Dictionary of Root Words

What are "Root Words"? -- A root, or root word is a word which is used to form another word. It is also called a base word. A root does not have a prefix (a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word) or a suffix (a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word). Root is the primary lexical unit of a word, and of a word family. For example, pure is a root. By adding prefixes and suffixes, the following words could be made: impure, purity, pureness. Similarly, play and move are root words. By adding prefixes and suffixes, the following words could be made: plays, played, playing, player - moving, movement, moved, movable, mover, movingly. In this book, I have given the most common Greek and Latin roots which are used in English language. Sample This: Root Words - A -- **AGG - Origin: Latin - Meaning: collected - Examples: agglomerate -- to collect things and form them into a mass or group - related word: agglomeration; aggrandize -- to increase your importance or power - related word: aggrandizement; aggregate -- to put together different items, amounts, etc. into a single total - related words: aggregation, aggregator ** ALTR/ALTER - Origin: Latin - Meaning: other - Examples: altruism -- caring about the needs of other people - related word: altruistic; alterable -- that can be changed - related word: unalterable; altercation -- noisy argument; alternate -- to follow one after other - related words: alternately, alternation, alternative ** ANIM - Origin: Latin - Meaning: breath; life; soul - Examples: animal -- a living creature; animate -- having life; to make something full of liveliness - related words: animated, animatedly, animation, animato, animator, inanimate; animateur -- a person who promotes social activities; animism -- the belief that natural objects have a living soul - related words: animist, animistic; animosity -- strong feeling of opposition; equanimity -- calm state of mind; magnanimous -- kind, forgiving, generous - related words: magnanimity, magnanimously; pusillanimous -- lack of courage; unanimous -- agreeing with others - related word: unanimously** Some More Root Words - A -- Root Word [Origin] -- Meaning - Example(s) (Related Words in Bracket) -- a [Greek] -- not - atheism, apolitical, atypical **ablat [Latin] -- remove - ablation **ablut [Latin] -- wash - ablutions **abort [Latin] -- born too soon - abortion **abras [Latin] -- rub off - abrasion (abrasive, abrasively, abrasiveness) **abstemi [Latin] -- controlled; moderate - abstemious **abund [Latin] -- overflow - abundance (abundant, abundantly) **ac [Latin] -- to, toward - accept (acceptability, acceptable, acceptably, acceptance, acceptation) **acanth [Greek] -- thorn - acanthus **acet [Latin] -- vinegar - acetate, acetic, acetone **achr [Greek] -- colorless - achromic **acid [Latin] -- sour - acidic, acidify, acidosis, acidulate (acidulation, acidulous) **acm [Greek] -- summit - acme **aco [Greek] -- relief - acoustic (acoustical, acoustically, acoustician, acoustics) **adama [Greek] -- invincible - adamant (adamantly) **ade [Greek] -- enough - adequate (adequacy, adequately) **adip [Latin] -- fat - adipose **adolesc [Latin] -- growing up ** aer [Greek] -- air or atmosphere - aerate (aeration), aerial, aerialist, aerobic (aerobics, anaerobic) ** agr [Latin] -- field - agrarian, agriculture (agriculturist, agricultural) -- Other Root Words - A -- Root Word [Origin] - Meaning -- aapt [Greek] -- indomitable, unfriendly **abact [Latin] -- driven away **abdit [Latin] -- secret/hidden **abr [Greek] - delicate **abscis [Latin] -- cutoff; absit [Latin] - distant **aca [Greek] -- a point; silence **acar [Greek] - tiny **accip [Latin] -- allow, snatch **accliv [Latin] -- steep; up-hill **accresc [Latin] -- increase**ace [Greek] - heal **acer [Latin] - sharp **acerv [Latin] - pile **acest [Greek] -- healing; remedy