Learn Greek and Latin roots to build your vocabulary. Understanding the meanings of Greek and Latin roots can help you learn new words and decipher the meanings of unfamiliar words.
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ambi- both
ambiguous
: having or expressing more than one possible meaning
percent
: for or out of every 100, shown by the symbol %
circum- around
circumference
: the line surrounding a circular space, or the length of this line
circumscribe
: if you circumscribe a triangle, square, etc., you draw a circle that surrounds it and touches each of its corners
contra/ counter- against
contradict
: (of people) to say the opposite of what someone else has said, or (of one fact or statement) to be so different from another fact or statement that one of them must be wrong
encounter
: to experience a situation, especially something that is unexpected or unpleasant
dict- to say
dictation
: the act of saying something aloud, so that your words can be prepared in writing by someone else
predict
: to say that an event or action will happen in the future, especially as a result of knowledge or experience
transmit
: to send or cause to go from one person or place to another, esp. across intervening space or distance; transfer; dispatch; convey
committee
: a group of people chosen, as from the members of a legislature or club, to consider, investigate, and report or act on some matter or on matters of a certain kind
mort- death
mortal
: of a human being considered as a being who must eventually die
postmortem
: of or pertaining to examination of the body after death
multi- many
multimedia
: a combination of media, as film, tape recordings, slides, and special lighting effects, used for entertainment or education
multiple
: having or consisting of many parts, elements, etc.; more than one or once; manifold or complex
pater- father
paternal
: of, like, or characteristic of a father or fatherhood; fatherly
paternity
: the state of being a father; fatherhood
port- to carry
transport
: to carry or cause to go from one place to another, esp over some distance
resent
: to feel or show displeasure and hurt or indignation at (some act, remark, etc.) or toward (a person), from a sense of being injured or offended
spect- to look
inspection
: official examination or review, as of troops
spectator
: a person who sees or watches something without taking an active part; onlooker
struct- to build
destruction
: the act or process of destroying; demolition or slaughter
restructure
: to plan or provide a new structure or organization for
vid/ vis- to see
television
: a system for transmitting visual images and sound that are reproduced on screens, chiefly used to broadcast programs for entertainment, information, and education.
video
: designating or of the display of data on a computer screen
voc/ vok- to call
vocalize
: to give utterance to; express with the voice; speak or sing
advocate
: a person who speaks or writes in support of something
anthropo- man; human; humanity
anthropology
: the study of humans, esp. of the variety, physical and cultural characteristics, distribution, customs, social relationships, etc. of humanity
philanthropy
: the giving of money to people who need it, without wanting anything in return
auto- self
autobiography
: the art or practice of writing one's own biography
autonomy
: the fact or condition of being autonomous; self-government; independence
bio- life
biology
: the science that deals with the origin, history, physical characteristics, life processes, habits, etc. of living organisms, as plants and animals, and of viruses: it includes botany, zoology, and microbiology
biography
: the histories of individual lives, considered as a branch of literature
graphic
: written, inscribed, or recorded in letters of the alphabet, meaningful symbols, etc
phonograph
: a device for reproducing sound that has been mechanically transcribed in a spiral groove on a circular disk or cylinder: a stylus following the groove in the revolving disk or cylinder transmits vibrations which are converted into sound
hetero- different
heteronym
: a word with the same spelling as another or others, but with different meaning and pronunciation
heterogeneous
: composed of unrelated or unlike elements or parts; varied; miscellaneous
homo- same
homonym
: a word with the same pronunciation as another but with a different meaning, origin, and, usually, spelling
homogenous
: having similarity in structure because of common descent
hypothetical
: based on, involving, or having the nature of a hypothesis; assumed; supposed
logy- study of
biology
: the science that deals with the origin, history, physical characteristics, life processes, habits, etc. of living organisms, as plants and animals, and of viruses: it includes botany, zoology, and microbiology
psychology
: the science dealing with the mind and with mental and emotional processes
meter/ metr- measure
thermometer
: an instrument for measuring temperatures, consisting of a graduated glass tube with a sealed, capillary bore in which mercury, colored alcohol, etc. rises or falls as it expands or contracts from changes in temperature see also Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin, Reaumur
perimeter
: the outer boundary of a figure or area
micro- small
microbe
: a microscopic organism; esp., any of the bacteria that cause disease; germ
microscope
: is a scientific instrument which makes very small objects look bigger so that more detail can be seen
mis/ miso- hate
misanthrope
: is a person who does not like other people
monologue
: a long speech by one speaker, esp. one monopolizing the conversation
monotonous
: going on in the same tone without variation
morph- form; shape
morphology
: the branch of biology that deals with the form and structure of animals and plants
morphing
: a special-effects process used in film or video production in which persons or objects seem to change shape, form, etc. in a smoothly continuous series of images created in a digital computer
nym- name
antonym
: a word that is opposite in meaning to another word
synonym
: a word having the same or nearly the same meaning in one or more senses as another in the same language
phosphorus
: a nonmetallic chemical element, normally a white, phosphorescent, waxy solid, becoming yellow when exposed to light
photophone
: a device for the communication of sound on a beam of light. Used to transmit the first ever wireless telephone messages
pseudo- false
pseudoscience
: a discipline or approach that pretends to be or has a close resemblance to science
pseudonym
: is a name which someone, usually a writer, uses instead of his or her real name
psycho- soul; spirit
psychology
: the science dealing with the mind and with mental and emotional processes
psychic
: a person who is supposedly sensitive to forces beyond the physical world
scope- viewing instrument
microscope
: is a scientific instrument which makes very small objects look bigger so that more detail can be seen
telescope
: an optical instrument for making distant objects, as the stars, appear nearer and consequently larger: it consists of two or more lenses or mirrors
techno- art; science; skill
technique
: the method of procedure (with reference to practical or formal details), or way of using basic skills, in rendering an artistic work or carrying out a scientific or mechanical operation
television
: a system for transmitting visual images and sound that are reproduced on screens, chiefly used to broadcast programs for entertainment, information, and education
telephone
: a system for transmitting speech or computerized information over distances, usually by converting sounds into electric impulses that are sent through a network of wires and cables: some systems transmit by means of radio waves
therm- heat
thermal
: relating to or caused by heat or by changes in temperature
thermometer
: an instrument for measuring temperatures, consisting of a graduated glass tube with a sealed, capillary bore in which mercury, colored alcohol, etc. rises or falls as it expands or contracts from changes in temperature see also Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin, Reaumur