | turn about, roll | revolve, convolution, revolt, evolution |
References
Oakton Community College List of Greek and Latin roots in English. Available at: https://www.oakton.edu/user/3/gherrera/Greek%20and%20Latin%20Roots%20in%20English/greek_and_latin_roots.pdf (accessed 23 August, 2018).
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Checklist
The following checklist summarises the information on this page. Use it to check your understanding.
| Area | OK | Comments |
| I know what word roots are. | ||
| I know some common roots in English. |
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