You are done with the hard part of memorizing those torturing word lists, now to reinforce your vocabulary with critical
Word Roots. You might have encountered a few of them before in word lists but this post exclusively deals with them.
Rest assured it will be easy...'cause there is nothing new here...you
already know most, if not all, of these words...Word Roots are just your servants that help you in remembering these words up till test dates.. ;-)
The format is simple;
a word root...its meaning...examples.
A final thing; this stuff is not really necessary, if you feel like skipping it then leave it and enjoy!
A
- A- (without, lacking)
- amoral
- atheist (Unbeliever in god and deities)
- atypical
- anonymous (onymous is someone with a name)
- apathy
- amorphous (morph is shape)
- atrophy (trophy is nourishment)
- apartheid (partheid linked)
- anomaly (not normal)
- agnostic (n; someone denying God's existence; someone denying something knowable)
- AB-, ABS (off, away from, apart or down)
- abduct (snatch somebody away, ducere is to lead)
- abhor (hor is to shudder)
- abolish (outlaw something)
- abstract (impractical; away from path)
- abnormal
- abdicate (to step down or neglect duty)
- abstinent
- absolution (act of absolving (forgiving or free from blame or sin))
- abstruse (hard to understand, struse thrust)
- abrogate (to put an end to something, abolish)
- abscond (to run away secretly, hide away, scond hide)
- abjure (jure is oath, to formally deny something or abstain/avoid)
- abstemious (abstaining from excessive food or drink, temitum is intoxicating liquor)
- ablution (lure wash, wash away)
- abominate (from abominable aka loathsome, it is to hate something)
- aberrant (errare is to wander; i.e wander away from what is typical [from aberration])
- AC, ACR (sharp, bitter or acidic)
- acid
- acute
- acerbic (bitter or sharp in tone, manner or taste)
- exacerbate (acerbe is harsh, make worse or harsh)
- acrid
- acrimonious
- acumen (sharp judgement)
- ACT, AG (to do or to drive/force)
- act
- agent
- agile
- agitate
- exacting (demanding attention)
- litigate (lit is lawsuite, to drive a lawsuit)
- prodigal (spendthrift, wasteful, drive away or squander)
- prodigious (sizeable or marvelous)
- pedagogue (a teacher, paid is a child so a child driver)
- synagogue (house of worship of Jews)
- demagogue (someone who forces people, a leader who manipulates or plays with people's emotions)
- AD, AL (to, towards or near)
- adapt
- adjacent
- addict
- admire
- address
- adhere
- administer
- adore
- advice
- adjoin
- advocate (ad to, vocare call, to speak in favor)
- allure (lure bring here, al is to, a highly attractive quality or attract powerfully)
- alloy (al to, ligere bind)
- ALI, ALTER (another)
- alternative
- alias (another name)
- alibi (accused claim of being somewhere else at the time of crime)
- alien
- alienation ( the act of making somebody 'another')
- altruist (helper of another person)
- altercation (a heated argument)
- allegory (all another, gor speak publicly; speak about others in public in from of an act or stuff)
- AM- (love or friendship)
- amiable
- amicable
- amity
- amateur (am- love, someone who loves something but isn't perfect at it...)
- amorous (am love, expressing or showing love, specially in romantic or sexual way)
- enamored (en- in, -am love, in love or captivated; I was enamored of her looks)
- inamorata (Italian for a loved women, in- in, am- love)
- paramour (a lover, Thee in arms of thy paramour - Ivanhoe :D)
- AMB- (to move or to walk)
- ambulatory
- ambulant
- ambitious
- amble (a slow walk, or to walk slowly)
- preamble (pre- in front, -amb walk, something that precedes, introductory explanation before a speech, report and stuff, High winds were a preamble to this winter's first storm.)
- ambulance (French for a 'walking hospital')
- circumambulate (to walk around)
- perambulator (a baby carriage...hahahaha...whadday name!!)
- AMPH, AMB (around)
- amphitheater (a circular building, usually open, with circular seating arrangement)
- ambit (boundary or range,within the ambit of the jurisdiction)
- ambiance (atmosphere, a house with an unwelcoming ambiance)
- ambient (in surrounding area, ambient temperature)
- AMPHI, AMB (both or more than one)
- amphibious
- amphibian
- ambivalent (having conflicting feelings)
- ambidextrous (ambi both, dexter right handed; equally capable with both hands, skillful and versatile)
- ANIM (spirit, mind)
- unanimous
- animosity
- equanimity (ability of maintaining composure)
- magnanimous
- pusillanimous (coward)
- ANNU, ENNI (year)
- annual
- anniversary
- biannual (happening twice a year)
- biennial (happening once every two years)
- centennial (happening once in a century)
- decennial
- annuity (contract for annual payment, money payed at annually)
- annals (recorded history, annual records)
- perennial (something that happens again and again)
- millennium
- ANTE (before)
- ante (amount contributed to the gambling pot before playing)
- anterior (happening before or something in front, the event happened long anterior to the discovery of electricity, an anterior view of the building)
- antecedent (cedere give way, something coming before; the book examines the historical antecedents of the French revolution)
- antedate (occurring before or putting an earlier date on something than original, The colorful artwork on the tapestry antedates the advent of synthetic dyes. The archaeologist mistakenly antedated the fossil to the Jurassic period.
- antebellum (before ware)
- antediluvian (ante- before -diluvian Flood, extremely old fashioned)
- ANTHRO, ANDR (human)
- anthropology
- android (a scfi robot that behaves like a human)
- philanthropist
- misanthrope (someone who hate humans)
- anthropomorhpic (able to take human form or characteristics)
- philander (v; having casual affairs with women especially when married)
- androgynous (blending masculine and feminine, a hermaphrodite)
- anthropocentric (treating humans as preeminent and important, from the point of view of mankind)
- ANTI- (against)
- antiviral
- antivirus
- antidote
- antiseptic
- antipathy (strongly negative feeling)
- antipode (an exact opposite. a diametric)
- APO (detached, away from)
- apology
- apostle (promoter of a cause)
- apostasy (renunciation of faith, political party or set of beliefs)
- apostatize
- apocalypse (total destruction or an instance of it)
- apocryphal (not true but seems to be)
- apogee (away from Earth, the best or greatest point or culmination)
- apotheosis ( theo god, transformation into a deity, highest level of glory or power, best example)
- apoplexy (a fit of anger)
- APT, EPT (skill or ability)
- adept
- adapt
- aptitude (ability or talent that can be further refined, an aptitude for leadership)
- inept
- ARCH, ARCHI (chief or principal)
- archetype (prime example)
- architect
- archipelago (group of islands, Indonesian archipelago)
- archenemy
- archangel
- ARCHY (ruler)
- monarchy (system of governing by monarchs)
- patriarchy (patriarch is head of family, patriarchy is a social system in which men dominate)
- anarchy (no ruler, lack of organization andpresence of chaos)
- matriarchy (matriarch is woman head of family, matriarchy is a society dominated by women)
- hierarchy (hierarch is someone of a high rank, hierarchy is formal ranking of a group according to seniority or rank)
- oligarchy (oligos few. a small governing group)
- ART (skill, craft or cunning)
- art
- artist
- artisan (a skilled craftsperson)
- artificial
- artifice (a cunning and clever trick or a stratagem, facere is to make)
- artifact (factum is thing made)
- artful (cunning or skillful)
- artless (without guile or deception or elegance; totally natural)
- AUC, AUG or AUX (to increase)
- augment
- auction
- auxiliary (giving support, an auxiliary grant for the flood affectees or a supporting thing or person)
- august (adj; full of solemn splendor and dignity)
- AUTO (self)
- automatic
- autotrophic
- autopsy
- autonomy (self government)
- autocrat (auto- self -cratos power, someone who holds absolute power and is answerable to none, a bossy person)
