The following is a list of roots for English vocabulary. The list is displayed so that the root with its definition is shown first, then the source of the root (Latin, Greek, etc.) with the source word's definition, and then last is an example of the root as used in a word and the word's definition. The sample words are linked to additional words with the same root.


A


act, ag: do, act, drive
Latin, agere: to drive, lead, act, do
active (adjective): moving about
am, ami: love, like
Latin, amare: to love
amorous (adjective): loving
anim: mind, life, spirit, anger
Latin, animus: spirit
animal (noun): a living creature
annu, enni: yearly
Latin, annuus: yearly
annual (adjective): yearly
auc, aug, aut: to originate, to increase
Latin, augere: to originate, increase
augment (verb): to increase, to add to
aud, audit, aur: hear
Latin, audire: to hear
audible (adjective): can be heard




B
bene, ben: good, well, gentle
Latin, bene: good
benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle
bio, bi: life
Greek, bios: life
biography (noun): a book written about a person's life
bibli, biblio: book
Greek, biblion: book
bibliophile (noun): a person who likes or collects books
brev: short
Latin, brevis: short
abbreviate (verb): to shorten




C
cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid: to take, to seize, to hold
Latin, capere: to seize
receive (verb): to take in, to acquire
ceas, cede, ceed, cess: go, yield
Latin, cedere: to go
exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than
chron: time
Greek, khronos: time
chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time or sequence
clam, claim: shout
Latin, clamare: to call out, shout
clamor (verb): to make noise
cogn, gnos: know to know
Latin, cognoscere: to know
recognize (verb): to know, to identify
corp: body
Latin, corpus: body
corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group
cre, cresc, cret: grow
Latin, crescere: to grow
create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination
cred: trust, believe
Latin, credere: to believe
incredible (adjective): unbelievable
cour, cur, curr, curs: run, course
Latin, currere: run
occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind




D
dic, dict, dit: say, speak
Latin, dicere: to say
indicate (verb): to show, to point out
doc, doct: teach, prove
Latin, docere: to teach
docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught
dog, dox: thought, idea
Greek, dokein: seem, think
dogma (noun): an established opinion
dec, dign: suitable
Latin, decere: to be suitable
decent (adjective): conforming to standards, suitable, good
duc, duct**: lead
Latin, ducere: to draw or lead
conduct (verb): to lead or guide
(noun) - a person's behavior
** ducere is one of the most prolific sources of English words




E
ev, et: time, age
Latin, aevum: lifetime
medieval (adjective): related to the Middle Ages (500 - 1500 AD)




F
fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea: make do, do
Latin, facere - make, do
difficult (noun): hard to do, troublesome
fer: bear, carry
Latin, ferre: bear, carry
infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from looking at facts, to guess
fict, feign, fain: shape, make, fashion
Latin, fingere: shape, make
fiction (noun): something produced from imagination, an invented story
fid: belief, faith
Latin, fidere: to trust
confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret
fig: shape, form
Latin, figura: form, shape, figure
figurem (noun): shape, pattern, drawing
(verb) - decide, plan, decipher
flu, fluct, flux: flow
Latin, fluere: to flow
fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth easy style
(noun) - a liquid
form: shape
Latin, forma: beauty, shape, form
format (noun): the shape and size of something
fract, frag, frai: break
Latin, frangere: to break
frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong, weak