Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

(base)

tract- [from Latin]

(verb)

to drag, to draw

to attract [literally, ‘to draw to;’ to lure others to oneself.]

to detract

distraction [literally, ‘a drawing apart;’ a diversion.]

intractable

to subtract [literally, ‘to draw from under;’ to take away; to lessen arithmetically.]

tractor [literally, ‘that which drags or draws;’ a motorized vehicle designed to perform arduous tasks, especially pulling heavy objects.]

to detract (verb) [literally, ‘to drag down from;’ to take something away; to belittle.]

intractable (adjective) [literally, ‘unable to be drawn (out);’ difficult or impossible to be controlled or educated.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

(base)

vi(a)- [from Latin]

(noun)

way, road

deviant

devious [literally, ‘being down from the way;’ indirect; sneaky.]

impervious [literally, ‘without a way through;’ not able to be penetrated or affected (by something).]

to obviate

obvious [literally, against (i.e., appearing right in) the way;’ easily grasped; evident.]

via [literally, ‘by way of.’]

deviant (adjective) [literally, ‘being down from the way;’ departing from the accepted standard way of society.]

to obviate (verb) [literally, ‘to take against (out of) the way;’ to remove as unnecessary.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

(base)

volv-/volut- [from Latin]

(verb)

to turn

convoluted

to devolve [literally, ‘to turn down from;’ to be turned upon (over to) another.]

evolution

to involve [literally, ‘to turn unto;’ to bring someone into something, as a participant.]

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

revolver [literally, ‘a turner again;’ a pistol with a rotating bullet feeding mechanism.]

convoluted (adjective) [literally, ‘turned together;’ twisted together; highly complex.]

evolution (noun) [literally, ‘a turning out of;’ a process of orderly change and development.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

(base)

clam-/claim- [from Latin]

(verb)

to shout

acclamation

claim [literally, ‘a shout;’ a grounds for demanding something that one believes to be rightfully one’s own.]

clamor [literally, ‘a shout;’ a loud and lengthy shouting. or noise.]

declamation [literally, ‘a shouting down from;’ a vigorous public oration.]

disclaimer [literally, ‘a shouting (oneself) apart;’ a denial of specified responsibility.]

proclamation

acclamation (noun) [literally, ‘a shouting to;’ a shout or verbal vote signifying strong approval.]

proclamation (noun) [literally, ‘a shouting forth;’ an official public pronouncement.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

-itis [from Greek]

(suffix)

(diseased) inflammation of

appendicitis [literally, ‘(diseased) inflammation of the appendix.’]

arthritis

bronchitis [literally, ‘(diseased) inflammation of the windpipe;’ diseased inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes.]

gingivitis [literally, ‘(diseased) inflammation of the gums.’]

laryngitis

tonsillitis [literally, ‘(diseased) inflammation of the tonsils.’]

arthritis (noun) [literally, ‘(diseased) inflammation of the joints.’]

laryngitis (noun) [literally, ‘(diseased) inflammation of the larynx.’]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

(base)

par- [from Latin]

(adjective)

equal

to compare

to disparage [literally, ‘to treat as unequal;’ to demean or belittle someone or something.]

disparity [literally, ‘inequality.’]

nonpareil [literally, ‘without equal;’ having no equal.]

par

parity [literally, ‘equality.’]

to compare (verb) [literally, ‘to make equal together;’ to consider things with respect to their similarity.]

par (noun) [literally, ‘equal;’ a quantity or level of achievement deemed to be standard or average.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

-ics/-tics [from Greek]

(suffix)

skill in

economics [literally, ‘household law skill;’ the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.]

ethics

genetics [literally, ‘skill in begetting;’ the science that studies heredity and inherited traits.]

hermeneutics [literally, ‘skill in interpreting;’ the philosophical study of interpretation.]

physics

politics [literally, ‘skill in citizenship;’ the study of regimes and citizens.]

ethics (noun) [literally, ‘skill in habits;’ the philosophical study of morals, virtue, and moral choices.]

physics (noun) [literally, ‘skill in nature;’ the science of the nature and behavior of matter and energy.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

(base)

iso- [from Greek]

(adjective)

equal

isobar [literally, ‘equal heaviness;’ a line on a weather map connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure.]

isometrics [literally, ‘skill in equal measuring;’ a program of exercises in which muscular contraction is used to strengthen muscles.]

isomorphic [literally, ‘having an equal shape;’ having a similar structure.]

isosceles

isotope

isotropic [literally, ‘equal turning;’ the same in all directions.]

isosceles (adjective) [literally, ‘equal legged;’ having two sides equal.]

isotope (noun) [literally, ‘an equal place;’ one of a group of atoms having the same atomic number but different masses.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

(base)

equi-/iqui- [from Latin]

(adjective)

even

equal [literally, ‘even;’ being the same as another.]

equanimity [literally, ‘evenness of soul;’ calmness and having an even temper.]

equilateral [literally, ‘even-sided;’ having all sides the same length.]

equilibrium

equity [literally, ‘evenness;’ fairness.]

iniquity

equilibrium (noun) [literally, ‘an even scale condition;’ a condition in which all acting forces are in a balanced state.]

iniquity (noun) [literally, ‘unevenness;’ an unjust or wicked act; a sin.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

(base)

gen(e)-/gon- [from Greek]

(verb)

to beget

cosmogony

genealogy [literally, ‘speech about begetting;’ the family ancestry (tree) of a person.]

genesis [literally, ‘the begetting;’ the coming into being of a thing.]

genetics [literally, ‘skill in begetting;’ the science that studies heredity and inherited traits.]

hydrogen

theogony [literally, ‘the begetting of the gods;’ a narration of the origin and genealogy of the gods.]

cosmogony (noun) [literally, ‘begetting the world;’ an account of the origin of the universe.]

hydrogen (noun) [literally, ‘begetting water;’ a colorless, element, the lightest of all gases, and the commonest element in the universe.]