Greek and Latin Root Words
Directions: Study the roots on these sheets. Make up a set of flash cards with the root on one side and the meaning on the other.
You will be tested separately on the words on each page. When we’ve finished the individual tests, you will be tested on all words.
|
Root |
Pronunciation |
Meaning |
Examples |
| a(n)- | ann | no, not | asexual, anarchy |
| ab- | ab (as in about) | away from | abnormal |
| abyss- | abbess | deep bottom | abysmal |
| acet- | uhSET, ahSEET | sour, vinegar | acerbic, acetic |
| acri- | ACKree | sharp, sour | acrid, acrimony |
| acro- | ACKrow | top, height | acrobat |
| -ad- | Add | on, to(ward) | addict, adhere |
| adipo- | ADDYpo | fat | adipose tissue |
| aeri-, aero- | AIRy, A-EAR-o | air, gas | aerobic, aerial |
| allo- | ALoh | different, other | allocate |
| ambi- | AMbee | both | ambiguous |
| amphi- | AMfee | both, two kinds | amphibious |
| amyl- | AMil | starch | amylase |
| ana- | ANNA | up, again | anaphase |
| ante- | ANtay, ANNteh | before | antecedent |
| -anthrop- | ANTHrup | human, mankind | anthropology |
| anti- | ANtih, ANTeye | against | antiseptic |
| aqua- | AHKwa | water | aquatic |
| arbor- | ARBer | tree | arboretum |
| archi- | ARKih, ARTshe | ancestral | archive |
| -aster- | ASTr | star | astronomy |
| audi- | AWEd | hear | audio, audible |
| auto- | AWE-toe | self | autobiography |
| bathos- | BATHoze | deep | bathysphere |
| bentho- | BENTHoh | depths | benthic |
| bi- | BUY | two | binary, bicycle |
| bib- | BIB, BIBE | drink | imbibe |
| bio- | BUY-oh | life | biology |
| -brachi- | BRAKEee | arm | embrace |
| brevi- | BREVih | short | brief |
| bronchi- | BRAWNkee | windpipe | bronchitis |
| -bursa- | BURSah | purse, pouch | reimburse |
| calo- | KALLO | heat | calorie |
| canis | KANE-iss | dog | canine |
| capi- | KAPih | hair | capillary |
| carbo- | KARbo | coal | carbon |
| -cardi- | KARDih | heart | cardiac |
| cata- | KATah | down, entirely | catalogue |
| cauda | KAWdah | tail | caudal fin |
| cent- | SENT | hundred | century |
| cephal- | SEFFul | head | encephalitis |
| chlor- | KLORE | green | chlorophyll |
| -chord- | KORD | cord, string | chordate |
| chrom- | KROME | color | chromosome |
| chrono- | KRO-no | time | chronometer |
| -cide | SIDE | to kill | homicide, suicide |
| circum- | SURKum | around | circumference |
| clav- | KLAV | key, club | clavicle |
| com- | KUM, KAHM | together | compose |
| con- | KONE | with | connect |
| contra- | KONtra | against | contraception |
| corpus- | KORpus | body | corpse |
| -crat | KRAT (like that) | rule, strength | democrat |
| credo- | KREED-o | believable | credit |
| cryo- | CRY-o | cold | cryogenics |
| crypt- | KRIPT ("script") | secret, hidden | cryptic, crypt |
| cuti- | cutie | skin | cuticle |
| cyano- | sighANN-o | dark blue | cyanosis |
| -cyto- | SITE-o | cell | leucocyte |
| -dactyl- | DACKTul | finger | pentadactyl |
| dec- | DECK or DESS | ten | decimal |
| deci- | DESSee | falling out | deciduous |
| dendr- | DENdr | tree | dendrite |
| dent | DEHNT | tooth | dentist |
| -derm- | DURM | skin | hypodermic |
| di- | DYE or DI (dim) | apart | diverge |
| di- | DYE | two, twice | dichromate |
| dia- | DYE-ah | across, through | diameter |
| digit | DIHJit | finger, five | digitate |
| dino- | DYE-no | terrible | dinosaur |
| diplo- | DIP-low | double | diploid |
| divi- | DIVih | cut, apart | division |
| dorm- | DORm | sleep | dormitory |
| -duct- | ducked | to lead | conduct |
| -dura- | DOOrah | hard | durable |
| dyn- | dine (as in wine) | powerful, able | dynamite |
| dys- | DISS | ill, bad | dysentery |
| echino- | eeKINE-o | spiny | echinoderm |
| ecos- | EHKose | home | ecosystem |
| ecto- | EKTo | outside | ectoderm |
| embryo- | EMbree-oh | swelling inside | embryonic |
| enceph- | ehnSEFF | in the head | encephalitis |
| endo- | END-o | within | endoskeleton |
| eo- | EEoh | early | eohippus |
| epi | EPPee | upon | epiphyte |
| erythro- | ehREETHroe | red | erythrocyte |
| eu- | you | good | eulogy |
| exo- | EKS-oh | without | exopathic |
| extra | EKS-tra | beyond | extraterrestrial |
| fer | fehrr | carry | ferry, aquifer |
| fibri | FIBrih | hairlike | fiber |
| fossa- | FAWSah | dig, trench | fossil |
| -gamy | GAHMee | marriage | bigamy |
| gastr- | GAStur | stomach | gastric |
| gel | jell | freeze | gelatin, jelly |
| gen- | Jen | birth, make | genetics |
| geo- | JEE-o | Earth | geography |
| germ | jurm | seed | germinate |
| -glott | glaht | tongue | polyglot |
| gluco- | GLUE-ko | sweet | glucose |
| glycol | GLAIko | sweet oil | glycerin |
| -gnath- | nath | jaw | agnatha |
| -graph- | graff | write | photograph |
| gymno- | JIM-no | naked | gymnasium |
| -gyne- | GUYneh | woman | gynecologist |
| hemi- | HEMee | half | hemisphere |
| hemo (haemo) | HEmo | blood | hemoglobin |
| helio- | HEELee-oh | Sun | helium |
| hepato- | hehPAHToh | liver | hepatitis |
| herb- | HURB (or URB) | grass | herbivore |
| -herpe- | HEZRpeh | reptile, snake | herpetologist |
| hetero- | HETUR-oh | different, other | heterosexual |
| hippo | HIP-oh | horse | hippopotamus |
| homi- | HOME-ih | mankind | homicide |
| homo- | HO-MO | same | homosexual |
| hora, horo | HOrah, HOro | hour | horoscope |
| hydro- | HIDE-ro | water | dehydrate |
| hyper- | HIGHper | above | hyperactive |
| hypno- | HIP-no | sleep | hypnotic |
| hypo- | HIPE-oh | under | hypodermic |
| ichthy- | IKthee | fish | ichthyosaur |
| infra- | AINfrah | under, beneath | infrastructure |
| inter- | INtur | between, inside | interstate |
| intra- | INtrah | within | intramural |
| iris- | EYE-riss | rainbow, color | iris |
| iso- | EYE-so | equal | isosceles, isobar |
| kilo- | KEY-low, KILLoh | thousand | kilogram |
| lab | lab, layb | labor, change | laboratory |
| loco- | LOW-ko | place, in place | location |
| -logo | LOW-go | speech, thought | dialogue |
| -logy | LOW-jee | study | meteorology |
| -lysis- | LYE-sis | loosen, break | lysosome |
| macro- | MACK-roe | large, long | macroscopic |
| mal- | mal (as in "pal") | faulty, bad | malodorous |
| mani- | many | hand | manipulate |
| mania- | MAYnee-ah | compulsion | maniac, manic |
| maxi- | MAXih | great, highest | maximum |
| -metr- | METTr | measure | centimeter |
| micro | MY-kro | small | microbe |
| mono- | MO-no | one, alone | monotone |
| mort- | mort | dead, death | mortuary |
| nata- | NAYtah | born | native |
| negat- | NEGGaht | deny or opposite | negative |
| nomen | KNOWmen | name | nominate |
| oculus | AHKyool-us | eye | binocular |
| oligo- | OHlee-go | few | oligarchy |
| omni- | AHMnih | many | omnivore |
| oste- | AHSTih | bone | osteomyelitis |
| pan- | pan | all | pandemic |
| pater-, patri- | PAHTTrih | father | paternal |
| -patho- | Path-oh | suffer, illness | pathogen |
| ped- | PEHdd | foot | pedestrian |
| peri- | PERih | around | pericardium |
| -phago- | FAY-go | eat | phagocyte |
| -philo- | FILEoh | love | philosophy |
| -pod- | PAHd | foot | podium, tripod |
| poly- | POLLY | many | polygon |
| post- | post | after | post mortem |
| pro- | pro | for, yes | progress |
| pro- | pro | before, first | prognosis |
| proto | PRO-TOE | first | prototype |
| pseudo- | SOO-dough | false | pseudonym |
| retro- | RETro | backward | retrograde |
| -scop | SKOP | see | telescope |
| scrib, scrip | Skrib, Skrip | write | describe |
| -sect- | SEKt | cut | dissect |
| -soma- | SOmah | body | somatic cell |
| sub- | sub | under, lower | subtract |
| super- | SOOPer | over, superior | superman |
| tele- | TELLeh | far, distant | telegraph |
| terra- | TERRah | Earth | terrestrial |
| trans- | TRANss | across | transfer |
| tropho- | TROfo | nourish, feed | atrophy |
| vacan- | VAYkan | empty, quit | vacant |
| vera- | VERah | true | verify |
| verb- | vurb | word | verbal |
| vestig- | VEStij | trace, footstep | vestige |