Greek and Latin Roots  Most modern English words originated from other languages

act  Origin - Latin  Meaning – do  Examples action actor react transact enact

aero  Origin -Greek  Meaning – air  Examples aerobics aerodynamics aeronautics aerate

agr  Origin - Latin  Meaning – field or farm  Examples agriculture agrarian agronomy agribusiness

alter  Origin - Latin  Meaning – other  Examples alter alternate alternative altercation alterego

anim  Origin - Latin  Meaning –life or spirit  Examples animate animosity animal inanimate

ann or enn  Origin - Latin  Meaning – year  Examples annual anniversary annuity biennial

aqua  Origin - Latin  Meaning – water  Examples aquarium aquatic aqueous aquamarine aquafier

ast  Origin – Greek  Meaning – star astronaut astronomy disaster asterisk asteroid

aud  Meaning – hear  Examples audience auditorium audible audition audiovisual

Sample Question

Create  Two sentences for each root discussed, accurately use the words containing the roots.

biblio  Origin - Greek  Meaning – book  Examples bibliography bible bibliophile

bio  Origin -Greek  Meaning – life  Examples biology biography biochemistry biopsy biosphere

card, cord  Origin - Latin  Meaning – heart  Examples cardiac cardiology cardigram accord cordial

chron  Origin - Greek  Meaning – time  Examples chronological synchronize chronical

claim, clam  Origin - Latin  Meaning –shout  Examples proclaim exclaim clamor exclamation

cogn  Origin - Latin  Meaning – know  Examples recognize cognition incognito

corp  Origin - Latin  Meaning – body  Examples corporation corpse corps

cosm  Origin – Greek  Meaning – universe  Examples cosmos cosmonaut microcosm

cred  Origin - Latin  Meaning – believe  Examples credit discredit credential

cycl  Origin - Greek  Meaning – circle or ring  Examples bicycle cyclone recycle encyclopedia

Example

dic  Origin - Latin  Meaning – Speak  Examples dictate predict contradict verdict

don or donat  Origin - Latin  Meaning – Give  Examples donation donor pardon donate

doc  Origin - Latin  Meaning – teach  Examples doctrine document doctor indoctrinate

duc  Origin - Latin  Meaning – lead  Examples duct conduct educate induct aquaduct

fac or fic  Origin - Latin  Meaning – make or do  Examples factory manufacture benefactor efficient beneficial

flect or flex  Origin - Latin  Meaning – bend  Examples reflect deflect reflection flexible reflex

form  Origin - Latin  Meaning – shape  Examples form uniform transform formal reform

gen  Origin - Greek  Meaning – birth or race  Examples generate genealogy generation genocide

gram  Origin - Greek  Meaning – letter, written  Examples telegram diagram grammar monogram

geo  Origin - Latin  Meaning – Earth  Examples geography geology geometry geophysics

graph  Origin - Greek  Meaning – write  Examples photograph phonograph autograph graphite

homo, hom  Origin - Latin  Meaning – man  Examples homage homo sapiens homicide

junct  Origin - Latin  Meaning – join  Examples juncture conjunction adjunct injunction

jud, jur, jus  Origin – Latin  Meaning – law  Examples judge judicial justice justify jury

lab  Origin - Latin  Meaning – work  Examples labor laboratory collaborate elaborate

liber  Origin - Latin  Meaning – free  Examples liberty liberal liberate

loc  Origin - Latin  Meaning – place  Examples location locate dislocate allocate

man  Origin - Latin  Meaning – hand  Examples manual manufacture manipulate manuscript

mar  Origin - Latin  Meaning – sea  Examples marine mariner submarine maritime

mater, matr  Origin - Latin  Meaning – mother  Examples maternal matrimony matron

meter  Origin - Greek  Meaning – measure  Examples thermometer diameter centimeter

migr  Origin - Latin  Meaning – change, move  Examples migration immigrant emigrate

miss, mit  Origin - Latin  Meaning – send  Examples missile dismiss transmit admit

mob, mot, mov  Origin - Latin  Meaning – move  Examples mobile demote remove motion

morph  Origin – Greek  Meaning – shape  Examples metamorphosis amorphous morphology

mort  Origin - Latin  Meaning – death  Examples mortal immortal mortuary

nat  Origin - Latin  Meaning – born  Examples natal nation native

ordin, ord  Origin - Latin  Meaning – row, rank  Examples order ordinance extraordinary

ortho  Origin - Greek  Meaning – straight, right  Examples orthodox orthodontist orthopedist

pater, patr  Origin - Latin  Meaning – father  Examples paternity paternal patriarch

path  Origin - Greek  Meaning – disease, feeling  Examples  pathology  sympathy  empathy

ped  Origin - Greek  Meaning – child  Examples  pedagogy  pediatrician

ped  Origin - Latin  Meaning – foot  Examples  pedal  pedestrian  biped

phil  Origin - Greek  Meaning – love  Examples  philosophy  philharmonic  philanthropist

phon  Origin - Greek  Meaning – sound  Examples  phonograph  symphony  telephone  microphone

photo  Origin - Greek  Meaning – light  Examples  photograph  telephoto  photogenic  photosynthesis

pod  Origin - Greek  Meaning – foot  Examples  podiatrist  podium  tripod

poli  Origin - Greek  Meaning – city  Examples  metropolis  police  political

port  Origin - Latin  Meaning – carry  Examples  portable  transport  import  export  porter

psych  Origin - Greek  Meaning – mind, soul  Examples  psychology  psyche  psychiatrist

ques, quer, quis  Origin - Latin  Meaning – ask, seek  Examples  question  inquest  request  inquisitive

rad  Origin - Latin  Meaning – ray, spoke  Examples  radius  radio  radiation  radiator

rect  Origin - Latin  Meaning – straight  Examples  erect  rectangle  rectify  correct

rupt  Origin - Latin  Meaning – break  Examples  interrupt  erupt  rupture  abrupt

san  Origin - Latin  Meaning – health  Examples  sanitary  sane  insanity  sanitation

saur  Origin - Greek  Meaning – lizard  Examples  dinosaur  brontosaurus  stegosaurus

sci  Origin - Greek  Meaning – know  Examples  science  conscious  omniscient  conscience

scop  Origin - Greek  Meaning – see  Examples  stethoscope  microscope  telescope  periscope

scribe, script  Origin - Latin  Meaning – write  Examples  inscribe  describe  prescribe  transcript  scripture

sign  Origin - Latin  Meaning – mark  Examples  signal  signature  significant  insignia

spec  Origin - Latin  Meaning – see  Examples  inspect  suspect  respect  spectator

struct  Origin - Latin  Meaning – build  Examples  structure  construct  instruct  destruction

tact  Origin - Latin  Meaning – touch  Examples  tactile  intact  contact  tact

terr  Origin - Latin  Meaning – land  Examples  territory  terrain  terrestrial  terrace

therm  Origin - Latin  Meaning – heat  Examples  thermometer  thermostat  thermal  thermos

tract  Origin - Latin  Meaning – pull or drag  Examples  tractor  attract  subtract  extract

tribe  Origin - Latin  Meaning – give  Examples  contribute  tribute  tributary  attribute

vac  Origin - Latin  Meaning – empty  Examples  vacant  vacuum  evacuate  vacate

var  Origin - Latin  Meaning – different  Examples  vary  variable  variety  various

vid or vis  Origin - Latin  Meaning – see  Examples  video  evidence  provide  visible

voc  Origin - Latin  Meaning – voice  Examples  vocal  advocate  convocation  evocation

void  Origin - Latin  Meaning – empty  Examples  void  avoid  unavoidable  voided