Word roots A–Z

Most long English words are built from a few short parts borrowed from Latin and Greek. Learn what the parts mean and you can read words you have never seen. Pick a root to see its meaning, its origin and the words it builds.

A

• ANTI- against

C

• CEPT take, seize
• COM- with, together
• CON- with, together

D

• DICT say, speak
• DIS- apart, away; or not, undoing

F

• FER carry, bear
• FORM shape

G

• GEN birth, produce
• GRAPH write

L

• LOG word, study

M

• MEDI middle

P

• PATH feeling, suffering
• -PHOBIA fear
• PLIC fold
• PRE- before
• PRO- before

S

• SPECT look at

T

• TRACT draw, pull

V

• VERT turn