Roots

100+

AG, ACT, IG (L)

DO, DRIVE, ACT, set in motion — act, agent, agency, react, agitate, agenda, cogent (driving together → compelling), exigent (driving out → urgent), litigate, prodigal, ambiguous

AM, AMOR, AMIC, IM (L)

LOVE, LIKING, friendliness — amiable, amateur, amorous, amicable, amity, enamored, paramour, inimical (in- + amicus = UNfriendly)

ANIM (L)

MIND, SPIRIT, BREATH, LIFE — animal, animate, animation, inanimate, unanimous (of one mind), animosity, magnanimous (great-souled), pusillanimous (tiny-souled → cowardly), equanimity

ANTHROP (Gk)

HUMAN BEING, mankind — anthropology, anthropoid, philanthropy, misanthrope (hater of humankind), anthropomorphic, anthropocentric

AQUA, HYDR (L/Gk)

WATER — aquarium, aquatic, aqueduct, aquifer, hydrant, hydrate, dehydrate, hydraulic, hydrophobia

ARCH, ARCHAE (Gk)

CHIEF, FIRST, RULE; also ANCIENT — architect, monarch, matriarch, patriarch, anarchy, oligarchy, hierarchy, archetype, archaic, archipelago

AUD, AUDIT (L)

HEAR, LISTEN — audio, audience, audible, inaudible, auditorium, audition, audit, auditory

AUTO (Gk)

SELF, same, by oneself — automatic, automobile, autograph, autobiography, autonomy, autonomous (self-governing), autocrat, autodidact

BEN, BON, BEAT (L)

GOOD, WELL, favorable — benefit, bonus, benefactor, beneficial, benevolent (good-willing), benign, benediction, beneficent, beatific

BIO (Gk)

LIFE, living things — biology, biography, biopsy, antibiotic, symbiosis, biodegradable, biosphere, autobiography

CAP, CIP, CEPT, CEIV (L)

TAKE, SEIZE, HOLD, catch — capture, captive, receive, accept, except, intercept, deception, anticipate, capacious, incipient (just beginning), precept, susceptible

CED, CESS, CEED (L)

GO, YIELD, GIVE WAY, withdraw — proceed, exceed, recede, succeed, access, process, accede, concede, precedent, secession, intercede, unprecedented

CHRON (Gk)

TIME — chronic, chronicle, chronology, chronological, synchronize, chronometer, anachronism (a thing out of its time)

CID, CIS (L)

CUT, KILL, strike down — decide, scissors, precise, concise, incision, incisive (cutting → sharp), excise, homicide, insecticide, fratricide

CIRCUM, CIRC, CYCL (L/Gk)

CIRCLE, RING, AROUND — circle, circus, circuit, circulate, circumference, circumvent, circumspect, cycle, bicycle, recycle, cyclone

CLUD, CLUS, CLOS, CLAUS (L)

SHUT, CLOSE, block — close, closet, include, exclude, conclude, seclude, recluse, preclude (shut off beforehand → prevent), occlude, claustrophobia

COGN, GNOS, NOSC, NOT (L/Gk)

KNOW, RECOGNIZE — recognize, cognitive, incognito, notice, notion, notable, notorious, diagnosis, prognosis, agnostic, connoisseur

CORP (L)

BODY — corpse, corps, corporal, corporate, corporation, incorporate, corpulent (fleshy), corpus, esprit de corps

CRAT, CRACY (Gk)

RULE, POWER, GOVERNMENT — democracy, autocrat, aristocracy, bureaucracy, theocracy, plutocracy, meritocracy, technocrat

CRED (L)

BELIEVE, TRUST — credit, credential, incredible, creed, credible, credence, credulous (too ready to believe), incredulous, discredit

CUR, CURS, COURS (L)

RUN, COURSE, flow — current, currency, course, occur, recur, excursion, concurrent, incur, cursory (running over → superficial), precursor, discursive

DEM (Gk)

PEOPLE, population — democracy, demographic, epidemic (upon the people), pandemic, endemic, demagogue (a leader of the people → rabble-rouser)

DIC, DICT (L)

SAY, SPEAK, DECLARE — dictate, dictionary, predict, contradict, verdict, dictator, edict, dictum, indict, abdicate, malediction, interdict

DOC, DOCT (L)

TEACH, prove — doctor, doctrine, document, indoctrinate, docile (teachable → submissive), doctorate, docent

DUC, DUCT (L)

LEAD, DRAW, bring along — conduct, produce, reduce, introduce, educate, aqueduct, abduct, induce, deduce, seduce, conducive, ductile

EQU, IQU (L)

EQUAL, EVEN, FAIR — equal, equation, equator, adequate, equivalent, equilibrium, equitable, equanimity (even temper), equivocal, iniquity (unfairness)

FAC, FIC, FECT, FEIT, FY (L)

MAKE, DO, cause — factory, manufacture, fiction, perfect, effect, affect, benefactor, facile, efficacy, artifice, prolific, munificent, counterfeit

FER (L)

CARRY, BEAR, BRING, produce — transfer, refer, prefer, offer, differ, confer, infer, fertile, proffer, defer, vociferous (voice-carrying → loud), odoriferous

FID, FEDER (L)

FAITH, TRUST, loyalty — fidelity, confide, confidence, federal, federation, bona fide, infidel, diffident (lacking self-trust → shy), perfidious (treacherous)

FIN (L)

END, LIMIT, BOUNDARY — final, finish, finite, infinite, define, confine, refine, definitive, affinity (bordering on → kinship), infinitesimal, finale

FLECT, FLEX (L)

BEND, curve — flex, flexible, reflect, deflect, inflection, reflexive, genuflect (bend the knee), inflexible

FLU, FLUX, FLUV (L)

FLOW, stream — fluid, flow, fluent, influence, fluctuate, influx, confluence, affluent (flowing toward → wealthy), superfluous (overflowing), mellifluous

FORM (L)

SHAPE, FORM, structure — form, uniform, reform, formal, transform, conform, formula, deform, formative, cuneiform

FORT, FORC (L)

STRONG, STRENGTH — fort, force, effort, comfort, fortify, fortitude, forte, fortress, enforce

FRAG, FRACT, FRING (L)

BREAK, shatter — fragment, fraction, fragile, fracture, refract, infringe, fractious (apt to break apart → unruly), refractory, frangible

FUS, FUND, FOUND (L)

POUR, MELT, pour out; also BASE — fuse, refuse, confuse, infusion, transfusion, diffuse, profuse, effusive (gushing), suffuse, foundation, profound

GEN, GENER, GENIT (L/Gk)

BIRTH, KIND, RACE, produce — generate, gene, genetic, general, genre, generous, genesis, congenital, indigenous, progenitor, engender, homogeneous, ingenuous

GEO (Gk)

EARTH, ground — geography, geology, geometry, geothermal, geopolitical, geocentric, geode

GRAD, GRESS (L)

STEP, GO, walk, degree — grade, gradual, graduate, progress, degree, ingredient, aggressive, digress, transgress, regress, egress, retrograde

GRAPH, GRAM (Gk)

WRITE, DRAW, RECORD — graph, photograph, autograph, paragraph, telegram, diagram, grammar, biography, calligraphy, cartography, epigram, monograph

GRAV, GRIEV (L)

HEAVY, SERIOUS, weighty — grave, gravity, gravitate, aggravate, grief, grieve, grievance, grievous, gravitas

JECT, JAC (L)

THROW, CAST, hurl — project, reject, inject, eject, subject, object, adjacent, interject, dejected, trajectory, conjecture, abject (thrown down → wretched)

JUD, JUR, JUS (L)

JUDGE, LAW, SWEAR, right — judge, justice, jury, judicial, prejudice, jurisdiction, injure, perjury, judicious, adjudicate, abjure (swear away → renounce)

LECT, LEG, LIG (L)

CHOOSE, GATHER, READ, pick out — collect, select, elect, lecture, legible, legend, intelligent, neglect, eclectic (choosing from many), diligent, negligent, elicit, sacrilege

LEV, LIEV (L)

LIFT, LIGHT (in weight), raise — elevate, elevator, relieve, relevant, alleviate, lever, levitate, levity (lightness → frivolity), leaven

LOG, LOGY, LOGUE (Gk)

WORD, SPEECH, REASON, STUDY OF — logic, dialogue, monologue, apology, biology, prologue, epilogue, catalog, eulogy, analogy, tautology, neologism

LOQU, LOCUT (L)

SPEAK, TALK — eloquent, elocution, loquacious, colloquial, soliloquy, ventriloquist, circumlocution, interlocutor, grandiloquent

LUC, LUM, LUS, LUSTR (L)

LIGHT, SHINE, clear — lucid, translucent, luminous, illuminate, illustrate, luster, elucidate (make clear), illustrious, lackluster, pellucid

MAGN, MAJ, MAX (L)

GREAT, LARGE, big — magnify, magnitude, magnificent, major, majority, majestic, maximum, magnate, maxim, magnanimous

MAL, MALE (L)

BAD, EVIL, WRONG, ill — malice, malicious, malfunction, malnutrition, malady, malignant, malevolent, malign, maladroit, malfeasance, malaise, malinger

MAN, MANU (L)

HAND — manual, manufacture, manuscript, manage, manipulate, manicure, mandate, manifest (struck by hand → obvious), emancipate (free from the hand), manacle

MATER, MATR, PATER, PATR (L)

MOTHER / FATHER — maternal, maternity, matron, matriarch, matrimony, alma mater; paternal, patriot, patron, patriarch, patronize, expatriate, paternalistic

MED, MEDI (L)

MIDDLE, between — medium, median, medieval, mediate, immediate, intermediate, mediocre (halfway up the mountain → middling), intermediary, Mediterranean

MIN, MINUT (L)

SMALL, LESSEN, reduce — minor, minus, minute, minimum, miniature, diminish, minority, diminutive, minutiae, minuscule. NOTE: a different min- means JUT OUT (eminent, imminent, prominent)

MIT, MISS (L)

SEND, LET GO, release — transmit, admit, permit, submit, mission, missile, dismiss, promise, emit, remit, omit, intermittent, emissary, remiss

MOR, MORT (L)

DEATH, dying — mortal, immortal, mortuary, mortgage, mortify, mortician, postmortem, moribund (dying), rigor mortis

MUT (L)

CHANGE, EXCHANGE — mutate, mutation, mutual, commute, permutation, transmute, mutable, immutable (unchangeable)

NASC, NAT, GNAT (L)

BE BORN, SPRING FORTH — native, nation, nature, natal, innate, prenatal, naive, renaissance, cognate, nascent (just coming into being)

NOM, NOMIN, NYM (L/Gk)

NAME, WORD, term — name, nominate, nominal, synonym, antonym, anonymous, pseudonym, misnomer, nomenclature, eponymous, ignominy (loss of name → disgrace)

NOV, NEO (L/Gk)

NEW, RECENT — new, novel, novelty, novice, renovate, innovate, innovation, neon, neophyte, neologism, Neolithic

OMNI, PAN, PANT (L/Gk)

ALL, EVERY, whole — omnibus, omnipotent, omniscient, omnivorous, omnipresent, panorama, pandemic, pantheon, panacea (cure-all), panoply

PAC, PLAC, PEAS (L)

PEACE, PLEASE, CALM, soothe — peace, pacify, Pacific, pacifist, placid, please, placate, appease, complacent, implacable (unappeasable), placebo

PATH, PASS, PAT (Gk/L)

FEEL, SUFFER, DISEASE — sympathy, empathy, apathy, antipathy, pathetic, pathology, passion, compassion, patient, impassive, dispassionate, pathos

PED, POD (L/Gk)

FOOT; also (Gk) CHILD — pedal, pedestrian, pedestal, centipede, biped, impede (put a foot in the way), expedite, podium, tripod, antipodes; pediatric, pedagogue

PEL, PULS (L)

DRIVE, PUSH, BEAT — propel, expel, repel, compel, dispel, pulse, impulse, impulsive, repulsion, compulsion, pulsate

PEND, PENS, POND (L)

HANG, WEIGH, PAY, consider — pendant, pending, suspend, depend, expense, dispense, compensate, pensive (weighing in the mind), impending, propensity, ponderous, recompense

PHIL (Gk)

LOVE, FONDNESS FOR — philosophy, philanthropy, philharmonic, bibliophile, Anglophile, philology, philander, audiophile

PHON (Gk)

SOUND, VOICE — phone, telephone, symphony, microphone, phonics, homophone, cacophony (bad sound → harsh noise), euphony, polyphonic

PLIC, PLEX, PLY, PLOY (L)

FOLD, WEAVE, TWIST, bend — apply, reply, imply, multiply, complex, perplex, duplicate, complicate, implicit, complicit, explicate (unfold → explain), duplicity, supplicate

PON, POS, POUND (L)

PUT, PLACE, SET — position, compose, deposit, oppose, expose, postpone, proponent, component, depose, juxtapose, expound, composure, repose

PORT (L)

CARRY, BEAR — port, transport, export, import, report, portable, support, deport, purport, comportment, importune

QUIR, QUISIT, QUER, QUEST (L)

ASK, SEEK, search for — question, request, require, inquire, acquire, conquest, query, requisite, inquisitive, exquisite (sought out → refined), perquisite, querulous

RECT, REG, RIG (L)

STRAIGHT, RULE, RIGHT, guide — correct, direct, erect, rectangle, regular, region, regime, rigid, rectify, rectitude, incorrigible (uncorrectable), insurrection

RUPT (L)

BREAK, BURST, tear apart — erupt, disrupt, interrupt, corrupt, rupture, abrupt, bankrupt, incorruptible

SCI (L)

KNOW, be aware — science, conscious, conscience, omniscient, prescient (knowing beforehand), conscientious, unconscionable, nescient

SCRIB, SCRIPT (L)

WRITE, draw — describe, subscribe, prescribe, manuscript, scripture, transcribe, inscription, ascribe, conscription, nondescript, proscribe (write against → forbid), circumscribe

SED, SESS, SID (L)

SIT, SETTLE, remain — sit, session, preside, president, resident, sediment, sedentary, subside, obsession, reside, assiduous (sitting at → diligent), insidious

SENS, SENT (L)

FEEL, PERCEIVE, be aware — sense, sensible, sensitive, sentiment, consent, resent, dissent, assent, consensus, sentient, insensate, presentiment

SEQU, SECUT, SUE (L)

FOLLOW, come after — sequence, consequence, sequel, subsequent, pursue, ensue, prosecute, persecute, obsequious (fawning), non sequitur

SOLV, SOLU, SOLUT (L)

LOOSEN, FREE, DISSOLVE — solve, solution, dissolve, resolve, absolve, soluble, insolvent, resolute, dissolute (loosened morally)

SON (L)

SOUND, noise — sound, sonic, sonar, resonate, unison, consonant, dissonance, sonorous, supersonic

SPEC, SPIC, SPECT, SCOP (L/Gk)

LOOK, SEE, EXAMINE, watch — inspect, respect, spectator, suspect, prospect, aspect, telescope, microscope, conspicuous, circumspect, perspicacious (shrewd), specious (looking right but false), auspicious

SPIR (L)

BREATHE, spirit, blow — spirit, inspire, expire, respiration, conspire (breathe together → plot), aspire, perspire, transpire, dispirited

STA, STAT, SIST, STIT (L)

STAND, REMAIN, SET, place — stand, station, statue, stable, status, constant, resist, insist, consist, institute, constitute, obstinate (standing against), destitute, stasis, substantiate

STRU, STRUCT (L)

BUILD, ARRANGE, pile up — structure, construct, instruct, destruction, obstruct, infrastructure, industrious, construe, misconstrue

TANG, TACT, TIG, TING (L)

TOUCH, border on — tangible, contact, tactile, contagious, intact, contiguous, contingent, tangential (touching at a point → digressive)

TEMPOR (L)

TIME, SEASON — temporary, contemporary, temporal, tempo, extemporaneous (out of the moment → unrehearsed), temporize, contemporaneous

TEN, TAIN, TIN (L)

HOLD, KEEP, grasp — contain, retain, maintain, detain, obtain, sustain, tenant, tenacious, tenure, abstain, pertinent, tenet (a thing held → belief), tenuous, untenable

TEND, TENS, TENT (L)

STRETCH, STRAIN, AIM at — tend, extend, intend, pretend, tension, tent, attend, contend, portend, distend, ostensible, attenuate, tendentious (biased)

TERR (L)

EARTH, LAND, ground — territory, terrain, terrace, terrestrial, subterranean, extraterrestrial, Mediterranean, terra firma

TRACT, TRAH (L)

PULL, DRAG, DRAW — tractor, attract, subtract, contract, extract, distract, retract, abstract, protracted, intractable (unable to be dragged → stubborn), tractable

VAL, VAIL (L)

STRENGTH, WORTH, BE STRONG, be well — value, valid, invalid, evaluate, valiant, prevail, avail, equivalent, ambivalent, convalesce (grow strong again), countervail

VEN, VENT (L)

COME, arrive — event, invent, prevent, convene, convention, avenue, advent, intervene, circumvent, contravene, provenance, adventitious

VER, VERIT (L)

TRUE, TRUTH — very, verify, verdict, veracity, veritable, aver, verisimilitude (the look of truth)

VERT, VERS (L)

TURN, change direction — convert, reverse, divert, invert, version, universe, adverse, controversy, avert, subvert, inadvertent, versatile, incontrovertible

VID, VIS (L)

SEE, look at — video, vision, visible, evident, provide, supervise, revise, visual, vista, envisage, improvident, invidious

VINC, VICT (L)

CONQUER, OVERCOME — victory, victor, convict, convince, evict, invincible, vanquish, evince

VIV, VIT (L)

LIFE, ALIVE — survive, revive, vivid, vital, vitamin, vivacious, viable, convivial (living together → festive), vivisection

VOC, VOK (L)

CALL, VOICE, summon — voice, vocal, vocabulary, invoke, provoke, revoke, advocate, evoke, vocation, avocation, irrevocable, equivocate, vociferous

VOL, VOLUNT (L)

WISH, WILL, CHOOSE — volunteer, voluntary, involuntary, volition, benevolent (good-willing), malevolent, voluptuous