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WordPith

Core Roots: roots and the words they build

This list is for everyone. It covers the 374 roots behind the 420 words in WordPith's Core Roots pack, most-used first. Learn a root once and you can work out every word it builds.

-IC

“relating to” · an English suffix

microscopic, psychic, chronic, nautical and 26 more

LOG

“word, study” · Greek

seismology, biology, biologist, geology and 21 more

DE-

“down, away, completely” · Latin

describe, deceive, decapitate, dehydrate and 20 more

CON-

“with, together” · Latin

conduct, convert, contain, confident and 15 more

EX-

“out, away” · Latin

expedition, exact, examine, exceed and 14 more

-ATE

“make, do; having; an office” · an English suffix

educate, motivate, populate, regulate and 13 more

GRAPH

“write” · Greek

photograph, autograph, biography, autobiography and 13 more

COM-

“with, together” · Latin

commit, comfort, command, common and 9 more

-AL

“relating to” · an English suffix

geothermal, nautical, bilingual, thermal and 8 more

AUTO-

“self” · Greek

autograph, autobiography, autonomy, autocracy and 5 more

-IST

“one who” · an English suffix

biologist, atheist, linguist, florist and 5 more

PATH

“feeling, suffering” · Greek

telepathy, psychopath, sympathize, sympathy and 4 more

GEO-

“earth” · Greek

geography, geology, geometry, geothermal and 3 more

-ION

“act, result” · an English suffix

television, audition, malfunction, inscription and 3 more

RE-

“again, back” · Latin

reporter, reduce, reformer, retain and 3 more

-SCOPE

“look at” · Greek

telescope, microscope, periscope, stethoscope and 3 more

SYM-

“together” · Greek

symphony, sympathize, symmetry, asymmetry and 3 more

TELE-

“far” · Greek

telescope, telephone, telegram, telepathy and 3 more

BIO-

“life” · Greek

biography, autobiography, biology, biologist and 2 more

DI-

“apart, away” · Latin

divert, digest, distance, distinct and 2 more

EN-

“in, make” · Latin

enclose, enforce, engage, enlarge and 2 more

-IBLE

“able to be” · an English suffix

impossible, possible, visible, audible and 2 more

BI-

“two” · Latin

bicycle, bilingual, biannual, binocular and 1 more

IN-

“not, without; or in, into” · Latin

inspect, invert, inscription, incredible and 1 more

-METER

“measure” · Greek

chronometer, thermometer, barometer, diameter and 1 more

MICRO-

“small” · Greek

microscope, microscopic, microphone, microcosm and 1 more

-OUS

“full of” · an English suffix

synchronous, anhydrous, curious, famous and 1 more

-PHOBIA

“fear” · Greek

hydrophobia, xenophobia, acrophobia, technophobia and 1 more

PHOTO-

“light” · Greek

photograph, photosynthesis, photophobia, photosensitive and 1 more

PRO-

“before” · Greek

prologue, prognosis, produce, promote and 1 more

-THESIS

“placing, proposition” · Greek

antithesis, hypothesis, synthesis, photosynthesis and 1 more

-ANT

“against” · Greek

antonym, tenant, antonymic, hydrant

ASTRO-

“star” · Greek

astronomy, astrology, astronaut, astrophysical

DIA-

“through, across” · Greek

diameter, dialogue, diagnosis, diagram

-ENT

“one that, a thing that” · an English suffix

confident, crescent, decent, frequent

-PHONE

“sound” · Greek

telephone, microphone, homophone, megaphone

THEO-

“god” · Greek

theology, theocracy, theosophy, theologian

ACRO-

“high, tip” · Greek

acrophobia, acronym, acronymic

AD-

“toward” · Latin

adjective, admire, adverb

AN

“not, without; or to, toward” · Greek

anarchy, anhydrous, annotate

ANA-

“back, again” · Greek

anachronism, analogy, anagram

-AR

“relating to” · an English suffix

ocular, binocular, arrange

-ATOR

“one who” · an English suffix

dictator, aviator, educator

-CRACY

“rule” · Greek

theocracy, democracy, autocracy

DEMO-

“people” · Greek

demography, democracy, democrat

DIS-

“apart, away; or not, undoing” · Latin

discover, dismiss, dispute

-DUCE

“lead” · Latin

produce, reduce, introduce

EPI-

“upon” · Greek

epigraph, epidemic, epigram

HOMO-

“same” · Greek

homophone, homograph, homophonic

HYDRO-

“water” · Greek

hydrology, hydrophobia, hydrogen

-ICAL

“relating to” · an English suffix

astrophysical, grammatical, symmetrical

-IFY

“to make” · an English suffix

justify, certify, clarify

IM-

“not; or in, into” · Latin

immobile, impossible, import

-ISM

“belief, practice” · an English suffix

anachronism, monotheism, pantheism

-ITION

“the act of” · an English suffix

expedition, addition, ambition

-IZE

“make, become” · an English suffix

synchronize, sympathize, civilize

JUST

“right, lawful” · Latin

justice, justify, injustice

MONO-

“one” · Greek

monotheism, monologue, monogram

NAUT

“sailor” · Greek

astronaut, cosmonaut, nautical

-NOMY

“law, system” · Greek

economy, astronomy, autonomy

NYM

“name” · Greek

acronym, pseudonym, acronymic

PERI-

“around” · Greek

periscope, perimeter, periscopic

PSYCHO-

“mind” · Greek

psychology, psychopath, psychopathic

SPECT

“look at” · Latin

inspect, retrospect, aspect

STAT

“standing, still” · Greek

thermostat, static, thermostatic

-TAIN

“hold” · Latin

retain, contain, maintain

THERMO-

“heat” · Greek

thermometer, thermostat, thermostatic

TRI-

“three” · Latin

tripod, tricycle, trilogy

-URE

“the act or body of” · an English suffix

capture, culture, feature

VERT

“turn” · Latin

convert, divert, invert

AC-

“to, toward” · Latin

access, accept

ANTHROP

“human” · Greek

philanthropy, philanthropist

ANTI-

“against” · Greek

antibiotic, antithesis

AP-

“to, toward” · Latin

apparel, approve

ARCH

“ruler” · Greek

monarchy, anarchy

AS-

“to, toward” · Latin

assemble, assist

AUD

“hear” · Latin

audible, audience

BARO-

“weight, pressure” · Greek

barometer, barometric

BIBLIO-

“book” · Greek

bibliography, bibliophile

CAPIT

“head” · Latin

capital, decapitate

CAPT

“take, seize” · Latin

capture, captive

-CEIVE

“take, seize” · Latin

receive, deceive

CEPT

“take, seize” · Latin

accept, except

CHRONO-

“time” · Greek

chronology, chronometer

CLAR

“clear, bright” · Latin

clarify, declare

CLUD

“shut” · Latin

conclude, exclude

COR-

“together, thoroughly” · Latin

correct, correspond

COSM

“world, order” · Greek

microcosm, macrocosm

CRED

“believe, trust” · Latin

incredible, credit

CYCLE

“circle, wheel” · Greek

tricycle, bicycle

DEC

“ten” · Greek

decade, decent

DENT

“tooth” · Latin

dental, dentist

DUC

“lead” · Latin

educate, educator

ECO-

“home” · Greek

ecology, economy

-ER

“one who” · an English suffix

reporter, reformer

FECT

“make, do” · Latin

defect, effect

FER

“carry, bear” · Latin

confer, differ

FLOR

“a flower” · Latin

floral, florist

FORM

“shape” · Latin

transform, reformer

GEN

“birth, produce” · Greek

hydrogen, photogenic

GNOSIS

“knowledge” · Greek

prognosis, diagnosis

HYPO-

“under” · Greek

hypothesis, hypodermic

-ICE

“the state of” · an English suffix

justice, injustice

-ICS

“the study of” · Greek

metaphysics, geopolitics

-ID

“having the quality of” · an English suffix

vivid, fluid

-IL

“a thing; or in, into” · an English suffix

ventilate, council

-ILE

“able to be” · an English suffix

fertile, fragile

-INE

“like, made of” · an English suffix

marine, combine

-IVE

“tending to” · an English suffix

captive, adjective

JECT

“throw” · Latin

adjective, eject

LINGU

“tongue, language” · Latin

bilingual, linguist

MACRO-

“large” · Greek

macrocosm, macroscopic

MAL-

“bad, ill” · Latin

malfunction, malnutrition

MAT

“willing, acting” · Greek

automatic, automate

MOBILE

“movable” · Latin

automobile, immobile

MORPH

“form, shape” · Greek

polymorphic, anthropomorphic

-OR

“thing that does” · an English suffix

oral, corridor

ORTHO-

“straight, correct” · Greek

orthodontist, orthopedic

PAN-

“all” · Greek

pantheism, pandemic

PED

“foot” · Latin

expedition, orthopedic

PHIL

“love” · Greek

philanthropy, philanthropist

PHYS

“body, nature” · Greek

astrophysical, metaphysics

POD

“foot” · Greek

pseudopod, tripod

PORT

“carry” · Latin

import, reporter

POSS

“able” · Latin

impossible, possible

PRESS

“press” · Latin

compress, express

PSEUDO-

“false” · Greek

pseudonym, pseudopod

PUT

“think, reckon, prune” · Latin

compute, dispute

SEISMO

“shake” · Greek

seismograph, seismology

SOPH

“wisdom” · Greek

philosophy, theosophy

SUB-

“under, below” · Latin

submit, subterranean

TECHNO-

“skill, craft” · Greek

technocrat, technophobia

-US

“a thing” · an English suffix

bonus, focus

VENT

“come” · Latin

ventilate, event

VIS

“see” · Latin

television, visible

XENO-

“stranger” · Greek

xenophobia, xenophile

ZOO-

“animal” · Greek

zoology, zoologist

AB-

“away from” · Latin

abbreviate

ACT

“do, drive” · Latin

exact

ADD

“give to” · Latin

addition

-ADE

“the act or result of” · an English suffix

decade

AGRI

“a field” · Latin

agriculture

ALT

“high” · Latin

altitude

ALTERN

“one after the other” · Latin

alternate

AMB

“go about, canvass” · Latin

ambition

AMIN

“an amine” · an English suffix

vitamin

AMINE

“weigh, test” · Latin

examine

ANEAN

“belonging to” · an English suffix

subterranean

ANTIQU

“old, former” · Latin

antique

ARBOR

“a tree” · Latin

arboretum

ARCHAEO

“ancient” · Greek

archaeology

ARISTO

“the best” · Greek

aristocrat

ART

“skill, craft” · Latin

article

ARTI

“skill, craft” · Latin

artificial

AT-

“to, toward” · Latin

attract

AVI

“bird” · Latin

aviator

BENE-

“well, good” · Latin

benefit

BON

“good” · Latin

bonus

BREVI

“short” · Latin

abbreviate

BUREAU

“desk, office” · French

bureaucrat

CALLI

“beauty” · Greek

calligraphy

CEED

“go, yield” · Latin

exceed

CEL

“rise, surpass” · Latin

excel

CELEBR

“thronged, famous” · Latin

celebrate

CENT

“hundred” · Latin

century

CENTR

“centre” · Latin

eccentricity

CERT

“sure, settled” · Latin

certify

CESS

“go, move” · Latin

access

CHANGE

“exchange” · French

exchange

CHOREO

“a dance” · Greek

choreography

CIRCU

“a going round” · Latin

circular

CIVIL

“of citizens” · Latin

civilize

CLASS

“a division of citizens” · Latin

classic

CLOS

“shut” · Latin

enclose

COMB

“two by two” · Latin

combine

COMPAR

“equal, matched” · Latin

compare

CORRID

“a running place” · Italian

corridor

COUNC

“called together” · Latin

council

COUNS

“advice” · Latin

counsel

COVER

“cover” · French

discover

CRE

“make, bring forth” · Latin

create

CRESC

“grow” · Latin

crescent

CRIMINO

“crime” · Latin

criminology

CRIS

“a turning point” · Greek

crisis

CRIT-

“judge, separate” · Greek

critic

CULT

“till, tend” · Latin

culture

CULTUR

“tilling, tending” · Latin

agriculture

CUR

“run, care for” · Latin

current

CURE

“care” · Latin

manicure

CURI

“careful, inquisitive” · Latin

curious

CUSE

“a cause, a charge” · Latin

excuse

DECOR

“seemly, becoming” · Latin

decorate

DEL

“clear, revealed” · Greek

psychedelic

DERM

“skin” · Greek

hypodermic

DIAC

“relating to” · an English suffix

zodiac

DIC

“say, proclaim” · Latin

dedicate

DICT

“say, speak” · Latin

dictator

DIF-

“apart, away” · Latin

differ

DIGN

“worthy” · Latin

dignity

DIMIN

“lessen, make smaller” · Latin

diminish

DIT

“put out, give” · Latin

edition

DON

“give” · Latin

donate

DONT

“tooth” · Greek

orthodontist

DOUBL

“twofold” · Latin

double

DUCT

“lead, draw” · Latin

conduct

EC

“out, out of” · Latin

eccentricity

EF-

“out, thoroughly” · Latin

effect

-EL

“little one, or an ending” · an English suffix

counsel

EM-

“in, into” · Latin

employ

-ENCE

“the state of” · an English suffix

conscience

-ETIC

“relating to” · an English suffix

phonetic

ETUM

“a place planted with” · an English suffix

arboretum

FAM

“report, fame” · Latin

famous

FAT

“spoken, fated” · Latin

fatal

FEAT

“a making, a deed” · French

feature

FEND

“strike, ward off” · Latin

defend

FERT

“bearing, fruitful” · Latin

fertile

-FIC

“making, doing” · an English suffix

artificial

FID

“faith, trust” · Latin

confident

FIGUR

“shape, form” · Latin

figure

FIN

“end, limit” · Latin

final

FINE

“a boundary, an end” · Latin

define

FIRM

“strong, steady” · Latin

confirm

FIT

“do, make” · Latin

benefit

FLEX

“bend” · Latin

flexible

FLU

“flow” · Latin

fluid

FOC

“a hearth” · Latin

focus

FORCE

“strength” · French

enforce

FORMUL

“a little form, a set rule” · Latin

formula

FORT

“strong” · Latin

comfort

FORTUN

“chance, luck” · Latin

fortune

FREQU

“crowded, repeated” · Latin

frequent

FRONT

“forehead” · Latin

confront

FUNCT

“perform, carry out” · Latin

malfunction

FUTUR

“about to be” · Latin

future

GAG

“a pledge” · French

engage

GENER-

“birth, kind, race” · Latin

generous

GEST

“carry” · Latin

digest

GESTUR

“a bearing, a carriage” · Latin

gesture

GRAD

“step, degree” · Latin

gradual

GRAMMAT

“a letter” · Greek

grammatical

GREE

“a step” · Latin

degree

GRESS

“step, go” · Latin

congress

GYRO

“a ring, a turn” · Greek

gyroscope

HALE

“breathe” · Latin

exhale

HOMEO

“similar, steady” · Greek

homeopathy

HORO

“an hour” · Greek

horoscope

-IAL

“relating to” · an English suffix

artificial

-IAN

“of, belonging to” · an English suffix

theologian

IATR

“healing, medicine” · Greek

psychiatrist

-ICITY

“the quality of” · an English suffix

eccentricity

-ICLE

“a little one” · an English suffix

article

IENCE

“the state of” · an English suffix

audience

INTRO-

“inward” · Latin

introduce

-IS

“a thing, a state” · an English suffix

crisis

-ISH

“somewhat; on a verb, make” · an English suffix

diminish

ISO-

“equal” · Greek

isotherm

-IT

“gone, done” · an English suffix

credit

-ITE

“a thing formed, or having the quality of” · an English suffix

graphite

-ITIVE

“having the character of” · an English suffix

photosensitive

ITUD

“the state of” · an English suffix

altitude

-ITY

“the quality of” · an English suffix

dignity

KALEIDO

“beautiful form” · Greek

kaleidoscope

KILO

“a thousand” · Greek

kilogram

LAR

“relating to” · an English suffix

circular

LARG

“wide, generous” · Latin

enlarge

LECT

“choose, gather” · Latin

elect

LEV

“raise, lighten” · Latin

elevate

LIVER

“set free” · French

deliver

MAIN

“hand” · Latin

maintain

MAND

“order, entrust” · Latin

command

MANI

“hand” · Latin

manicure

MAR

“the sea” · Latin

marine

MATRI

“mother” · Latin

matrimony

MEGA-

“great, large” · Greek

megaphone

-MENT

“the act or result of” · an English suffix

sentiment

META-

“beyond, after” · Greek

metaphysics

METEORO

“a thing high in the air” · Greek

meteorology

MIR

“wonder at” · Latin

admire

MISS

“send, let go” · Latin

dismiss

MONSTR

“show, a portent” · Latin

demonstrate

-MONY

“the state or result of” · an English suffix

matrimony

-MOTE

“move” · Latin

promote

MOTIV

“moving” · Latin

motivate

MOV

“move” · Latin

remove

MYTHO

“a story” · Greek

mythology

NECRO-

“corpse, death” · Greek

necropolis

NECT

“bind, tie” · Latin

connect

NOCUL

“eye” · Latin

binocular

NOT

“mark, note” · Latin

annotate

NUTRI

“nourish” · Latin

malnutrition

OCUL

“eye” · Latin

ocular

OSTEO-

“bone” · Greek

osteopath

PACT

“fastened, driven in” · Latin

compact

PAND

“spread out” · Latin

expand

PANION

“one who shares bread” · Latin

companion

PARA-

“beside, beyond” · Latin

paragraph

PAREL

“make ready” · French

apparel

PART

“part, share” · Latin

depart

PECT

“look at” · Latin

expect

PEND

“hang, weigh out” · Latin

depend

PENSE

“weigh out, pay” · Latin

expense

PER-

“through, thoroughly” · Latin

permit

PET

“seek, strive for” · Latin

compete

PHONO

“sound, voice” · Greek

phonograph

PILOT

“a steersman” · French

autopilot

PLAIN

“make level, make plain” · Latin

explain

PLET

“fill” · Latin

complete

PLEX

“fold” · Latin

complex

PLODE

“clap, drive off” · Latin

explode

PLOR

“cry out” · Latin

explore

PLOY

“fold, engage” · French

employ

PLY

“fold” · French

comply

POLIS

“a city” · Greek

necropolis

POLIT

“city, state” · Greek

geopolitics

POLY-

“many” · Greek

polymorphic

POPUL-

“the people” · Latin

populate

POS

“place, put” · Latin

compose

POSIT

“placed, settled” · Latin

deposit

PRE-

“before” · Latin

precede

PROV

“test, prove” · Latin

approve

PSYCHE

“the mind, the soul” · Greek

psychedelic

QUIP

“fit out” · French

equip

RANGE

“a row, a rank” · French

arrange

RECT

“right, straight” · Latin

correct

REG

“a king, rule” · Latin

regal

REGUL

“a little rule” · Latin

regulate

RENT

“running” · Latin

current

RESPOND

“answer, pledge back” · Latin

correspond

RETRO-

“backward” · Latin

retrospect

RICH

“rich” · French

enrich

RUPT

“break, burst” · Latin

erupt

SCAPE

“a cloak, an escape” · French

escape

SCI

“know” · Latin

conscience

SCRIB

“write” · Latin

describe

SECT

“cut” · Latin

bisect

SEMBL

“together, alike” · French

assemble

SENTI

“feel, perceive” · Latin

sentiment

SERVE

“keep, guard” · Latin

deserve

SIDER

“a star” · Latin

consider

SIGN

“a mark” · Latin

design

SIR

“long for” · Latin

desire

SIST

“stand” · Latin

assist

STANCE

“standing” · Latin

distance

STANT

“standing” · Latin

constant

STETHO

“the chest” · Greek

stethoscope

STINCT

“prick, mark off” · Latin

distinct

STROY

“pile down, unbuild” · French

destroy

SUM

“take up” · Latin

consume

SUR-

“over, above” · Latin

survive

TAIL

“a cut” · French

detail

TECT

“cover” · Latin

detect

TEN

“hold” · Latin

tenant

TEND

“stretch” · Latin

extend

TERMIN

“boundary, end” · Latin

determine

TERR

“earth, land” · Latin

subterranean

TINU

“hold together” · Latin

continue

TION

“the act or state of” · an English suffix

malnutrition

TITLE

“a title, a claim” · Latin

entitle

TRACT

“draw, pull” · Latin

attract

TRANS-

“across, through” · Latin

transform

TRAST

“stand against” · Latin

contrast

TRIBUT

“assign, allot” · Latin

contribute

TROL

“a roll, a register” · French

control

-UAL

“relating to” · an English suffix

gradual

UNI-

“one” · Latin

universe

URY

“the state of” · an English suffix

century

VELOP

“wrap” · French

develop

VERB

“word” · Latin

adverb

-VERSE

“turn” · Latin

universe

VIT

“life” · Latin

vitamin

VIV

“live, alive” · Latin

vivid

VOT

“a vow” · Latin

devote

ZO

“a living thing” · Greek

zodiac

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