Use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words

Key Notes :

What are Roots?

Think of a root like the bottom part of a plant. It holds the plant in place and helps it grow. Word roots do the same thing! They’re the basic part of a word, and they give us a clue about what the whole word means.

Common Greek Roots

Root	Meaning & Examples
Photo	Photo: Light Photograph – picture made with light Photosynthesis – plants using light to make food
Astro	Astro: star Astronomy – the study of stars, planets, and space Astronaut – a person who travels into space
Micro	Micro: Very small Microscope – a tool used to see very small things Microwave – a machine that heats food using small waves
Bio	Bio: Life Biology – study of life Biography – story of someone’s life

Common Latin Roots

Root	Meaning & Examples
Uni	Uni: one Unicorn – a magical animal with one horn Unicycle – a cycle with one wheel
Cent	cent: Hundred Century – a period of 100 years Centipede – an insect with many legs, often said to have 100 legs
Sub	Sub: under Submarine – a vehicle that goes under water Subway – a train that runs under the ground
Script/Scrib	Script/Scrib: To write Scribble – to write messily Script– the written words of a play or movie

See how knowing these roots can help you guess what a word means? It’s like having a secret code!

Practice Time!

Let’s try some words:

• Autograph: What roots do you see? What do you think it means?
• Report: What roots do you see? What do you think it means?
• Deform: What roots do you see? What do you think it means?

Summary

Today, we learned that many English words come from Greek and Latin roots. These roots are like clues that help us understand what words mean. By learning common roots, we can become amazing word detectives and unlock the meanings of even more words!

Let’s practice!