Latin and Greek Roots of English Vocabulary: An Online Manual: Lesson 42 [vers-/vert-, trop-]

September 5, 2010

Root

  

Original Meaning/

Usage Notes

 

English Derivatives

  

Vocabulary

  

(base)  

vers-/vert- [from Latin]

 

(verb)

to turn

 

   

conversion [literally, ‘turning together with;’ adopting of a new belief, especially a religion.]

to reverse [literally, ‘to turn back;’ to turn backward.]

versatile

vertebra [literally, ‘turning point;’ one of the bones that form the spinal column.]

vertex

vertigo [literally, ‘turning around;’ feeling of dizziness.]

   

versatile (adjective) [literally, ‘able to turn;’ able to do many things well.]

vertex (noun) [literally, ‘turning post;’ highest point; point of intersection of the sides of an angle.]

(base)  

trop- [from Greek]

 

(verb)

to turn

 

   

entropy

heliotropic [literally, ‘turning to the sun;’ growth of an organism in the direction of the sun.]

trope

trophy [literally, ‘(over)turning;’ prize for victory.]

tropism [literally, ‘turningness;’ the turning of an organism away from an outside stimulus, such as heat or light.]

troposphere [literally, ‘turning sphere;’ the lowest region of the earth’s atmosphere.]

   

entropy (noun) [literally, ‘turning in;’ tendency for all matter and energy in the universe to move toward a state of inert uniformity.]

trope (noun) [literally, ‘turn (of speech);’ figurative speech; figure of speech.]

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