Latin Root(s) | Definition(s) | Example(s) of Root(s) |
acerbus, acris, acuere | sharp, to sharpen, needle, bitter | acerbate, acupuncture, acuity, acrimony |
aequare | to make equal, even | equivocate, adequate, equilibrium |
aevum | age | coeval, medieval |
ager, agri, agro | field | agrestic, agronomy |
agere, actum, agitare | to act, to do | agility, react, agitate |
alius | other, else | alias, alienate |
alter | other | altercation, adulterate |
altus | high | altimeter, exaltation, alto |
ambulare | to walk, to go | preamble, ambulatory |
amare, amor, amatum, amicus | to love, love, friend | amateur, amiable, enamored |
anima | life, soul, breath, mind | animosity, inanimate, unanimous |
annus | year | biennial, centennial, annual |
apparere | to come forth, be visible | apparent, appearance, apparitor |
aptare, aptus, apere | to fit, suitable | aptitude, adaptable, ineptitude |
aqua | water | aqueous, aquarelle |
arbiter | judge | arbitration, arbitrary |
arbor | tree | arboretum, arboreal |
ardere | to burn | arduous, ardor |
artis | art | artifice, artifact, artisan |
audire | to hear | audit, audible |
augere | to increase | augmentation, augur, august |
avis | bird | avionics, aviation, aviary, avian |
beatus | blessed, happy | beatific, beatitude |
bellare, bellum | to wage war, war | rebellious, bellicose |
bene | well | benevolence, beneficent |
bonus, bon | good | bonanza, bonny, bon voyage |
brevis | short, brief | abbreviate, breviary |
cadere | fall | recidivism, cascade, cadaver, decadent |
caedere, cide | to cut, kill | incision, pesticide |
canere, cantare, cantus | to sing | recant, chant, cantata |
capere, captum, cip, cept | to take, hold, contain | capacious, incipient, intercept participate, capable, captive, conceive, precept |
caput, capitis | head | cape, chapter, biceps, capital |
carnis | flesh | carnal, carnival, incarnate, carnivore |
cavare, cavus | to make hollow | cavernous, cavity, excavate |
cedere, cessum | to go, withdraw, move | concession, recede, access |
centrum | center | eccentric, concentric, concentrate |
centum, centi | hundred, tenth, ten | percent, centimeter, centurion |
cernere, certus | to see as being different, to sift, distinguish | discern, secret, certitude |
civis, civilis | citizen, community | civic, city, civility |
clamare, clamor | to shout, cry out acclaim, clear, to make clear | reclamation clarare, clarus, clarify, clarity, declaration, claret |
claudere, clausum | to shut, close | recluse, cloister, enclosure, conclusion |
clemens | mild, merciful | clemency, inclement |
clinare | to lean, slope | clinometer, incline |
colare | to strain, filter | portcullis, percolate, colander |
colere, cultus | to till, care, cultivate | cultivation, culture, cult |
coquere, coctum | to cook, to mature | precocious, concoction, cook |
cor, cordis | heart | courage, cordial, accord |
corium | skin, hide | excoriate |
corona | crown | corona, coronation, coronary |
corpus | body | corporation, corporeal |
credere, credens | to believe, trust | credentials, credit, incredible |
crescere, cretum | to grow | crescendo, concretism, accretion, increase |
crimen | crime, offense | criminology, incriminate |
cruciare, crux, crucis | to torture, cross | excruciating, crusade, cruzeiro |
culpare | to blame, fault | culpable, exculpate |
cumulare | to heap up | cumulative, accumulate |
curare, cura, curatus | to take care of, concern | curate, curious, manicure |
currere, cursus, cour | to run, go | occur, precursor, concur, course |
dens, dentis | tooth | denture, endodontia, dentifrice |
deus, dei | god | deify, deity, deism |
dexter, dextro | right, right hand | ambidextrous, dextrorotation |
dicere, dictare | to speak, say | abdicate, indict |
dignus | worthy, fitting, suitable | condign, dignitary |
dirigere, directus | to direct | dirge, dirigible, address-- -- -- -- --see "regere" below |
docere, doctum | to teach | document, docent, doctrine |
dominus | lord, master | danger, domineer |
domus | a dwelling, home | domesticity, major-domo |
donare, do | to give, to forgive | condone, donation, donor |
dormire, dorm | to sleep | dormouse, dormitory |
ducere, ductum | to lead, take, bring | abduct, seduction, conducive, duke, education |
durare, durus | to harden, hard | obdurate, duress |
errare, erratum | to wander, go astray | aberration, err, erratic |
fabula | story | confabulate, fable, fabulous |
facere, factum, fect, fic | to make, to do | manufacture, sufficient, facsimile |
fallere | to deceive, disappoint | fallacious, infallible, fail |
ferre, latum | to bear, to carry | relate, confer, referendum |
ferrum | iron | ferrotype, ferric, ferrous |
fervere | to boil, glow, rage | fervor, effervescent |
fidere, fidelis, fides | to trust, believe, faith | perfidy, fiduciary, confidant |
filius, filia | son, daughter (respectively) | filial, affiliation |
finire, finis, fin | to end, to limit | infinity, finite, confinement |
firmare | to make firm, strengthen | affirm, confirmation, firmament |
figare, fixus | to fasten, attach | fixative, crucifix, suffix |
flare, flatus | blow | deflate, inflation |
flectere, flexus | to bend | flexible, deflection, inflection |
fluere, fluxum, fluctus | to flow | confluence, fluid, effluvium, influx, flume |
foedus, fed | league | confederacy, federation |
fortis | strong | fort, comfort, fortify, force |
frangere, fractum | to break | fraction, frangible, infringement |
frater | brother | fraternal, fraternize |
fugere, fugitum | to flee | centrifugal, fugue |
fumus | smoke | fumitory, fumarole |
fundere, fusum | to pour | refund, diffuse, profound |
generare, genus1 | birth, origin, race, species, kind, to beget, produce | generous, generic, gentle, genre, engender, generation |
gerere, gestum | to carry, to bear | belligerent, gesture, digest, gestation |
glomerare | to form into a ball | conglomeration, glomerulus |
gnoscere, cognoscere, gnarus, cognitum | to know | incognito, cognition, ignorant, gnostic |
gradi, gressus, gradus | to step, to walk, a degree | progress, graduate, centigrade |
granum, grani | seed, kernel | granary, granule |
gratia, gratus | agreeable, favor, thanks | congratulate, gratitude, grace |
gravare, gravis | to weigh down, heavy | aggravate, gravamen, gravid, grief |
grex, gregis, gregar | flock, herd, to gather into a flock | segregate, congregation gregarious |
habere, habitum | to have, hold | habit, inhibit |
haerere | to stick | coherence, adhere |
herba | grass, herb | herbivorous, herbaceous |
hilarare, hilaris | to gladden, merry | hilarious, exhilarate |
homo | man | homicidal, hominize |
horrere | to shudder, terrible | horrendous, abhor |
hospes | guest, host | hospice, hostage, hostess |
ire, itum, itineris | to go, journey, walk | itinerant, transit, initiate |
jacere, ject, jactum2 | to lie, cast oneself down, to throw | reject, adjacent, eject |
jicere2 | to throw between | interjection |
judex, judicare | judge | judicious, prejudice, judge |
jungere, junctum | to join | conjugal, junction, joint |
jus, juris, jurare | law, right, to swear | jurisprudence, abjure, perjury, juror, injury, justify |
juvenis | young | rejuvenate, juvenescent |
laborare | to work | collaborate, elaborate, laboratory |
lacto, lact | milk | lacteal, lactose |
lapis | stone | lapis lazuli, lapidate |
latus | side | lateral, bilateral, collateral |
laudare, laudatum | to praise, glory | laudable, allow |
lavare | to wash | lavender, laver, lavish, lavabo |
laxare | to loosen, widen | relax, laxity |
legere, lectum3 | to read, choose, gather | elegant, elite, collect, dialect, legend, select, election,neglect |
lex, legis, legalis3 | law | privelege, illegitimate, legislature, lex non scripta, legal |
liber | book | libel, libretto |
liber | free | libertine, deliberate, liberal |
ligare | to bind | allegiance, ally, oblige, ligature |
lingua | tongue, language | linguistics, lingual, language |
littera | letter | obliterate, literature, letter, literati |
locare, locus | to place, place | dislocate, allocate, local |
loqui, locutus | speak, talk | soliloquy, loquacious, circumlocution |
lucere, lux, lucis, lumen | to shine, light | translucent, Lucifer, luminous |
ludere, lusum, ludus | to play, to mock | illusion, interlude, ludicrous |
luna | moon | lunate, lunatic, lunation, lunula |
magnus, magna | great | magnanimous, Magna Carta |
malus, mal | bad, evil, wrong | malevolent, malfeasance, grand mal |
mandare, mando | to order, to command | mandate, commandment, mandarin |
manus, mani, man | hand | emancipate, manifest, manumit |
mare | sea | mariner, aquamarine, mare |
mater | mother | alma mater, maternity |
mecari | to trade, buy | merchant, market |
medius, medio | middle | medieval, intermediary |
mens | mind | mention, mentation |
migrare | to move from one place to another | migratory, emigrant |
militare | to serve as soldiers | demilitarize, militia |
mille | thousand | millennium, millivolt |
minimus, minor | least, small | minimal, minimize, minute |
mirare, miror, mirari | to look at, to wonder at | miracle, mirage, admiral |
mittere, missum | to send, let, go | emissary, remit, admittance, commissary |
monere, monitus | to warn | monitor, admonition |
morbus | disease | morbid, morbilli |
mordere, morsun | to bite | morsel, remorse, mordacious |
moris | manners, customs | morality, mores |
mors, mortis, mori | deather, to die | post-mortem, mortgage, mortmain |
movere, motus | to move | locomotive, motion, motor |
multus | much, many | multiply, multimedia |
mutare, mutatum | to change | molt, mutation |
nascor, natus | to bear, to born | native, prenatal, nature, renaissance |
negare, negatus | to deny | negation, abnegate |
nihil | nothing | annihilate, nil |
nocere | to harm, injure | innocent, innocuous, obnoxious |
nominare, nomen, nominis | to name, name | nominate, misnomer, nomenclature |
norma | rule | normative, enormity |
notare | to mark, note | notation, notary, connotation |
novus | new | renovate, novice, nova |
nox, noct | night | equinox, noctuid |
nullus | none | annul, nullifidian |
numerus | number | enumerate, supernumerary, numerology |
nuntiare, nuntius | to report, tell, messenger | nuncio, renounce |
oculus | eye | monocle, binocular |
opus, operari | work, to work | magnum opus, opera, operative |
parare, par, pari | to make equal, equal | disparate, parity, peer |
passus, pati | suffer | patient, passive |
pater | father | paternoster, patronize |
pax, pacis | peace | pacific, appease |
pedis, pes | foot | expedition, pedicel |
pellere, pulsus | to drive, driven | compel, expel, propellant, pulsate |
pendere, pensare, pendulus | to weigh, hang, weight | impending, compendium, appendage, expenditure |
petere | to rush at, seek | impetuous, petulant, petition |
placare, placidus, placere | to soother, gentle, to please | placate, implacable, placebo, please |
plaudere, plauseum | to clap, applaud | plaudit, implode |
plenus | full | plenipotentiary, replenish, plenty |
plere, pletum | to fill | expletive, replete |
plicare, plicatum, plicit, ply | to fold | reply, implicate, complicate, explicate, plait |
plus, pluris | more | pluriaxial, plurality, surplus |
ponere, positum | to place | position, opposite, depot |
populus | people | popularity, populace |
portare, port | to carry | portage, export |
portio | share, portion | apportion, proportion |
potens, potentis | powerful | potentate, potentiometer |
prehendere, prehensum | to seize, take hold | apprentice, reprehensible |
pressus | pressed down | depress, oppress, impress |
pretiare, prec | to value | depreciation, precious, price |
primus, primatis | first | primordial, prima facie |
privare | separate, peculiar | privilege, deprive |
probare, probatum | to prove, test | probation, prove |
proximus | nearest | approximate, proximity |
pugil, pugnare | boxer, to fight | repugnant, pugilist |
*
| to clean | purge, purgatory, expurgation |
putare | to think, estimate | computer, reputation |
quaerere, quaesitus | to ask, seek | exquisite, inquisition, conquer, quest |
radius | ray | radiation, radian |
radix | root | radicle, radical, eradicate |
rapere | to seize | rapture, surreptitious, usurp, ravish |
ratus | fixed by calculation | reason, ration |
regere, rectus4 | right, to make straight | erect, rectitude, rectus |
regere, rex, regis4 | to rule, king | regency, regal, corrigible, regimen, direct, rule, regular |
ridere, risum | to laugh | derision, redicule |
rogare, rogatum | to ask | arrogance, rogation, interrogate |
rotare, rotatus, rota | to turn, wheel, turned | rotation, rotary, rotor |
rumpere, ruptus | to break, broken | rupture, interrupt |
sacer, sacrare5 | holy, to make holy | consecrate, sacrifice, sacrarium |
sagax, sagacis, sapare | wise, to taste, know | sage, sagacious, sapient |
sal | salt | salimeter, saline |
salire, saltum | to leap, jump | sally, saltatory, resile, result |
salvare | to save | save, salvation, salvage |
sanctus5 | holy | sanctity, sanctuary, sacrosanct |
sanguis | blood | sangria, sanguine, consanguinity |
sanitas, sanatorius | health, healthy | sanitation, sanitarium |
satis, satiare | enough, to fill full | sated, insatiable, satisfaction |
scandere | to climb | ascend, descendant, ascension |
scire, sciens | to know, knowing | omniscient, science |
scribere, script | to write, the thing written | describe, subscription, scribe |
secare, sect | to cut | intersection, secateurs |
sedere, sess | to sit | sediment, sedan, session, president |
seminare, semen | to sow, seed | seminal, disseminate, seminary |
sentire, sensum | to feel, perceive | consent, sensible, sentient |
sepsis | putrefaction, poison | septic, septicemia, aseptic |
sequens, sequi | to follow, following | prosecute, second, sequential, pursue, non sequitur |
signare, signum | to mark out | assignation, consignment |
similare, simulare | to make like, to feign | similar, facsimile, simulation, assimilate |
socius, sociare | companion, to join | social, society, association |
sol | sun | solar, solstice |
solare, solus | to make lonely, alone | solo, solitary |
solvere, solutum | to loose | solvent, dissolute, soluble |
somnus | sleep | somnolent, somniloquy |
sonus | sound | dissonance, unison, sonorous |
sors, sortis | lot, a share | sort, consortium |
specere, spectum, spic | to look at, see | perspicacity, specify, spectacle, retrospect, prospect, perspective |
spirare | to breathe | spirit, aspirator, expire, inspiration, respiration, aspire |
spondere, sponsus | to pledge, promise | spouse, correspondence |
stare, stet, stat | to stand | stable, establish, statue, superstition, distant |
stellare, stella | to shine, star | constellation, stelliferous |
stringere, strictum | bind, draw tight | astringent, constriction, strict |
struere, structus | build, arrange, pile up | misconstrue, instruct, instrument |
surgere, surrection | to rise, risen | insurgency, resurrection |
tangere, tactus | to touch | tangent, tactual |
tegere, tectus | to cover, covered | integument, detection, protect |
temperare, tempus | time | tense, contemporize, temper |
tendere, tent | to stretch, strain, thin | pretentious, tenuous, contend, tend, tense |
tenere, tain | to hold | pertain, abstinence, tenacious, tenant |
tentare, tent | to touch, try | tentacle, tentatively |
terminus | limit, end, boundary | determine, terminator |
terra | earth | terra firma, terrace |
torquere, tortum | to twist, twisted | contortionist, extort, torsion, torque |
tradere | to deliver | extradite, tradition, treason |
trahere, tract | to draw, drawn | subtract, tractable, protract |
tribuere, tributus, tribus | to assign, allot, pay | tributary, attribute, distribute |
trudere, trusus | to thrust, thrust | intrusion, protrusile |
toxicare, toxicum | to smear with poison | toxic, toxoplasmosis, toxicology |
tumere | to swell | tumescence, tumult, contumelious |
turbare, turba | to disturb | perturb, turbid |
unus, uni | one | union, unipetalous |
urbs, urbanus | city | exurb, urbanologist |
vacare, vacuus | to be empty, empty | vacuity, vacuous, evacuate |
vagari | to wander | extravagant, vagaries |
valere, validum | to be strong, to have worth | valor, valid, evaluate |
velle, volens | wish, willing | volition, velleity |
verbum | word | proverb, verbatim |
venire, ventum | to come | revenue, convention, advent, contravene |
vertere, versum | to turn, change, incline | vertigo, verse, introvert, versatile, anniversary |
verus | TRUE | verily, verify, very |
vestire | to dress | vestment, divest, investiture |
via | way | pervious, viaticum |
videre, visum | see, look, provide | provident, visible, supervise |
vincere | to overcome, conquer | invincible, convince, victor |
violare, violatus | to violate | violation, inviolate |
vir | man | triumvirate, virago |
vita | life | vitality, vitamin |
vivere, vita | to live, life | revive, viviparous, vonvivial |
vocare, vocatum, vox | to call, voice | vociferous, convocation, irrevocable, revoke |
volvere, volutum | turn | involve, revolt, devolve |
vorare | to devour | voracious, carnivore, omnivorous |