Dictionary of Root Words
Greek and Latin Roots

What are "Root Words"? -- A root, or root word is a word which is used to form another word. It is also called a base word. A root does not have a prefix (a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word) or a suffix (a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word). Root is the primary lexical unit of a word, and of a word family. For example, pure is a root. By adding prefixes and suffixes, the following words could be made: impure, purity, pureness. Similarly, play and move are root words. By adding prefixes and suffixes, the following words could be made: plays, played, playing, player - moving, movement, moved, movable, mover, movingly. In this book, I have given the most common Greek and Latin roots which are used in English language. Sample This: Root Words - A -- AB/ABS -- Origin: Latin - Meaning: away, from, off -- Examples: abate -- to subside; abject -- hopeless; abjure -- to renounce; abnormal -- unusual - related words: abnormally, abnormality; abroad -- out of the country; abscess -- swelling; abscond -- to run away - related word: absconder; abseil -- to go down a steep cliff; absence -- nonattendance - related words: absent, absentee, absenteeism, absentia, absently; absolve -- to forgive; absorb -- to soak up - related words: absorbable, absorbance, absorbed, absorbency, absorbent, absorbing, absorption; abstain -- to give up something for moral reason - related words: abstainer, abstention, abstinence; abstemious -- critical; abstinent -- not having something for moral reason; abstruse -- difficult to understand; obscure; absurd -- ridiculous - related words: absurdist, absurdity, absurdly **AGG - Origin: Latin - Meaning: collected - Examples: agglomerate -- to collect things and form them into a mass or group - related word: agglomeration; aggrandize -- to increase your importance or power - related word: aggrandizement; aggregate -- to put together different items, amounts, etc. into a single total - related words: aggregation, aggregator ** ALTR/ALTER - Origin: Latin - Meaning: other - Examples: altruism -- caring about the needs of other people - related word: altruistic; alterable -- that can be changed - related word: unalterable; altercation -- noisy argument; alternate -- to follow one after other - related words: alternately, alternation, alternative **Some More Root Words - A -- Root Word Origin] -- Meaning - Example(s) (Related Words in Bracket) -- a Greek] -- not - atheism, apolitical, atypical **ablat Latin] -- remove - ablation **ablut Latin] -- wash - ablutions **abort Latin] -- born too soon - abortion **abras Latin] -- rub off - abrasion (abrasive, abrasively, abrasiveness) **abstemi Latin] -- controlled; moderate - abstemious **abund Latin] -- overflow - abundance (abundant, abundantly) **ac Latin] -- to, toward - accept (acceptability, acceptable, acceptably, acceptance, acceptation) **acanth Greek] -- thorn - acanthus **acceler Latin] -- hasten - accelerate (acceleration, accelerator) **acet Latin] -- vinegar - acetate, acetic, acetone **achr Greek] -- colorless - achromic **acid Latin] -- sour - acidic, acidify, acidosis, acidulate (acidulation, acidulous) **acm Greek] -- summit - acme **aco Greek] -- relief - acoustic (acoustical, acoustically, acoustician, acoustics) **adama Greek] -- invincible - adamant (adamantly) **ade Greek] -- enough - adequate (adequacy, adequately) **adip Latin] -- fat - adipose **adolesc Latin] -- growing up - Other Root Words - A -- Root Word Origin] - Meaning -- aapt Greek] -- indomitable, unfriendly **abact Latin] -- driven away **abdit Latin] -- secret/hidden **abr Greek] - delicate **abscis Latin] -- cutoff; absit Latin] - distant **aca Greek] -- a point; silence **acar Greek] - tiny **accip Latin] -- allow, snatch **accliv Latin] -- steep; up-hill **accresc Latin] -- increase**ace Greek] - heal **acer Latin] - sharp **acerv Latin] - pile **acest Greek] -- healing; remedy