Essential

Word Roots

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 Introduction

Roots are parts of words that come from other languages. These roots are used as important
“building blocks” of many of our English words. Prefixes are a special type of root that is used
specifically at the beginning of a word. Suffixes are a special type of root that is used specifically
at the end of a word. According to some linguistic studies made, approximately 60 percent of
our English words are derived from Latin and Greek roots. The following Latin and Greek roots
frequently show up in words that students encounter. Learning them can be a shortcut to rapid
vocabulary growth and allow you to guess around unfamiliar words on tests.

The easiest way to learn these roots is by memorizing them with relevant examples. For
instance, if you know that the word 'incredible' means unbelievable, it should be easy to

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remember that the root 'cred' means 'trust' or 'believe'.

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Don’t forget to think. Many words are derived from these roots, but not all. Just because you

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recognize a group of letters as a root does not necessarily mean that a word is derived from that
root, just as many Korean words that appear the same may be derived from different hanja

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characters. However, if you use your brain, this list can give you a better chance of guessing
crucial vocab that might appear on the test.
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ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE WORDS
a- / an- without, not atypical, anaerobic
ab- away, from, apart absent, abstain
ac citter, harsh acid, acrimonious, acerbic
ad- to, towards adventure, advance
aer air aerobic, aeroplane
ag / act move, do agent, react, agile
am love amorous, amateur, amiable
ambi- both, around ambiguous, ambient
ann year annual, anniversary
ante- before antenatal, antebellum
anthro- human anthropology, misanthrope
anti- against antidote, antitoxic
arch- rule architype, anarchy
aud hear auditorium, audit
auto- self automatic, autocrat
bene- well, good benefactor, benevolent
bi- two biennial, bicycle
bio life biography, biology
cap head capital, per capita, decapitate
cent- hundred centigrade, century

chron time chronology, chronic, anachronism

circ- around circumference, circle
co- / coll- / com- / con- together companion, cooperate, collect
cog mind / think / know cognitive, recognize, incognito
contra- against, counter contradict, contraceptive
corp body corpse, corporal
-cracy rule, government democracy, autocracy
cred belief, trust credible, discredit
de- down, reverse decrease, decentralize
dec- ten decade, decimal
dem people democracy, demographic
demi- half demigod
dic say, speak dictate, dictionary

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dis- not, opposite to dislike, disagree
du- two duet, dual
duc lead aqueduct, duke
dys- bad, difficult, ill, hard dysfunction, dystopia
e-, ex- out of exhale, excavate
ego self egotism
equ equal equidistant, equality
equi- equally equality, equation
extra- outside, beyond extra-terrestrial, extract
fac, fic make, do manufacture, efficient, factory

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for- before foresee, forecast, forward
frat brother fraternal, fraternize

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geo earth geology, geography

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graph write calligraphy, graphology, telegraph
hemi- half hemisphere
homo- same
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hyper- above, beyond, excessive hyperactive, hyperventilate
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in- / im- / ill- not inactive, immature, illogical
inter- between intervene, international
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intra- / intro- inside, inward, within intramural, introvert

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iso equal, same isotope, isosceles

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loc place location, local

loc /loqu speak eloquence, circumlocution
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log word monologue, logic

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luc light elucidate, lucid

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mal- bad, abnormal malady, malnourished

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man hand manuscript, manipulate, manual

mat mother maternal, matriarch
meta- beyond, change metabolism, metaphysical,
mis- wrong misfit, mislead
miss / mit send missile, permission, emit
mon- / mono- one, single, alone monopoly, monotonous
mort death immortal, mortify
multi- many multipurpose, multimillion
nat birth natal, native

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non- not nonsense, nonpareil
ob- / op- against object, obstacle, opposite,
omni all omnipotent, omnivore
over- above, overhear, overcharge
para- aside, beyond parable, paradox, parasite
path emotion sympathy, pathology
pat father patriarch, paternal
ped foot impede, millipede, pedal
per- through, throughout, perennial, pervasive
peri- around, about perimeter, periscope
phil love philosophy, philanthropy
phob fear hydrophobe, xenophobia
photo light photography, photon
poly- many polygamy, polygon
posit place deposit, position
post- after postscript, postnatal
pot power, ability impotent, potential
pre- before prehistoric, presume
prim- first, important, highest primary, prime-minister
pro- forward, front progress, prologue
quad- four quadrilateral
que / qui ask, seek inquisitive, query, question
re- again, back reappear, repeat
retro- backward retrogress, retrospect
sacr- / secr religious, sacred sacred, desecrate
scrib / scrip write scribble, script, inscribe
semi- half, part semicircle
sent / sens feel sensitive, sentient
sol alone soloist, isolate
spect look introspective, inspect, spectator
spir breathe inspiration, perspire, respiratory
sub- under submarine, subterranean
super- above, over superfluous, superior
syn- / sym together sympathy, synchronise
tele- far, far off, distant telegram, telepathy

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ten stretch extend, tense,
ter- three times tertiary
therm warm thermometer, thermal

trans- across, through, change transatlantic, translate, transfer

tri- three triangle, triple
ultra- beyond, deep ultramarine, ultra-violet
un- not unsure, unable
under- below underfed, underling
uni- one unicellular, uniform
utilis useful utility

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ven / vent come, arrive convenient, adventure
vert / vers turn revert, adverse

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vice- in place of viceroy, vice-president

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vid / vis see supervisor, vision, provident
vor / vore eating carnivore, voracious

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