Root Words! The English language has its roots in languages like Greek and Latin. An understanding of the common root words will help us make educated guesses about the meaning of new words and substantially strengthen our vocabulary.
Given below is a list of commonly used root words, their meanings and some examples of words formed using these root words.
Table of Contents
Geek Root Words
List of Greek root words with meanings and examples:
- Ambi
Meaning: Both
Examples:
- Ambidextrous – Use both hands well
- Ambiguity – Double meaning, can be interpreted in more than one way
- Aqua
Meaning: Water
Examples:
- Aquarium – Artificial environment for water plants and animals
- Aquatic – Plant or animal living in water
- Art
Meaning: Skill
Examples:
- Artistic – Natural skill in art
- Artisan – Skilled manual work
- Auto
Meaning: Self
Examples:
- Automatic – Working by itself
- Autonomous – Having self-government
- Bi
Meaning: Two, Twice
Examples:
- Biannual – Occurring twice in a year
- Bigamy – Being married twice
- Bio
Meaning: Life
Examples:
- Biology – Study of living things
- Biohazard – Risk to living things
- Cardio
Meaning: Heart
Examples:
- Cardiology – Branch of medicine dealing with the heart
- Cardiovascular – Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels
- Cent
Meaning: Hundred
Examples:
- Centenary – Hundredth Anniversary
- Centenarian – Person who is hundred or more years old
- Cert
Meaning: Sure
Examples:
- Certificate – Document attesting a fact like birth, death, graduation, marriage etc
- Certitude – Feeling of certainty
- Chrono
Meaning: Time
Examples:
- Chronology – Study of events in the order of their occurrence
- Chronograph – Instrument that records time with high accuracy
- Counter
Meaning: Contrary
Examples:
- Counter-intuitive – Contrary to intuition
- Counter-productive – Having the opposite effect as intended
- De
Meaning: Remove
Examples:
- Detoxify – Remove the poisonous substances
- Dethrone – Remove from the throne
- Dem
Meaning: People
Examples:
- Democracy – System of government elected by the people
- Demography – Statistics of births, deaths, mortality etc. of people
- Derm
Meaning: Skin
Examples:
- Dermatologist – Doctor specialized in the study of skin disorders
- Dermatitis – Inflammation of the skin
- Flor
Meaning: Flower
Examples:
- Florist – Person who sells flowers
- Floral – Decorated with flowers
- Gastro
Meaning: Stomach
Examples:
- Gastritis – Inflammation of the stomach lining
- Gastroenterologist – Doctor specialized in the study of stomach and intestinal disorders
- Grat
Meaning: Pleasing
Examples:
- Gratify – Delight or please someone
- Gratuity – Tip, token of appreciation
- Hepa
Meaning: Liver
Examples:
- Hepatitis – Inflammation of the liver
- Hepatic – Relating to the liver
- Hept
Meaning: Seven
Examples:
- Heptagon – Figure with seven sides
- Heptathlon – Athletic event having seven events
- Hex
Meaning: Six
Examples:
- Hexagon – Figure with six sides
- Hexavalent – Having a valency of six
- Inter
Meaning: Between
Examples:
- Interconnect – Connect with each other
- Interdepend – Depend on each other
- Iso
Meaning: Equal
Examples:
- Isosceles – Triangle having two equal sides
- Isobar – Line on map connecting points of equal barometer pressures
- Jud
Meaning: Law
Examples:
- Judiciary – Collective of judges
- Judgement – Decision of a court
- Kilo
Meaning: Thousand
Examples:
- Kilogram – Thousand grams
- Kilolitre – Thousand litres
- Lacto
Meaning: Milk
Examples:
- Lactic – Obtained from mil
- Lactose – Sugar occurring in milk
- Mal
Meaning: Bad
Examples:
- Malevolent – Wishing bad things on others
- Malice – Intention to do evil
- Mort
Meaning: Death
Examples:
- Mortuary – Place where dead bodies are kept until they are cremated or buried
- Mortician – Undertaker
- Narr
Meaning: Tell
Examples:
- Narrate – To tell a story
- Narrator – Person who tells a story.
- Nov
Meaning: New
Examples:
- Novelty – Newness or originality
- Novice – Beginner
- Oct
Meaning: Eight
Examples:
- Octagon – Figure with eight sides
- Octave – Stanza of eight lines
- Ocu
Meaning: Eye
Examples:
- Ocular – Connected with the eyes
- Oculist – Specialist in the medical treatment of eye disorders
- Omni
Meaning: All
Examples:
- Omnipresent – Present everywhere at the same time
- Omnivorous – Eating all kinds of foods
- Ortho
Meaning: Straight
Examples:
- Orthodontics – Dealing with straightening of teeth
- Orthopaedics – Dealing with the straightening of bones
- Pan
Meaning: All
Examples:
- Panorama – An all-around view
- Pandemic – Prevalent all over a country or world
- Ped
Meaning: Foot
Examples:
- Pedicure – Treatment of the feet
- Pedal – Foot operated lever
- Poly
Meaning: Many
Examples:
- Polygon – Figure with many sides
- Polygamy – Having more than one husband or wife at the same time
- Psych
Meaning: Mind
Examples:
- Psychiatry – Study of mental diseases
- Psych – Prepare oneself mentally for a task
- Quad
Meaning: Four
Examples:
- Quadruple – Increase four times
- Quadrangle – Figure having four sides
- Quin
Meaning: Five
Examples:
- Quintuple – Increase five times
- Quintuplet – Five children born at the same time
- Semi
Meaning: Half
Examples:
- Semi-circle – Half of a circle
- Semiaquatic – Animal living partly on land and partly in water
- Sept
Meaning: Seven
Examples:
- Septuplet – Seven children born at the same time
- Septuagenarian – People aged before 70 and 79
- Trans
Meaning: Across
Examples:
- Transpacific – Across the Pacific Ocean
- Transnational – Across national boundaries
- Tri
Meaning: Three
Examples:
- Triangle – Figure with three sides
- Triathlon – Athletic event having three events
- Uni
Meaning: One
Examples:
- Unitarian – People who believes God is one person
- Unique – One of a kind
- Vince
Meaning: Conquer
Examples:
- Invincible – One who cannot be conquered
- Convince – Persuade a person
Learn more with a big list of suffixes and prefixes in English with examples.
Root Words List | Infographic
Root Words List | Infographic 1
Root Words List | Infographic 2
Root Words List | Infographic 3
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this dosin’t help
I’m in my 60’s but I enjoyed learning about the roots of words more clearly through your program. Thanks