Roots & Branches
Word jungle

ILLUMINATION

il-

“in, on”

lumin

“light”

-ation, -tion

“state of being”

the state of being lit up, the state of having light on something

COLLABORATE

co-

“together”

labor

“work”

-ate

“become, do”

to do work together

AM-

amare, amicus

love, liking, friend

amiable, amateur

AMBI-

ambi

both, on both sides

ambidextrous, ambivalent

ANIM-

anima

breath, life

animal, animation, unanimous

AQU-

aqua

water

aquarium, aquatic

BEN-

bene

good, well

benefit, benevolent

CAMP-

campus

field

campaign, champion

CANT-, -CENT-

canere

sing

accent, enchant

CLAM-

clamare

cry out

exclaim, clamor, acclaim

CLAR-

clarus

clear

clarity, declaration

CLUD-, CLAUS-

claudere

close

claustrophobia, include

CREA-

creare

make

create, recreation

CRED-

credere

believe, trust

credible, incredulous

CRUC-

crux

cross

crusade, croissant

CURR-

currere

run, flow

curriculum, currency

DIC-, DICT-

dictare

say, speak

dictator, dictionary

FAC-, FACT-, -FECT-, -FIC-

facere

do, make

perfect, magnificent

FIG-, FING-, FICT-

fingere

to form, shape

fiction, figment

FLU-, FLUX-

fluere

flow

fluent

FORT-

fortis

strong

fortify, fortress, fort

FUND-

fundare

found, from the bottom

fundamental

GNOS-

gnoscere

know

agnostic, diagnosis

GRAT-

gratus

thank, please

gratitude, congratulations

IGN-

ignis

fire

ignite, igneous

IMAGIN-

imago

copy

image, imagination

-JECT-

iaciere

cast, throw

reject, trajectory

JUDIC-

iudex

judge

judgment, prejudice

LABOR-

labor

work

labor, collaborate

LEG-, LECT-

legere

choose, gather, read

legend, intelligence

LIBER-

liber

free

liberty

LINGU-

lingua

language, tongue

bilingual, language

MAGN-

magnus

great, large

magnificent, magnify

MAL-

malus

bad, wretched

dismal, malevolent, malice

MEDI-, -MIDI-

medius

middle

immediate, medium

MERGE-, MERS-

mergere

dip, plunge

emerge, immerse

MIGR-

migrare

wander

migrate, immigrant

MIN-

minor

less, smaller

minor, miniscule

MIT-, MISS-

mittere

send

transmit, dismiss

MOV-, MOT-, MUT-

movere

move, motion

motivation, motion

NASC-, NAT-

nascere

born

natural, pregnant

NOC-

nocere

harm

innocent, obnoxious

NOMEN-, NOMIN-

nomen

name

onomatopoeia, nominate

NOV-

novus

new

innovation, novel

ORDIN-

ōrdō

order

coordinate, extraordinary

PAC-

pax

peace

appease, pacify

PREM-, -PRIM-, PRESS-

premere

press

impress, oppress

PRIV-

privus

own

privacy, privilege

QUER-, -QUIR-, QUESIT-, -QUISIT-

quaerere

search, seek

question, inquire

RID-, RIS-

ridere

laugh

ridiculous, riddle

RUMP-, RUPT-

rumpere

break, burst

eruption, interrupt

SCAND-, -SCEND-, SCANS-, -SCENS-

scandere

climb

ascend, descend

SCI-

scire

know

conscience, omniscient

SCRIB-, SCRIPT-

scribere

write

describe, script

SENTI-, SENS-

sentire

feel

sensitive

SERV-

servare

save, protect, serve

observe, conservation

SOL-

solus

alone

desolate, solitary

SPEC-, SPECT-

specere

look

spectator, conspicuous

TEMPOR-

tempus

time

tempo, temporary

TEN-, -TIN-, TENT-

tenere

hold, keep

detention, tenacity

TORN-

tornare

turn

tornado, tournament

TRUD-, TRUS-

trudere

thrust

intrude, protrude

ULTIM-

ultimus, ultra

farthest, beyond

ultimate

VAL-

valere

strength, worth

evaluate, value

VEN-, VENT-

venire

come

adventure, inconvenient

VID-, VIS-

videre

see

improvise, vision

VIV-

vivere

live

survive, vivid

ACADEM-

akademos

Akadēmos (hero), (Plato’s) Academy

academic, academy

ACR-

akros

height, summit, tip

acrobat, acronym

AMPHI-

amphi

both, on both sides

amphibian

ANTHROP-

anthropos

human

anthropology, philanthropy

ARCT-

arktos

bear

arctic, Antarctic

ASTER-

aster

star

astronaut, asteroid, astronomy

-BYSS-

abyssos

bottom

abyss

CENTR-

kentron

center

central, eccentric

CHRON-

khronos

time

chronicle, synchronize

CRIT-, CRISI-

krinein

judge, separate

crisis, critical

CYCL-

kyklos

circle

bicycle, cyclops

DACTYL-

aktulos

finger

pterodactyl

DYNA-

dunasthai

power

aerodynamic, dynamite

ECO-

oikos

house

economy, ecosystem

EGO-

ego

self

egocentric

EP-, EPI-

epi

upon, in addition to

episode, epidemic

ERG-, ORG-, URG-

ergon

work

energetic, urgent

GEN-, GON-

genos

birth, kind

genetic, gender

GRAMM-

gramma

letter, writing

anagram, grammar

-GRAPH-

graphein

write, draw

calligraphy, biography

HIER-

hieros

holy, sacred

hierarchy, hieroglyph

HYPN-

hupnos

sleep

hypnotize

IDE-

idea

thought

idea, ideology

KINE-, CINE-

kinein

to move

cinema, kinetic

LOG-

logos

word, reason, speech, thought

dialogue, psychology, meteorology

MANI-, MANU-

manus

hand

manufacture, manipulate

MNE-

mnasthai

memory

amnesia, mnemonic

MON-

mónos

alone, only

monastery, monopoly

NAV-, NAUS-

navis, naus

ship

nausea, navigate

NEUR-

neuron

nerve, sinew

neurologist

ODONT-

odontos

tooth

orthodontist

ONYM-

onuma

name

acronym, anonymous, synonym

PATH-

pathos

feeling, disease

sympathy, empathy, apathy

PHIL-, -PHILE

philos

loving

philosophy, bibliophile

PHON-

phone

sound

symphony, telephone

PHOT-

photos

light

photosynthesis, photograph

PHYSI-

phusis

nature

physical, physics

PLAT-

platus

flat

plateau, platypus

POLI-

polis

city

metropolitan, politics

PROT-

protos

first

prototype

PSEUD-

pseudos

false

pseudonym

PSYCH-

psukhein

mind

psychologist

RHE-

rhein

flow

rhythm, rhyme

SCEPT-, SCOP-

skeptesthai

look at, examine, view, observe

kaleidoscope, microscope

SPHER-

sphaira

ball

hemisphere, sphere

STROPH-

strephein

turn

apostrophe, catastrophe

TECHN-

tekton

art, skill

technology, architect

TELE-

tele

far, end

telephone, telekinesis, telescope

THE-

thetos

put

hypothesis, thesaurus

THERM-

thermos

heat, warm

thermostat

TON-

tonos

tone, sound, stretch

baritone, monotony

TOP-

topos

place, location

dystopia, utopia

TOX-

toxon

arrow, bow, poison

toxic

TYP-

tupos

stamp, model

prototype, stereotype

TYRANN-

turannos

terrible, tyrant

Tyrannosaurus, tyranny

AB-

away from

abstract, abolish, abyss

AD-, AT-

to, toward

adventure, attention

AN-, A-, AM-, AR-

not, without

anecdote, apathy

ANTI-, ANT-

against, opposed to, preventive

antidote, antagonist

AUD-

hearing, listening, sound

audience, audible

BI-

two

biscuit, binocular

BIO-

life

biology, antibiotic

CO-, CON- COM-,

with, together

companion, conversation, collaborate

CONTRA-

against

contradict

DE-

down, away from, off

delight, detect

DIA-

across, between

dialogue, diagnose

DIS-

lack of, not

disappear, disgruntled, disgust

ECO-

house

economy, ecology

EN-, EM-

in

embellish, enthusiasm

EU-

well, good

eucalyptus, euphoric

EX-

from, out

excite, exclaim, explore

EXTRA-

outer

extravagant, extraordinary

HYPER-

above, over

hyperbole, hyperactive

IN-, IL-, IM-

in, on

imagine, illuminate, inquisitive

IN-, IL-, IM-

not, un-

independent, illiterate, impossible

INTER-

among, between

interest, international, interrupt

MULTI-

many, much

multilingual

OMNI-

all

omniscient, omnivore

PAR-, PARA-

beside, near

paragraph, parallel, separate

PED-

foot

expedition, pedestrian, pedigree

PRE-

before

predict, pretend, pregnant

PRO-

before, in front of, forward

protagonist, procrastinate, progress

RE-, RED-

again

reaffirm, redundant, reluctant

RETRO-

backward, behind

retrospect

SUB-

below

submarine

SUPER-

above, over

supersonic, superior

SYN-

with

synonym

TRANS-

across

transparent, transportation

UN-

one

unique, uniform

XEN-

foreign

xenophobia

ZOO-

animal, living being

zoo, zoology

-ABLE

able, capable

capable, amiable

-ANCE, -ENCE, -ANCY

action, process, state of

alliance, intelligence, brilliance

-ARCH, -ARCHY

ruler

monarch, anarchy

-ATION, -TION

makes verbs into nouns

hallucination, innovation

-ATIVE, -IVE

of or related to; tending to

inquisitive, creative

-CIDAL, -CIDE

killer, a killing

homicide, pesticide

-CY

quality of rank or state

literacy, privacy

-DOM

place, state of being

freedom, kingdom, boredom

-ENS, -ENT

makes nouns and verbs into adjectives

different, ambivalent

-ESE

a native of, the language of

Japanese, Portuguese

-ESQUE

ish, like

picturesque, statuesque

-ET, -LET, -EL, -ELLA

small (diminutive)

umbrella, pocket

-FUL

full of, like

beautiful, delightful

-IC, -ICAL

related to, pertaining to

magical, chaotic, acrobatic

-IFY

creates verbs, “to make or cause to become”

magnify, rectify, terrify

-ISM, -SM

belief, method

narcissism, skepticism, enthusiasm

-IST

one who does or makes

botanist, florist, pianist, physicist

-ITE

originating from or derived from, belonging to

dynamite, meteorite

-IZE

become, makes verbs from nouns

recognize, apologize, modernize

-LESS

without

reckless, thoughtless

-LOGY

study of, science

biology, archeology

-MENT

“condition of,” makes nouns out of verbs

amazement, enchantment

-METER

measure

kilometer, meter

-NESS

state of being

happiness, business

-NOMY, -OMY

law

astronomy, economy

-OID

like (something else)

humanoid, android

-OUS

full of, having to do with, doing, tending to

precocious, mischievous

-PHOBIA

fear of

claustrophobia, arachnophobia

-SPOND

pledge

respond, sponsor, responsible

-TECT

cover

protect, detect

-TION, -ATION, -ION

state, condition, or action

levitation, motivation, navigation, abolition

-TUDE

makes adjectives into abstract nouns

attitude, gratitude

-TY, -ITY

makes a noun out of an adjective

royalty, eccentricity, electricity

-URE

state of, act, process

culture, literature

-Y

characterized by

clammy, happy