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.]