Common Roots

ced/cess

(go, yield)

Examples:

concede: admit as true, often reluctantly

precede: come before

precedent: an earlier case used as a guide

predecessor: one who came before

recede: move back, diminish

unprecedented: never done before

tract

(pull, draw)

abstract: theoretical (drawn away from reality)

detractor: one who pulls down a reputation

intractable: hard to manage, stubborn

retract: pull back a statement

tractable: easy to manage or guide

gen

(birth, kind)

congenial: pleasant, suited to one's nature

disingenuous: insincere, feigning innocence

engender: give rise to, bring into being

generate: produce, create

genial: friendly, warm

homogeneous: of the same kind throughout

indigenous: native, originating in a place

fac / fic / fect

(make, do)

efficacy: power to produce a desired effect

facilitate: make easier

faction: a group formed within a larger one

munificent: extremely generous

prolific: highly productive

ramification: a branching-out consequence

flu/flux

(flow)

affluent: wealthy (money flowing in)

fluctuate: rise and fall irregularly

superfluous: more than necessary, overflowing

luc / lum

(light)

elucidate: make clear

illuminate: light up, clarify

lucid: clear, easy to understand

path

(feeling)

antipathy: strong dislike

apathetic: showing no interest

empathy: shared feeling, understanding

pel / puls

(drive, push)

compelling: powerfully convincing

dispel: drive away (a doubt, a feeling)

repel: drive back, ward off

magn

(great)

magnanimous: generously forgiving

magnify: make larger

magnitude: size or importance

circum

(around)

circumscribe: draw a boundary around, restrict

circumspect: cautious (watching all around)

circumvent: go around an obstacle

ject

(throw)

Anchor words: reject, eject, inject, project

conjecture: an opinion formed on incomplete evidence—“thrown” together from clues

objective: not swayed by feelings—placed or “thrown” before the mind impartially

vert / vers

(turn)

Anchor words: convert, revert, divert

adversary: an opponent (one turned against you)

adverse: unfavorable, harmful

aversion: a turning-away, strong dislike

inadvertent: unintentional (not turned toward, i.e. not attentive)

versatile: able to turn to many uses

her / hes

Anchor words: adhesive

adhere: stick firmly to

cohesive: sticking together as a unit

inherent: stuck in permanently—an essential, built-in trait

capere

(take, seize)

Anchor words: capture, accept

anticipate: take hold of in advance; foresee

imperceptible: unable to be taken in by the senses

perceptive: skilled at taking in and understanding

pon / pos

(put, place)

Anchor words: compose, deposit

juxtapose: place things side by side for contrast

presupposition: something placed/assumed beforehand

proponent: one who places a proposal forward

proposition: a statement placed forward for debate

supposition: an idea placed under a claim as its (uncertain) basis

spec / spect

(look)

Anchor words: spectator, inspect

circumspect: cautious; looking all around before acting

prospective: likely, looking ahead to the future

specious: having the look of being true without actually being true

speculative: based on looking/guessing rather than fact

sequ / secut

(follow)

Anchor words: sequence, sequel

consequential: significant -- having important effects that follow

inconsequential: unimportant -- with no meaningful effects following

obsequious: excessively eager to please -- following after someone servilely

fid

(faith)

diffident: lacking self-confidence (literally, distrustful of oneself)

fidelity: faithfulness, exact precision

perfidy: treachery, betrayal of trust

acer / acr

(sharp, bitter)

acerbic: sharp and biting in tone

acrimonious: bitter and resentful, especially in a dispute

exacerbate: make a bitter/bad situation sharper, worse

fus

(pour)

Anchor words: infuse

diffuse: spread out, poured in many directions

profuse: abundant -- poured forth generously

bene / vol

(good / will)

Anchor words: benefit, voluntary

benevolent: well-meaning, wishing good

malevolent: wishing harm (malus = bad + wishing)

benign: gentle, harmless, favorably disposed

chron

(time)

Anchor words: chronological

anachronism: something placed in the wrong time period

chronicle: to record events in time order

clud / clus

(close)

Anchor words: include, exclude

preclude: prevent beforehand / close off in advance

recluse: one who shuts himself/herself away