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The Latin root lig and its variants li and ly mean “tie.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including ligament, reliable and rely. The root lig is easily recalled via the word obligation, for an obligation “ties” you to the doing of something.
Read morePrefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. A large number of English vocabulary words contain the prefix se-, which means “apart.” Examples using this prefix include separate, secret and select. An easy way to remember that the prefix se- means “apart” is through the word secure, for when you feel secure you are “apart” from worrying or undue care about something potentially troubling.
Read moreThe Latin root loqu and its variant locut mean “speak.” These roots are the word origins of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including eloquent, loquacious, elocution, and circumlocution. The roots loqu and locut are easily recalled through the words soliloquy, or a “talking” by oneself, and interlocutor, or a person with whom you are “talking” or conversing.
Read moreThe Latin root fort means “strong.” This Latin root is the word origin of a large number of English vocabulary words, including effort, comfort, and forte. The root fort is easily recalled via the word fort, for a “fort” is a “strong” building constructed so as to withstand enemy attack.
Read moreThe Latin root sect means “cut.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including insect, dissect, and intersect. The root sect is easily recalled via the word section, for a section is a “cut”-off piece of a larger whole.
Read moreThe Latin root cult means “grow.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including culture, cultivate and horticulture. The root cult is easily recalled via the word agriculture, for agriculture is the “growing” of plants via farming.
Read moreThe Latin root patr means “father.” This Latin root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including paternity, pattern, and patron. The root patr is easily recalled via the word patriotic, as someone who is acting in a patriotic fashion is supporting the "father"land.
Read moreThe Latin root anim means “mind” or “spirit.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including unanimous, animated, and animosity. The root anim is easily recalled via the word animal, for an animal is a living, moving creature and so contains a “spirit” and “mind.”
Read moreThe Latin root matr means “mother.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including matriarch, material, and matter. The root matr is easily recalled via the word maternal, for a woman who acts in a maternal fashion is being “motherly.”
Read moreThe Latin root dur means “hard.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including endure, during, and duration. The root dur is easily recalled via the word endure, for if you can endure a trial, you are “hard” enough to withstand its challenges.
Read moreThe Latin root stat and its variant stit mean “stand.” This Latin root is the word origin of a large number of English vocabulary words, including state, statue, constitution and superstition. The root stat is easily recalled via the word stationary or “standing” still, whereas stit can be recalled via institute, to make something like an organization “stand” by creating it.
Read moreThe Latin root it means “go.” This Latin root is the word origin of and so “goes” through a number of English vocabulary words, including transit, ambition, and initials. The root it is easily recalled via the word exit, which is the part of the building where you “go” out.
Read moreThe Latin root rupt means “burst.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including disrupt, rupture, and interrupt. The root rupt is easily recalled via the word bankrupt, for if you’ve gone bankrupt your bank account has “burst,” spilling out all its contents and leaving you with no money!
Read moreThe Latin root temp means “time.” This Latin root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including contemporary, temporary, and the Latin phrase tempus fugit. The root temp is easily recalled via the word tempo, as the tempo of a piece of music is the “timing” of it, that is, whether it goes at a fast or slow pace when played.
Read moreThe Greek root arch means “rule.” This Greek root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including matriarch, patriarch, and oligarchy. The root arch is easily recalled via the word anarchy, which is a period of time in which there is no “rule” at all in a country.
Read moreThe Latin root ag and its variant ig mean “do.” These roots are the word origins of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including agent, agile, litigate, and castigate. The roots ag and ig are easily recalled through the words agenda, or things to be “done,” and navigate, the “doing” or “driving” of a ship.
Read moreThe Latin root act means “do.” This Latin root is the word origin of a large number of English vocabulary words, including actor, action, and active. The root act is easily recalled via the word act, for an act is something having been “done.”
Read moreThe Latin root fus means “pour.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including fusion, fuse, and confuse. The root fus is easily recalled via the word refuse, for to refuse to do something asked of you is to “pour” the request right back to the person doing the requesting!
Read moreThe Latin root word err means “wander” or “make a mistake,” which is a “wandering” from the correct answer. This Latin root is the word origin of a number of English vocabulary words, including errant and erratic. The root err is easily recalled via the word error, which is a “wandering” from the right answer.
Read moreThe Latin root word curr means “run.” This Latin root is the word origin of a number of English vocabulary words through which it “runs,” including currency, cursor, and curriculum. The root curr is easily recalled via an ocean current, which “runs” by itself since it is surrounded by waters that are relatively still.
Read moreThe Latin root word labor means “work.” This Latin root is the word origin of a “working” number of English vocabulary words, including collaborate, labor itself, and elaborate. The root labor is easily recalled via the word laboratory, for that is where scientists do their “work.”
Read moreThe prefix ob-, besides meaning “against” or “towards,” can also act as an intensive prefix. An intensive prefix can effectively be translated as “thoroughly” to highlight its emphatic function. The intensive nature of the prefix ob- shows up in such words as obtuse and obdurate. An example to help remember this intensive prefix is the word obtain, for when you obtain something you “thoroughly” hold onto it.
Read moreThe Latin root word rog means “ask.” This Latin root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including interrogate, arrogant, and prerogative. The root rog is easily recalled via the word interrogative, for an interrogative is a question word that “asks” a question, such as “who,” “what,” “how,” “why,” or “where.”
Read morePrefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The English prefix ob- usually means “against, in the way” or “towards.” An example of ob- when it means “towards” is the word obligation, or a tying of some duty “towards” you; in the case of ob- meaning “against” or “in the way,” the word obstacle" refers to that which stands “against” you, “in the way” of proceeding from point A to point B.
Read morePrefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The English prefix epi-, which means “over” or “upon,” appears in a good number of English vocabulary words, such as epidermis and epitaph. You can remember that the prefix epi- means “upon” from the noun epidemic, which is a widespread disease that comes “upon” people; you can also recall that epi- means “over” via the word epidermis, which is the outer skin that lies “over” lower layers of skin.
Read moreThe Latin root word spir means “breathe.” This root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including inspire, respiration, and expire. The root spir is easily recalled via the word perspiration, that is, sweat in the act of “breathing” through the pores of your skin.
Read moreThe Latin root word volv and its variants volut and volt mean “roll” or “turn round.” These roots are the word origins of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including revolve, involve, evolution, and revolt. The roots volv and volut are easily recalled through the words involve, or “roll” in, and revolution, or a “rolling” back against a current government or other system in power.
Read moreThe Latin root word posit means “placed.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including opposite, composition, and posit itself. The Latin root word posit is easily recalled through the word position, for a “position” is the way in which you find yourself “placed.”
Read moreThe Latin root word voc and its variant vok both mean “call.” These roots are the word origins of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including vocal, vocabulary, invoke, and provoke. The roots voc and vok are easily recalled through the words vocal, of “calling,” and revoke, to “call” back.
Read morePrefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. A fair number of English vocabulary words contain the prefix dia-, which means “across.” Examples using this prefix include dialogue, diagonal, and diabetes. An easy way to remember that the prefix dia- means “across” is through the word diameter, for the diameter of a circle is the measurement “across” it.
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