Root Words
Discover the building blocks of English vocabulary and word formation
What Are Root Words?
Root words are the basic building blocks of language. They are the core meaning units from which many other words are formed by adding prefixes, suffixes, or other word parts.
Understanding root words helps you decode unfamiliar vocabulary and see connections between related words, making you a more confident reader and writer.
Common Root Words
Latin Roots
- aud (hear) - audience, audio, audible
- cred (believe) - credit, credible, incredible
- dict (say) - dictate, dictionary, predict
- duc (lead) - conduct, reduce, introduce
- fac (make) - factory, manufacture, beneficial
Greek Roots
- bio (life) - biology, biography, antibiotic
- geo (earth) - geography, geology, geometry
- photo (light) - photograph, photosynthesis, photon
- tele (far) - telephone, television, telescope
- therm (heat) - thermometer, thermal, thermostat
How Root Words Work
Word Families
Root words create families of related words. For example, the Latin root spect (look) gives us:
- • inspect - to look into carefully
- • respect - to look back with honor
- • prospect - to look forward
- • spectator - one who looks
Notes:
- Root Word Origins: Many English root words come from Latin and Greek, which were the languages of education and science for centuries.
- Word Analysis: Breaking down words into their root parts is called "morphological analysis" and is a key skill for vocabulary building.
- Etymology: The study of word origins and how their meanings have changed over time.
Interactive Quizzes
Quiz 1: Identify the Root Word
Question: What is the root word in "transportation"?
Show Answer
The root word is port (carry). "Trans" is a prefix meaning "across," and "ation" is a suffix that makes it a noun.
Quiz 2: Word Family Challenge
Question: Name three words that come from the root scrib (write).
Show Answer
Possible answers: scribe, describe, prescribe, subscribe, manuscript, scribble
Quiz 3: Meaning Match
Question: What does the root chron mean?
Show Answer
The root chron means "time." Examples: chronology, chronic, synchronize, chronicle
Quiz 4: Create New Words
Question: Using the root vis (see), create a word that means "to see again."
Show Answer
The word would be revisit - "re" (again) + "vis" (see) + "it" (verb ending).
Pro Tip
When you encounter an unfamiliar word, try to identify its root word first. This often gives you a clue to its meaning, even if you don't know the exact definition.