Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

fals-/fall- [fail-/fault-] [from Latin]

(verb)

to falsify

to default

failure [literally, ‘falsifying;’ falling short of a desired goal.]

fallacy [literally, ‘a falseness;’ a formal argument based on a false premise or inference.]

fallible

false [literally, ‘falsified;’ not true.]

fault [literally, ‘a falsifying;’ a weakness or defect in character or structure.]

to default (verb) [literally, ‘to falsify down;’ to fail to do what is obligatory.]

fallible (adjective) [literally, ‘able to be falsified;’ susceptible to error.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

-ion [from Latin]

(suffix)

act of

cognition [literally, ‘act of becoming acquainted with;’ the mental act of coming to know something.]

locution [literally, ‘act of speaking;’ a phrase; a style of speaking.]

resurrection

revolution [literally, ‘act of turning back;’ circular motion around a fixed point; overthrow of a regime.]

vivisection

volition [literally, ‘act of willing;’ the faculty of choosing or deciding; the will.]

resurrection (noun) [literally, ‘act of surging up again;’ the act of returning to life after death.]

vivisection (noun) [literally, ‘act of cutting what is living;’ the act of cutting open living things, especially for scientific research.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

cap-/capt- [cip-/cept-/ ceiv-] [from Latin]

(verb)

to seize

capacious

to capture [literally, ‘to seize;’ to take possession or control of someone or something.]

to incapacitate [literally, ‘to make unable to seize;’ to render someone or something nonfunctional.]

to perceive

to receive [literally, ‘to seize back;’ to take in or accept.]

recipe [literally, ‘seize again;’ a set of directions, with ingredients, for making something.]

capacious (adjective) [literally, ‘capable of seizing (much);’ able to contain a large amount, roomy.]

to perceive (verb) [literally, ‘to seize thoroughly;’ to sense, either physically or mentally.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

fer- [from Latin]

(verb)

to bear

to confer

deferment [literally, ‘state of bearing down from;’ delaying or postponing.]

to prefer [literally, ‘to bear before;’ to give priority to.]

to proffer

reference [literally, ‘a bearing back;’ citation of a source; a recommendation.]

to transfer [literally, ‘to bear across;’ to move something from one person or place to another.]

to confer (verb) [literally, ‘to bear together (with);’ to present or to carry over (to or on someone or something); to hold a deliberative meeting.]

to proffer (verb) [literally, ‘to bear forth;’ to present or propose something.]