Latin and Greek Roots The activities are based on the text: Mahnke, M. K, & Duffy, C. (1996). The Heinemann ELT TOEFL Preparation Course. Oxford, UK: Heinemann.
Directions:
RESOURCES:
Dictionary of Latin & Greek Words in Modern English Vocabulary (Put the prefix or root in the search area to find many words and definitions for it.).
Concordance: Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). Click ENTER. Register yourself (free) and remember your username/password. Type the word(s) into the search string. Click KWIC (keyword in context) and then Search. On the right side you will see the word with the frequency of occurrence in the corpus. Click the word and select a sample sentence with the meaning you chose. Click MORE to get the entire sentence. Copy/paste it into the column.
Write a simple sentence of your own with the same word.
EXAMPLE:
Latin root |
Area of meaning |
Example words |
5 additional Example Words |
For 2 words, give the definition using the root meaning and highlight it. |
For one of the words, copy a sentence from the concordance with your word. |
For one word, write your own simple sentence, showing the root meaning. |
belli- |
war |
belligerent |
rebellious |
ready to fight; resisting |
Were you surprised by the recent outbreak of violence in India between Hindus and Christians? # A: Not really. Historically, these belligerent attitudes have been there. |
I saw her belligerent attitude toward the interviewer. |
rebellion |
armed resistance to authority | |||||
bellicose |
warlike |
GROUP 1
Student |
Latin root |
Area of meaning |
Example Words |
5 Additional Example Words |
For 2 words, give the definition using the root meaning and highlight it. |
For one of the words, copy a sentence from the concordance with your word. | For one word, write your own simple sentence, showing the root meaning. | Comments | Evaluation |
act- |
do |
action react |
Agenda
|
Things to be done, memoranda of items to be considered at a meeting |
There will be no specific agenda or any structured dialogue, he said.
I have many itens items on my agenda for today's meeting.
|
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agro- |
field |
agriculture agrarian |
wild |
Plant/animal living in a natural state, not changed or controlled by people |
Recent studies of wild populations of birds and mammals have demonstrated the long-term effects of natal environments on survival and reproductive function later in life.
Scientists have been observing the wild life for long decades. |
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anthr- |
human |
anthropology philanthropist |
anthogenesis |
|
Where is your homework? | ||||
aqua- |
water |
aquarium |
aquaplane |
A board pulled over the water by a motorboat and ridden by a person standing up. |
My water-scooter runs through that patch of Aquaplane in a smooth way without hydrosnorkling.
|
My new aquaplane has broken since last vacation. | What about your own sentence for "aquaplane"? | ||
arch- |
chief |
monarch |
archenemy |
A chief enemy; someone’s main or worst enemy. |
the The archenemy was the chief of the army. | Good, but let's use capital letters and periods, too. | |||
art- |
skill |
artist |
1.artificial
2. article
|
1. Made by human skill; produced by humans; as, opposed to natural origins; such as, artificial flowers.
2. a piece of writing about a particular subject in a newspaper or magazine; or a thing, especially one of a group of things |
1. Concordance sentence: Just that I was artificial, something about a lab in San Diego that created Humans from scratch.
Own sentence: Her smile looks artificial.
2. Concordance sentence: The article drew lots of commentary, ranging from a column by George E Will in Newsweek to postings from the far reaches of the blogosphere.
Own sentence: This is an article on that new teacher.
|
good!
good example sentence
good! |
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belli- | war | bellicose, rebellion |
1. belligerent
2. bellipotent |
1. Relating to, or characteristic of, a participant in war or a fight
2. The force or power of war.
|
1. Concordance sentence:
When asked about how this contrasted with his reputation for belligerent outbursts, he replied,'' I've heard it before.'
Own sentence: He had a belligerent aspect to his personality.
2. Concordance Melville may have written about eighteenth-century Great Britain, but Vere's ship, the Bellipotent, is said to be an " apt " name for America.
Own sentence: It is a bellipotent country.
|
good
good
not a common word
|
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biblio- |
book |
bibliography |
1. biblicism
2. bibliolatry |
1. The literal interpretation of the Bible.
2. Someone who has an excessive admiration or reverence for a book or books. |
1. Concordance sentence: The attraction of biblicism is the appeal of an infallible sourcebook for answers.
Own sentence: It is hard to understand something of biblicism.
2. Concordance sentence: But bibliolatry has proved to be trouble.
Own sentence: It is not good to be a bibliolatry.
|
good
Then the word is too difficult for you!
difficult word!!!! |
GROUP 2
Student |
Latin root |
Area of meaning |
Example Words |
5 additional Example Words |
For 2 words, give the definition using the root meaning and highlight it. |
For one of the words, copy a sentence from the concordance with your word. | For one word, write your own simple sentence, showing the root meaning. | Comments | Evaluation |
bio- |
life |
biography biology
|
Bioorganic
|
A reference to describe a carbon-based (organic) compound produced by a living organism or of biological importance. |
Nowadays Now a days farmers are using bi-organic products to preserve the fertility of farms or lands. |
How about your own sentence with bio? | |||
-cede, -ceed |
go,yield |
proceed concede,
|
Recede
Exceed |
to move back or away from a limit, point, or mark.
To surpass, to go beyond normal requirements or beyond the limit of |
The train seemed to recede into the distance as we were watching.
The police will give you a ticket if you exceed the speed limit. |
excellent sentences -- from the concordance or your own? | |||
cert- |
sure |
certain certify certificate |
ascertain |
To discover and to determine by means of examination or experimentation. |
We're still trying to ascertain who was driving the car. | ||||
chron- |
time |
chronological, synchronize |
chronic
chronograph
synchronicity
|
1. Of diseases, etc.; lasting a long time, long-continued, lingering, inveterate; opposed to acute.
1. An instrument for recording time with extreme exactness; also, a watch or clock to which various mechanical devices are attached for the same purpose. It is used in astronomical and other observations, in the timing of races, etc.
The phenomenon of events which coincide in time and appear meaningfully related but have no discoverable causal connection. |
Concordance sentence “Better fifty years of Europe Than a cycle of Cathay,” murmured Dick, yielding once more to his chronic habit of quotation.
Modeled sentence
Mary’s brother has become a chronic thief.
Concordance sentence He took out his watch--a gold chronograph repeater.
Modeled sentence A chronograph is a very important instrument in astronomy.
Concordance sentence Mr. Eve, however, played down their lack of scheduling synchronicity.
Modeled sentence It was a mere synchronicity that the he passed when I was near Founder's Hall. |
very nice!
Good job!
Good
very good! Gaudence, you don't need to use the words necessarily, but you can use the root in a sentence of your own. |
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clar- |
clear |
clarify declare |
claret
clarion
clarity |
From 1398, "light-colored wine", from Old French claret, "clear (wine), light-colored red wine", from Latin clarus, "clear".
1. loud and clear 2. a medieval brass instrument with a clear shrill tone
free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression |
Concordance sentence I decided upon claret and hot water, never having tasted spirits. Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips)
Modeled sentence I do not know why he always prefers claret to Heiken.
Concordance sentence In a statement, he added: "Hopefully, these findings will be a clarion call to the scientific community for renewed focus on cassava."
Modeled sentence David was playing a clarion in the Mass.
Concordance sentence Now there is no such clarity, just a story that only grows murkier, and never should have gotten out in the first place.
Modeled sentence Last week, we were asked to edit a passage for coherence and clarity. |
interesting word! It might be more useful to find words that are used more frequently.
nice!
good
excellent! |
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cogn- |
know |
recognize cognition
|
precognition
incognito
incognizant
|
1. Of the nature of, or giving, foreknowledge.
1. Someone who acts or travels in disguise so as to be unrecognizable.
Not cognizant; that is, without cognizance, knowledge, or apprehension of; unaware, unconscious of. |
Concordance sentence Let us speak of it no more; you will receive notice when, where, and by whom, we are to take your precognition.
Modeled sentence It seems that I have never experienced the precognition.
Concordance sentence But Mr. Incognito remained by her side, supporting her and reminding her that things could have been worse.
Modeled sentence He said he is afraid of incognito people.
Concordance sentence Of those around him it was quite clear that he was altogether incognizant.
Modeled sentence She was incognizant when they took her to hospital. |
good!
good!
nice
Better: Celebrities prefer to travel incognito.
nice Hmmh, this would be "incoherent". Better: She was incognizant of her surroundings during her illness. |
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corp- |
body |
corporation corpus corpse |
corporal
|
Of the human body;bodily;physical: corporal suffering. |
" Then he swung a canvas gym bag over his shoulder and reported to a corporal with a clipboard in his hand. !! Corporal punishment was abolished in Britain in 1986.
|
Where is your own sentence?
|
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cum- |
heap |
cumulative accumulate |
cumbersome |
A process or system that is cumbersome is slow and difficult. |
Franois quit his black steed with deft agility, tugging off the cumbersome helmet with agitation. Learning Engilish is a cumbersome process.
|
good
Nice! |
GROUP 3
Student |
Latin root |
Area of meaning |
Example Words |
5 additional Example Words |
For 2 words, give the definition using the root meaning and highlight it. |
For one of the words, copy a sentence from the concordance with your word. | For one word, write your own simple sentence, showing the root meaning. | Comments | Evaluation |
dem- |
people |
democracy, |
pandemia |
of or belonging to the whole people,public,general.
The concordance sentence:
The modeled sentence:
|
hmmh, there are better words with dem-, Faeza. This is not a common one. | ||||
dict- |
speak |
dictate, predict, |
benediction |
An expression of good wishes; something that encourages goodness or well being.
The concordance sentence: I might have been more frightened of her had she not given me an early benediction of her smile.
The modeled sentence: My father gave me useful benediction for travelling.
|
good
good |
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don-, donat- |
give |
donation, pardon, donate |
Condone |
Allowing something which is considered wrong to continue
The concordance sentence: "School officials said that they would not condone that kind of behavior".
The modeled sentence: Smoking would not be condoned inside building on campus. |
good word!
good
nice!!!! |
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duct- |
lead |
conduct, educate |
aqueduct |
a structure like a bridge, that carries water across a river or valley. sentence: The Romans, they had the aqueduct system of delivering water and the sewage systems. |
Where is the sentence from the concordance?
good |
||||
fac-, fact- |
do, make |
factory, manufacture |
abortifacients |
a drug (or other chemical agent) that causes abortion.
sentence: Abortifacients became commercially available by the mid-1700s . |
not a useful word! | ||||
fer- |
bear, carry |
transfer, ferry |
defer deference |
The tradition is that the courts defer to the executive when it comes to matters of war. Library staff decide to defer opening date. |
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fig- |
form |
figure, effigy, figment |
disfigurement effigy |
An appearance that has been spoiled or is misshapen.
His disfigurements were caused by an accident.
Do you love your Effigy so much, Tira? Shall we not stand and fight?
I like Venus's effigy. |
Where is the concordance sentence?
good! |
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gen- |
creation birth race |
|
congenital
biogenesis |
Of or relating to a condition that is present at birth, as a result of either heredity or environmental influences her congenital inability to make decisions
The theory that living things can arise only from other living things and cannot be spontaneously created. To complement genetic approaches we are establishing a confocal based screen for small molecules that interfere with peroxisome biogenesis. |
Where are the concordance sentences?
Where are your own sentences?
|