List of Use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words
| Word | Root | Root Meaning | Word Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| autograph | auto (G) | self | A person’s own signature |
| bicycle | bi (L) | two | A vehicle with two wheels |
| telescope | tele (G) | far | A tool to see faraway things |
| telephone | tele (G) | far | A device to talk over long distances |
| biology | bio (G) | life | The study of life |
| biography | bio (G) | life | A story of someone’s life |
| microscope | micro (G) | small | A tool to see very small things |
| microphone | micro (G) | small | A device to make small sounds louder |
| unhappy | un (L) | not | Not happy |
| invisible | in (L) | not | Not visible |
| preview | pre (L) | before | To see before |
| return | re (L) | again | To come back |
| transport | port (L) | carry | To carry across |
| export | port (L) | carry | To send goods out |
| import | port (L) | carry | To bring goods in |
| predict | dict (L) | say | To say before something happens |
| dictionary | dict (L) | say | A book that tells what words mean |
| eject | ject (L) | throw | To throw out |
| reject | ject (L) | throw | To say no or throw away |
| project | ject (L) | throw | A planned task |
| vision | vis (L) | see | The ability to see |
| revise | vis (L) | see | To look at again |
| television | vis (L) | see | A device to see images from far away |
| cycle | cycl (G) | circle | A repeated series |
| recycle | cycl (G) | circle | To use again in a cycle |
| triangle | tri (L) | three | A shape with three sides |
| tricycle | tri (L) | three | A bike with three wheels |
| century | cent (L) | hundred | 100 years |
| percent | cent (L) | hundred | Per hundred |
| unicorn | uni (L) | one | A mythical animal with one horn |
| uniform | uni (L) | one | Same clothing worn by a group |
| astronaut | astro (G) | star | A space traveler |
| astronomy | astro (G) | star | The study of stars |
| thermometer | therm (G) | heat | A tool to measure temperature |
| thermal | therm (G) | heat | Related to heat |
| photograph | photo (G) | light | A picture made with light |
| photosynthesis | photo (G) | light | Plants making food using sunlight |
| geography | geo (G) | earth | The study of the Earth |
| geology | geo (G) | earth | The study of rocks |
| subway | sub (L) | under | A train that runs under the ground |
| submarine | sub (L) | under | A vehicle that goes under water |
| manual | man (L) | hand | Done by hand |
| manufacture | man (L) | hand | To make something by hand or machine |
| inspect | spec (L) | see | To look at closely |
| spectator | spec (L) | see | A person who watches |
| portable | port (L) | carry | Easy to carry |
| erupt | rupt (L) | break | To explode or break out suddenly |
| interrupt | rupt (L) | break | To break in on |
| construct | struct (L) | build | To build something |
| structure | struct (L) | build | Something that is built |
| conductor | duct (L) | lead | A person who leads a train or music |
| aqueduct | duct (L) | lead | A channel that leads water |
| contact | tact (L) | touch | To touch or connect |
| intact | tact (L) | touch | Whole, untouched |
| audience | aud (L) | hear | People who hear a performance |
| audible | aud (L) | hear | Able to be heard |
| benefit | bene (L) | good | Something good |
| benign | bene (L) | good | Kind or gentle |
| homophone | homo (G) | same | Words that sound the same |
| homograph | homo (G) | same | Words that are spelled the same |
| sympathy | path (G) | feeling | Feeling sorry for someone |
| empathy | path (G) | feeling | Understanding others’ feelings |
| script | scrib/script (L) | write | Written text |
| describe | scrib (L) | write | To write or tell about |
| locate | loc (L) | place | To find the place |
| local | loc (L) | place | Nearby |
| credence | cred (L) | believe | Belief in something |
| credible | cred (L) | believe | Believable |
| biology | -ology (G) | study of | Study of life |
| zoology | -ology (G) | study of | Study of animals |
| hydrology | hydro (G) | water | Study of water |
| hydrant | hydro (G) | water | A water outlet |
| dentist | dent (L) | tooth | A tooth doctor |
| dental | dent (L) | tooth | Related to teeth |
| volcano | vulcan (L) | fire | A mountain that erupts fire |
| volcanoes | vulcan (L) | fire | More than one mountain with fire |
| lunar | luna (L) | moon | Related to the moon |
| lunatic | luna (L) | moon | A crazy person (old term from moon’s influence) |
| duplicate | du (L) | two | Make a copy |
| duet | du (L) | two | A song by two people |
| equal | equ (L) | same | The same |
| equation | equ (L) | same | A math statement with two equal sides |
| insect | sect (L) | cut | A small creature (cut body parts) |
| section | sect (L) | cut | A part cut from a whole |
| pedal | ped (L) | foot | A part you push with your foot |
| pedestrian | ped (L) | foot | A person walking |
| terrain | terra (L) | land | The land or ground |
| territory | terra (L) | land | An area of land |
| exit | ex (L) | out | A way out |
| exterior | ex (L) | out | The outside part |
| insecticide | -cide (L) | kill | A chemical that kills insects |
| homicide | -cide (L) | kill | The act of killing a person |
Let’s practice!
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