Roots & Stems

Latin & Greek Roots

204 roots and stems — the building blocks inside every English word. Learn one root and unlock the meaning of dozens of unfamiliar words. Click any card to explore mnemonics, examples, and word decompositions.

🎬ag, ac
Latindo
agendaactionagentenactreactactive
🌾agri
Latinfarm
agricultureagrarianagribusiness
❤️am, amor
Latinlove
amorousamiableamicable
💨anim
Latinmind, spirit, life
animateanimosityunanimous
📅ann, enn
Latinyear
annualanniversaryperennial
🧑anthrop
Greekhuman
anthropologyphilanthropymisanthrope
💧aqua
Latinwater
aquatic
💧aqua, aque
Latinwater
aquariumaquaticaqueoussubaqueous
👑arch
Greekchief, ruler
monarchanarchyarchitect
ast, aster
Greekstar
astronomyasteriskdisaster
👂aud, audit
Latinhear
audienceaudibleauditoriumauditinaudibleaudition
🤖auto
Greekself
autobiographyautographautomaticautomation
⚔️bell
Latinwar
belligerentbellicoserebel
📚biblio
Greekbook
bibliographybibliolatry
🧬bio
Greeklife
antibioticsbiographybiologysymbiosis
✂️brev
Latinshort
abbreviatebrevitybrief
🍂cad, cas
Latinfall
cadencecasual
🤲cap, cep, cept
Latintake
acceptcaptureexceptioninceptioncaptive
👑capit
Latinhead
capitalcaptaindecapitatecapitulateper capita
🥩carn
Latinflesh
carnivoreincarnationcarnal
🚶ced, cede, ceed, cess
Latingo
intercede
🚶cede, ceed, cess
Latingo, move
accedeconcedeconcessionexceedexcessintercedeprecedeproceedrecedesecession
celer
Latinspeed
accelerateceleritydecelerate
🌈chrom
Greekcolor
monochromepolychromaticchromosomechromaticmonochromatic
chron
Greektime
anachronismchronometerchronological
✂️cide, cis
Latincut
decideexciseincision
🏛️civ
Latincitizen
civilizationciviccivilian
📢clam, claim
Latincry out
exclaimproclaimclamor
🔒clude, clud, clus
Latinclose, close in
includecluster
🔒clude, clus
Latinclose, shut
excludeexclusiveincluderecluseseclude
🧠cog, cogn
Latinknowledge of
cognizantincognitorecognitionrecognize
💗cord, cor
Latinheart
accordcordialdiscord
🏢corp
Latinbody
corporationcorpsecorpulent
🌍cosm
Greekuniverse, order
cosmoscosmopolitanmicrocosm
🗳️crac, crat
Greekrule, power
democracyautocratbureaucracy
🤝cred
Latinbelieve
creditcredibleincrediblecredulousaccreditcreedincredulous
⚖️crit
Greekjudge
criticcriterionhypocrite
👉culp
Latinblame, guilt
culpritculpableexculpate
🏃cur, curs
Latinrun
concurrentcursoryprecursorrecurrentincurrecur
🎁ded
Latingive
dedicate
👥dem
Greekpeople
democracydemographyepidemic
🦷dent, dont
Latintooth
dentaldentureorthodontistindent
🧴derm
Greekskin
dermatologyepidermispachyderm
🗣️dict
Latinsay, speak
dictionarypredictverdictcontradictedictdictate
🎓doc, doct
Latinteach
doctordoctrinedocument
🤲don, donat
Latingive
donatepardondonor
😴dorm
Latinsleep
dormantdormitory
🔌duce, duct
Latinlead
abductconducivededuceintroducereductioninducededuct
🪨dur
Latinhard, lasting
durableendureduration
⚖️equ
Latinequal
equationequatorequanimity
🧭err
Latinwander, mistake
erraticerrorerrant
🏭fact, fect, fict
Latinmake, do
affectationdefecteffectfictitiousperfectfiction
🚚fer
Latincarry, bring
conferencedifferferretinferofferpreferencereferencetransfer
🚚fer, late
Latincarry
referdilate
💎fid
Latinfaith, trust
fidelityconfideconfidentinfidelbona fide
🏁fin
Latinend, limit
finalfinishinfinitedefineconfinefinite
💪firm
Latinstrong
affirmconfirminfirm
🪞flect, flex
Latinbend, turn
circumflexflexiblegenuflectreflectreflex
🌊flu, flux
Latinflow
fluentaffluentinfluencefluctuateinfluxfluid
📐form
Latinshape
reformconforminformdeformtransformuniform
💪fort
Latinstrong
fortifyfortresscomforteffortfortitudeforte
💔fring, fract
Latinbreak
fractureinfractioninfringerefract
🏃fug
Latinflee
fugitiverefugecentrifuge
🏗️fund, found
Latinbottom, base
foundationfundamentalprofound
🌱gen
Latinbirth, kind
generategenerousgenesisgeneticcongenitalgenregeneric
🌎geo
Greekearth
geographygeologygeometry
🧠gno, gnos
Greekknow
agnosticdiagnoseprognosis
✍️graph, gram
Greekpicture, writing
diagramepigramgraphseismographtelegramtelegraphgraphic
👥greg
Latingroup, gather
aggregationcongregategregarioussegregate
🪜gress, grad
Latinmove
aggressivedegradegraduateingredientprogressregressupgrade
🏠habit, hibit
Latinhave, hold
inhabitexhibitprohibit
🧲her, hes
Latinstick, cling
adherecohesioninherent
🚰hydr
Greekwater
dehydratehydranthydraulichydrogenhydrologyhydrophobiahydrotherapyhydrate
🎯ject
Latinthrow
conjecturedejectedejectinjectprojectilesubjected
🧑‍⚖️jud
Latinright
judicial
🔗junct
Latinjoin
conjunctionenjoininjunctionjunction
⚖️juris
Latinlaw, justice
jurisdictionjurisprudencejurist
🔨labor
Latinwork
elaboratelaboratorycollaborate
↔️lat
Latinside
lateralbilateralcollateral
📖lect, leg
Latinread, choose
collectelectelegantlegibleselectlecture
⚖️leg, legis
Latinlaw
legallegislatelegitimate
🎈lev
Latinlight, raise
elevatealleviatelevity
🗽liber
Latinfree
libertyliberalliberate
🪢lig
Latinbind
ligamentobligereligion
✉️liter
Latinletter
literatureliteralilliterate
📍loc
Latinplace
locatelocalallocate
💬logue
Greekspeech, speaking
dialogueepilogueeulogymonologueprologue
🔬logy
Greekstudy of
psychologybiologygeologyzoologymythology
🎤loq, loc
Latinspeak
colloquyelocutioninterlocutorsloquacious
💡luc, lum
Latinlight
illuminatetranslucentluminouslucidelucidate
💡luc, lum, lust
Latinlight
illuminateluminousillustrate
🎭lude, lus
Latinplay, perform
alludeallusiondeludeeludeprelude
🔍magn
Latingreat
magnificentmagnifymagnitude
📜mand
Latinorder
countermandmandatemandatoryremand
🖐️manu
Latinby hand
manicuremanifestmanipulatemanualmanuscript
🌊mar
Latinsea
maritimemarinesubmarinemariner
👩mater, matr
Latinmother
maternalmatriarchmatrimony
⚕️med
Latinmiddle
intermediatemedievalmedianmediocremedium
🧠mem, ment
Latinmind, memory
commemoratedementedmentionreminisce
🧠ment, mem
Latinmind, memory
mention
📏meter
Greekmeasure
thermometerdiameterperimeterbarometermetric
🔍micro
Greeksmall
microscopemicrobemicrocosmmicrophone
🦅migr
Latinmove, travel
migrateemigrateimmigrant
🐜min
Latinlessen
miniatureminimumdiminishminorminute
📤mis, miss, mit
Latinsend
commitdismissemitremissionsubmittransmitremit
💀mor, mort
Latindeath
mortalimmortalmortify
🦋morph
Greekform, shape
metamorphosisamorphousmorphology
💀mort
Latindeath
mortalimmortalmortgagemortifymortuarypostmortem
🚗mot, mov
Latinmove
remoteremoveemotionpromotionmotivemotor
🔄mute
Latinchange
commuteimmutablemutationpermutation
👶nasc, nat
Latinborn
nativeinnaterenaissance
👶nat, nasc
Latinborn
nativenatureinnatenatalnascentnatural
🚀naut
Greeksailor, sail
nauticalastronautnautiluscosmonaut
🚫neg
Latindeny
negatenegativenegligent
🧠neur
Greeknerve
neurologyneuroticneural
🏷️nom, nym
Greekname
nominatesynonymanonymous
📢nounce, nunci
Latindeclare, state
announcedenounceenunciatepronunciation
nov
Latinnew
novelnoviceinnovation
📛onym
Greekname, word
synonymantonympseudonym
🔧oper
Latinwork
operatecooperateopus
📋ord
Latinorder
ordinalcoordinatesubordinate
📐ortho
Greekstraight, correct
orthodoxorthopedic
☮️pac, pax
Latinpeace
pacifypacificpact
💗pass, path
Greekfeel, suffer
compassionsympathypathetic
👨pater, patr
Latinfather
paternalpatriarchpatriot
❤️path
Greekfeeling, disease
sympathyempathyapathypathologypathosantipathy
🦶ped, pod
Latinfoot
bipedimpedepedestrianpodiatristtripodpedal
🥊pel, pulse
Latindrive, push
dispelexpelimpulsepropelrepel
pend, pense
Latinhang, weigh
appendixdispenseexpenditureimpendingsuspenddepend
🪨petr
Greekrock
petrifypetroleumpetroglyph
💕phil
Greeklove
philosophyphilanthropyPhiladelphiabibliophilephilharmonic
😱phob
Greekfear
phobiaclaustrophobiaxenophobia
📞phon
Greeksound
telephonesymphonyphonetic
📸photo
Greeklight
photographphotosynthesisphoton
😌plac
Latinplease
implacableplacateplaceboplacid
📄pli, plic
Latinfold
implicatepliable
🗂️plic
Latinfold
implicate
🏛️poli, polis
Greekcity
politicsmetropolitancosmopolitan
📍pone, pose, posit
Latinplace or put
componentsdeposeexponentopposeproponent
👥popul
Latinpeople
populationpopularpopulace
🧳port
Latincarry
deportationexportimportreporttransportportable
📍pose, pone
Latinput, place
deposecomponent
🥇prim
Latinfirst
primaryprimitiveprimate
🧩psych
Greekmind, soul
psychologypsychiatrypsyche
💭put
Latinthink, reckon
computedisputereputation
🔎quer, quis
Latinask, seek
queryquestionacquireinquisitive
📏rect, reg
Latinrule or lead, straight
erectrectifyrectituderegulate
👑reg, rect
Latinrule
regulatedirect
😂rid, ris
Latinlaugh
ridiculederiderisible
rog
Latinask
interrogatearrogantderogatory
🌋rupt
Latinbreak
disrupteruptrupturedisruption
sacr, sanct
Latinholy
sacredsacrificesanctuary
🦘sal, sult
Latinleap, jump
assaultresultinsult
👋salv, salu
Latinsafe, healthy
salvationsalute
🧗scend, scent
Latinmove
ascendcondescenddescenttranscendascent
🧪sci
Latinknow
scienceconscienceconsciousomniscientprescient
🔭scop
Greeksee, watch
microscopetelescopeperiscope
✒️scribe, script
Latinwrite
describeinscriptionprescriptionproscribe
🔪sec, sect
Latincut
bisectdissectsector
🪑sed
Latinremain
sedentarysedimentsedatesedan
🖐️sens, sent
Latinfeel
sensationsensitiveconsentsentimentresentsensorysentimental
➡️sequ, secut
Latinfollow
sequenceconsequencesubsequentconsecutivesequel
🧩sert
Latinstate, place
assertinsert
🛡️serve
Latinkeep, save
conservepreservationreservationpreserve
🪧sign
Latinmark
signalsignificantdesignate
👯simil, simul
Latinlike, resembling
similarsimulatesimultaneous
🧱sist
Latinstand, set
desistinconsistentinsistentinsist
☀️sol
Latinalone
solitarysolosolitudedesolatesoleisolate
🧪solv, solu
Latinloosen, free
solvedissolveresolvesolutionabsolutesolvent
🔔son
Latinsound
consonantresonancesonnet
🦉soph
Greekwise
philosophysophomoresophisticated
👁️spec, spect
Latinsee, look
aspectprospectivespectrumspeculate
👀spect
Latinlook
inspect
🌬️spire, spirat
Latinbreath, breathe
aspireconspireexpireinspirerespirationperspire
🧍sta, stat, stit
Latinstand
stationstatuteconstitute
🔒strict
Latintighten
constrictdistrictrestrictstricturestrict
🏗️stru, struct
Latinbuild
constructstructureinstruct
🏗️struct
Latinbuild
constructstructureinstructdestructobstructinfrastructure
🛒sum, sumpt
Latintake, use
consumeassumepresumption
🤲tain
Latinhold
detain
tain, ten
Latinhold
containcontainmentdetainretaintenacious
🤏tang, tact
Latintouch
tangibletactilecontactintactintangibletact
temp
Latintime
temporarycontemporarytempo
🔚term
Latinend
exterminateinterminableterminateterminus
🌍terr
Latinearth, land
terrainterritoryterrestrial
🗣️test
Latinwitness
testimonytestamentattest
🙏the, theo
Greekgod
theologyatheistpolytheism
🌡️therm
Greekheat
thermometerthermalthermostat
🌀tort
Latintwist
contortdistortionextortdistort
🧲tract
Latindraw, drag
attractdistractionextractintractableprotracteddetract
🎁trib
Latingive, assign
tributecontributeattribute
🫧vac
Latinempty
vacantvacuumevacuate
💎val
Latinstrong, worth
valuevalidvalorprevailequivalentevaluate
🚪vene, vent
Latincome
adventcircumventconveneinterveneinvent
ver
Latintrue
verifyverdictverity
💬verb
Latinword
verbalverboseproverb
🏆vict
Latinovercome, conquer
evict
👀vid, vis
Latinsee
visiblevisionvideoevidentinvisiblesupervise
🏆vince, vict
Latinconquer, overcome
convinceinvinciblevictor
🌿vit, viv
Latinlife, live
vitalvividrevivesurvivevivaciousvitality
📣voc, vok
Latinvoice, call
vocalinvokeadvocateprovokevocationevoke
🔄volve, volu
Latinroll, turn
convolutedevolutioninvolverevolutionevolve
🦖vor
Latineat, devour
voraciousdevourcarnivore
🐾zo
Greekanimal
zoologyprotozoazoo