Greek and Latin Roots

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.
Greek and Latin Roots
  1. ambi- both
  2. aqua- water
    • aquarium : a tank, usually with glass sides, or a pool, bowl, etc. for keeping live water animals and water plants
    • aquamarine : a transparent, pale bluish-green variety of beryl, used in jewelry
  3. aud- to hear
    • audience : the group of people together in one place to watch or listen to a play, film, someone speaking, etc.
    • audition : to give, watch, or listen to a short performance that tests whether a performer’s skills are suitable for a particular event or group
  4. bene- good
    • benefactor : someone who gives money to help an organization, society, or person
    • benefit : a helpful or good effect, or something intended to help
  5. cent- one hundred
    • century : a period of 100 years
    • percent : for or out of every 100, shown by the symbol %
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. duc/ duct- to lead
    • conduct : to lead someone to a particular place
    • induce : to persuade someone to do something, or to cause something to happen
  10. fac- to do, to make
    • factory : a building or buildings where people use machines to produce goods
    • manufacture : to produce goods in large numbers, usually in a factory using machines
  11. form- shape
    • conform : to behave according to a group’s usual standards and expectations, or to operate according to a rule
    • reform : to make an improvement, especially by changing a person's behaviour or the structure of something
  12. fort- strength
    • fortitude : bravery when dealing with pain or difficulty, esp. over a long period
    • fortress : a large, strong building or group of buildings that can be defended from attack
  13. fract- break
    • fracture : to break, crack, or split
    • fraction : a breaking or dividing, specif., of the Host in the Mass
  14. ject- throw
    • reject : to refuse to accept, consider, submit to, take for some purpose, or use. To throw out an idea
    • interject : to throw in between or among other things
  15. jud- judge
    • judicial : allowed, enforced, or set by order of a judge or law court
    • prejudice : a judgment or opinion formed before the facts are known; preconceived idea, favorable or, more usually, unfavorable
  16. mal- bad
    • malevolent : wishing evil or harm to others; having or showing ill will; malicious
    • malefactor : an evildoer or criminal
  17. mit- to send
    • 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. pater- father
    • paternal : of, like, or characteristic of a father or fatherhood; fatherly
    • paternity : the state of being a father; fatherhood
  21. port- to carry
    • transport : to carry or cause to go from one place to another, esp over some distance
    • sport : to carry one away from everyday concerns
  22. rupt- to break
    • bankrupt : anyone unable to pay his or her debts
    • disrupt : to break apart; split up; rend asunder
  23. scrib/ script- to write
    • inscription : something inscribed or engraved, as on a coin or monument
    • prescribe : to order or advise as a medicine or treatment said of physicians, etc
  24. sect/ sec- to cut
    • bisect : to divide into two equal parts
    • section : any of the more or less distinct parts into which something is or may be divided or from which it is made up.
  25. sent- to feel, to send
    • consent : to agree (to do something)
    • 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
  26. 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
  27. struct- to build
    • destruction : the act or process of destroying; demolition or slaughter
    • restructure : to plan or provide a new structure or organization for
  28. 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
  29. 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
  1. 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
  2. auto- self
    • autobiography : the art or practice of writing one's own biography
    • autonomy : the fact or condition of being autonomous; self-government; independence
  3. 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
  4. chron- time
  5. dyna- power
    • dynamic : (of a person) positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas.
    • dynamite : a powerful explosive made by soaking nitroglycerin into some absorbent, such as ammonium nitrate and wood pulp
  6. dys- bad; hard; unlucky
    • dysfunctional : unable to function normally, properly, etc
    • dyslexic : difficulty with reading because of a slight disorder of their brain
  7. gram- thing written
    • epigram : a short poem with a witty or satirical point
    • telegram : a message transmitted by telegraph
  8. graph- writing
    • 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. hydr- water
  12. hyper- over; above; beyond
    • hyperactive : extremely, esp. abnormally, active
    • hyperbole : exaggeration for effect and not meant to be taken literally
  13. hypo- below; beneath
    • hypothermia : a subnormal body temperature
    • hypothetical : based on, involving, or having the nature of a hypothesis; assumed; supposed
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. mis/ miso- hate
  18. mono- one
    • monologue : a long speech by one speaker, esp. one monopolizing the conversation
    • monotonous : going on in the same tone without variation
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. phil- love
  22. phobia- fear
  23. photo/ phos- light
    • 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
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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
    • technological : of or having to do with technology
  28. tele- far off
    • 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
  29. 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
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