Buday Budayan
Root Words, Roots and Affixes
Familiarity with Greek and Latin roots, as well as prefixes and suffixes, can help students understand the meaning of new words. This article includes many of the most common examples.
Introduction
Many English words are formed by taking basic words and adding combinations of prefixes and suffixes to them. A basic word to which affixes (prefixes and suffixes) are added is called a root word because it forms the basis of a new word. The root word is also a word in its own right. For example, the word lovely consists of the word love and the suffix -ly.
In contrast, a root is the basis of a new word, but it does not typically form a stand-alone word on its own. For example, the word reject is made up of the prefix re- and the Latin root ject, which is not a stand-alone word.
Common Latin and Greek roots Common Latin Roots | Latin Root | Definition | Examples | ambi | both | ambiguous, ambidextrous | aqua | water | aquarium, aquamarine | aud | to hear | audience, audition | bene | good | benefactor, benevolent | cent | one hundred | century, percent | circum | around | circumference, circumstance | contra/counter | against | contradict, encounter | dict | to say | dictation, dictator | duc/duct | to lead | conduct, induce | fac | to do; to make | factory, manufacture | form | shape | conform, reform | fort | strength | fortitude, fortress | fract | to break | fracture, fraction | ject | throw | projection, rejection | jud | judge | judicial, prejudice | mal | bad | malevolent, malefactor | mater | mother | material, maternity | mit | to send | transmit, admit | mort | death | mortal, mortician | multi | many | multimedia, multiple | pater | father | paternal, paternity | port | to carry | portable, transportation | rupt | to break | bankrupt, disruption | scrib/scribe | to write | inscription, prescribe | sect/sec | to cut | bisect, section | sent | to feel; to send | consent,
Familiarity with Greek and Latin roots, as well as prefixes and suffixes, can help students understand the meaning of new words. This article includes many of the most common examples.
Introduction
Many English words are formed by taking basic words and adding combinations of prefixes and suffixes to them. A basic word to which affixes (prefixes and suffixes) are added is called a root word because it forms the basis of a new word. The root word is also a word in its own right. For example, the word lovely consists of the word love and the suffix -ly.
In contrast, a root is the basis of a new word, but it does not typically form a stand-alone word on its own. For example, the word reject is made up of the prefix re- and the Latin root ject, which is not a stand-alone word.
Common Latin and Greek roots Common Latin Roots | Latin Root | Definition | Examples | ambi | both | ambiguous, ambidextrous | aqua | water | aquarium, aquamarine | aud | to hear | audience, audition | bene | good | benefactor, benevolent | cent | one hundred | century, percent | circum | around | circumference, circumstance | contra/counter | against | contradict, encounter | dict | to say | dictation, dictator | duc/duct | to lead | conduct, induce | fac | to do; to make | factory, manufacture | form | shape | conform, reform | fort | strength | fortitude, fortress | fract | to break | fracture, fraction | ject | throw | projection, rejection | jud | judge | judicial, prejudice | mal | bad | malevolent, malefactor | mater | mother | material, maternity | mit | to send | transmit, admit | mort | death | mortal, mortician | multi | many | multimedia, multiple | pater | father | paternal, paternity | port | to carry | portable, transportation | rupt | to break | bankrupt, disruption | scrib/scribe | to write | inscription, prescribe | sect/sec | to cut | bisect, section | sent | to feel; to send | consent,