Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

terr- [from Latin]

(noun)

earth

to inter

subterranean [literally, ‘pertaining to what is under the earth;’ located below the earth’s surface or underground; hypogeal.]

terrace [literally, ‘earthy/earthen;’ an open outdoor living area which extends from a house; a patio.]

terrain

terrestrial [literally, ‘of the earth;’ pertaining to the earth or to those who dwell upon it.]

territory [literally, ‘demarcated earth;’ an area of land either privately owned or under the control of a larger political entity.]

to inter (verb) [literally, ‘to enearth;’ to bury.]

terrain (noun) [literally, ‘pertaining to the earth;’ a land area or its characteristics.]

ge(o)- [from Greek]

(noun)

earth

apogee [literally, ‘away from the earth;’ the point in the orbit of a satellite which is farthest away from the celestial body which is orbited.]

geocentric [literally, ‘pertaining to the earth (as) center;’ of the center of the earth; having the earth as the center, as in the geocentric theory of the universe.]

geography [literally, ‘writing about the earth;’ the study of the physical or surface characteristics of the earth.]

geology [literally, ‘speech about the earth;’ the science that studies the structure of the earth.]

geomancy

geometry

geomancy (noun) [literally, ‘earth divination;’ predicting the future by means of lines and figures.]

geometry (noun) [literally, ‘measuring the earth;’ the branch of mathematics that studies and describes the characteristics of points, lines, angles, surfaces, and solids.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

-or [from Latin]

(suffix)

one who/that which

[Note: The feminine form of this suffix is –rix, which today is used primarily in legal documents, e. g., executrix.]

actor [literally, ‘one who acts;’ one who acts for oneself or as representative for another; a theater performer or player.]

aggressor

inhibitor [literally, ‘one who has something in;’ a person who or substance that holds someone or something back.]

motor [literally, ‘that which moves;’ a machine or part of a machine that produces motion, such as an automobile engine.]

orator [literally, ‘one who orates;’ a public speaker.]

tractor

aggressor (noun) [literally, ‘one who steps toward;’ one who engages in hostile actions against others.]

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

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

scrib-/script- [from Latin]

(verb)

to write

to circumscribe [literally, ‘to write around;’ to draw a line around; to limit closely or to restrict.]

conscription

to describe [literally, ‘to write down;’ to give a picture-like account; to draw the outline of a geometrical figure.]

postscript [literally, ‘written after;’ a message added as an afterthought to a letter or a book.]

to prescribe [literally, ‘to write before;’ to posit regulations; to direct the use of something, such as medicine.]

scribble

conscription (noun) [literally, ‘writing together;’ compelling into service, especially military service; drafting into service.]

scribble (noun) [literally, ‘little writing;’ hasty writing that borders on illegibility or meaninglessness.]

graph-/gram- [from Greek]

(verb)

to write

autobiography

diagram [literally, ‘a thing written through;’ ’ an illustrative or explanatory sketch or drawing.]

epigram [literally, ‘writing upon;’ a brief, frequently witty, statement of a sentiment, either in prose or in poetry.]

grammar [literally, ‘writing skill;’ the system of rules that governs the use of a language.]

photograph

telegram [literally, ‘writing from afar;’ a message sent by means of electric impulses through wires.]

autobiography (noun) [literally, ‘writing one’s lifetime oneself;’ a person’s written account of his or her own life story.]

photograph (noun) [literally, ‘writing with light;’ an image produced by light on a chemically sensitive surface.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

nov- [from Latin]

(adjective)

new

innovation [literally, ‘making something new;’ the devising of something previously unconceived.]

nova

novelty [literally, ‘a new thing;’ an unusual (and/or new) thing.]

novice [literally, ‘a new person;’ a beginner in an activity.]

novitiate [literally, ‘new-personness;’ the period of time during which one is a beginner or initiate.]

renovate

nova (noun) [literally, ‘new (star);’ a star that suddenly becomes much brighter, then gradually returns to its original brightness.]

to renovate (verb) [literally, ‘to make new again;’ to restore something to its pristine condition, the condition in which it was when it was new.]

ne(o)- [from Greek]

(adjective)

new

neoclassic [literally, ‘new-classic;’ pertaining to a revival of classical forms in art.]

Neolithic [literally, ‘new stone-like;’ pertaining to the period characterized by the development of agriculture and polished stone tools.]

neologism

neon [literally, ‘new;’ one of the inert gases.]

neonatal

neophyte [literally, ‘new-grown;’ a beginner at a job or activity; a newbie.]

neologism (noun) [literally, ‘new speech;’ a newly created word or phrase.]

neonatal (adjective) [literally, ‘newborn;’ pertaining to a just born infant.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

mit(t)-/mis(s)- [from Latin]

(verb)

to send

to admit [literally, ‘to send toward;’ to allow someone entrance to a place or group.]

emission [literally, ‘sending out;’ the discharge of a substance.]

mission [literally, ‘a sending;’ an assignment, such as a combat operation, given to a person or group of persons.]

missive

to submit

to transmit [literally, ‘to send across;’ to have something conveyed from one place to another.]

missive (noun) [literally, ‘something sent;’ a letter.]

to submit (verb) [literally, ‘to send up from under;’ to surrender to the power of someone else; to present for consideration by another.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

super- [sur-] [from Latin]

(preposition)

over

insuperable

superannuated [literally, ‘over-yeared;’ useless because of excessive old-age; obsolete.]

superfluous [literally, ‘overflowing;’ more than is needed or proper.]

supernatural [literally, ‘over the natural;’ pertaining to what is beyond the natural; divine; miraculous; hyperphysical.]

surreal

to supervise [literally, ‘to oversee;’ to be in charge; to superintend; to direct.]

insuperable (adjective) [literally, ‘unovercomable;’ impossible to overcome.]

surreal (adjective) [literally, ‘over the real;’ dreamlike or super-real.]

hyper- [from Greek]

(preposition)

over

hyperactive [literally, ‘overactive;’ excessively active.]

hyperbola [literally, ‘overthrowing;’ the locus (graph) of a point which moves in a plane in such a way that the difference of its distances from two fixed points is a constant.]

hyperbole

hyperopia [literally, ‘over-seeing;’ farsightedness.]

hypertension [literally, ‘over-stretching;’ unusually high blood pressure.]

hypertrophic

hyperbole (noun) [literally, ‘overthrowing;’ a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for rhetorical effect.]

hypertrophic (adjective) [literally, ‘over-nourished;’ pertaining to the abnormal enlargement of an organ or tissue.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

duc-/duct- [from Latin]

 (verb)

to lead

to conduct [literally, ‘to lead together with;’ to direct, lead, or guide; to transmit heat, light, sound, or an electrical discharge.]

to deduce

to induce

to introduce [literally, ‘to lead within;’ to present someone or something for the first time to another person or group of persons.]

reduction [literally, ‘leading back;’ bringing down in size or degree.]

to seduce [literally, ‘to lead by itself;’ to lead away from accepted ethical principles and behavior; to lead astray.]

to deduce (verb) [literally, ‘to lead down from;’ to reason from a generalization to particulars.]

to induce (verb) [literally, ‘to lead into or unto;’ to reason from particulars to a generalization; to produce a course of action by force or persuasion.]

agog(ue)- [from Greek]

(verb)

to lead

demagogue

glucagon [literally, ‘leading the sweet;’ a pancreatic hormone that stimulates an increase in blood sugar levels, thereby opposing the action of insulin.]

hypnagogic [literally, ‘leading to sleep;’ inducing sleep; soporific.]

mystagogue [literally, ‘leader of a mystery candidate;’ person who prepares candidates for initiation into a mystery or mystery religion.]

pedagogy [literally, ‘child leading;’ the technique or profession of teaching.]

synagogue

demagogue (noun) [literally, ‘leader of a people;’ a charismatic person who gains power by appealing to the irrational passions of the mass of persons.]

synagogue (noun) [literally, ‘a leading together;’ the house of worship in the Jewish faith.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

greg-/grex- [from Latin]

(noun)

flock

to aggregate [literally, ‘to flock toward;’ to gather together into a mass or whole.]

congregation

egregious

gregarious [literally, ‘of the flock;’ naturally sociable or friendly.]

grex [literally, ‘flock;’ in Botany, a classification for cultivated plants derived from the same hybrid.]

to segregate [literally, ‘to flock apart;’ to separate oneself or a designated group from the rest of society.]

congregation (noun) [literally, ‘a flocking together;’ a group of persons assembled for a specific purpose, especially for religious worship.]

egregious (adjective) [literally, ‘out of the flock;’ strikingly inept or offensive or superfluous.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

pre- [from Latin]

(preposition)

before

[Note: Its original form is ‘prae.’ When the “ae” combination comes from Latin into English, it is typically shortened to ‘e.’]

prelapsarian

to predict [literally, ‘to say before;’ to foretell something; to prophesy.]

preface [literally, ‘utter before;’ an introductory or preliminary statement to a speech or writing.]

prelude [literally, ‘play before;’ an enactment that is prefatory to a longer, perhaps more important, performance.]

preposition

to prevent [literally, ‘to come before;’ to stop something from happening or someone from acting.]

prelapsarian (adjective) [literally, ‘before the slide or slip;’ pertaining to the time and condition of Adam and Eve before they fell by disobedience of God’s command.]

preposition (noun) [literally, ‘putting before;’ a word that establishes a relationship between a word in a basic clause and another word or words (the object of the preposition): the preposition and its object are called a prepositional phrase.]

pro- [from Greek]

(preposition)

before (in time or in space)

proboscis

to prognosticate

program [literally, ‘writing before;’ a listing of a series of events, speeches, studies, or deeds which usually are scheduled for public presentation.]

prologue [literally, ‘speech before;’ an introductory speech (to a play) or chapter (to a book); preface.]

to prophesy [literally, ‘to assert before;’ to predict the future, usually under the guidance of a god.]

proscenium [literally, ‘before the tent;’ the section of a contemporary theater between the curtain and the orchestra.]

proboscis (noun) [literally, ‘before the feed (fodder);’ a snout (sometimes long and flexible, like the trunk of an elephant); a nose.]

to prognosticate (verb) [literally, ‘to recognize before;’ to predict the future;.]

Root

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

English Derivatives

Vocabulary

grad-/gress- [from Latin]

(noun/verb)

step/to step

aggression

congress [literally, ‘stepping together;’ an official assembly or meeting.]

grade [literally, ‘step;’ a position in a process or on a scale of measurement.]

gradual

progress [literally, ‘stepping forward;’ forward movement toward a goal.]

regression [literally, ‘stepping back;’ returning to a less mature or less civilized state of being.]

aggression (noun) [literally, ‘stepping toward;’ proneness to initiating hostile actions or attacks, either physical or mental.]

gradual (adjective) [literally, ‘step-by-step;’ progressing) by small increments.]