50 Latin Roots That Will Help You Understand the English Language

For English Language Teachers or Those Looking to Get Started…

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One benefit of studying Latin roots is that it will increase your vocabulary. You will be able to parse together a word’s meaning through Latin. This is extremely useful for exams that assess your vocabulary.

Did you know that the English language is made up of many words derived from other languages? In fact, over 60% of English words are derived from Latin, French, and Greek. This article will explore Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes. Not sure what they are? No worries, we will look at a definition of each of these terms, along with some examples and English words that use them.

The English language contains over one million words, most of which the average speaker will never even know. Stacker identified the 50 most important Latin roots to help English speakers better comprehend the extensive English lexicon.

marekuliasz // Shutterstock

Anyone who has ever studied a stack of GRE vocabulary words or invested in a word-a-day calendar to try to expand their lexicon can attest to the fact that the English language is incredibly expansive. Data has shown that the average adult knows somewhere around 40,000 words in total, and that includes active (i.e., regularly used) and passive (i.e., familiar, but not utilized) vocabulary. Put that number up against the more than one million total words in the English language, and it becomes clear that the percentage of terms in English speakers’ everyday rotation is only a small fraction of the English language as a whole.

Looking at the sheer volume of the English vocabulary, one thing that helps make sense of the words is the notable patterns that emerge in light of its etymological roots; particularly, its Latin roots. Though Latin itself has often been referred to as a dead language, it is very much alive in the 80% of English terms that are borrowed directly from the ancient language and the over 60% of English words that have roots in Latin and Greek. In the same way that a new reader may try to sound out a word phonetically, looking at English through the lens of Latin etymology allows us to obtain a new grasp on the language, such that we can more actively deduce the meanings of unfamiliar words. This is the secret behind amazing spellers at the Bee!

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Pra Chid // Shutterstock

Whenever learning a new language, students are often overwhelmed by the fact that they must study the grammar and vocabulary. Vocabulary can be tough for anyone, but especially for those learning a new language for the first time or one like Latin which not spoken. However, the vocabulary in Latin should be easier since Latin is integrated into many modern languages: French, Italian, Spanish, English, etc.

Here is a wonderful list of the most basic roots any Latin learner should know! This list is also helpful to anyone wishing to improve their vocabulary along with test taking skills. So, if you are studying for the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, or even the SATs; this is a great chart for you to study, make flash cared and improve your ability to dissect words to discover their meanings!

ab-

a-

abs-

acu-

ad-

a-

ac-

af-

ag-

al-

ap-

ar-

as-

at-

ac

ad

af

ag

ap

a

ag-

act-

am-

amat-

ambi-

ann-

-enn-

ante-

anti-

aqu-

audi-

aug-

auct-

bell-

ben-

bi-

brev-

cad-

-cid-

cas-

caed-

-cid-

caes-

-cis

cand-

cap-

-cip-

capt-

-cept-

capit-

-cipit-

carn-

carp-

cav-

ced-

cess-

celer-

cent-

ceter-

circum-

clar-

con-

co-

col-

com-

cor-

corn-

cred-

curr-

curs-

de-

dent-

dict-

doc-

doct-

duc-

duct-

dur-

ed-

es-

ego-

err-

extrem-

fac-

-fic-

fact

-fect-

fer-

fin-

form-

fort-

frang-

-fring-

fract-

frag-

fug-

fugit-

fund-

fus-

gen-

glob-

grad-

-gred-

gress-

grand-

graph-

grat-

grav-

hab-

-hib-

habit-

-hibit-

hom-

hospit-

ign-

in-

im-

in-

il-

im-

ir-

inter-

intra-

intro-

irasc-

irat-

is-, iso-

jac-

ject-

janu-

jus-

jur-

juven-

labor-

lacer-

lact-

lamin-

larv-

lax-

leg-

lev-

liber-

libr-

lig-

lingu-

liter-

loqu-

locut-

luc-

lumin-

lun-

magn-

manu-

man-

medi-

-midi

merc-

min-

moll-

morph-

mov-

mot-

mult-

nasc-

nat-

necr-

noct-

nu-

nunci-

ob-

o-

oc-

of-

og-

op-

os-

oct-

-oid

-onym

orn-

oss-

ov-

pac-

pal-

pand-

pans-

pasc-

past-

pati-

pass

pauc-

pecun-

ped-

pell-

puls-

pen-

pent-

per-

pessim-

pet-

pil-

ping-

pict-

phon-

plas-

plac-

-plic-

plan-

plaud-

-plod-

plaus-

-plos-

plur-

pole-

poli-

pon-

posit-

prehend-

prend-

prehens-

prem-

-prim-

press-

prim-

priv-

pro-

propri-

prot-

proxim-

pub-

pugn-

pung-

punct-

puni-

purg-

qui-

quot-

rad-

ras-

reg-

-rig-

rect-

retro-

rid-

ris-

rod-

ros-

rog-

rump-

rupt-

sacr-

secr-

scand-

-scend-

scans-

-scens-

scop-

scept

sec-

sect-

seg-

sed-

-sid-

sess-

serv-

sign-

sol-

spec-

-spic-

spect-

st-

stingu-

stinct-

stru-

struct-

sub-

su-

suf-

sug-

sup-

sus-

tac-

-tic-

tang-

-ting-

tact-

tag-

tempor-

tend-

tens-

termin-

terr-

test-

tex-

text-

tim-

torn-

tourn-

tot-

trans-

tra-

tran-

traum-

tri-

trin-

ultim-

un-

urb-

ut-

us-

vad-

vas-

vag-

ven-

vent-

ver-

vi-

vid-

vis-

vinc-

vict-

vit-

viv-

voc-

Latin
was the language spoken by the ancient Romans. As the Romans
conquered most of Europe, the Latin language spread throughout the
region. Over time, the Latin spoken in different areas developed into
separate languages, including Italian, French, Spanish, and
Portuguese. These languages are considered “sisters,” as they all
descended from Latin, their “mother” language.

Many
Latin words came into English directly. Monks from Rome brought
religious vocabulary as well as Christianity to England beginning in
the 6th century. From the Middle Ages onward many scientific,
scholarly, and legal terms were borrowed from Latin.

During
the 17th and 18th centuries, dictionary writers and grammarians
generally felt that English was an imperfect language whereas Latin
was perfect. In order to improve the language, they deliberately made
up a lot of English words from Latin words. For example, fraternity,
from Latin fraternitas, was thought to be better than the native
English word brotherhood.

From
the example words in the above table, it is easy to see how roots
combine with prefixes to form new words. For example, the root
-tract-,
meaning “to pull,” can combine with a number of prefixes,
including de-
and re-.
Detract means literally “to pull away” (de-,
“away, off”) and retract means literally “to pull back” (re-,
“again, back”).

In
ordinary life, knowing Greek and Latin components of English enhances
understanding and facilitates communication, but in the sciences,
particularly in areas of medicine, it could be more serious.

Hypothetically,
Why You Need to Know Your Affixes

• You’ve
  all heard the story about the fellow who went in for a routine exam
  only to land on the operating table. This could conceivably happen
  to a patient seeking a routine colonoscopy. Way back, when I was
  TAing Medical Terms, there were many students who wouldn’t have
  selected the right tools — or even the right orifice for the
  colonoscopy. There are many who would have gone straight for a
  woman’s reproductive organs, searching for growths to cut away,
  mistaking not only the colon for the vagina, but an examination for
  a cutting procedure. The confusion went the other way as well, with
  students mistaking a colposcopy (examination of the cervix and
  vagina) for a colectomy (the removal of the large bowel).

How
knowing the etymology of rhinoceros
will help you understand your doctor’s diagnoses:

«Sometime
during the 14th century someone decided to give this mammal its
present day name. The characteristic of the animal that struck them
the most was the large horn that grew from its nose. The Greek word
for nose is rhis, and the combining form (the form that is used when
it is combined with other word elements) is rhin-. The Greek word for
horn is keras. So this animal was named a «nose-horn animal»
or a ‘rhinoceros.'»

The
suffix on please
is an e.
Does that surprise you? It did me. But if you look at the word
pleas-ure,
it makes sense, since removing its suffix leaves the same root as in
pleas-e.
As John Hough, in Scientific
Terminology,
points out, roots rarely exist alone. They usually precede suffixes.
The same is true of Greek and Latin, even if, when borrowing, we
sometimes drop the suffix. Thus, the word cell
in English is really the Latin cella,
from which we’ve dropped the a
suffix.

Not
only do almost all English words contain roots plus suffixes, but,
according to Hough, suffixes can’t stand alone. A suffix does not
have meaning on its own, but needs to be connected to the root.

Prefixes
are usually adverbs or prepositions derived from Greek or Latin that
can’t
be used alone
in English and appear at the beginnings of words. Suffixes, which
appear at the ends of words, aren’t usually adverbs or prepositions,
but they can’t be used alone in English, either. While suffixes are
often joined to the end of roots by separate connecting vowels, the
transformation of these prepositional and adverbial prefixes is more
direct, even though the final letter of the prefix may be changed or
eliminated. In 2-letter prefixes, this can be confusing. Among other
changes, n
can become m
or s
and a final b or d may be changed to match the first letter of the
root. Think of this confusion as designed to ease pronunciation.

This
list won’t help you figure out antipasto,
but it will prevent you from describing the antonym of precedent
as antident
or polydent.

Note: Greek forms are
capitalized, Latin in normal case.

Adjective
+ Root + Suffix=Word

A
medical example of a Greek-based color word is erythrokinetics
(e·ryth·ro·ki·net·ics), which Your
Dictionary Medical Definitions
defines as «A study of the kinetics of red blood cells from
their generation to destruction.»

Here
are more combining forms that are important to know since they are
numbers. If you’ve ever had trouble remembering whether millimeter or
kilometer was closer to an inch, pay attention here. Note that the
milli- is Latin and the kilo- is Greek; the Latin is the smaller
unit, and the Greek the larger, so millimeter is a 1000th part of a
meter (.0363 of an inch) and the kilometer is 1000 meters (39370
inches).

Some of these numerals are
derived from adverbs, most from adjectives.

axon

axonography

axonometric

axiology

axiom

axiomatic

axis

axisymmetry

auspice

auspicious

avian

aviary

aviation

aviator

avarice

avaricious

avarous

ave

avid

avidity

autarchy

authentic

autism

autocracy

autograph

automatic

autonomy

aural

auricle

aurinasal

auscultate

auscultation

aureate

aureole

auction

augend

augment

augmentation

augur

augury

august

author

auxiliary

inauguration

audible

audio

audiology

audit

audition

auditorium

auditory

audacious

audacity

athlete

athletic

decathlon

pentathlon

triathlon

aster

asterisk

asteroid

astrology

astronomy

astronaut

diasterism geaster

monaster

asperity

exasperate

asinine

ass

easel

arthritic

arthritis

arthropod

arthroscopic

arthrosis

artifact

artifice

artificial

artificiality

artisan

inert

inertia

aristocracy

aristocrat

arid

argent

Argentina

aretaic

arete

arduous

ardent

ardor

arson

Antarctic

arctic

Arctic Ocean

palearctic

archaeology

archaic

archaism

anarchy

archangel

archetype

architect

archon

autarchism

autarchy

exarch

monarchy

oligarchy

patriarchy

polyarchy

synarchy

triarchy

arcane

arcanum

arbiter

arbitrage

arbitrary

arbitration

arable

aquamarine

aquarium

aqueduct

aquifer

aperient

apéritif

aperitive

aperture

overt

overture

pert

aphelion

apocrine

apocryphal

apogee

aporrhinosis

apostasy

apostate

anthropology

anthroposophy

anthropomorphic

misanthrope

philanthropy

anthracite

anthracycline

anthrax

anther

anthology

antebellum

antediluvian

anticipate

antiquarian

antiquated

antique

antiquity

antagonist

antagonize

antibiotic

antipodes

antirrhinum

anniversary

annual

centennial

millennium

perennial

animal

animation

anemograph

anemometer

anemone

anemophilous

anemophobia

anemotropism

androgen

android

polyandrous

polyandry

anabaptist

anaphylaxis

anarrhexis

anion

anode

anaerobic

anhydrous

ambrosia

arrhythmia

atheism

atypical

ample

amplify

amplitude

amphibian

amphibolic

amphitheatre

amphoterism

amiable

amicable

amity

enemy

enmity

inimical

ambulance

ambulatory

preamble

ambidexterity

ambient

ambiguous

ambit

ambition

ambivalent

amboceptor

amputation

ancipital

andante

amateur

amatory

amenity

amoration

amorous

enamoured

altimeter

altitude

allograph

allophone

parallax

alias

alibi

alien

alter

alternate

altruism

analgesic

arthralgia

neuralgia

albedo

albino

albumen

alacrity

allegro

agroforestry

agronomy

agriculture

peregrine

act

action

agenda

agent

agile

agitate

ambiguous

castigate

cogent

cogitate

cogitation

excogitate

mitigate

navigate

agony

antagonist

antagonize

demagogue

pedagogue

pedagogy

strategy

synagogue

age

coeval

eon

eternal

longevity

medieval

primeval

ether

ethereal

etheric

hypaethros

aesthesia

aesthesis

aesthete

aesthetics

anaesthetic

synesthesia

aerobic

aerodynamic

aeronautics

aeroplane

aerorrhachia

aerosol

aerotitis

adipocellular

adipose

accept

accurate

adapt

affect

agglomerate

aggrandize

aggregate

aggression

annectent

approximate

ascend

acerose

acupuncture

acute

acutifoliate

acrobatics

acromegaly

acronym

acrophobia

acropolis

acrostic

acidiferous

acidity

acidosis

acidulation

acidulous

acetate

acetic

acetone

acetum

acerbic

acrid

acrimony

exacerbate

abnormal

abrasion

absent

abstain

abstraction

auference

aversion

baculiform

baculum

bacteria

anabolic

anabolism

ball

ballista

ballistic

ballistospore

belomancy

belonephobia

bolide

catabolic

catabolism

devil

diabolic

emblem

emblematic

embolic

embolism

embolus

holometabolism

hyperbole

metabolism

parable

parabola

paraboloid

parle

parley

problem

problematic

symbol

symbolic

symbolism

taurobolium

thromboembolism

abaptiston

Anabaptist

baptism

baptize

barograph

barometer

barostat

barycentre

barycentric

baryogenesis

baryon

barysphere

baryton

barytone

hyperbaric

hypobaric

isobaric

base

basic

basis

basicranial

basioglossal

basirrhinal

basommatophoric

basolateral

debase

batholith

bathophobia

bathos

bathymetry

bathyscaphe

bathysphere

isobathic

beatification

antebellum

bellicose

belligerent

rebellion

beneficence

benefit

benevolent

benign

benignant

benignity

bicycle

biennial

bifocal

bigamy

binary

binoculars

biscotti

bib

beer

beverage

imbibe

bible

bibliography

biodiversity

biography

biohazard

biology

biome

biometric

biosphere

blastema

blastochyle

blastocoele

blastula

ectoblast

endoblast

entoblast

fibroblast

osteoblast

sideroblast

blennadenitis

blennophobia

blennosperma

blennorrhagia

bonify

bonitary

borealis

botanic

botanist

botanology

botany

beef

boor

bovine

bucinator muscle

brachiferous

brachial artery

brachiocubital

brachialgia

brachionerysipelas

brachionigraph

brachiorrhachidian

brachiosaurus

brachistochrone

brachycephaly

brachydactyly

bradycardia

bradysuria

bradytelic

branchiopneustic

branchiopod

nudibranch

abbreviate

brevextensor

brevicaudate

brevity

brief

bromatium

bromateccrisis

bromatherapy

bromatology

bromography

brome

Bromus

Bromus ramosus

bromate

bromide

bromine

bronchiole

bronchitis

bronchopneumonia

bronchus

Brontosaurus

brontology

brontophobia

buccal

buccilingual

buccolingual

bulbiform

bulbiparous

bulboartrial

bulborrhexis

bulbous

bulbule

bullectomy

bulliferous

ebullient

ebullism

bursa

bursalogy

bursar

bursary

bursectomy

bursiform

disburse

cachexia

cacodemon

cacography

cacophony

cacorrhacitis

kakistocracy

accident

cadaver

cadence

cascade

case

recidivism

caesura

excise

germicide

homicide

incisor

scissors

calisthenics

calligraphy

Callista

Callisto

calophyllous

kaleidoscope

calendar

claim

class

conciliate

conciliatory

council

intercalate

nomenclature

caldarium

caldera

calefacient

calefaction

calefactive

calefactory

calenture

calescent

calid

calor

calore

caloric

calorie

calorifacient

calorific

calorigenic

calorimeter

caudle

cauldron

chafe

chafery

chalder

chaldron

chaud-froid

chauffer

chauffeur

chauffeuse

decalescence

decalescent

nonchalance

nonchalant

recalescence

scald

calcite

calcitrant

calcium

calculate

calculus

chalicothere

chalk

recalcitrant

ecclesia

Ecclesiastes

ecclesiastic

ecclesiology

ecclesiophobia

epiclesis

paraclete

calumnious

calumny

cavil

challenge

apocalypse

calyx

epicalyx

eucalyptus

antechamber

bicameral

camaraderie

camber

camera

chamber

chamberlain

comrade

concamerate

concameration

multicamera

tricameral

unicameral

camisade

camisado

Camisard

camisole

chemise

camp

campaign

campesino

campestral

campicolous

campimetry

campsite

campus

champion

decamp

encamp

encampment

canaille

canary

canicule

canid

canine

Canis

Canis Major

cane

canister

canon

canonic

accent

cantata

canto

cantor

chant

enchant

recant

candela

candid

candle

candor

incandescent

incendiary

incense

capable

capacious

captive

caption

captivate

capture

conception

except

forceps

incipient

intercept

recipient

achievable

achieve

achievement

ancipital

ancipitous

biceps

bicipital

cabotage

cad

caddie

cadet

cape

capital

capitular

capitulate

capitulation

captain

chapter

chaptrel

chattel

chef

chief

chieftain

co-captain

co-captaincy

decapitate

decapitation

occipital

occiput

precipitation

precipitous

quadriceps

recap

recapitulate

sincipital

sinciput

sous-chef

subcaptain

triceps

tricipital

unicipital

vice-captain

vice-captaincy

cab

caper

caprice

Capricorn

caprine

capsule

arbonara

bicarbonate

carbon

carbonate

carbonation

Carboniferous

carbuncle

radiocarbon

chancel

chancellery

chancellor

chancery

incarcerate

incarceration

subchancel

carcinogenic

carcinoma

cardiac

cardiograph

cardioid

cardiology

cardiomyopathy

electrocardiogram

endocardium

epicardium

hemicardia

myocardium

pericardium

cardinal

cardinality

kern

carnage

carnal

carnality

carnary

carnate

carnation

carneous

carnival

carnivore

carnose

carnosity

carrion

caruncle

carunculate

charcuterie

charnel

discarnate

incarnadine

incarnate

incarnation

reincarnate

reincarnation

acarpous

angiocarpous

anisocarpic

Carpo

carpogonium

carpology

carpophagous

carpophore

carpospore

cystocarp

endocarp

epicarp

mesocarp

monocarpic

pericarp

polycarpic

procarp

pseudocarp

carpal

carpal tunnel syndrome

carpus

metacarpus

caste

castigate

castrate

chaste

chastity

incest

catabolic

catacomb

catalyst

catarrhine

catastrophe

catatonia

cathode

cation

catenary

concatenation

catharsis

cathartic

caudal

coda

accuse

because

causal

causative

cause

excuse

calm

catacaustic

caustic

cauter

cauterize

cautery

diacaustic

holocaust

hypocaust

cave

cavity

excavation

accede

cede

concede

precede

procedure

proceed

procession

recede

secede

succeed

success

ceiling

clandestine

conceal

occult

acceleration

celerity

caenogastropod

caenogenesis

Cenozoic

cenotaph

kenosis

cenobite

coenesthesia

coenocyte

censure

census

cent

centennial

centurion

percent

centenarian

centenary

centesimal

centesimation

eccentric

central

center

concentrate

concentric

centrifugal

centripetal

acephalic

acephaly

anencephaly

autocephaly

brachiocephalic

brachycephalic

cephalic

cephalomancy

cephalometry

cephalon

cephalopagus

cephalopod

diencephalon

dolichocephalic

encephalitis

encephalogram

encephalopathy

holoprosencephaly

hydrocephalus

macrocephaly

mesaticephalic

mesencephalic

mesocephalic

metencephalon

microcephaly

myelencephalon

neencephalon

paleencephalon

prosencephalon

rhombencephalon

rhombencephalosynapsis

syncephalus

telencephalon

ceramic

keratin

triceratops

ascertain

certain

concern

concert

decree

discern

excrement

secern

secret

cervix

cervical

et cetera

chiral

chiropractic

chiroptera

chelonia

chlorine

chlorophyll

chloroplast

hypochondriasis

choreography

chorus

chordata

cord

chromatic

chrome

chromium

chromosome

monochrome

polychrome

anachronism

chronic

chronicle

chronology

chronometer

synchronize

chrysalis

chrysolite

cilia

supercilious

incineration

succinct

circle

circular

circulate

circus

circumcise

circumference

circumlocution

circumnavigate

circumscribe

cirrhosis

cirrus

citation

cite

excite

incite

solicit

solicitous

civic

civil

civilian

civility

civilization

clade

acclaim

claim

clamor

exclamation

proclamation

reclamation

clarity

clear

declaration

iconoclast

osteoclast

clause

claustrophobia

conclude

exclude

exclusive

include

occlusion

occult

recluse

seclude

clavichord

clavicle

conclave

cleistogamy

cleithrum

clemency

inclement

clinic

decline

declination

incline

inclination

recline

cochlea

blastocoel

coelom

spongocoel

colander

coulee

percolate

colliculus

accolade

collar

coloration

coloratura

tricolor

comity

coagulate

collide

compress

connect

connote

contain

corrode

quondam

conic

conical

conoid

condiment

contraband

contraception

contradict

contraindicate

contrast

contravene

copious

copy

cornucopia

coprolite

coprophagia

coprophilia

copula

copulation

couple

accord

cordial

core

concord

courage

discord

discordant

encourage

record

coracoid

excoriate

cornea

cornucopia

unicorn

corona

coronation

corporation

corporal

corporeal

corpse

corpulent

corpuscle

incorporate

cortical

cosmic

cosmonaut

cosmopolitan

cosmos

microcosm

cosmetics

cosmetology

costal

cotyledon

cranium

crassitude

creation

creature

creole

procreation

recreation

accreditation

credence

credentials

credibility

credible

credit

creditor

credo

credulity

credulous

creed

discredit

incredible

incredulous

miscreant

recreant

crepidoma

accresce

accrescence

accrescent

accrete

accretion

accrue

concrete

crescendo

crescent

crew

decrease

increase

recruit

recruitment

surcrew

cribble

cribrate

cricoid

crepe

crispate

cristate

crisis

criterion

critic

critical

diacritic

endocrine

hypocrisy

crossopterygii

crucial

crucifix

crucify

excruciating

crural

apocryphal

cryptic

cryptography

ctenophore

cubic

cuboid

incubation

succuba

culinary

culpable

culprit

exculpate

cuneiform

accurate

curative

curator

cure

curious

manicure

pedicure

secure

sinecure

concur

concurrent

corridor

courier

course

currency

current

cursive

cursor

cursory

discourse

excursion

incur

occur

recur

recursion

recursive

succor

cavort

curb

curvature

curve

bicuspid

colony

cult

cultivate

cultivation

culture

cutaneous

cuticle

cyanide

bicycle

cycle

cyclic

cyclone

cyclops

unicycle

cylinder

cynology

cynosure

cystic

cnidocyte

cytoplasm

Lumin

– Meaning in English: Light

This Latin root meaning “light” appears in a number of common English words including luminous, which means that something is bright and shining. However, the Latin root has seen several linguistic iterations that go beyond these everyday terms as well, including brand names such as Luminary, a podcast streaming platform that may be considered to be bringing new and creative ideas “to light,” and fictional terms such as “lumos maxima,” the incantation used in the “Harry Potter” universe to generate a bright flash of light.

SDubi // Shutterstock

Uni

– Meaning in English: One

This root, meaning “one,” is incredibly prevalent throughout the English language. It appears in a wide range of words, including unicorn (a one-horned mythical horse), unity (one entity), uniform (one outfit), unicycle (one-wheeled bike), and unibrow (one eyebrow).

I’m an Irish tutor and founder of TPR Teaching. I started teaching in 2016 and have since taught in the UK, Spain, and online.

I love learning new things about the English language and how to teach it better. I’m always trying to improve my knowledge, so I can better meet the needs of others!

Bene

– Meaning in English: Good

Derived from a Latin term meaning “well,” bene is most commonly used as a prefix in the English language. The word benign means harmless or favorable, and in pathology is used to describe a condition that is not life-threatening. A benefit is something that is considered favorable or advantageous, and the term can also be used to describe a charitable event. A benefactor gives help to a person or a cause. Perhaps the most famous example of a benefactor is Miss Havisham from “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens.

You may also like: 125 Unique Words in English With Deep Meanings.

MAD_Production // Shutterstock

Inter

– Meaning in English: Between

The premise of the film “Interstellar” starring Matthew McConaughey is that a NASA physicist travels the universe via a wormhole in a quest to find a new home for mankind. The plot––and the flick’s title––reference the Latin root “inter,” meaning “between,” as McConaughey’s character essentially travels between cosmic stars. This root also appears in terms like international, which may refer to travel or political relations between nations, and interpersonal, which may refer to communication happening between different people (as opposed to intrapersonal, which uses the Latin root meaning “within”).

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Non

– Meaning in English: Not

When something is described as nonsensical, it means that it doesn’t make sense. When something or someone is characterized as noncommittal, it means that they won’t commit. These words—along with others that include “non” as a prefix—pull from the Latin root’s definition meaning “not.” It’s important to keep in mind that the line between “non” and “un” can get a little troublesome when navigating common vocabulary. For example, while unprofessional refers to behavior that isn’t professional, nonprofessional refers to lines of work that don’t require professional training.

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Mal

– Meaning in English: Bad

“Mal” is a Latin root meaning “bad,” and appears in such English terms as malicious, which is defined as having the intention to cause harm, as well as malevolent, which combines this root with another Latin root “volent,” which means “wishing.” Mal is defined as wishing evil or ill will upon another. Perhaps one of the most common pop culture affiliations with the root is “Maleficent,” the Disney film starring Angelina Jolie as the villainous fairy known for cursing Sleeping Beauty.

Fishman64 // Shutterstock

Magn

– Meaning in English: Big, great

The Latin root “magn,” meaning “big” or “great,” can be used either in reference to something physically large in size or something that big in its presence, such that it’s striking. In regular use today, the root appears in words like magnificent, which simply refers to something that’s amazing or awe-inspiring, and magnitude, which is used to characterize the large size or impact of something (e.g., a 3.2 magnitude earthquake).

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Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Words

Now that you know some Latin roots, suffixes and prefixes, let’s take a look at some English words that use them!

We’ll begin with the Latin root words and the English words that use these roots:

Latin Roots and English Words

Latin Suffixes and English Words

Latin Prefixes and English Words

Vag

– Meaning in English: Wander

Of the Latin roots on this list, “vag” is one of the more unique in that it has a few different derivative words that reflect the term in unique ways. For example, while vagabond is a pretty literal extension of the Latin root, one of the other common derivative words—vague—reflects the meaning of the Latin root in a less direct way (i.e., it alludes to ideological “wandering” from the main topic).

Freedomz // Shutterstock

Jur

– Meaning in English: Law

Legal systems are intended to act as a source of order and justice in society, and it turns out that a lot of the legal terminology that we’re familiar with today stems from the Latin “jur”—as well as the related roots “jus” and “judic”—meaning “law.” This includes the word jury, as in the body of citizens meant to come to a verdict in legal cases; judicial, as in something pertaining to the court or judge; and justice, as in fairness.

Peera_stockfoto // Shutterstock

Senti

– Meaning in English: Feel

The Latin root “senti,” which is also close to the root “sens,” means “feel”—which is evident when looking at the English terms that have stemmed from the original root. The root is at the heart of our sensory system, which allows us to feel and experience things through our different senses. The classic book “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen interestingly juxtaposes two words that stem from this same Latin root in its title; here, sense is the ability to act with sound judgment and without being overly emotional, while sensibility refers to the ability to act from the heart or with feelings as a guide.

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– Meaning in English: Again, backward

This Latin root is one that could refer to something happening over and over again, as is the case with such words as repeat or recur. It may also, however, be used to reference something that moves backward by being withdrawn, as is the case with the words renege and revert.

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Semi

– Meaning in English: Half

The Latin root “semi” (meaning “half”) is central to a lot of the traditions that we consider to be commonplace. For example, there’s the idea of a semi-final, where two sports teams face off in a match directly before the final and only one—such as half of the two teams—moves on to the final. A lot of brands, most notably, Victoria’s Secret, are also known for having semi-annual sales: one at the start of the year in January and one around the half-way mark in June.

Cipolina // Shutterstock

Neg

– Meaning in English: Say no

The Latin root “neg” appears in English words that are defined by a lack of positive or affirmative response. For example, the word negate means that something is being nullified or shut down, or, it’s being “said no to,” essentially. Negativity, a quality often associated with pessimism and naysaying, is another example of the root in action.

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Ann

– Meaning in English: Yearly

The Latin root “ann”—which means “yearly”—can be found in countless words that reference events and occurrences that happen on a yearly basis. For example, an anniversary celebration marks the passing of another year of a relationship, a business, or a birthday. Then there are yearly events that are characterized as annual, such as award ceremonies (e.g., the Academy Awards), sporting events (e.g., Super Bowl), and holidays (e.g., Halloween).

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Migr

– Meaning in English: Wander

This Latin root is perhaps most prevalent in its connection to current events. Namely, “migr”—meaning “wander”—appears in the terms immigration and migrant, both of which have become majorly familiar in the collective consciousness as a result of such issues as the European migrant crisis as well as the U.S. border crisis and questions surrounding the country’s immigration policies.

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Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Review

So, what do we now know about Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes?

Here are a few key points:

• A root is the core form of a word. It makes sense on its own.

• A suffix is added to the end of a root word. This can be done to change the tense, express plurality, or change the word class.

• A prefix is added to the beginning of a root word. This can be done to negate a word or show repetition.

If you are familiar with Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes, you can use them to help determine the meanings of unfamiliar English words.

The word ‘indescribable‘ is made up of:

• prefix: in
• root: describe
• suffix: able

From this, we can tell that:

• The root word ‘describe’ means to give a detailed description or account of something.
• But the prefix ‘in’ is used to negate the word — in this case meaning ‘not able to be described.’
• The suffix ‘able’ means that the word is an adjective, so is used to modify a noun.

Cred

– Meaning in English: Believe

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Dict

– Meaning in English: Say/speak

The Latin root “dict” appears in words like dictate, meaning to read something aloud; dictation, the act of speaking aloud with the intention of having your words recorded or transcribed; and predict, the act of stating something that will happen before it actually happens. Of all the instances in which “dict” appears in the English language, though, one of the most important may be the dictionary, which offers a comprehensive guide to all of the officially-recognized words in the English language. Some of the most respected and trusted dictionaries in the U.S. include the Oxford English Dictionary, Collins English Dictionary, and Merriam-Webster.

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Liber

– Meaning in English: Free

Liberty—which is defined as freedom from oppression in regards to one’s belief systems and way of life—is a fundamental tenet on which democracy is built. As for the Latin word “liber,” this is a fundamental root from which the term “liberty” stems. Further examples of “liber” in mainstream English language include the words liberate and liberation.

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Aqu

– Meaning in English: Water, sea

Whether it’s being used in reference to a color such as aqua, a blueish-green hue, or to describe sea life, i.e., aquatic, the Latin root “aqu” is familiar in its relationship to water and large bodies of water. The mainstream familiarity of the Latin root was on full display in the 2006 coming-of-age film “Aquamarine,” where the titular character is a mermaid washed ashore.

adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

Nov

– Meaning in English: New

The allure of novels comes from their imaginative stories that can take readers away from the ordinary and mundane. A novel concept or innovative idea is characterized by offering something fresh and new, which all ties back to the Latin root “nov.”

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Trans

– Meaning in English: Across

English terms that include the root “trans” are generally referring to something that has traversed a physical or imaginary border in some way. For example, the first trans-Atlantic flight was completed in 1919 by Charles Lindbergh when he spent 34 hours traveling from New York to Paris. A common use of the root is also in reference to transgender individuals, whose gender identity does not align with their birth sex.

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San

– Meaning in English: Healthy

This Latin root appears throughout the English language in a few different ways. For starters, it has a very literal and practical application in words like sanitize and sanitary, which simply refer to the eradication of bacteria so as to make something healthier and safer. However, the same root also occurs in the term sanity—and the opposite, insanity—which refers to mental health.

sirtravelalot // Shutterstock

Sol

– Meaning in English: Alone

While social networks bring people together—even if only virtually—togetherness isn’t always the name of the game. “Sol,” the Latin root for “alone,” is also a big player in the English language, and is used in words that refer to loneliness or lack of connection. For example, solitude and isolation are two words that pull from the root, as is the name for Solitaire, the computer card game meant to be played solo.

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Civ

– Meaning in English: Citizen

“Civility” is characterized by respect towards others, and “civics,” which refers to the infrastructure in place that is intended to facilitate civility, are both rooted in the Latin “civ,” meaning “citizen.” The root also makes an appearance in the name of the Honda Civic, a car that––as the brand puts it––is meant to improve the lives of citizens.

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Vid

– Meaning in English: See, visual

While videotapes might have become obsolete, this Latin root, meaning “see,” is still kept alive in plenty of other key terms in the English language. One of the biggest, of course, is video, and though people’s sources of video entertainment have changed over the years, their affinity for it certainly has it. According to recent data, people watch an average of 16 hours of online video per week.

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Cent

– Meaning in English: Hundred

The term “cent” likely conjures up thoughts of money—i.e., dollars and cents—before anything else, but that ties back perfectly to the Latin root from which the term comes. One cent is 1/100th of a dollar. Pennies aside, the Latin root also makes an appearance in terms like “century” and “centennial,” which pertain to 100-year timespans and a hundredth anniversary, respectively.

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Proxim

– Meaning in English: Nearness

When one makes an approximation of something, they’re making an educated guess about the count, measurement, or quantity of something based on information that allows them to come close—though maybe not exact—to the correct value. This word, along with others like proximity or proximal, comes from the Latin root “proxim,” meaning nearness.

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Surg

– Meaning in English: Rise

Not to be confused with the root for surgery, which comes from the Greek words meaning “hand work,” the Latin “surg” means “rise.” For example, there’s been a “resurgence”: This combines the Latin root “re” with “surg”. Anyone who has attempted to call an Uber during rush hour or an “extreme” (if we’re using Latin) rainstorm is also likely familiar with the phenomenon of surge pricing, where rates increase as a result of heightened demand.

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Circum

– Meaning in English: Around

The Latin root “circum”—meaning “around”—appears in terms like “circumnavigate,” which is the act of traveling all the way around something. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan is remembered for successfully circumnavigating the globe in the early 16th century. This root also appears in terms like “circumvent,” which describes the act of getting around a problem, and “circumstance,” which pairs this root with another Latin root—“stance,” meaning “stand”—to reference a situation that focuses on a core cause.

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Retro

– Meaning in English: Backward, behind

Retro has been a standalone word since the mid-1970s when it started getting used in reference to fashion nostalgia. Before that, though, the word existed in the Latin vocabulary as a prefix meaning “backward” or “behind.” Of all the words that include the prefix—e.g., retrogress, retroactive, retrospective—one of the most familiar nowadays may be retrograde, as in Mercury Retrograde (when Mercury appears to be moving backward in its orbit).

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Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes — Key Takeaways

• A root refers to the base form of a word.
• Examples of Latin root words include ‘audire’, ‘mens’ and ‘lingua’
• A suffix is a letter/group of letters added to the end of a root word, whereas a prefix is a letter/group of letters added to the beginning of a root word.
• Examples of Latin suffixes include ‘able,’ ‘ify,’ and ‘ment’
• Examples of Latin prefixes include ‘co,’ ‘dis,’ and ‘re’

Lax

– Meaning in English: Not tense

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Pre

– Meaning in English: Before

“Pre” is a Latin-derived prefix that clarifies chronological order by signifying that something came before something else. For example, predict means that you talk about something happening before it actually happens. The word preliminary is another example and means that something occurs prior to something else in preparation for the main event. Of course, “pre” also occurs in the word prefix itself, which by definition is a grammatical add-on to the beginning of a word—i.e., it comes “before” the original word—that changes its meaning.

Julie Clopper // Shutterstock

Soci

– Meaning in English: Group

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– Meaning in English: Two

The Latin prefix “bi” means two, as does the closely related, Greek-derived prefix “di.” A bifurcation describes the act of something splitting off into two distinct branches. In anatomy, the bicep is a muscle of the arm that runs between the shoulder and the elbow, so-named because it splits off into two branches where the muscle connects at the scapula. The word bicep translates to “two-headed muscle of the arm.”

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– Meaning in English: Egg

While there are some English words beginning with “ov” that don’t tie back to this Latin root such as “oven,” which actually comes from Germanic origins, there are others that reference the root’s original definition: “egg.” Examples include oval, as in the egg-like shape, and ovary, as in the female reproductive organ that produces eggs.

Fabrik Bilder // Shutterstock

Ques

– Meaning in English: Seek

A Latin root that means “to seek” or “to look for,” “ques” appears in a number of words that English speakers use on a daily basis. Besides the very literal quest, which basically refers to a long search for something, there are also the terms question and request, both of which attempt to elicit some kind of response, information, or action.

Pixel-Shot // Shutterstock

– Meaning in English: Out

The Latin root “ex” means “out,” while related roots, including “exter” and “extrem,” offer additional variations of the same translation. The word extreme, for example, may refer to something that falls out of a normal expected range, as was the case with weather extremities, including record rainfall and high/low daily temperatures across the U.S. in 2019, which broke more than 120,000 records across the country.

Canva

Vac

– Meaning in English: Empty

The Latin root “vac” appears in several highly-used English words, including what may be a collective favorite: “vacation.” Unlike certain terms that have a more literal tie to this root’s definition––e.g., “vacancy” means there are empty rooms in a space, “vacate” means emptying out a space, etc.––“vacation” is more of a loose derivative of the root, alluding to an empty schedule.

everst // Shutterstock

Audi

– Meaning in English: Hearing, listening, sound

Those who prefer the convenience of listening to their books rather than reading them may recognize this Latin root from the name of Audible, Amazon’s audiobook and entertainment platform. The root also makes an appearance in the English terms audience, as in a group of people gathered together to listen to or receive a performance, and auditorium, the room in which said audience sits to listen.

Evgeny Bakharev // Shutterstock

Benefits of Latin Roots

Learning roots younger and younger will allow students and individuals to understand more complex words easier. Most roots have 100 words (if not more) utilizing it.

• A root word is a basic word with no prefix or suffix added to it.
• A suffix is a group of letters that is added at the end of a base word.
• A prefix is a group of letters that comes at the stating of a root word.

Below are some of the most popular roots, suffixes, and prefixes. This is by NO means all of them. If you are interested in a longer list, I would recommend a post I did seven years ago.

Prim

– Meaning in English: First

In addition to words that reflect this root’s origins in its most literal sense such as primary, primordial, and primitive, there are also words derived from this Latin root that more loosely mean best-in-class, or top-tier. One such example is the word prime, most commonly used in reference to Amazon Prime, the membership service that provides expedited shipping and a catalog of member-only streaming content for Amazon customers.

fizkes // Shutterstock

Ver

– Meaning in English: True

“Ver” is one of the more common Latin roots to appear in the English language. There are some terms that include the root—verdict and veracity—that may be less frequently utilized in everyday jargon, but that’s hardly the case with one of the most popular words that stems from this root: very. Whenever something is described as very soft, for example, the intention of the speaker is to communicate that something is “truly” soft.

Tero Vesalainen // Shutterstock

Clar

– Meaning in English: Clear

The term “clarity”—which comes from the Latin root “clar,” meaning “clear”—is the property of being both pure and clean, as well as being lucid and coherent. The root has seen a variety of modern uses alluding to its Latin translation, including the brand Clarisonic, a beauty company that develops products meant to provide clearer-looking skin, and Claritin, an allergy medication that promises clarity and relief from chronic allergies.

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Multi

– Meaning in English: Many

There are a multitude of examples in the English language of the Latin root “multi,” meaning “many,” in use (with multitude being one of them). The root is perhaps most notable for its role in arithmetic, as it occurs in multiplication, which is a mathematical process for growing a number in size and count. The root also appears in the title of the 1996 comedy “Multiplicity,” which stars Michael Keaton as a man who clones himself numerous times to manage the demands of his day-to-day life.

richardjohnson // Shutterstock

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Example

Let’s look at some examples of roots, suffixes, and prefixes derived from Latin. Did you know these words came from Latin?

Latin Roots Examples

Latin Suffixes Examples

Latin Prefixes Examples

Did you know the ‘pre’ in the word ‘prefix’ is a Latin prefix itself? It derives from the Latin ‘prae‘, which means ‘before/prior to.’

Bibl

– Meaning in English: Book

The Latin root “bibl” may sooner remind college students of having to create bibliographies—detailed lists of the books and sources referenced in academic work—than anything else. However, the root’s connection to the English language has a far deeper history: “bibl” is also the root for the name of the Bible, the collection of Judeo-Christian texts and scripture.

frees // Shutterstock

Tempor

– Meaning in English: Time

Musicians understand that tempo is the speed of a song’s underlying beat, and thus that the tempo helps determine the timing of a piece of music. For those less musically-inclined, however, this Latin root may feel more familiar in words like temporary, meaning something that only lasts for a given period of time, and contemporary, meaning that something is of the current time.

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

Test

– Meaning in English: Witness

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Fract

– Meaning in English: Break

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Sci

– Meaning in English: Know

The Latin root “sci” (meaning “know”) has a few different roles in English. For one, it can refer to the actual act of knowing things, as is the case with terms like omniscience (meaning all-knowing), conscience (knowing right from wrong), and prescience (knowing things before they happen). Beyond that, “sci” also ties into the accumulation of knowledge, as it is a key root in the term science and is thus connected to all scientific branches (formal, natural, and social sciences).

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Sub

– Meaning in English: Under

When The Beatles released “Yellow Submarine,” they may not have realized that they were incorporating some Latin-based lyrics in their hit song. “Sub” is the Latin root meaning “under,” and beyond showing up in the name of the underwater warship, the root also occurs in terms like submerge, which is the act of putting something underwater. The New York City subway system also employs the Latin root for the name of its network of underground trains and tracks.

Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock

Scrib

– Meaning in English: Write

While a young child’s doodles on a piece of paper might be dismissed as nothing but a little scribble, it turns out that scribble has some roots in the Latin language. The root “scrib” actually means “write,” and appears in such terms as transcribe, the act of copying down words from a recording or dictation, and describe, the act of writing down (or saying) what something looks, feels, tastes, sounds, or smells like.

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The Influence of Latin on English

Loanwords are words that have been taken from one language and integrated into the vocabulary of another. This is often done when two countries/cultures come into close contact, usually due to migration, trade, and/or war between countries.

During the Roman Empire, Latin was the lingua franca in most of Europe — a lingua franca is a common language used between countries that have different native languages. This means it was widely spoken and other European countries were often exposed to Latin vocabulary. Many English words were either directly taken from Latin, or new words were created using Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes.

Below is a pie chart of the languages with the most influence on English. This shows the percentage of words in the English language that derive from each of these languages:

Fig. 2 — Pie chart showing the percentage of words in English that derive from other languages

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Definition

It’s important to be aware of what roots, prefixes, and suffixes are, as they all help to determine the meaning of words. If you haven’t heard of these terms before, here are some definitions and examples:

Roots Definition

A root (also known as a base) refers to the core form of a word. It has a distinct meaning and can make sense on its own.

An example of a root word is ‘child.’ This word makes sense on its own and has its own definition. Nothing has been added to it.

A root carries most of a word’s meaning. Once you learn the root of a word, you will be able to construct new words. For example, take the verb ‘slow.’ This is a root word. You can add ‘ly’ to the end to turn it into the adverb ‘slowly.’ The ending ‘ly’ is known as a suffix.

Here’s a definition of suffix:

Suffix Definition

A suffix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word to create a new meaning. Suffixes can be added to a root word for a variety of reasons, such as:

1. To change tense

Take the root word ‘paint‘ (e.g., I paint a picture). To change this to the past tense, you would add the ‘ed‘ suffix, which changes it to ‘painted.’

2. To express plurality (more than one of something)

Take the singular root word ‘cup.’ If you want to make it plural, you would add the suffix ‘s‘ at the end, which changes it to ‘cups.’ This shows there is more than one cup.

3. To change the word class

Take the root word ‘agree’ (verb). To change this to an adjective, you would add the suffix ‘able,’ which changes it to ‘agreeable’ (adjective).

When ‘able‘ is used, sometimes letters from the root words get dropped. For example, adding ‘able‘ to the root ‘adore‘ does not make it ‘adoreable‘ — instead, it’s ‘adorable.’

Prefix Definition

A prefix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a root word to create a new meaning. Prefixes can be used for a couple of reasons, including:

1. To negate a word (make the meaning negative)

Take the root word ‘legal.’ To make this negative, you would add the prefix ‘il’, changing it to ‘illegal.’

Fig. 1 — Illegal has negative connotations, whereas legal has positive connotations.

Other prefixes used to create a negative meaning are:

• in- (e.g., incorrect)

• im- (e.g., impossible)

• ir- (e.g., irresponsible)

• un- (e.g., unimpressed)

• dis- (e.g., disapprove)

2. To show repetition

Adding the ‘re‘ prefix to the root ‘do‘ creates the word ‘redo‘, which means to do something again/more than once.

Sometimes, prefixes can be hyphenated so as to not be misread or mispronounced. This is often the case if the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the root word are the same. For example, the word ‘re-enter‘ is often written with a hyphen — otherwise, it may be pronounced as ‘reen-ter.’