Word Roots Flashcards
a-, an-
Greek
anhydrous, atypical
without, not
ab-, a-, abs-
Latin
abnormal, abrasion, absent, abstain, abstraction, aversion
away from
“away”
acu-
Latin
acupuncture, acute, accurate
sharp or pointed
acerb-
Latin
acerbus
sharp, bitter, sour
acid-
Latin
acidosis
sour or acid
acr-
Greek
acrobatics, acromegaly, acronym, acrophobia
height, summit, tip
acr-, acri-
Latin
acer, acris
acrid, acrimony
bitter, pungent, sharp, sour
acu-
Latin
acupuncture, acute, acutifoliate
sharp
ad-, a-, ac-, af-, ag-, al-, ap-, ar-, as-, atm
Latin
accept, adapt, affect, approximate, ascend
movement to or toward; in addition to
adip-
Latin
adipose
fat
aer-
Greek
aeronautics, aerosol
air, atmosphere
aesthet-
Greek
aesthetics, anaesthetic
feeling, sensation
agr-
Greek
agronomy
field
agri-, -egri-
Latin
agriculture, peregrine
field
alb-
Latin
albedo, albino, albumen
dull white
am-, amat-, amor-
Latin
amateur, amorous, amiable, enamoured
love, loved
ambi-
Latin
ambidexterity, ambivalent
both, on both sides
amic-, -imic
Latin
amicable, inimical
friend
amph-, amphi-
Greek
amphibian, amphibolic, amphoterism
around, about, both, on both sides of, both kinds
ampl-
Latin
amplification
ample, abundant, bountiful
ana-, an-
Greek
anabaptist, anaphylaxis, anion, anode
again, against, back, up
andr-
Greek
androgen, android
male, masculine
anem-
Greek
anemometer
wind
anim-
Latin
animal, animation
breath
ann-, -enn-
Latin
anniversary, annual, biannual, millennium
year, yearly
ant-, anti-
Greek
antagonist, antibiotic, antipodes
against, opposed to, preventive
ante-, anti-
Latin
antebellum, antediluvian, anticipate, antiquarian
before, in front of, prior to
anth-
Greek
anther, anthology
flower
anthrop-
Greek
anthropology, anthropomorphic
human
ap-, apo-
Greek
apocrine, apogee, apostasy
away from, separate, at the farthest point
aqu-
Latin
aquamarine, aquarium, aqueduct, aquifer
water
ar-
Latin
arable
plow, till
ar-
Latin
arid
be dry
arche-, archi-
Greek
archangel, archetype
ruler
archae-, arche-
Greek
archaeology or archeology, archaic
ancient
arct-
Greek
Arctic Ocean
Relating to the North Pole or the region near it;
relating to cold; used as the scientific name of
some bear species, e.g. Ursus arctos horribilis
argent-
Latin
argent, Argentina
silver
arist-
Greek
aristocracy
excellence
arthr-
Greek
arthritis, arthropod
joint
astr-
Greek
asterisk, astrology, astronomy, disaster
star, star-shaped
athl-
Greek
athlete, pentathlon
prize
audi-
Latin
audible, auditorium, auditory
hearing, listening, sound
aug-, auct-
Latin
augend, augmentation
grow, increase
aur-
Latin
aureate, aureole
relating to gold, or gold-colored
auri-
Latin
auricle
relating to the ear
aut-, auto-
Greek
autograph, automobile, autonomy
self; directed from within
avi-
Latin
aviary, aviation
bird
axi-
Latin
axisymmetry
axis
axio-
Greek
axiology
merit
bac-
Latin
bacilla, bacteria
rod-shaped
bar-
Greek
barograph, barometer
weight, pressure
basi-
Greek
basic, basis
at the bottom
bathy-, batho-
Greek
batholith, bathyscaphe
deep, depth
be-, beat-
Latin
beatification
bless
bell-
Latin
antebellum, bellicose, belligerent
war
ben-
Latin
benefit, benignity
good, well
bi-
Latin
binary, binoculars, bigamy, biscotti
two
bib-
Latin
imbibe
drink
bibl-
Greek
bible, bibliography
book
bio-
Greek
biography, biology, biologist, biosphere, bioluminescent
life
blenn-
Greek
blennophobia, blennosperma
slime
blast-
Greek
blastula, fibroblast, osteoblast, sideroblast
germ, embryo, bud, cell with nucleus
bon-
Latin
bonify, bonitary
good
bor-
Greek / Latin
borealis
north
botan-
Greek
botany
plant
bov-
Latin
bovine
cow, ox
brachi-
Greek
brachial artery, brachiosaurus
arm
brachy-
Greek
brachydactyly
short
brady-
Greek
bradycardia
slow
branchi-
Greek
branchiopod, nudibranch
gill
brev(i)-
Latin
abbreviation, brevity
brief, short (time)
briz-
Greek
nod, slumber
brom-
Greek
Bromus ramosus
oats
brom-
Greek
bromide
stench
bronch-
Greek
bronchitis, bronchus, bronchiole
windpipe
bront-
Greek
Brontosaurus
thunder
bucc-
Latin
buccal, buccinator muscle
cheek, mouth, cavity
bulb-
Latin
bulbous, bulbule
bulbous
bull-
Latin
ebullient, ebullism
bubble, flask
burs-
Latin
bursa, bursar, bursary, disburse
pouch, purse
cac-
Greek
cacophony
bad
cad-, -cid-, cas-
Latin
accident, cadence, case
fall
caed-, -cid-, caes-, -cisc
Latin
caesura, incisor
cut
calc-
Latin and Greek
calcite, calcium, calculus
stone
call-, calli-
Greek
calligraphy
beautiful
calor-
Latin
calorie
heat
calyp-
Greek
apocalypse
cover
camer-
Latin
bicameral, camera
vault
camp-
Latin
champion, campaign
field
can-
Latin
canine, Canis Major
dog
can-, -cin-, cant-
Latin
cantata, canto, cantor
sing
cand-
Latin
candela, candid, candle, candor, incandescent, incendiary, incense
glowing, iridescent
cap-, -cip-, capt-, -cept
Latin
capture, captive, conception, recipient
hold, take
capit-, -cipit-
Latin
capital, decapitation, precipitation
head
capr-
Latin
Capricorn, caprine
goat
caps-
Latin
capsule
box, case
carbo-
Latin
carbon
coal
carcer-
Latin
incarceration
jail
carcin-
Latin from Greek
carcinogenic, carcinoma
cancer (disease)
cardi-
Greek
cardiograph, cardiology
relating to the heart
cardin-
Latin
cardinal
hinge
carn-
Latin
carnal, carnival, carnivore
flesh
carp-
Greek
carpology
relating to fruit
carp-
Greek
carpal, carpal tunnel syndrome
relating to the wrist
cast-
Latin
caste, castigate, castrate
pure
cata-, cat-
Greek
catabolic, catalyst, catastrophe, catatonia, cathode, cation
down
caten-
Latin
catenary, concatenation
chain
cathar-
Greek
catharsis
pure
caud-
Latin
caudal
tail
caus-, -cus-
Latin
causative
cause or motive
cav-
Latin
cave, cavity, excavation
hollow
ced-, cess-
Latin
ocession, recede, secede
go
celer-
Latin
acceleration, celerity
quick
cen-
Greek
Cenozoic
new
cen-
Greek
cenotaph
empty
cens-
Latin
census
estimate (?)
cent-
Latin
cent, centennial, centurion
hundred
centen-
Latin
centenary
hundred each
centesim-
Latin
centesimal, centesimation
hundredth
centr-
Greek
eccentric
center
cephal-
Greek
cephalic, cephalopod, encephalogram
head
ceram-
Greek
ceramic
clay
cerat-
Greek
keratin
horn
cern-
Latin
discern, secern
sift
cervic-
Latin
cervix, cervical
relating to the neck, relating to the cervix
ceter-
Latin
et cetera
other
chir-
Greek
chiral, chiropractic, chiroptera
of the hand or hands
chelon-
Greek
chelonia
relating to a turtle
chlor-
Greek
chlorine, chlorophyll, chloroplast
green
chore-
Greek
choreography
relating to dance
chord-
Latin and Greek
chordata
cord
chrom-
Greek
chromium, chromosome, monochrome
color
chron-
Greek
chronic, chronology, chronometer
time
chrys-
Greek
chrysolite
gold
cili-
Latin
cilia, supercilious
eyelash
cine-
Greek
cinema
motion
ciner-
Latin
incineration
ash
cing-, cinct-
Latin’
succinct
gird
circ-
Latin
circus
circle
circum-
Latin
circumcise, circumference, circumlocution, circumnavigate
around
cirr-
Greek
cirrhosis
orange
cirr-
Latin
cirrus
curl, tentacle
civ-
Latin
civility
citizen
clad-
Greek
clade
branch
clar-
Latin
clarity, declaration
clear
clast-
Greek
iconoclast, osteoclast
broken
claud-, -clud-, claus-, -clusc
Latin
clause, exclusion, include
close
clav-
Greek
clavichord, clavicle, conclave
key
cl(e)ist-
Greek
closed
cleithr-
Greek
cleithrum
bar, key
clement-
Latin
clemency, inclement
mild
clin-
Latin
declination, inclined
bed, lean, recline
cochl-
Greek
cochlea
shell
coel-
Greek
blastocoel, coelom, spongocoel
hollow
cogn-
Latin
cognitive, cognizant, recognize
know
col-
Latin
colander
strain
coll-
Latin
colline
hill
coll-
Latin
collar
neck
color-
Latin
coloration, coloratura, tricolor
color
con-, co-, col-, com-, cor-
Latin
coagulate, collide, compress, connect, contain, corrode
with, together
con-
Greek
conic, conical, conoid
cone
condi-
Latin
condiment
season
contra-
Latin
contradiction, contrast
against
copr-
Greek
coprolite, coprophagia, coprophilia
dung
corac-
Greek
coracoid
raven
cord-
Latin
accord, cordial
heart
corn-
Latin
cornea, cornucopia, unicorn
horn
coron-
Latin
corona, coronation
crown
corpor-
Latin
corporation, corpse, corpuscle
body
cortic-
Latin
corticosteriod
bark
cosm-
Greek
cosmic, cosmonaut
universe
cosmet-
Greek
cosmetics, cosmetology
?
cost-
Latin
costal
rib
cotyl-
Greek
cotyledon
cup
-cracy, -crat
Greek
democracy
government, rule, authority
crani-
Greek
cranium
skull
crass-
Latin
crassitude
thick
cre-
Latin
creation, creature
make
cred-
Latin
credentials, credibility, creditor, incredible
believe, trust
crep-
Greek
boot, shoe
cribr-
Latin
cribble, cribrate
sieve
cris-, crit-
Greek
crisis, critic
judge
crisp-
Latin
crispate
curled
crist-
Latin
cristate
crest
cross-
Greek
fringe, tassel
cruc-
Latin
crucial, crucifix, crucify, excruciating
cross
crur-
Latin
crural
leg, shank
crypt-
Greek
cryptic, cryptography
hidden
cten-
Greek
ctenophore
comb
cub-
Greek
cubic, cuboid
cube
cub-
Latin
incubation, succuba
lie
culin-
Latin
culinary
kitchen
culp-
Latin
culpable, exculpate
blame, fault
cune-
Latin
cuneiform
wedge
curr-, curs-
Latin
concurrent, current, cursive, recursion
run
curv-
Latin
curvature
bent
cuspid-
Latin
bicuspid
lance, point
cut-
Latin
cuticle
skin
cyan-
Greek
cyanide
blue
cycl-
Greek
bicycle, cycle, cyclone
circular
cylind-
Greek
cylinder
roll
cyn-
Greek
cynosure
dog
cyst-
Greek
cystic
capsule
cyt-
Greek
cytoplasm, cnidocyte
cell
dactyl-
Greek
dactylology, pterodactyl
finger, toe, digit
damn-, -demn
Latin
condemn, damnation
to inflict loss upon
de-
Latin
deletion, dementia, descend
from, away from, removing, down
deb-
Latin
debit
owe
deca-, dec-, deka-, dekt
Greek
decagram, decahedron
ten
decim-
Latin
decimal, decimate
tenth part
delt-
Greek
deltoid
-
dem-
Greek
demagogue, democracy
people
den-
Latin
denarius, denary
ten each
dendr-
Greek
dendrite, dendrochronology
resembling a tree
dens-
Latin
condense, density
thick
dent-
Latin
dental, dentifrice, dentures
tooth
derm-
Greek
dermis, epidermis, hypodermic
skin
deuter-
Greek
Deuteronomy, deuterostome
second
dexter-
Latin
dexterity, dextrose
right
dexi-
Greek
Dexiarchia
right
di-
Greek
dicot, diode, dipole
two
dia-
Greek
dialysis, diameter, diagram
apart, through
dict-
Latin
contradict, dictate, dictation, dictionary, edict, predict
say, speak
digit-
Latin
digital
finger
dino-
Greek
dinosaur
terrible, fearfully great
dipl-
Greek
diploid, diplosis
double; twofold
doc-, doct-
Latin
docile, doctor, indoctrinate
teach
dodec-
Greek
dodecasyllabic
twelve
dogmat-, dox-
Greek
dogmatic, orthodox
opinion, tenet
dom-
Latin
dome
house
don-
Latin
condone, donation
give
dorm-
Latin
dormant, dormitory
sleep
dors-
Latin
dorsal
back
du-
Latin
dual
two
dub-
Latin
dubious
doubtful
duc-,
Latin
abduct, conduct, introduce, produce,
reducte, deduce
to lead, take, bring
dulc-
Latin
dulcet
sweet
dur-
Latin
durable, duration, duress, endure, obdurate
hard
dy-
Greek
dyad
two
dynam-
Greek
dynamism, dynasty, dynamite
power
dys-
Greek
dysentery, dysplasia, dystrophy
badly, ill
ec-
Greek
eccentric
out
eco-
Greek
ecology, economics, ecumenism
house
ecto-
Greek
ectoderm
outside
ed-, es-
Latin
edible
eat
ego-
Latin, Greek
egocentric
self, I (first person)
ego-, eg-
Greek
egophony
goat
em-, empt-
Latin
exemption, preempt, redeem
buy
eme-
Greek
emetic
vomit
emul-
Latin
emulator
striving to equal, rivaling
en-, em-
Greek
emphasis
in
endo-
Greek
endocrine, endocytosis
inside
engy-
Greek
narrow
ennea-
Greek
ennead, enneagon
nine
ens-
Latin
sword
eo-, eos-, eoso-
Greek
Eocene
dawn, east
ep-, epi-
Greek
epicenter, epitaph, epoch
upon
epistem-
Greek
epistemic
knowledge or science
equ-, -iqu-
Latin
equal, equivalence
even, level
equ-
Latin
equestrian
horse
erg-
Greek
ergonomics
work
err-
Latin
aberration, errant
stray
erythr-
Greek
erythrocyte
red
eso-
Greek
esoteric
within
etho-, eth-, ethi-
Greek
ethology
custom, habit
ethm-
Greek
ethmoid
sieve
ethn-
Greek
ethnarch, ethnic
people, race, tribe, nation
etym-
Greek
etymology
true
eu-
Greek
euphoria, euthanasia
well, good
eur-
Greek
Europe
wide
ex-, e-, ef-
Latin
exclude, extend, extrude
from, out
exo-
Greek
exoskeleton, exothermic
outside
exter-, extra-
Latin
exterior
outer
extrem-
Latin
extremity, extremophile
outermost, utmost
fa-, fat-
Latin
fate, infant, preface
say, speak
fab-
Latin
faba bean
bean
ali, allo, alter
alias, alibi, alien, alloy, alter, alter ego, altruism
other
-gress
digress, progress, transgress
walk
-ject
eject, inject, interject, project, reject, subject
throw
fac-, -fic-, fact, -fect-
Latin
defect, factory, manufacture
make
falc-
Latin
falciform
sickle
fall-, -fell-, fals-
Latin
falsity, infallibility
deceive
fallac-
Latin
fallacy
false
famili-
Latin
familiarity
a close attendant
fant-
Greek
fantasy
to show
fasc-
Latin
fasciculation, fascism
bundle
fatu-
Latin
fatuous, infatuation
foolish, useless
feder-
Latin
confederation, federal
treaty, agreement, contract, league, pact
fel-
Latin
Felinae, feline
cat
felic-
Latin
felicity
happy, merry
fell-
Latin
fellation
suck
femin-
Latin
femininity
women, female
femor-
Latin
femoral
thigh
fend-, fens-
Latin
defend, offense
strike
fenestr-
Latin
defenestration
window
fer-
Latin
reference, transfer
carry
feroc-
Latin
ferocity
fierce
ferr-
Latin
ferrous
iron
fet-
Latin
fetid, fetor
stink
fic-
Latin
Ficus
fig
fid-, fis-
Latin
confidence, fidelity
faith, trust
fil-
Latin
filament
thread
fili-
Latin
affiliation
son
fin-
Latin
finish, final
end
find-, fiss-
Latin
fission, fissures
split
firm-
Latin
confirmation, firmament
fix, settle
fistul-
Latin
fistula
hollow, tube
fl-
Latin
flatulence, inflation, insufflation
blow
flacc-
Latin
flaccid
flabby
flav-
Latin
flavonoid
yellow
flect-, flex-
Latin
flexible, flexile, flexor, inflection
bend
flig-, flict-
Latin
conflict, inflict
strike
flor-
Latin
floral, florid
flower
flu-, flux-
Latin
effluent, fluency, influx
flow
foc-
Latin
focal
hearth
fod-, foss-
Latin
fossil
dig
foli-
Latin
defoliant
leaf
font-
Latin
font, fontal, fontanelle
spring
for-
Latin
foralite, foramen, foraminifer, perforation
bore, drill
form-
Latin
conformity, deformity, formation, reformatory
shape
fornic-
Latin
fornication
vault
fort-
Latin
fortification
strong
fove-
Latin
fovea
shallow round depression
frang-, -fring-, fract-, frag-
Latin
fracture, fragment, frangible, infringe
break
