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Latin and Greek Roots

This version was saved 12 years, 12 months ago View current version     Page history
Saved by Christine Bauer-Ramazani
on April 5, 2011 at 6:14:25 pm
 

The activities are based on the text: Mahnke, M. K, & Duffy, C. (1996). The Heinemann ELT TOEFL Preparation Course. Oxford, UK: Heinemann.

 

Directions:

  1. From the RESOURCES below, find additional example words and give a definition for the additional example words you found using the meaning given for the root or prefix.
  2. Click EDIT PAGE (top).
  3. Copy (CTRL+C) the information from the resource and paste (CTRL+V) it into the table in the Wiki.

 

RESOURCES:

 

  1. 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.).

    1. Root Search (English Language Roots Reference) -- Choose All Roots and type your root into the search window. 

    2. Focusing On Words (searchable database of words of Latin and Greek origin, includes definitions for roots, prefixes, and suffixes)

  2. To find definitions and additional words/expressions, see Online Dictionaries. 

 

EXAMPLE:

Latin root

Area of meaning

Example words

Additional Example Words

Definition using the root meaning

belli-

war

belligerent

 rebellious

 ready to fight; resisting

   

rebellion

   armed resistance to authority
   

bellicose

   warlike

 

 

GROUP 1

Latin root

Area of meaning

Example Words

Student's
Name 

Additional Example Words

Definition using the root meaning

act

do

action
react

Take 

 

activate

 

 

1. To set in motion; to make active or more active.
2. To organize or to create (a military unit, for example): "The governor had to activate the National Guard."
3. To treat (sewage) with aeration and bacteria to aid decomposition.
4. In chemistry, to accelerate a reaction in, as by heat.
5. In physics, to make (a substance) radioactive.
6. In biology, to convert (certain biological compounds) into biologically active derivatives.

agro

field

agriculture
agrarian

 

agriology, agriological

 

 

1. The comparative study of the history and customs of primitive, savage, or uncivilized people.
2. Description or comparative study of the customs of savage or uncivilized tribes.

anthr

human

anthropology

philanthropist

   anthropomorph

 

1. A representation of the human form in art.
2. A design element that portrays a human or human like figure; such as, those found on ancient pottery.

aqua

water

aquarium
aqueous

 

Aquarius

 

1. In astronomy, the "Water Bearer", a zodiacal constellation between Pisces and Capricornus.
2. In astrology, the eleventh sign of the zodiac: the fixed air sign; a person born under this sign, usually between January 20th and February 18th; an Aquarian.

arch

chief

monarch
architect

Betty 

arcade

 
1. An arched, roofed building or part of a building.
2. A series of arches supported by columns, piers, or pillars.
3. A roofed passage way or lane, especially one with shops on either side.
4. A commercial establishment featuring rows of coin-operated games 

art

skill

artist
artisan
artifact

 

art

 

art

1. The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
2. The class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria; works of art collectively, as paintings, sculptures, or drawings; such as, a museum of art; an art collection.
3. A field, genre, or category of art: "Dance is an art that I love."
4. The fine arts collectively, often excluding architecture.
5. Any field using the skills or techniques of art; including, advertising art and industrial art.
6. Illustrative or decorative materials: "Do you have any art work to illustrate your web site?"
7. The principles or methods governing any craft or branch of learning; such as, the art of baking and the art of selling.
8. Skill in conducting any human activity: a master at the art of conversation.

 

belli-  war  bellicose, rebellion    bellicose 

(Latin: war; fight, fighting)

 

biblio

book

bibliography

  

bibliography 

 

 A Bibliography is one asset to knowing where much of the information for this dictionary comes from.
 

GROUP 2

 

Latin root

Area of meaning

Example Words

Student's
Name 

Additional Example Words

Definition using the root meaning

bio

 life

biography, biology

 

Tada 

biogenic 

 

 

Greek: life; living, live, alive.

A unit about "life" and "living" 

cede, ceed

 go,yield

proceed, concede,
succeed

 

Tada 

exceed 

accede, antecede,

cede,

concede, intercede, precede, recede,

secede

-ceed, -sede, -cede

-ceed (SEED)

A suffix from Latin cedere, "to go": "Only three words end with suffix -ceed: exceed, proceed, and succeed."

-cede (SEED)

A suffix from Latin cedere, "to go" 

cert

 sure

 certain, certify, certificate

Tada 

certification 

 

 

cern-, cert-, cer-; cret-, creet-, cre- +

(Latin: to separate, to sift, to distinguish, to understand, to decide; separated, separation, to set apart; to secrete; the glandular extraction or elaboration (working out) of a natural substance; and it is also the basic element of "secret")

chron

 time

 chronological, synchronize

Tada

chronograph 

 

chrono-, chron- +

(Greek: time)

clar

 clear

 clarify, declare

Ayumi  

 claret

Light-colored wine", from Old French claret, "clear (wine), light-colored red wine", from Latin clarus, "clear".

The meeaning "red wine of Bordeaux" was first attested in 1700.

cogn

 know

 

 recognize, cognition

 

Ayumi   cognizance

1. Conscious knowledge or recognition; awareness.
2. The range of what one can know or understand.
3. Observance; notice: "We will take cognizance of your objections at the proper time."
4. In law, acknowledgment, recognition, or jurisdiction; the assumption of jurisdiction in a case.
5. In heraldry, a crest or badge worn to distinguish the bearer.

corp

 body

 corporation

corpus

corpse

Ayumi 

corpuscle

1. A small independent body; especially, a cell in blood or lymph.
2. A discrete particle, especially a photon.
3. A tiny piece of anything.
4. Etymology: from Latin corpusculum, "small body".

 

cum 

 heap

 cumulative

accumulate

Ayumi   

 

 

 

GROUP 3

 

Latin root

Area of meaning

Example Words

Student's
Name 

Additional Example Words

Definition using the root meaning

dem

 people

 democracy,
demography

Pride   

demagogue, demagog, demagogical

 1. In a bad sense: a leader of a popular faction, or of the mob; a political agitator who appeals to the passions and prejudices of the mob in order to obtain power or further his own interests; an unprincipled or factious popular orator.

2. In ancient times, a popular leader who represented the ordinay people.
3. In ancient times, a leader of the people; a popular leader or orator who espoused the cause of the people against any other party in the state.

dict

 speak

 dictate, predict,
verdict

 

 

Dictaphone®

 

 

 

 

dictate

 

dictation

 

A trademark for a small hand-held tape recorder used for dictation.

1. To put into words that are to be written down; to utter, pronounce, or read aloud to a person (something which he/she is to write).
2. To prescribe (a course or object of action); to lay down authoritatively; to order, or command in express terms.
3. To use or practice dictation; to lay down the law, to give orders.

1. The pronunciation of words that are to be written down.
2. The activity of taking down a passage that is read aloud by a teacher as a test of spelling, writing, or language skills.
3. Arbitrary command; the exercise of dictatorship.
4. The action of giving orders authoritatively or categorically.

don, donat

 give

 donation, pardon, donate

 Mavluda 

 

donate

 

donation

 

donative 

 

 

 

1. In the United Kingdom, a university or college teacher; especially, one at the universities of Oxford or Cambridge in England.
2. A Spanish gentleman or aristocrat: "Some people remember California in the days of the dons."
3. A head of an organized crime family, especially in the Mafia.
4. Etymology: don, as a noun, comes from the 1520's, from Spanish or Portuguese don, a title of respect; which came from Latin dominus, "lord, master".

The university sense is appeared in about 1660; when it was originally part of student slang. The underworld or criminal sense came about 1952, from Italian don, from Late Latin domnus, which came from Latin dominus. The feminne forms are Dona (Spanish and Portuguese) and Donna (Italian).

 

duct

 lead

 conduct, educate

 

 produce, abduct, product, transducer, viaduct, aqueduct, induct, deduct, reduce, induce

 

1. A conduit, channel, or tube, for the conveyance of water or other liquid.
2. A pipe or tube through which air is conveyed for cooling, ventilation, etc.
3. A conduit for an electric cable or the like.
4. A tube or canal in the animal body, by which the bodily fluids are conveyed.

Formerly used in a wide sense, so as to include the blood-vessels and alimentary canal, but now applied more strictly to the vessels conveying the chyle, lymph, and secretions.

 

fac, fact

 do, make

factory, 

manufacture 

Nao

 

faction

 

 

1. A group of people who express a shared belief or opinion different from people who are not part of the group.
2. A group formed to seek some goal within a political party or a government.

The term suggests quarrelsome dissent from the course pursued by a party or government majority.

3. A form of literature or filmmaking that treats real people or events as if they were fictional or uses real people or events as essential elements in an otherwise fictional rendition.
4. A literary work or film that is a mix of fact and fiction.
5. Etymology: from Latin factionem, "political party, class of people"; literally, "a making or doing", from facere, "to do".

In ancient Rome, "one of the companies of contractors for the chariot races in the circus".

 

fer

 bear, carry

transfer,

ferry  

  ferry

 

1. To carry or move (someone or something) on a vehicle; such as, a boat or car, usually for a short distance between two places: "The boat will ferry people to the island."
2. Ferryboat: "You can only go there by ferry because there is no bridge."

fig

form 

 figure, effigy, figment

 

figure

 

1. A written or printed symbol representing something other than a letter of the alphabet; especially, a number.
2. An amount represented in numbers.
3. A person, especially a well-known one; such as, a person's public image or presence.
4. The shape of an individual human body; especially, with regard to its slimness or attractiveness.

gen

creation

 

  create 

 

1. To bring something into existence, or to cause something to be.
2. To give rise to; to produce: "That remark created quite a stir with the audience."
3. To result in something or to make something happen.
4. To give someone a new title, role, appointment, or office.
5. To be the first person to perform a particular role in a theatrical production.
6. To use one's imagination to invent things or to produce works of art; such as, to create a poem, or to create a role.

 

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