一些词根
MAL as a combining form means 'bad.' Malpractice is bad medical practice. A malady is a bad condition-a disease or illness-of the body or mind. Malodorous things smell bad. And a malefactor is someone guilty of bad deeds.5 v7 }% w* W/ z. I' n6 K/ B
Malevolent, malicious, malign, malnourished
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CATA comes from the Greek kata, one of whose meanings was 'down.' A catalogue is a list of items put down on paper. A catapult is an ancient military weapon for hurling missiles down on one's enemies.1 s- m6 W3 t$ G5 e. J4 J
Cataclysm, catacomb, catalyst, catatonic+ B0 ]+ ?5 x$ A2 p
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PROT/PROTO comes from Greek and has the basic meaning 'first in time' or ' first formed.' Protozoa are one-celled animals, such as amoebas and paramecia, which are among the most basic members of the biological kingdom. A proton is an elementary particle that, along with neutrons, can be found in all atomic nuclei. A protoplanet is a whirling mass that is believed to give rise to a planet.
0 T B' [9 b3 V0 y9 G5 \ \! ^ Protagonist, protocol, protoplasm, prototype7 V* Y- ?& w. P! H2 R$ L
% a& A& n4 m' \1 kANTE is Latin for 'before' or ' in front of.' Antediluvian, a word describing something very old or outdated literally means 'before the flood'-that is, the flood described in the Bible. Antebellum literally means 'before the war,' usually the American Civil War. Antenatal care is given during the period before birth.$ j; a- K: z+ k- Z( ^; s
Antechamber, antemeridian, anterior, antedate- d$ B) q0 E. M, {3 A7 d
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ORTH/ORTHO comes from orthos, the Greek word for 'straight,' 'right' or 'true.' Orthetics is a branch of therapy that straightens out the stance or posture of the body by providing artificial support for weak joints or muscles. Orthograde animals, such as human beings, walk with their bodies in a 'straight' or vertical position.' u% z, ?$ L, x
Orthodontics, orthodox, orthopedics, orthography
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+ U4 r S6 f$ p$ R' m# ORECT comes from the Latin word rectus, which means 'straight' or 'right.' A rectangle is a four-sided figure whose parallel, straight sides meet at right angles. Rectus, short for Latin rectus musculus, may refer to any of several straight muscles, such as those of the abdomen. To correct something is to make it right.
) o& E" h, p8 u Rectitude, rectify, rectilinear, rector
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EU comes from the Greek word for 'well.' in English words it can also mean 'good' or 'true.' A person delivering a eulogy is full of good words, or praise, for the honoree. Euthanasia is regarded as a way of providing a hopelessly sick or injured person a 'good' or easy death.
7 f; m4 U! O5 |3 T5 X( P Sugenic, euphemism, euphoria, evangelism
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|3 t0 u' `* w6 _: ]DYS comes from Greek, where it means 'bad' or 'difficult.' As a prefix in English, it has the additional meanings 'abnormal' and 'impaired.' Dysphagia is difficult or labored swallowing, and dyspnea is difficult or labored breathing. Dysphasia, which literally means 'impaired speech,' refers to a disorder in which the ability to use and understand language is seriously impaired as a result of injury to or disease of the brain.! ?8 m0 T5 z- w# Q4 C
Dysfunctional, dyslexia, dyspeptic, dystrophy$ A3 s/ |# Z, J8 _
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ROG comes from rogare, the Latin verb meaning 'to ask.' The ancient Romans also used this word to mean 'to propose,' thinking perhaps that when we propose an idea, we are actually asking someone to consider it. So interrogate means 'to question systematically,' and a surrogate (for example, a surrogate mother) is a substitute, someone who is proposed to stand in for another.4 D0 m0 V, S5 _, F9 W/ w! W, N
Abrogate, arrogate, derogatory, prerogative) j7 I, ]0 N V
) G$ A2 m5 O7 m+ y; @7 CQUIS is derived from the Latin verb quaerere, meaning ' to seek or obtain.' You can see it in our word acquisitive, which means 'having a strong wish to possess things.' The roots quer, quir and ques are also derived from this word and give us words such as inquiry, ' a search or request for information,' and question,
1 S" a/ g8 X) j4 e E$ Y' Something asked.'
" m! B7 Q( d; F- J Inquisition, perquisite, acquisitive, requisition
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{" b; k4 P1 s3 T) U7 }PLE comes from a Latin word meaning 'to fill.' It can be seen in the word complete, meaning 'possessing all necessary parts.' The ple root has a Greek equivalent, pleth seen in the word plethora, which means 'multitude or abundance.'
6 b$ L2 o) }3 s7 w: R+ U Complement, deplete, implement, replete
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3 r/ l3 L& a2 y ?6 `" J7 f) yMETR comes to us from Greek by way of Latin; in both languages it refers to 'measure.' A thermometer measures heat; a perimeter is the measure around something; and things that are isometric are equal in measure.
# x& d9 C7 p& P Metric, odometer, symmetrical, tachometer,
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AUD, from the Latin verb audire, is the root that has to with hearing. What is audible is hearable, and an audience is a group of people that listens, sometimes in an auditorium.6 p' z& R; F8 U- \6 w6 H* ?
Auditor, auditory, audition, inaudible% `. I* z( V0 u. E% t( T: f
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SON is the Latin root meaning 'sound,' as in our word sonata, meaning a kind of music usually played by one or two instruments, and sonorous, usually meaning full, loud, or rich in sound. * r2 l3 E/ w8 ]6 y! W+ q8 L1 i
Dissonant, resonance, sonic, ultrasound
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3 {3 z! Y1 y; d6 n, |6 N; ZERR, form the Latin verb errare, means 'to wander' to 'to stray.' This root is easily seen in the word error, which means a wandering or straying from what is correct or true. We also use the word erratum to mean ' a mistake' in a book or other printed material, its plural is errata, and the errata page is the book page that lists mistakes found too late to correct before publication.
3 b/ L# B- a2 C l7 [ Aberrant, errant, erratic, erroneous% Y' ^$ [. T! v7 t% @
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CED/CESS, from the Latin verb cedere, meaning 'to go ' or 'to proceed,' produces many English words, from procession, meaning something that goes forward, to recession, which is a moving back or away.
! D! D, G& q6 O8 d9 ~2 | Accede, antecedent, concession, precedent+ s# Z) K. V/ X
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VID/VIS comes from the Latin verb videre, and appears in words having to so with seeing and sight. A cideotape is a collection of visual images- that is, images visible to our eyes. But this root does not always involve eyes. To envision something, for instance, is to see it with your imagination.' y" d5 R: o3 Q
Visage, visionary, visitation0 Q+ q* \! Q, B- u @3 o
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SPIC/SPEC comes from the Latin verb specere or spicere, meaning ' to look at or behold.' Closely related is the root specta-, which comes from a slightly different verb and produces such words as spectator, spectacles, and spectacular.) j0 l3 y& Y9 b3 H" d3 m3 f) H
Auspicious, conspicuous, introspection, perspicacious,( C9 L1 G4 ]; o2 @- {1 l
$ K9 \. ]1 N' Y; X3 zVOC/COK, from the Latin noun vox and the verb vocare, has to do with speaking and calling and the use of the voice. So a vocation is a special calling to a type of work; an evocative sight or smell calls forth memories and feelings; and a vocal ensemble is a singing group.; k. _% ]! Y" Z& w# I
Equivocate, irrevocable, provoke, vociferous8 U, a7 [& O" k
7 j6 b' B- I0 ]& }1 t1 LPHON is a Greek root meaning 'sound,' 'voice,' or 'speech.' It is similar to the Latin voc in meaning out typically means only 'sound' when used in such words as telephone (far sound), microphone (small sound), or cylophone (wood sound).$ y9 W' ~- G, s* Y. \- M! ^7 p
Cacophony, phonetic, polyphonic, symphony7 U7 L6 ?- w/ F" f" T7 A
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0 U. ]+ c7 o$ j: V% n( V# _CUR from the Latin verb curare, means basically 'care for.' Our verb cure comes from this root, as do manicure (care of the hands) and pedicure (care of the feet).' E+ ?) Y' M/ S5 Z6 t) Z& c q
Curative, curator, procure, sinecure- ~1 S0 R5 O7 Q6 [! E
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PERI usually means 'gong around something.' With a periscope, you can see around corners. Peristalsis is the bodily function that moves food around the intestines; without it,! s- i& J4 i6 A6 u7 ]0 p7 d+ d
Digestion would grind to a halt. The moon's perigee is the point in its orbit where it is closest to the earth. The point in the earth's orbit around the sun that brings it closest to the sun is its perihelion.: q% w" w. x3 e# Y
Perimeter, periodontal, peripatetic, peripheral,
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SENT/SENS, from the Latin verb sentire, meaning 'to feel' or the noun sensus, meaning 'feeling 'or 'sense,' can signify different kinds of feeling. Sentimental has to do with emotions, whereas sensual relates more to physical sensations.1 C! ?: P& L+ V/ a _" G% K. ?
Sensational, sentient, sentiment, sensuous
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* V8 D. r5 n$ c2 x" SSOPH is a Greek root from the word meaning 'wise ' or 'wisdom.' In our language, the root often appears in words where the wisdom concerned is of the 'wiseguy' variety. But in words such as philosophy we see a MOR respectful attitude toward wisdom.! o$ R5 m; M4 g- E
Sophistry, sophisticated, sophomoric, theosophy
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TEND/TENT, from the Latin tendere, meaning 'to stretch, extend, or spread.' can be seen most simply in the English word tent, meaning a piece of material stretched or extended over a frame. It can also be seen in the word extend, which means 'to stretch forth or stretch out,' and in tendon, the word for a tough band of tissue that stretches from a muscle to a bone.
6 o* @4 N/ K# r, L6 J; T$ b2 L Contentious, distend, portend, tendentious0 F, _0 R1 j: `4 _" \
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PEND/PENS, meaning to hang, weigh, or cause to hang down,' comes from the Latin verb pendere. We find it in English in words like pensive, meaning 'thoughtful,' and appendix, that useless and sometimes troublesome piece that hangs from the intestine.
/ ^8 z1 s. f0 L' B% ] Appendage, expend, propensity, stipend
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PAN comes from Greek with its spelling and meaning intact. It simply means 'all' in Greek; as an English prefix it can also mean 'completely,' 'whole,' or 'general.' A panoramic view is a complete view in every direction. Panchromatic film is sensitive to the reflected light of all colors in the spectrum. Pantheism is the worship of all gods. A pantheon is a temple dedicated to all the gods of a particular religion. A pandemic outbreak of a disease may not literally affect the entire human population, but enough to create catastrophic problems.8 Y4 n3 Y1 T. s& w- a
Panacea, panegyric, panoply, pandemonium+ Q4 y5 q, _- c9 c$ N7 K( Y4 ^
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EXTRA places words outside or beyond their usual or routine territory. Extraterrestrial and extragalactic affairs take place beyond the earth or the galaxy. Something extravagant, such as an extravaganza, goes beyond the limits of rason or necessity. And of course extra itself is a word, a shortening of extraordinary.' beyond the ordinary.'
' B( O( K' ~+ |: B: F$ D Extramundane, extrapolate, extrovert, extraneous( P( @$ i& e) q6 x2 D/ U' M
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PHOS/PHOT comes from the Greek word for 'light.' Phos can be seen in the word phosphorus, which refers generally to anything that glows in the dark and also to a particular glowing chemical element. Phot, the more familiar root , appears in words like photography, which is the use of light to create an image on film or paper.
3 R' D$ |. C# m& d0 t3 M Phosphorescent, photogenic, photon, photosynthesis
