Study Guide for NCEE (National Classical Etymology Exam)

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards listing Latin and Greek roots, prepositions, prefixes, numerals, meanings, and English derivatives from the National Classical Etymology Exam study guide.

aedēs

temple / house

aestās

summer (Derivatives: estivate, estival)

ager

field (Derivatives: agrarian, agriculture, agricultural, agriculturalist, peregrinate, pilgrim, pilgrimage)

animus

mind / soul / spirit (Derivatives: animadversion, animadvert, animal, animalism, animalistic, animate, anime, animism, animosity, animus, equanimity, inanimate, magnanimity, magnanimous, pusillanimous, reanimate, unanimity, unanimous)

annus

year (Derivatives: annal, annalist, annalistic, anniversary, annual, annually, annuity, biannual, bicentennial, biennial, biennium, centennial, millennial, millennium, perennial, postmillenial, premillenial, quadrennial, quincentennial, quinqennium, semiannual, sesquicentennial, superannuated, triannular, tricentennial, triennial)

aqua

water (Derivatives: aquarium, aquatic, aqueduct, aqueous, subaqueous, ewer, sewer, aquamarine)

arbor

tree (Derivatives: arboreal, arboretum, arboriculture)

arcus

bow / arch (Derivatives: arc, arcade, arch, archer, archery, archway, overarch(ing))

arēna

sand (Derivatives: arena, arenicolous)

argentum

silver (Derivatives: Ag., Argentina, argentine)

arma

arms / weapons (Derivatives: alarm, alarum, arm (verb), armada, armadillo, armor, disarm, armistice, armament, rearm, unarm(ed), forearm, firearm, gendarme)

ars

art / skill (Derivatives: art, artful, artifice, artificer, artificial, artillery, artisan, artist, artistic, artistry, inert, inertia, inertial)

auris

ear (Derivatives: auricle, auricular)

aurum

gold (Derivatives: aureole, oriole)

autumnus

autumn / fall (Derivatives: autumn, autumnal)

avis

bird (Derivatives: auspice, auspicious, aviary, aviation, aviator, inauspicious)

bellum

war (Derivatives: belligerent, duel, duelist, rebel, rebellion, revel, revelry, reveler, bellicose)

bōs

cow (Derivatives: bovine, beef, bugle)

caelum

sky / heaven (Derivatives: ceiling, celestial, cerulean, Celeste)

campus

field (Derivatives: camp, campaign, camper, champagne, champion, encamp, encampment, decamp, scamp, scamper, Campania, campground)

canis

dog (Derivatives: canary, canine, kennel)

capillus

hair (Derivatives: capillary, dishevel(ed))

caput

head (Derivatives: achieve, achievement, biceps, triceps, quadriceps, cabbage, cad, cadet, capital, capitalism, capitalist, capitalize, capitol, capitulate, captain, cattle, chapter, chattel, chef, chief, chieftain, decapitate, decapitation, kerchief, handkerchief, mischief, mischievous, precipice, precipitate, precipitation, precipitous, recapitulate)

casa

house (Derivatives: casino)

castra

camp (Derivatives: castle, chateau, castellan, Castile, Chester, -chester)

causa

cause / reason (Derivatives: accusation, accusative, accuse, accuser, because, cause, excuse, inexcusable, kickshaw)

cēna

dinner (Derivatives: cenacle)

cēra

wax (Derivatives: cerament)

cibus

food (Derivatives: precibal, postcibal)

cīvis

citizen (Derivatives: citadel, citizen, citizenship, city, civic, civil, civilian, civilization, civilize(d), incivility, uncivil)

collum

neck (Derivatives: collar, accolade)

copia

supply (Derivatives: copy, copious)

corōna

crown (Derivatives: coronation, crown, corollary, coronet, uncrowned)

cornū

horn (Derivatives: cornea, corner, cornet, cornucopia, unicorn)

corpus

body (Derivatives: corporal, corporate, corporation, corporeal, corps, corpse, corpulent, corpulence, corsage, corset, incorporate)

cubiculum

bedroom (Derivatives: cubicle)

culīna

kitchen (Derivatives: culinary, kiln)

cūra

care (Derivatives: accuracy, accurate, assurance, assure, assured(ly), curate, cure, curio, curiosity, curious, ensure, inaccuracy, inaccurate, incurable, insecure, insurance, insure, manicure, procure, proctor, proxy, reassurance, reassure, scour, secure, security, sinecure, sure, surely, surety, uncured)

cutis

skin (Derivatives: cuticle, subcutaneous)

dēns

tooth (Derivatives: dentist, dental, dent, indent, denture, trident, bident, dandelion)

deus

god (Derivatives: deify, deist, deity, divine, divination, divinity, adieu)

diēs

day (Derivatives: dial, diary, dismal, journal, journalism, adjourn, journey, meridian, sojourn, sundial)

digitus

finger (Derivatives: digit, digital, digitize, bit, byte)

domus

house (Derivatives: dame, damsel, beldam, belladonna, danger, dangerous, domain, dome, domestic, domesticate, domicile, dominance, dominant, dominate, domination, domineer, dominion, domino, don, donna, dungeon, endanger, granny, ma'am, madam, mademoiselle, madonna, predominate)

epistula

letter (Derivatives: epistle, epistolary)

equus

horse (Derivatives: equine, equestrian)

familia

family (Derivatives: familial, familiar, familiarize, unfamiliar)

fēmina

woman (Derivatives: female, feminine, feminism, effeminate)

fēlēs

cat (Derivatives: feline)

ferrum

iron / sword (Derivatives: farrier)

fīlius

son (Derivatives: filial, affiliate, affiliation, hidalgo)

fīnis

end (Derivatives: affinity, confine, confinement, define, definite, definition, final, finale, finality, finance, financial, fine, finesse, finish, finite, infinite, infinitesimal, infinitive, infinity, paraffin, refine(d), redefine, refinement, refinery, undefined)

flamma

flame (Derivatives: aflame, flamboyant, flame, inflame, flammable, inflammable, inflammation, inflammatory)

flōs

flower (Derivatives: cauliflower, cornflower, flora, floral, florid, florin, florist, flour, flourish, flower, flowery, sunflower, wallflower, Florida, florescent, efflorescent, efflorescence)

fortūna

fortune (Derivatives: fortunate, fortune, misfortune, misfortunate, unfortunate)

forum

marketplace (Derivatives: forensic, forensics)

frāter

brother (Derivatives: friar, fraternity, fraternal, fraternize)

frōns

forehead (Derivatives: affront, confront, effrontery, forefront, front, frontal, frontier, waterfront)

fūmus

smoke (Derivatives: fume, fumigate, perfume)

fūr

theif (Derivatives: furtive, ferret)

genū

knee (Derivatives: genuflect)

genus

race / kind / class (Derivatives: benign, benignant, congenial, congenital, degenerate, degeneration, engender, engine, engineer, gendarme, gender, general, generality, generalization, generate, generation, generative, generator, generic, generosity, generous, genial, genre, gent, genteel, gentile, gentility, gentle, gentleman, gently, gentry, genuine, germ, germinate, gin, indigenous, ingenious, jaunty, malign, malignant, primogeniture, progenitor, progeny, regenerate, regeneration, regenerative)

gladius

sword (Derivatives: gladiator, gladiolus, gladiola)

glōria

glory (Derivatives: glorification, glorify, glory, glorious, inglorious, vainglorious)

herba

grass (Derivatives: arbor, herb, herbal, herbage, herbivore, herbicide)

hiems

winter (Derivatives: hibernate, hibernation)

homō

man (Derivatives: homage, homicide, human, humane, humanist, humanity, humanitarian, humanize, inhuman, inhumane, superhuman)

honor

honor (Derivatives: dishonest, dishonesty, dishonor, dishonorable, honest, honesty, honorable, honorary)

hōra

hour (Derivatives: horoscope, hour)

hortus

garden (Derivatives: horticulture, horticultural)

hospes

guest (Derivatives: hospice, hospital, hospitality, hospitable, host, hostage, hostel, hostlery, hostess, hostler, ostler, hotel, inhospitable)

hostis

enemy (Derivatives: host (enemy army), hostile, hostility)

iānua

door (Derivatives: January, janitor, janitorial)

ignis

fire (Derivatives: ignite, ignition, igneous, reignite)

incendium

fire (Derivatives: incense, incendiary)

īnsula

island (Derivatives: insular, insulate, insulation, insulator, isle, islet, isolate, isolation, peninsula, peninsular)

īra

anger (Derivatives: irate, ire, ireful, irascible, iracund, iracundity)

iter

journey (Derivatives: itinerary, itinerant)

iūs

law / right (Derivatives: abjure, adjure, adjuration, adjust, adjustable, adjuster, conjure, conjurer, injure, injury, injurious, justice, injustice, jurisdiction, jurisprudence, jurist, juror, jury, just, justify, justifiable, justification, perjure, perjury, unjust, readjust)

iuvenis

youth (Derivatives: juvenile, rejuvenate)

leō

lion (Derivatives: leonine, lion, leopard, Leon, dandelion, chameleon)

lēx

law (Derivatives: allegation, colleague, college, collegiate, delegate, delegation, disloyal, illegal, illegitimate, leal, legacy, legal, legality, legalize, legate, legislate, legislation, legislator, legitimate, legitimacy, loyal, loyalty, loyalist, privilege, relegate)

liber

book (Derivatives: libel, librarian, library, libretto)

lingua

tongue / language (Derivatives: language, lingual, bilingual, trilingual, linguistics, sublingual, linguini, lingo)

littera

letter (Derivatives: alliteration, illiterate, illiteracy, letter, literate, literacy, literal, literary, literature, obliterate)

locus

place (Derivatives: collocation, couch, dislocate, lieu, lieutenant, local, locality, localize, locate, location, locale, locomotion, locomotive)

lupus

wolf (Derivatives: lupine)

lūmen

light (Derivatives: illume, illuminate, illumination, limn, luminary, luminous)

lūna

moon (Derivatives: lunar, lunular, lunatic, lunacy, interlunar)

lūx

light (Derivatives: elucidate, lucid, lucent, Lucifer, Lucius, lucubrate, lucubration, translucent, pellucid)

manus

hand (Derivatives: amanuensis, emancipate, emancipation, maintain, maintenance, manacle, manage, manageable, management, manager, managerial, maneuver, manicure, manifest, manifestation, manifesto, manipulate, manipulation, manner, mannerism, manoeuver, manual, manufacture, manumission, manure, manuscript, mismanage, unmanageable)

mare

sea (Derivatives: cormorant, marinate, marine, mariner, maritime, rosemary, submarine)

marītus

husband (Derivatives: intermarriage, intermarry, marital, marriage, married, marry, remarry, remarriage, unmarried)

māter

mother (Derivatives: maternal, maternity, matron, matrimonial, matrimony, matrix)

medicus

doctor (Derivatives: medical, medicine, medicinal, medicate, pre-med)

mēns

mind (Derivatives: mental, mentality, demented)

mēnsa

table (Derivatives: mesa, Mesa Verde)

mēnsis

month (Derivatives: semester, bimester, trimester)

mīles

soldier (Derivatives: militant, militarism, militarist, military, demilitarize, militia, paramilitary)

modus

method / measure / manner (Derivatives: accommodate, accommodation, commode, commodious, commodity, immoderate, immodest, mode, model, moderate, moderation, moderator, modesty, modification, modify, modulate, mold, remodel)