Greek and Latin Roots - Sight Words, Reading, Writing, Spelling & Worksheets
Publish date: 2024-08-06
Most of our English words originated from other languages. Below please find a list of the more common Greek and Latin roots.
| Root | Origin | Meaning | Examples |
|---|
| act | Latin | do | action, actor, react, transact & enact |
| aero | Greek | air | aerobics, aerodynamics, aeronautics & aerate |
| agr | Latin | field | agriculture, agrarian, agronomy & agribusiness |
| alter | Latin | other | alter, alternate, alternative, altercation & alter ego |
| anim | Latin | life, spirit | animate, animosity, animal & inanimate |
| ann | Latin | year | annual, anniversary & annuity |
| enn | Latin | year | biennial & millennium |
| aqua | Latin | water | aquarium, aquatic, aqueous & aquamarine |
| ast | Greek | star | astronaut, astronomy, asterisk & asteroid |
| aud | Latin | hear | audience, auditorium, audible & audition |
| biblio | Greek | book | bibliography, bibliophile, & Bible ( portion of) |
| bio | Greek | life | biology, biography, biochemistry, biopsy & biosphere |
| card | Latin | heart | cardiac, cardiology, cardiogram & cardiovascular |
| cord | Latin | heart | cordial, accord, concord & discord |
| chron | Greek | time | chronological, synchronize, chronicle & chronic |
| claim | Latin | shout | proclaim, exclaim & acclaim |
| clam | Latin | shout | clamor & exclamation |
| cogn | Latin | know | recognize, incognito, cognition & cognizant |
| corp | Latin | body | corporation, corpse, corps, corpus & corpuscle |
| cosm | Greek | universe | cosmos, cosmopolitan, microcosm & cosmonaut |
| cred | Latin | believe | credit, discredit, incredible, credential & credulous |
| cycl | Greek | circle, ring | bicycle, cyclone, cycle & recycle |
| dic | Latin | speak | dictate, predict, contradict, verdict & diction |
| doc | Latin | teach | doctrine, document, doctor, indoctrinate & docile |
| don | Latin | give | donor & pardon |
| donat | Latin | give | donation & donate |
| duc | Latin | lead | duct, conduct, educate, induct & aqua duct |
| fac | Latin | make, do | factory, manufacture, benefactor & facsimile |
| fic | Latin | make, do | efficient, proficient, sufficient & beneficial |
| flect | Latin | bend | reflect, deflect, reflection, inflection & genuflect |
| flex | Latin | bend | reflex & flexible |
| form | Latin | shape | form, uniform, transform, reform & formal |
| gen | Greek | birth, race | generation, generate, genocide, progeny & genealogy |
| geo | Greek | earth | geography, geometry, geology & geophysics |
| gram | Greek | letter, written | telegram, diagram, grammar, epigram & monogram |
| graph | Greek | write | photograph, autograph, biography & phonograph |
| homo, hom | Latin | man | Homo sapiems, homicide, homage & hombre |
| inner | Latin | within | innermost, innerspring |
| inter | Latin | among, between or shared by | interchange, intercom & interface |
| intro | Latin | into, inward or within | introduce, introvert & introspection |
| junct | Latin | join | juncture, conjunction, adjunct & injunction |
| jud | Latin | law | judge & judicial |
| jur | Latin | law | jury & jurisdiction |
| jus | Latin | law | justice & justify |
| lab | Latin | work | labor, laboratory, collaborate & elaborate |
| liber | Latin | free | liberty, liberal, liberate & libertine |
| loc | Latin | place | location, locate, dislocate, allocate & local |
| man | Latin | hand | manual, manufacture, manuscript & manipulate |
| mar | Latin | sea | marine, submarine, mariner & maritime |
| mater | Latin | mother | maternal, maternity & matricide |
| matr | Latin | mother | matrimony, matron & matriarch |
| meter | Greek | measure | thermometer, centimeter, diameter & barometer |
| migr | Latin | change, move | migrate, immigrant, emigrate & migratory |
| miss | Latin | send | missile, dismiss, mission & remiss |
| mit | Latin | send | submit, remit, admit & transmit |
| mob | Latin | move | mobile, automobile & mobilize |
| mot | Latin | move | motion, motor, promote, demote & motile |
| mov | Latin | move | remove, movement |
| morph | Greek | shape | amorphous, metamorphoses & morphology |
| mort | Latin | death | mortician, mortuary, mortal, immortal & mortify |
| nat | Latin | born | natal, native, nation, nativity & innate |
| ordin, order | Latin | row, rank | ordinary, ordinal, extraordinary, ordinance & order |
| ortho | Greek | straight, right | orthodontist, orthodox, orthopedist & orthography |
| pater, patr | Latin | father | paternity, paternal, patricide & patriarch |
| path | Greek | disease, feeling | pathology, sympathy, empathy, antipathy & pathos |
| ped | Greek | child | pediatrician, pedagogy & encyclopedia |
| ped | Latin | foot | pedal, pedestrian, biped & pedestal |
| phil | Greek | love | philosophy, philanthropist, philharmonic & philology |
| phon | Greek | sound | phonograph, symphony, telephone, microphone & phonics |
| photo | Greek | light | photograph, telephoto, photosynthesis & photogenic |
| pod | Greek | foot | podiatrist, podium & tripod |
| poli | Greek | city | metropolis, cosmopolitan, police & political |
| port | Latin | carry | portable, transport, import, export & porter |
| pysch | Greek | mind, soul | psychology, psyche, psychopath & psychiatrist |
| ques, quer, quis | Latin | ask, seek | question, inquest, request, query & inquisitive |
| rad | Latin | ray, spoke | radius, radio, radiation, radium, radiator & radiology |
| rect | Latin | straight | erect, rectangle, rectify, direction & correct |
| rupt | Latin | break | rupture, erupt, interrupt, abrupt & bankrupt |
| san | Latin | health | sanitary, sanitation, sane, insanity & sanitarium |
| saur | Greek | lizard | dinosaur, brontosaurus & stegosaurus |
| sci | Greek | know | science, conscience, conscious & omniscient |
| scop | Greek | see | microscope, telescope, periscope & stethoscope |
| scribe | Latin | write | inscribe, describe & prescribe |
| script | Latin | write | script, transcript & scripture |
| sign | Latin | mark | signal, signature, significant & insignia |
| spec | Latin | see | inspect, suspect, respect, spectator & spectacle |
| struct | Latin | build | structure, construct, instruct & destruction |
| tact | Latin | touch | tactile, intact, contact & tact |
| terr | Latin | land | territory, terrain, terrestrial & terrace |
| therm | Greek | heat | thermometer, thermal, thermostat & thermos |
| tract | Latin | pull, drag | tractor, attract, subtract, traction, extract & contract |
| trib | Latin | give | contribute, tribute, tributary & attribute |
| urb | Latin | city | urban, suburb, urbane & suburban |
| vac | Latin | empty | vacant, evacuate, vacate & vacuum |
| var | Latin | different | vary, invariable, variant, variety & various |
| vid | Latin | see | video, evidence, provide, providence |
| vis | Latin | see | visible, vision, visual & visualize |
| voc | Latin | voice | vocal, advocate, evocation & convocation |
| void | Latin | empty | void, devoid, avoid, voided & unavoidable |
| vol | Latin | wish, will | volition, volunteer, voluntary & benevolent |
| volv | Latin | turn | revolve, involve, evolve, revolver & revolution |
| Root | Origin | Meaning | Examples |
|---|
| aero | Greek | air | aerobics, aerodynamics, aeronautics & aerate |
| ast | Greek | star | astronaut, astronomy, asterisk & asteroid |
| biblio | Greek | book | bibliography, bibliophile, & Bible ( portion of) |
| bio | Greek | life | biology, biography, biochemistry, biopsy & biosphere |
| chron | Greek | time | chronological, synchronize, chronicle & chronic |
| cosm | Greek | universe | cosmos, cosmopolitan, microcosm & cosmonaut |
| cycl | Greek | circle, ring | bicycle, cyclone, cycle & recycle |
| gen | Greek | birth, race | generation, generate, genocide, progeny & genealogy |
| geo | Greek | earth | geography, geometry, geology & geophysics |
| gram | Greek | letter, written | telegram, diagram, grammar, epigram & monogram |
| graph | Greek | write | photograph, autograph, biography & phonograph |
| meter | Greek | measure | thermometer, centimeter, diameter & barometer |
| morph | Greek | shape | amorphous, metamorphoses & morphology |
| ortho | Greek | straight, right | orthodontist, orthodox, orthopedist & orthography |
| path | Greek | disease, feeling | pathology, sympathy, empathy, antipathy & pathos |
| ped | Greek | child | pediatrician, pedagogy & encyclopedia |
| phil | Greek | love | philosophy, philanthropist, philharmonic & philology |
| phon | Greek | sound | phonograph, symphony, telephone, microphone & phonics |
| photo | Greek | light | photograph, telephoto, photosynthesis & photogenic |
| pod | Greek | foot | podiatrist, podium & tripod |
| poli | Greek | city | metropolis, cosmopolitan, police & political |
| pysch | Greek | mind, soul | psychology, psyche, psychopath & psychiatrist |
| saur | Greek | lizard | dinosaur, brontosaurus & stegosaurus |
| sci | Greek | know | science, conscience, conscious & omniscient |
| scop | Greek | see | microscope, telescope, periscope & stethoscope |
| therm | Greek | heat | thermometer, thermal, thermostat & thermos |
| Root | Origin | Meaning | Examples |
|---|
| act | Latin | do | action, actor, react, transact & enact |
| agr | Latin | field | agriculture, agrarian, agronomy & agribusiness |
| alter | Latin | other | alter, alternate, alternative, altercation & alter ego |
| anim | Latin | life, spirit | animate, animosity, animal & inanimate |
| ann | Latin | year | annual, anniversary & annuity |
| enn | Latin | year | biennial & millennium |
| aqua | Latin | water | aquarium, aquatic, aqueous & aquamarine |
| aud | Latin | hear | audience, auditorium, audible & audition |
| card | Latin | heart | cardiac, cardiology, cardiogram & cardiovascular |
| cord | Latin | heart | cordial, accord, concord & discord |
| claim | Latin | shout | proclaim, exclaim & acclaim |
| clam | Latin | shout | clamor & exclamation |
| cogn | Latin | know | recognize, incognito, cognition & cognizant |
| corp | Latin | body | corporation, corpse, corps, corpus & corpuscle |
| cred | Latin | believe | credit, discredit, incredible, credential & credulous |
| dic | Latin | speak | dictate, predict, contradict, verdict & diction |
| doc | Latin | teach | doctrine, document, doctor, indoctrinate & docile |
| don | Latin | give | donor & pardon |
| donat | Latin | give | donation & donate |
| duc | Latin | lead | duct, conduct, educate, induct & aqua duct |
| fac | Latin | make, do | factory, manufacture, benefactor & facsimile |
| fic | Latin | make, do | efficient, proficient, sufficient & beneficial |
| flect | Latin | bend | reflect, deflect, reflection, inflection & genuflect |
| flex | Latin | bend | reflex & flexible |
| form | Latin | shape | form, uniform, transform, reform & formal |
| homo, hom | Latin | man | Homo sapiems, homicide, homage & hombre |
| inner | Latin | within | innermost, innerspring |
| inter | Latin | among, between or shared by | interchange, intercom & interface |
| intro | Latin | into, inward or within | introduce, introvert & introspection |
| junct | Latin | join | juncture, conjunction, adjunct & injunction |
| jud | Latin | law | judge & judicial |
| jur | Latin | law | jury & jurisdiction |
| jus | Latin | law | justice & justify |
| lab | Latin | work | labor, laboratory, collaborate & elaborate |
| liber | Latin | free | liberty, liberal, liberate & libertine |
| loc | Latin | place | location, locate, dislocate, allocate & local |
| man | Latin | hand | manual, manufacture, manuscript & manipulate |
| mar | Latin | sea | marine, submarine, mariner & maritime |
| mater | Latin | mother | maternal, maternity & matricide |
| matr | Latin | mother | matrimony, matron & matriarch |
| migr | Latin | change, move | migrate, immigrant, emigrate & migratory |
| miss | Latin | send | missile, dismiss, mission & remiss |
| mit | Latin | send | submit, remit, admit & transmit |
| mob | Latin | move | mobile, automobile & mobilize |
| mot | Latin | move | motion, motor, promote, demote & motile |
| mov | Latin | move | remove, movement |
| mort | Latin | death | mortician, mortuary, mortal, immortal & mortify |
| nat | Latin | born | natal, native, nation, nativity & innate |
| ordin, order | Latin | row, rank | ordinary, ordinal, extraordinary, ordinance & order |
| pater, patr | Latin | father | paternity, paternal, patricide & patriarch |
| ped | Latin | foot | pedal, pedestrian, biped & pedestal |
| port | Latin | carry | portable, transport, import, export & porter |
| ques, quer, quis | Latin | ask, seek | question, inquest, request, query & inquisitive |
| rad | Latin | ray, spoke | radius, radio, radiation, radium, radiator & radiology |
| rect | Latin | straight | erect, rectangle, rectify, direction & correct |
| rupt | Latin | break | rupture, erupt, interrupt, abrupt & bankrupt |
| san | Latin | health | sanitary, sanitation, sane, insanity & sanitarium |
| scribe | Latin | write | inscribe, describe & prescribe |
| script | Latin | write | script, transcript & scripture |
| sign | Latin | mark | signal, signature, significant & insignia |
| spec | Latin | see | inspect, suspect, respect, spectator & spectacle |
| struct | Latin | build | structure, construct, instruct & destruction |
| tact | Latin | touch | tactile, intact, contact & tact |
| terr | Latin | land | territory, terrain, terrestrial & terrace |
| tract | Latin | pull, drag | tractor, attract, subtract, traction, extract & contract |
| trib | Latin | give | contribute, tribute, tributary & attribute |
| urb | Latin | city | urban, suburb, urbane & suburban |
| vac | Latin | empty | vacant, evacuate, vacate & vacuum |
| var | Latin | different | vary, invariable, variant, variety & various |
| vid | Latin | see | video, evidence, provide, providence |
| vis | Latin | see | visible, vision, visual & visualize |
| voc | Latin | voice | vocal, advocate, evocation & convocation |
| void | Latin | empty | void, devoid, avoid, voided & unavoidable |
| vol | Latin | wish, will | volition, volunteer, voluntary & benevolent |
| volv | Latin | turn | revolve, involve, evolve, revolver & revolution |
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