“Learn one root and you have the key that will unlock the meanings of up to ten or twenty words in which the root appears.”
It is the basis for the development of all the other skills: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, speaking, writing, spelling and pronunciation.
Knowing roots can help you in two more ways. First, instead of learning one word at a time, you can learn a whole group of words that contain a certain root. They’ll be related in meaning, so if you remember one, it will be easier for you to remember others. Second, roots can often help you decode an unknown vocab word. If you recognize a familiar root, you could get a good enough grasp of the word to answer the question.
Etymology (et’-a-MOL’-a-jee) deals with the origin or derivation of words. When you know the meaning of a root (for example, Latin ego, I or self), you can better understand, and more easily remember, all the words built on this root. Learn one root and you have the key that will unlock the meanings of up to ten or twenty words in which the root appears. Learn ego and you can immediately get a handle on egocentric, egomaniac, egoist, egotist, and alter ego. Learn anthropos (Greek, mankind), and you will. quickly understand, and never forget, anthropology, misanthropy, anthropoid, anthropocentric, anthropomorphic, philanthropy, and anthropophobia. Meet any word with anthropo- in it, and you will have at least some idea of its meaning.
In the etymological approach to vocabulary building:
You will learn about prefixes, roots, and suffixe, so You will be able to figure out unfamiliar words by recognizing their structure, the building blocks. from which they are constructed-
You will be able to construct words correctly by learning to put these building blocks together in the proper way-and
You will be able to derive verbs from nouns, nouns and verbs from adjectives, adjectives from nouns, etc.-and do all this correctly.
Learn how to deal with etymology and you will feel comfortable with words-you will use new words with self-assurance-you will be able to figure out thousands of words you hear or read even if you have never heard or seen these words before. That’s why the best approach to new words is through etymology:-as you will discover for yourself as soon as you start reading the below given root words. Use these tricks, as well as other exercises that we will provide based on these notes, as aids to learning. “No one is perfect, no one learns in the exact same way or at the same rate as anyone else. Find the optimum technique and speed for your unique learning patterns-and then give yourself every opportunity to exploit your actual, latent, and potential abilities.”
1.AC/ACR: SHARP, BITTER
acid: something that is sharp, sour or ill natured
acute: sharp at the end; ending in a point
acerbic: sour or astringent in taster; harsh in temper
acrid: sharp or biting to the taste or smell
acrimonious: caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature
exacerbate: to increase bitterness or violence; aggravate
2.AL/ALI/ALTER: OTHER, ANOTHER
alternative: a possible choice
alias: an assumed name; another
alibi: the defense by an accused person that he was verifiably elsewhere at the time of the crime with which he is charged
alien: one born in another country; a foreigner
alter ego: the second self; a substitute or deputy
altruist: a person unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others
allegory: figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another
3.AM: LOVE
amateur: a person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than financial or professional gain
amatory: of or pertaining to lovers or lovemaking
amenity: agreeable ways or manners
amorous: inclined to love, esp. sexual love
enamored: inflamed with love; charmed; captivated
amity: friendship; peaceful harmony
inamorata: a female lover
amiable: having or showing agreeable personal qualities
amicable: characterized by exhibiting good will
4.AMB: TO GO; TO WALK
ambient: moving freely; circulating
ambitious: desirous of achieving or obtaining power
preamble: an introductory statement
ambassador: an authorized messenger or representative
ambulance: a wheeled vehicle equipped for carrying sick people, usually to a hospital
ambulatory: of, pertaining to, or capable of walking
ambush: the act of lying concealed so as to attack by surprise
perambulator: one who makes a tour of inspection on foot
5.AMBI/AMPH: BOTH, MORE THAN ONE, AROUND
ambiguous: open to various interpretations
amphibian: any cold-blooded vertebrate, the larva of which is aquatic, and the adult of which is terrestrial; a person or thing having a twofold nature
ambidextrous: able to use both hands equally well
6.ANTE: BEFORE
anterior: placed before
antecedent: existing being, or going before
antedate: precede in time
Antebellum: before the war (especially the American Civil War)
antediluvian: belonging to the period before the biblical flood; very old or old-fashioned
7.ANTHRO/ANDR: MAN, HUMAN
anthropology: the science that deals with the origins of mankind
android: robot; mechanical man
misanthrope: one who hates humans or mankind
philanderer: one who carries on flirtations
androgynous: being both male and female
androgen: any substance that promotes masculine characteristics
anthropocentric: regarding man as the central fact of the universe
8.ANTI: AGAINST
antibody: a protein naturally existing in blood serum, that reacts to overcome the toxic effects of an antigen
antidote: a remedy for counteracting the effects of poison, disease, etcetera
antiseptic: free from germs; particularly clean or neat
antipathy: aversion
antipodal: on the opposite side of the globe
9.AUTO: SELF
automatic: self-moving or self-acting
autocrat: an absolute ruler
autonomy: independence or freedom
10.BEL/BEL: WAR
Antebellum: before the war
rebel: a person who resists authority, control, or tradition belligerent: warlike, given to waging war
11.BEN/BON: GOOD
benefit: anything advantageous to a person or thing
benign: having a kindly disposition
benediction: an act of uttering a blessing
benevolent: desiring to do good to others
bonus: something given over and above what is due
bona fide: in good faith; without fraud
12.BI: TWICE, DOUBLE
binoculars: involving two eyes
biennial: happening every two years
bilateral: pertaining to or affecting two or both sides
bilingual: able to speak one’s native language and another with equal facility
bipartisan: representing two parties
13.CED/CEED/CESS: TO GO; TO YIELD; TO STOP
antecedent: existing, being, or going before
concede: to acknowledge as true, just, or proper; admit
predecessor: one who comes before another in an office, position, etcetera
cessation: a temporary or complete discontinuance
incessant: without stop
14.CHRON: TIME
synchronize: to occur at the same time or agree in time
chronology: the sequential order in which past events occurred
anachronism: an obsolete or archaic form
chronic: constant, habitual
chronometer: a time piece with a mechanism to adjust for accuracy
15.CIRCU: AROUND, ON ALL SIDES
circumference: the outer boundary of a circular area
circumstances: the existing conditions or state of affairs surrounding and affecting an agent
circuit: the act of going or moving around
circumambulate: to walk about or around
circuitous: roundabout, indirect
CIS: TO CUT scissors: cutting instrument for paper precise: definitely stated or defined exorcise: to seek to expel an evil spirit by a ceremony incision: a cut, gash, or notch incisive: penetrating, cutting
DEM: PEOPLE democracy: government by the people epidemic: affecting at the same time a large number of people, and spreading from person to person endemic: peculiar to a particular people or locality pandemic: general, universal demographics: vital and social statistics of populations
FORE: BEFORE foresight: care or provision for future foreshadow: be a warning or indication of ( a future event) forestall: to prevent by advance action forthright: straightforward, outspoken, decisive
GEN: BIRTH, CREATION, RACE, KIND generous: giving or given freely genetics: the study of heredity and variation among animals and plants gender: classification roughly corresponding to the two saxes and sexlessness carcinogenic: producing cancer congenital: existing or as such from birth progeny: offspring, descendants miscegenation: interbreeding of races
HETERO: DIFFERENT heterosexual: of or pertaining to the sexual orientation toward members of the opposite sex; relating to different sexes heterogeneous: of other origins: not originating in the body heterodox: different from the acknowledged standard: holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines
HYPO: UNDER, BENEATH, LESS THAN hypodermic: relating to the parts beneath the skin hypochondriac: one affected by extreme depression of mind or spirits often centered on imaginary physical ailments hypocritical: affecting virtues or qualities one does not have hypothesis: assumption subject to proof
IDIO: ONE’S OWN idiot: an utterly stupid person idiom: a language, dialect, or style of speaking particular to a people idiosyncrasy: the peculiarity of temperament; eccentricity
LOC/LOG/LOQU: WORD, SPEECH dialogue: conversation, esp. in a literary work elocution: the art of clear and expressive speaking prologue: an introduction to the poem, play etc. eulogy: speech or writing in praise of someone colloquial: or ordinary or familiar conversation grandiloquent: pompous or inflated in language loquacious: talkative
MAG/MAJ/MAX: BIG magnify: to increase the apparent size of magnitude: the greatness of size, extent, or dimensions maximum: the highest amount, value, or degree attained magnate: a powerful or influential person magnanimous: generous in forgiving an insult or injury maxim: an expression of general truth or principle
MAL/MALE: BAD, ILL, EVIL, WRONG malfunction: failure to function properly malicious: full of or showing malice malign: to speak harmful untruths about, to slander malady: a disorder or disease of the body maladroit: clumsy, tactless malapropism: humorous misuse of a word malfeasance: misconduct or wrongdoing often committed by a public official malediction: a curse
OMNI: ALL omnibus: an anthology of the works of one author or of writings on related subjects omnipresent: everywhere at one time omnipotent: all powerful omniscient: having infinite knowledge
PAN: ALL, EVERYONE panorama: an unobstructed and wide view of an extensive area panegyric: formal or elaborate praise at an assembly panoply: a wide-ranging and impressive array or display pantheon: a public building containing tombs or memorials of the illustrious dead of a nation pandemic: widespread, general, universal
PERI: AROUND perimeter: the border or outer boundary of a two-dimensional figure periscope: an optical instrument for seeing objects in an obstructed field of vision peripatetic: walking or traveling about; itinerant
PHIL: LOVE philosophy: the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct philatelist: one who loves or collects postage stamps philology: the study of literary texts to establish their authenticity and determine their meaning bibliophile: one who loves or collects books
THEO: GOD atheist: one who not believe in a deity or divine system theocracy: a form of government in which a deity is recognized as the supreme ruler theology: the study of divine things and the divine faith apotheosis: glorification, glorified ideal
VOR: TO EAT voracious: having a great appetite carnivorous: meat-eating omnivorous: eating or absorbing everything
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