Word Within the Word List #14

Vocabulary Roots and Affixes

Root Words and Their Meanings

  • pleo (more)

  • pod (foot)

  • soror (sister)

  • val (worth)

  • para (beside, near)

  • dom (rule)

  • erg (work)

  • rhiz (root)

  • sapro (rotten)

  • schizo (divide)

  • hippo (horse)

  • som (body)

  • spor (seed)

  • sta (stop)

  • rhodo (rose)

  • taxis (arrangement)

  • vol (will)

  • frat (brother)

  • trich (hair)

  • troph (nourishment)

  • tox (poison)

  • sect (cut)

  • zygo (yoke)

  • zym (ferment)

Vocabulary Derived From Roots

Pleo

  • pleomorphic: having various forms.

  • pleonasm: using more words than necessary.

  • pleochroic: showing different colors when viewed from different angles.

  • Pliocene: relating to a geological epoch.

  • pleophagous: feeding on multiple types of food.

Pod

  • pseudopod: a temporary arm-like projection of a cell.

  • arthropod: invertebrate animals having jointed limbs.

  • diplopoda: class of myriapod arthropods with two pairs of legs on each body segment.

  • cephalopod: class of mollusks like octopuses and squids.

  • podiatrist: a specialist in foot health.

  • gastropod: a class of mollusks that includes snails and slugs.

Soror

  • sorority: a society of women, especially in a college setting.

  • sororicide: the act of killing one's sister.

  • sororize: to treat as sisters.

  • sororal: relating to sisters.

Val

  • valiant: showing courage or determination.

  • valid: logically correct; well-founded.

  • equivalent: equal in value, amount, function, or meaning.

  • devaluate: reduce or understate the worth of.

  • evaluate: to judge or determine the significance, worth, or quality of.

  • ambivalent: having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something.

  • covalent: referring to a type of chemical bond in which atoms share pairs of electrons.

Erg

  • ergonomics: the study of people's efficiency in their working environment.

  • erg-second: a unit of energy equal to one erg expended in one second.

  • ergatocracy: a government by workers.

  • exergonic: a process that releases energy.

  • synergy: the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

Rhiz

  • rhizoid: a root-like structure that anchors plants.

  • rhizome: a horizontal underground stem.

  • rhizomorphous: having the form of a rhizome.

  • rhizophagous: feeding on roots.

  • rhizanthous: having flowers that arise from the rhizome.

Sapro

  • saprophytic: refers to organisms that feed on dead or decaying organic matter.

  • saprophyte: an organism that lives on dead organic matter.

  • saprogenic: causing or resulting from decay.

  • saprolite: a weathered rock material.

  • saprophilous: favoring conditions that allow saprophytic growth.

Schizo

  • Schizomycetes: a term referring to a class of fungi-like organisms.

  • schizophrenia: a severe mental disorder characterized by a disconnection from reality.

  • schism: a division or split, often within a religious community.

  • schizocarp: a type of fruit that splits into several parts when ripe.

  • schizoid: having a personality style characterized by emotional aloofness.

Hippo

  • hippopotamus: a large, mostly herbivorous mammal.

  • hippodrome: a course for horse racing.

  • hippogryph: a mythical creature that is a blend of a horse and a griffin.

  • hipparch: a commander of cavalry in ancient Greece.

  • eohippus: an early ancestor of the modern horse.

Som

  • somatic: relating to the body, especially as distinct from the mind.

  • chromosome: a structure composed of DNA and protein, visible during cell division.

  • lysosome: an organelle that contains digestive enzymes.

  • somatoplasm: the protoplasm of a body cell.

  • psychosomatic: relating to the interaction between mind and body.

Spor

  • endospore: a resistant asexual spore that develops inside some bacteria.

  • sporophyte: the asexual phase in the life cycle of plants.

  • sporangia: structures where spores are produced.

  • Sporozoa: a phylum of parasitic protozoans.

  • sporogenesis: the process of spore formation.

Tax

  • syntax: the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences.

  • chemotaxis: movement of an organism in response to a chemical stimulus.

  • taxidermy: the art of preserving an animal's body by stuffing it.

  • phyllotaxis: the arrangement of leaves on a plant stem.

  • taxonomy: the science of classification, particularly of living organisms.

  • ataxia: lack of muscle control during voluntary movements.

Vol

  • volunteer: someone who offers services freely without expecting payment.

  • malevolent: having or showing a wish to do evil to others.

  • benevolent: well-meaning and kindly.

  • volition: the faculty or power of using one's will.

  • involuntary: done without conscious control.

Frat

  • fraternity: a group of people associated for a common purpose, often used in the context of college organizations.

  • fraternal: relating to brothers.

  • fratricide: the act of killing one's brother.

  • fraternize: to associate or form a friendship with someone.

Trich

  • monotrichous: having a single flagellum or hair.

  • trichina: a genus of parasitic roundworms.

  • trichocysts: organelles found in certain protozoans that can discharge protrusions.

  • trichinosis: a disease caused by infection with the trichina worm.

  • trichosis: a condition affecting hair growth or hair loss.

Troph

  • autotroph: an organism that produces its own food.

  • eutrophication: the process by which a body of water becomes overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae.

  • atrophy: the wasting away of body tissue or organ.

  • dystrophy: a disorder caused by the inadequate or abnormal development of tissue or organs.

  • trophism: the growth or movement of organisms in response to directional stimuli.

Tox

  • toxin: a poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms.

  • toxoid: a toxin that has been inactivated or modified for use in vaccines.

  • nontoxic: not harmful or damaging to living tissue.

  • antitoxin: an antibody that counteracts a toxin.

  • detoxification: the process of removing toxic substances from an organism.

  • toxicity: the degree to which a substance can harm humans or animals.

  • phytotoxic: toxic to plants.

Sect

  • dissect: to cut open for examination.

  • intersection: the point where two or more things meet.

  • vivisection: the practice of conducting experiments on live animals.

  • bisect: to divide into two equal parts.

  • section: a distinct part or subdivision of something.

  • sectarian: relating to or characteristic of a sect, often with a derogatory connotation.

Zygo

  • zygote: the initial cell formed when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell.

  • zygospore: a spore formed after the union of two gametes.

  • zygodactyl: having two digits pointing forward and two backward.

  • zygomorphic: having bilateral symmetry.

  • zygoid: relating to a yoke-like structure.

  • zygopt: a term associated with zygotic processes.

Zym

  • enzyme: a protein that acts as a catalyst in biochemical reactions.

  • zymology: the study of fermentation processes.

  • zymurgy: the branch of chemistry that deals with fermentation.

  • zymogenesis: the process of enzymatic formation.

  • zymoscope: an instrument for observing fermentation.

  • zym: a term often related to fermentation activities.