200 Latin Roots to Improve Your Vocabulary Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Apr 9, 2014 in Latin Language
LATIN ROOTS
Whenever learning a new language, students are often overwhelmed by the fact that they must study the grammar and vocabulary. Vocabulary can be tough for anyone, but especially for those learning a new language for the first time or one like Latin which not spoken. However, the vocabulary in Latin should be easier since Latin is integrated into many modern languages: French, Italian, Spanish, English, etc.
Here is a wonderful list of the most basic roots any Latin learner should know! This list is also helpful to anyone wishing to improve their vocabulary along with test taking skills. So, if you are studying for the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, or even the SATs; this is a great chart for you to study, make flash cared and improve your ability to dissect words to discover their meanings!
| LATIN ROOT | MEANING | EXAMPLES |
| ab-, a-, abs- | away from, without | abnormal, absent, abstain, avert |
| acu- | sharp | acupuncture, acute, |
| ad-, a-, ac-, af-, ag-, al-, ap-, ar-, as-, at- | movement to or toward; in addition to | accept, adapt, affect, aggression, approximate, ascend |
| ag-, act- | do | act, agent |
| am-, amat- | love | amatory, amorous |
| ambi- | both sides | ambidextrous, ambivalent |
| ann-, -enn- | year, yearly | anniversary, annual, millennium |
| ante-, anti- | before, against | antebellum,antediluvian anticipate, |
| aqu- | water | aquamarine, aquarium, aqueduct |
| audi- | to hear, hearing | audio, auditorium, audible |
| aug-, auct- | grow, increase | augment, augend, |
| bell- | war | antebellum, bellicose, belligent |
| ben- | good, well | benefit, benevolent |
| bi- | two | bicycle, binoculars, binary |
| brev- | short, brief | abbreviation, brevity, |
| cad-, -cid-, cas- | fall | cadence, accident, case |
| caed-, -cid-, caes-, -cis | cut | scissor, incision, incisor |
| cand- | glowing, brilliant, shiny | candle, incandescent, candor, |
| cap-, -cip-, capt-, -cept- | take, hold | capture, captive, recipient, |
| capit-, -cipit- | head | capital, precipitation, decapitation |
| carn- | flesh | carnal, carnivore |
| carp- | wrist | carpal tunnel syndrome, carpal |
| cav- | hollow | cavity, cave |
| ced-, cess- | go | proceed, procession, succession, |
| celer- | quick(ly) | celerity, acceleration |
| cent- | 100 | century, cent, |
| ceter- | other | “et cetera” = “and the rest, others” |
| circum- | around | circumference, circumnavigate, |
| clar- | clear, distinct | clarity, declare |
| con-, co-, col-, com-, cor- | together | community, coalesce, conjoined, |
| corn- | horn | cornucopia, unicorn |
| cred- | believe, trust | credulous, credit, incredible |
| curr-, curs- | run | current (river), cursive |
| de- | away from | descend, dementia |
| dent- | tooth, teeth | dental, dentures |
| dict- | speak, say | dictate, predict, dictionary |
| doc-, doct- | teach | doctor, doctrine |
| duc-, duct- | lead | conduct, produce, abduct, |
| dur- | hard | durable, obdurate, duress |
| ed-, es- | eat | edible, obesity |
| ego- | I, myself, the self | egocentric, ego |
| err- | stray | error, aberration |
| extrem- | outer most | extreme, extremities, |
| fac-, -fic-, fact, -fect- | make, do | manufacture, factory, |
| fer- | carry, bear | transfer |
| fin- | end | finish, finite |
| form- | shape | form, formation, conform, deformity |
| fort- | strong | fort, fortification |
| frang-, -fring-, fract-, frag- | break | fracture, fragment, infringe |
| fug-, fugit- | flee | fugitive, refuge |
| fund-, fus- | pour | fusion, profuse, profusion, transfusion |
| gen- | race, kind | genes, genetics |
| glob- | sphere | globe, global |
| grad-, -gred-, gress- | walk, step, go | transgress, gradations, regress |
| grand- | grand, big | grandiose, grandeur |
| graph- | write, draw | telegraph, graphite, |
| grat- | thankful, pleased | gratitude, gratuity, grateful,ingrate |
| grav- | heavy | grave, aggravation |
| hab-, -hib-, habit-, -hibit- | have | habit, inhibit, prohibition, |
| hom- | same | homogeneous |
| hospit- | host | hospitality, hospital |
| ign- | fire, firey | ignite, igneous rocks, ignition |
| in- (1), im- | in, on | invite, incur, immitate |
| in- (2), il-, im-, ir- | not, un, no | impossible, irrational, inappropriate, illegal |
| inter- | between | intermission, intersection |
| intra-, intro- | within | intramural, introspection |
| irasc-, irat- | be or grow angry | irate, irascible |
| is-, iso- | equal | isometric, isosceles triangle |
| jac- | lie | adjacent |
| ject- | throw | eject, reject |
| janu- | door, begin | janitor, january |
| jus-, jur- | law | jury, justice |
| juven- | youthful | juvenal |
| labor- | work | labor, collaboration |
| lacer- | tear | laceration |
| lact- | milk | lactate, lactose |
| lamin- | layer | laminate |
| larv- | mask | larva, |
| lax- | not tense | relax, laxative, lax, |
| leg- | send | legate, relegate |
| lev- | lift, hold | elevate, lever, levitation |
| liber- | free | liberty, liberation |
| libr- | book | library, librarian |
| lig- | bind | ligament |
| lingu- | language, tonigue | bilingual, linguistics, |
| liter- | letter | literal, literacy,obliterate |
| loqu-, locut- | speak, speech | colloqual, eloquent, |
| luc- | light, bright | lucent, lucid, Lucifer (bearer of Light) |
| lumin- | light | luminous |
| lun- | moon | lunar, lunatic |
| magn- | large | magnitude, magnanimous |
| manu- | hand | manual, manufacture |
| man- | stay | permanent, remanence, |
| medi-, -midi | middle | middle, medieval, median |
| merc- | reward, wages, hire | mercenaries, mercantile |
| min- | small | minute, minority |
| moll- | soft | mollify, emollient |
| morph- | shape | morph, morphology |
| mov-, mot- | move, motion | motive, motivation, movie, motor, |
| mult- | many | multiple, multiply, multitude |
| nasc-, nat- | born | natal, native, nascent |
| necr- | dead | necrophilia, necropolis |
| noct- | night | nocturnal |
| nu- | nod | innuendo |
| nunci- | announce | pronunciation, enunciation |
| ob-, o-, oc-, of-, og-, op-, os- | against | obstinate, obstreperous, occur, offend, omit, oppose, ostentatious |
| oct- | 8 | octagon, octopus, |
| -oid | -like | asteroid (like a star) |
| -onym | name | antonym, pseudonym |
| orn- | decorate | ornament, ornate |
| oss- | bone | ossification |
| ov- | egg | ovum |
| pac- | peace | pacifism |
| pal- | stake | impale |
| pand-, pans- | spread | pandemic |
| pasc-, past- | feed | repast |
| pati-, pass | feel, suffer | patience,passive |
| pauc- | few | paucal, paucity, |
| pecun- | money | pecuniary |
| ped- | feet | quadruped, pedal |
| pell-, puls- | drive | propellant,repellent |
| pen- | almost | peninsula, penultimate, penumbra |
| pent- | 5 | pentagon |
| per- | through | permeate, persistence, pervade |
| pessim- | worst | pessimistic |
| pet- | strive towards | appetite, competition |
| pil- | hair | depilatory, epilator |
| ping-, pict- | paint | depiction, picture |
| phon- | sound | microphone |
| plas- | mould | plastic |
| plac-, -plic- | please | placid, |
| plan- | flat | explanation, planar, plane |
| plaud-, -plod-, plaus-, -plos- | approve, clap, applaud | explosion, implode, plaudits, plausible |
| plur- | more | plural, surplus |
| pole-, poli- | city | metropolis, politics |
| pon-, posit- | put | component, position, postpone |
| prehend-, prend-, prehens- | grasps | prehensile, comprehend |
| prem-, -prim-, press- | press | pressure |
| prim- | first | primary, primeval, primitive |
| priv- | separate | deprivation, privilege |
| pro- | forward | procrastinate, propulsion, produce |
| propri- | property, ownership | appropriate, property, propriety |
| prot- | first | protoplasm, prototype |
| proxim- | nearest | proximity |
| pub- | sexually mature | pubescent, pubic |
| pugn- | fight | pugnacious, repugnant |
| pung-, punct- | prick | puncture, pungent |
| puni- | punish | punishment, impunity, punitive |
| purg- | cleanse | expurgate, purge |
| qui- | quiet | quiet, requiem |
| quot- | how many, how great | quotient |
| rad-, ras- | scrape | abrade, erasure |
| reg-, -rig-, rect- | straight | direct, erect |
| retro- | backward, past | retrospect, retro, |
| rid-, ris- | laugh | ridiculous, ridicule, derision |
| rod-, ros- | gnaw | erosion, rodent |
| rog- | ask | interrogation, derogatory |
| rump-, rupt- | break | eruption, rupture, interrupt |
| sacr-, secr- | holy | sacred, sacrosanct |
| scand-, -scend-, scans-, -scens- | climb | ascend, descend, transcend |
| scop-, scept | look, examine | telescope, microscope |
| sec-, sect-, seg- | cut | dissect, section, segment, |
| sed-, -sid-, sess- | sit | reside, supesede |
| serv- | save, serve | conserve, serve, servitude |
| sign- | sign | design, signal, signature |
| sol- | alone | desolate, solitude |
| spec-, -spic-, spect- | look, see | speculation, suspicious |
| st- | stand | stasis, stable, station |
| stingu-, stinct- | apart | distinguish, exstinct |
| stru-, struct- | build | construe, structure |
| sub-, su-, suf-, sug-, sup-, sus- | under | submarine, suppress, |
| tac-, -tic- | be silent | reticent, tacit |
| tang-, -ting-, tact-, tag- | touch | tangible, tactile |
| tempor- | time | temporal, temporary |
| tend-, tens- | stretch | extenuate, tension |
| termin- | end, boundary | terminal, terminate |
| terr- | earth | terra, terrain, subterranean |
| test- | bear witness | testimony, testament |
| tex-, text- | weave (literal or words) | textile, subtext, context, texture |
| tim- | be afraid | timid, timorous |
| torn-, tourn- | turn, rotate | tournament, tornado |
| tot- | whole, all | total, totality |
| trans-, tra-, tran- | carry | transport, transfer |
| traum- | wound | trauma, traumatic |
| tri- | three | triangle, trivia |
| trin- | three of each | trinity, trinary |
| ultim- | farthest | ultimate |
| un- | one | unicorn, unicycle |
| urb- | city | suburban, urban, |
| ut-, us- | use | use, utility |
| vad-, vas- | go | evade, pervasive |
| vag- | wander | vagabond |
| ven-, vent- | come | circumvent, convention |
| ver- | true, truth | aver, veracious, verify, verisimilitude, verity |
| vi- | way | via, deviate |
| vid-, vis- | see | visual, vivid, video |
| vinc-, vict- | conquer | victory, victor |
| vit- | life | vital |
| viv- | live | vivid, survive |
| voc- | voice | vocal, invocation, |
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About the Author: Brittany Britanniae
Hello There! Please feel free to ask me anything about Latin Grammar, Syntax, or the Ancient World.
Comments:
joseph:
very helpful thanks and I shared this on FB as well.
Samantha:
Thank you super helpful
Charlotte Heaume:
Brilliant. Many thanks
Bruce:
Brittany, this is a very interesting web page. I studied linguistics, and Latin is a fascinating subject to know.