Latin and Greek Root Words

Basic Terms

root form: inspector, thermal

base word: unlikely

prefix: re-, un-, dis-

suffix: -able, -ive, -ly

derivation-a word formed from an existing word, root, or affix: electric, electricity(pronounced: “der-uh-vey-sh uhn”)

} affixes:to add on

Derivation means drawing off water from a main stream

From Latin

de: down from, away from+

rivus: brook, stream

English words may be derived or drawn off of mainstream Greek or Latin roots. Roots may not be spelled the same way all the time.

Susan Ebbers 2005 4

Susan Ebbers 2005 19

Look Inside—Look Outside pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

1.Look inside the word for known word parts: prefixes, roots or combining forms, suffixes.

2.Use the analogy strategy—“I don’t know this word, but I know pneumonia and I know volcano, so by analogy, this word might have something to do with lungs and heat.”

3.Look outside the word at context clues, visuals

The coal miners, coughing and wheezing, suffered from pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.

Susan Ebbers 2005 19

Look Inside—Look Outside pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

1.Look inside the word for known word parts: prefixes, roots or combining forms, suffixes.

2.Use the analogy strategy—“I don’t know this word, but I know pneumonia and I know volcano, so by analogy, this word might have something to do with lungs and heat.”

3.Look outside the word at context clues, visuals

The coal miners, coughing and wheezing, suffered from pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.

photos

Draw a green border around the word on this card.Green stands for a Greek root word.

photos

Definition: light

Examples: photograph, photosynthesis

Greek and Latin Roots

photos light photosynthesis

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLES

graph

graph

Definition: to write or draw

Examples: autograph, hologram

Greek and Latin Roots

photoslight photosynthesis

graph to write or draw autograph

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLES

Susan Ebbers 2005 18

photographpolygraphmimeographphonographtelegraphparagraph

telegrammammogramhistogramanagramcryptogrammonogramelectrocardiogram

photographercartographergeographercryptographerautobiographerxylographerpaleographerbiographer

graphitegraphemegraphologistgraphicgraphically

grammar schoolgrammar booksrules of grammargrammaticalgrammaticallyungrammaticalungrammaticallygrammatology

graph

grammar

gram, graphto write, writtenGreek

gram

tele

tele

Definition: far away, distant

Examples: telephone, telescope

Greek and Latin Roots

photoslight photosynthesis

graph to write or draw autograph

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLES

tele far away. telephone

metron

metron

Definition: measure

Examples: thermometer, meter stick,

geometry

Greek and Latin Roots

photos light photosynthesis

graph to write or draw autograph

tele far away or distant telephone

metron measure thermometer

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLES

phobos

phobos

Definition: unusual fear

Examples: claustrophobia: fear of closed places acrophobia: fear of heights arachnophobia: fear of spiders myctophobia: fear of darkness suriphobia- fear of mice

testophobia- fear of taking tests

Greek and Latin Roots

photos light

graph to write or draw

tele far away or distant

phobos unusual fear

metron measure

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLES

Draw a word tree. Select a root. Grow words.

Write the root word on the bottom near the roots of the tree.

Write words that contain your root on the branches of the tree. Include definitions.

television: box to see distant things telethon: long fundraising event telephone: sound from far away telekinesis: making things move from a distance telescope: device for seeing distant objects

1. extra2. geo

3. human4. aqua

5. sphere6. terra7. spec