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
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