Merriam词根词典笔记

Merriam

• Unit.1
• • BENE
  • AM
  • BELL
  • PAC
  • PROB
  • GRAV
  • LEV
  • Words from Mythology[^mythology] and History
• Unit.2
• • MANIA
  • PSYCH
  • CEPT
  • FIN
  • JECT
  • TRACT
  • DUC/DUCT
  • SEQU
  • Words from Mythology
• Unit 3
• • AMBI
  • EPI
  • HYP/HYPO
  • THERM/THERMO
  • POLY
  • PRIM
  • HOM/HOMO
  • DIS
  • Latin Borrowings
• Unit 4
• • VOR
  • CARN
  • CRED
  • FID
  • CURR/CURS
  • PED
  • FLECT
  • POST
  • Words from Mythology
• Unit 5
• • MAL
  • PROT/PROTO
  • ANTE
  • ORTHO
  • RECT
  • EU
  • DYS
  • Latin Borrowings
• Unit 6
• • EQU
  • QUIS
  • PLE/PLEN
  • METR/METER
  • AUD
  • SON
  • ERR
  • Words from Mythology and History
• Unit 7
• • VIS
  • SPECT
  • VOC
  • PHON
  • CUR
  • PERI
  • SENS
  • SOPH
  • Words from Mythology and History
• Unit 8
• • PORT
  • EXTRA
  • LUC
  • MOR/MORT
  • TROPH
  • Words from Mythology and History
  • Socratic
• Unit 9
• • HER
  • COSM
  • SCI
  • JUNCT
  • PART
  • PEL
  • Words from Mythology
• Unit 10
• • PUT
  • LOG
  • TERR
  • MAR
  • PATH
  • PEN/PUN
  • MATR/MATER
  • AQU
  • Words from Mythology
• Unit 11
• • CANT
  • LINGU
  • SPIR
  • VER
  • TURB
  • VOLU/VOLV
  • Words from Mythology and History
• Unit 12
• • UMBR
  • VEST
  • THE/THEO
  • ICON
  • URB
  • DEM/DEMO
  • Animal Words
• Unit 13
• • CORD
  • CULP
  • DICT
  • GNI/GNO
  • GRAPH
  • ART
  • FORT
  • CIS
  • Animal Words
• Unit 14
• • CRYPT
  • AB/ABS
  • PED-
  • TROP
  • NEO
  • NOV
  • TEN
  • MONO
  • UNI
• Unit 15
• • TERM/TERMIN
  • SPHER
  • VERT
  • MORPH
  • DOC/DOCT
  • TUT/TUI
  • DI/DUP
  • BI/BIN
• Unit 16
• • TOP
  • CENTR/CENTER
  • DOM
  • OMNI
  • HOL/HOLO
  • RETRO
  • TEMPOR
  • Number Words TRI
• Unit 17
• • ANIM
  • ANN/ENN
  • CORP
  • TANG/TACT
  • CODI/CODE
  • QUADR/QUART
• Unit 18
• • CAPIT
  • ANTHROP
  • KINE
  • DYNAM
  • CRIT
  • JUR
  • Pentateuch
  • Pentecostal
  • QUINT
• Unit 19
• • BIO
  • GEN
  • FUNCT
  • MUT
  • FRACT
  • TELE
  • PHIL
  • Anglophile
  • NEG
  • CENT
• Unit 20
• • NOM
  • PATER/PATR
  • LEGA
  • GREG
  • FLU
  • PREHEND/PREHENS
  • TEMPER
  • PURG
  • Number Words MILL
  • HEMI/SEMI
• Unit 21
• • SUB
  • HYPER
  • PRE
  • PARA
  • META
  • PER
  • ANT/ANTI
  • CONTRA
  • Greek
• Unit 22
• • ACER/ACR
  • STRICT
  • STRU/STRUCT
  • PROP/PROPRI
  • TORT
  • VIV
  • CLUS
  • Greek and Latin Borrowings
• Unit 23
• • TEXT
  • PLAC
  • AUT/AUTO
  • GRAT
  • CLAM/CLAIM
  • CRAC/CRAT
  • Greek
• Unit 24
• • MAND
  • UND
  • SANCT
  • LOQU
  • VIR
  • CRE/CRET
  • FUS
  • Greek and Latin Borrowings
• Unit 25
• • VERB
  • SIMIL/SIMUL
  • SCEND
  • ONYM
  • SCRIB/SCRIP
  • FALL
  • SOLU
  • HYDR
  • Greek and Latin Borrowings
• Unit 26
• • MUR
  • POLIS/POLIT
  • NUMER
  • KILO
  • MICRO
  • PAR
  • PHOB
  • HEM/HEMO
  • ITIS
• Unit 27
• • NANO
  • SUPER
  • DE
  • NUL/NULL
  • STRAT
  • LATER
  • TOM
  • IATR
• Unit 28
• • MEDI
  • OID
  • SCOP
  • TRANS
  • PRO
  • RE
  • RE-
  • DERM
  • ENDO
• Unit 29
• • NECRO
  • PALEO
  • CIRCU/CIRCUM
  • MINI/MINU
  • INTER
  • SUR
  • CO
  • SYN
  • Words from Mythology and History
• Unit 30
• • TOXI
  • TEN/TENU
  • TECHNI/TECHNO
  • LONG
  • IDIO
  • AER/AERO
  • CAD
  • Words from Mythology and History

Unit.1

BENE

BENE is Latin for “well”.

• benediction
  A prayer that asks for God’s blessing, especially a prayer that concludes a worship service.
• benefactor
  Someone who helps another person or group, especially by giving money.
• beneficiary
  A person or organization that benefits or is expected to benefit from something, especially one that received money or property when someone dies.
• benevolence
  Kindness, generosity.

AM

AM comes from the Latin amare, “to love”.

• amicable
  Friendly, peaceful.
• enamored
  Charmed or fascinated; inflamed with love.
• amorous
  Having or showing strong feelings of attraction or love.
• paramour
  A lover, often secret, not allowed by law or custom.

BELL

BELL comes from the Latin word meaning “war”.

• antebellum
  Existing before a war, especially before the American Civil War.
• bellicose
  Warlike, aggressive, quarrelsome.
• belligerence
  Aggressiveness, combativeness.
• rebellion
  Open defiance and opposition, sometimes armed, to a person or thing in authority.

PAC

PAC is related to Latin words “agree” and “peace”.

• pacify
  1). To soothe^{1 angel or agitation2.
  2). To subdue3 by armed action.}

• pacifist
  A person opposed to war or violence, especially someone who refuse to bear arms or to fight, on moral or religious grounds.
• pact
  An agreement between two or more people or groups; a treaty or formal agreement between nations to deal with a problem or to resolve a dispute^4.

• pace
  Contrary to the opinion of.
  #CRIM
  CRIM comes from the Latin words for “fault or crime” or “accusation^5”.

• criminology
  The study of crime, criminals, law enforcement, and punishment.
• decriminalize
  To remove or reduce the criminal status of.
• incriminate
  To show evidence of involvement in a crime or a fault.
• recrimination
  1).An accusation in answer to an accusation made against oneself.
  2)The making of such an accusation.

PROB

PROB comes from the Latin words for “prove or proof” and “honest or integrity^6”.

• approbation
  A formal or official act of approving; praise, usually given with pleasure or enthusiasm.
• probate
  The process of proving in court that the will of someone who has died is valid, and of administering the estate of a dead person.
• probity
  Absolute honesty and uprightness^7.

• reprobate
  A person of thoroughly^{8 bad character.}

GRAV

• grave
  1).Requiring serious thought or concern.
  2)Serious and formal in appearance or manner.
• gravitas
  Great or very dignified seriousness.
• gravitate
  To move or be drawn toward something, especially by natural tendency^{9 or as if by an invisible force.}

• aggravate
  1).To make (an injury,problem,etc.) more serious or severe.
  2)To annoy^{10 or bother.}

LEV

LEV comes from the Latin adjective levis, meaning “light”, and the verb levare, meaning “to raise or lighten”.

• alleviate
  To lighten, lessen ,or relieve, especially physical or mental suffering.
• elevation
  1).The height of a place.
  2)The act or result of lifting or raising someone or something.
• cantilever
  A long piece of wood, metal, etc., that sticks out from a wall to support something above it.
• levity
  Lack of appropriate seriousness.

Words from Mythology^{11 and History}

• cicerone
  A guide, especially one who takes tourists to museums, monuments, or architectural sites and explains what is being seen.
• hector
  To bully^{12 or harass13 by bluster14 or personal pressure.}

• hedonism
  An attitude or way of life based on the idea that pleasure or happiness should be the chief goal.
• nestor
  A senior figure or leader in one’s field.
• spartan
  Marked by simplicity, avoidance of luxury, and often strict self-discipline or self-denial^15.

• stentorian
  Extremely loud, often with especially deep richness of sound.
• stoic
  Seemingly indifferent to pleasure or pain.
• sybaritic
  Marked by a luxurious or sensual^{16 way of life.}

Unit.2

MANIA

MANIA in Latin means “madness,” and the meaning passed over into English unchanged.

• kleptomania
  A mental illness in which a person has a strong desire to steal things.
• dipsomaniac
  A person with an extreme and uncontrollable desire for alcohol.
• megalomaniac
  A mental disorder marked by feelings of great personal power and importance.
• egomaniac
  Someone who is extremely self-centered and ignores the problems and concerns of others.

PSYCH

PSYCH comes from the Greek word psyche, meaning “breath, life, soul.”

• psyche
  Soul, personality, mind.
• psychedelic
  1).Of or relating to a drug (such as LSD) that produces abnormal and often extreme mental effects such as hallucinations.
  2).Imitating the effects of psychedelic drugs.
• psychosomatic
  Caused by mental or emotional problems rather than by physical illness.
• psychotherapist
  One who treats mental or emotional disorder or related bodily ills by psychological means.

CEPT

CEPT comes from the Latin verb meaning “take, seize.”

• reception
  1). The act of receiving.
  2).A social gathering where guests are formally welcomed.
• intercept
  To stop, seize, or interrupt (something or someone) before arrival.
• perceptible
  Noticeable or able to be felt by the senses.
• susceptible
  1).Open to some influence; responsive.
  2).Able to be submitted to an action or process.

FIN

FIN comes from the Latin word for “end” or “boundary.”

• confine
  1).To keep (someone or something) within limits.
  2).To hold (someone) in a location.
• definitive 1).Authoritative and final.
  2).Specifying perfectly or precisely.
• finite
  Having definite limits.
• infinitesimal
  Extremely or immeasurably small.

JECT

JECT comes from jacere, the Latin verb meaning “throw” or “hurl.”

• interject
  To interrupt a conversation with a comment or remark.
• conjecture
  To guess.
• projection
  An estimate of what might happen in the future based on what is happening now.
• trajectory
  The curved path that an object makes in space, or that a thrown object follows as it rises and falls to earth.

TRACT

TRACT comes from trahere, the Latin verb meaning “drag or draw.”

• traction
  The friction that allows a moving thing to move over a surface without slipping.
• retract
  1).To pull back (something) into something larger. 2).To take back (something said or written).
• protracted
  Drawn out, continued, or extended.
• intractable
  Not easily handled, led, taught, or controlled.

DUC/DUCT

DUC/DUCT, from the Latin verb ducere, “to lead,” shows up regularly in English.

• conducive
  Tending to promote, encourage, or assist; helpful.
• deduction
  1).Subtraction.
  2).The reaching of a conclusion by reasoning.
• induce
  1).Persuade, influence.
  2).Bring about.
• seduction
  1).Temptation to sin, especially temptation to sexual intercourse.
  2).Attraction or charm.

SEQU

SEQU comes from the Latin verb sequi, meaning “to follow.”

• sequential
  1).Arranged in order or in a series.
  2).Following in a series.
• subsequent
  Following in time, order, or place; later.
• consequential
  1).Resulting. 2).Important.
• non sequitur
  A statement that does not follow logically from anything previously said.

Words from Mythology

• Apollonian
  Harmonious, ordered, rational, calm.
• bacchanalian
  Frenzied, orgiastic.
• delphic
  Unclear, ambiguous, or confusing.
• Dionysian
  Frenzied, delirious.
• jovial
  Jolly, good-natured.
• mercurial
  Having rapid and unpredictable changes of mood.
• Olympian
  Lofty, superior, and detached.
• venereal
  Having to do with sexual intercourse or diseases transmitted by it.

Unit 3

AMBI

AMBI means “on both sides” or “around”; ambi- comes from Latin. Most of us are either right-handed or left-handed, but ambidextrous people can use their right and left hand equally well.

• ambiguous
  1).Doubtful or uncertain especially from being obscure or indistinct.
  2).Unclear in meaning because of being understandable in more than one way.

• ambient
  Existing or present on all sides.

• ambivalent
  1).Holding opposite feelings and attitudes at the same time toward someone or something.
  2).Continually wavering between opposites or alternative courses of action.

• ambit
  The range or limit covered by something (such as a law).

EPI

EPI is a Greek prefix that may mean various things, but usually “on, over” or “attached to.” So an earthquake’s epicenter is the ground right over the center of the quake. And your epidermis is the outer layer of your skin, on top of the inner dermis.

• epilogue
  The final section after the main part of a book or play.

• epiphyte
  A plant that obtains its nutrients from the air and the rain and usually grows on another plant for support.

• epitaph
  An inscription on a grave or tomb in memory of the one buried there.

• epithet
  1).A descriptive word or phrase occurring with or in place of the name of a person or thing.
  2).An insulting or demeaning word or phrase.

HYP/HYPO

HYP/HYPO is a Greek prefix meaning “below, under.” Many hypo- words are medical. A hypodermic needle injects medication under the skin. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, can be just as unhealthy as the betterknown hypertension, or high blood pressure.

• hypochondriac
  A person overly concerned with his or her own health who often suffers from delusions of physical disease.

• hypoglycemia
  Abnormal decrease of sugar in the blood.

• hypothermia
  Subnormal temperature of the body.

• hypothetical
  1).Involving an assumption made for the sake of argument or for further study or investigation.
  2).Imagined for purposes of example.

THERM/THERMO

THERM/THERMO comes from the Greek word meaning “warm.” A thermometer measures the amount of warmth in a body, the air, or an oven. A thermostat makes sure the temperature stays at the same level. And it’s easy to see why the German manufacturers of a vacuum-insulated bottle back in 1904 gave it the name Thermos.

• thermal
  1).Of, relating to, or caused by heat.
  2).Designed to insulate in order to retain body heat.

• thermodynamics
  Physics that deals with the mechanical actions or relations of heat.

• thermonuclear
  Of or relating to the changes in the nucleus of atoms with low atomic weight, such as hydrogen, that require a very high temperature to begin.

POLY

POLY comes from polys, the Greek word for “many.” A polytechnic institute offers instruction in many technical fields. Polygamy is marriage in which one has many spouses, or at least more than the legal limit of one. And polysyllabic words are words of many syllables—of which there are quite a few in this book.

• polyp
  1).A sea invertebrate that has a mouth opening at one end surrounded by stinging tentacles.
  2).A growth projecting from a mucous membrane, as on the colon or vocal cords.

• polyglot
  1).One who can speak or write several languages.
  2).Having or using several languages.

• polymer
  A chemical compound formed by a reaction in which two or more molecules combine to form larger molecules with repeating structural units.

• polygraph
  An instrument for recording changes in several bodily functions (such as blood pressure and rate of breathing) at the same time; lie detector.

PRIM

PRIM comes from primus, the Latin word for “first.” Something primary is first in time, rank, or importance. Something primitive is in its first stage of development. And something primeval had its origin in the first period of world or human history.

• primal
  Basic or primitive.

• primer
  1).A small book for teaching children to read.
  2).A small introductory book on a subject.

• primate
  Any member of the group of animals that includes human beings, apes, and monkeys.

• primordial
  1).First created or developed.
  2).Existing in or from the very beginning.

HOM/HOMO

HOM/HOMO comes from homos, the Greek word for “same,” which in English words may also mean “similar.” A homograph is a word spelled like another word but different in meaning or pronunciation, and a homosexual is a person who favors others of the same sex. (This root has nothing to do with the Latin homo, meaning “person,” as in Homo sapiens, the French homme, and the Spanish hombre.)

• homonym
  One of two or more words pronounced and/or spelled alike but different in meaning.

• homogeneous
  1).Of the same or a similar kind.
  2).Of uniform structure or composition throughout.

• homologous
  Developing from the same or a similar part of a remote ancestor.

• homogenize
  1).To treat (milk) so that the fat is mixed throughout instead of floating on top.
  2).To change (something) so that its parts are the same or similar.

DIS

DIS comes from Latin, where it means “apart.” In English, its meanings have increased to include “opposite” or “not” (as in distaste, disagreeable), “deprive of” (disinfect), or “exclude or expel from” (disbar). The original meaning can still be seen in a word like dissipate, which means “to break up and scatter.”

• dissuade
  To convince (someone) not to do something.

• disorient
  To cause to be confused or lost.

• discredit
  1).To cause (someone or something) to seem dishonest or untrue.
  2).To damage the reputation of (someone).

• dislodge
  To force out of a place, especially a place of rest, hiding, or defense.

Latin Borrowings

• ad hoc
  Formed or used for a particular purpose or for immediate needs.

• ad hominem
  Marked by an attack on an opponent’s character rather than by an answer to the arguments made or the issues raised.

• alter ego
  1).A trusted friend or personal representative.
  2).The opposite side of a personality.

• de facto
  Being such in practice or effect, although not formally recognized; actual.

• quid pro quo
  Something given or received for something else.

• ex post facto
  Done, made, or formulated after the fact.

• modus operandi
  A usual way of doing something.

• modus vivendi
  1).A practical compromise or arrangement that is acceptable to all concerned.
  2).A way of life.

Unit 4

VOR

VOR comes from the Latin verb vorare, “to eat,” and the ending -ivorous shows up in words that refer to eaters of certain kinds of food. Frugivorous (for “fruit-eating”), granivorous (for “grain-eating”), and graminivorous (for “grass-eating”) aren’t too rare, but you won’t run across phytosuccivorous (“plant-sap-eating”) every day.

• carnivorous
  Meat-eating or flesh-eating.

• herbivorous
  Plant-eating.

• insectivorous
  Feeding on insects.

• voracious
  Having a huge appetite.

CARN

CARN comes from a Latin word meaning “flesh” or “meat.” Carnation originally meant “the color of flesh,” which was once the only color of the flower we call the carnation. In Christian countries, Lent is the period when the faithful traditionally give up something they love, often meat. The days leading up to Lent are known as the carnival season, from the Italian carnelevare, later shortened to carnevale, which meant “removal of meat”— though during carnival, of course, people indulge in just about everything, and the removal of meat only comes later.

• carnage
  Great destruction of life (as in a battle); slaughter.

• carnal
  Having to do with bodily pleasures.

• incarnate
  Given bodily or actual form; especially, having human body.

• reincarnation
  1).Rebirth in new bodies or forms of life.
  2).Someone who has been born again with a new body after death.

CRED

CRED comes from credere, the Latin verb meaning “to believe” or “to entrust.” We have a good credit rating when institutions trust in our ability to repay a loan, and we carry credentials so that others will believe that we are who we say we are.

• credence
  Mental acceptance of something as true or real; belief.

• credible
  1).Able to be believed; reasonable to trust or believe.
  2).Good enough to be effective.

• credulity
  Readiness and willingness to believe on the basis of little evidence.

• credo
  1).A statement of the basic beliefs of a religious faith.
  2).A set of guiding principles or beliefs.

FID

FID comes from fides, the Latin word for “faith” or “trust.” Fidelity is another word for “faithfulness.” Confidence is having faith in someone or something. An infidel is someone who lacks a particular kind of religious faith. And the once-popular dog’s name Fido is Latin for “I trust.”

• affidavit
  A sworn statement made in writing.

• diffident
  Lacking confidence; timid, cautious.

• fiduciary
  1).Having to do with a confidence or trust.
  2).Held in trust for another.

• perfidy
  Faithlessness, disloyalty, or treachery.

CURR/CURS

CURR/CURS comes from currere, the Latin verb meaning “to run.” Although words based on this root don’t tend to suggest speed, the sense of movement remains. Current, for instance, refers to running water in a stream or river, or electrons running through a wire, and an excursion is a trip from one place to another.

• concurrent
  Happening or operating at the same time.

• cursory
  Hastily and often carelessly done.

• discursive
  Passing from one topic to another.

• precursor
  One that goes before and indicates the coming of another.

PED

PED comes from the Latin word for “foot.” A pedal is pushed by the foot; a pedicure is a treatment of the feet, toes, and toenails; and a pedestal is what a statue stands on—in a sense, its foot.

• quadruped
  An animal having four feet.

• pedigree
  The line of ancestors of a person or animal.

• impediment
  Something that interferes with movement or progress.

• pedestrian
  Commonplace, ordinary, or unimaginative.

FLECT

FLECT comes from flectere, the Latin verb meaning “to bend.” The root sometimes takes the form flex-. Things that are flexible can be bent, and when you flex a muscle, you’re usually bending a limb—which, as a trainer at the gym will tell you, requires the use of flexor muscles.

• deflect
  To turn aside, especially from a straight or fixed course.

• reflective
  1).Capable of reflecting light, images, or sound waves.
  2).Thoughtful.

• genuflect
  To kneel on one knee and then rise as an act of respect.

• inflection
  1).A change in the pitch, tone, or loudness of the voice.
  2).The change in form of a word showing its case, gender, number, person, tense, mood, voice, or comparison.

POST

POST comes from a Latin word meaning “after” or “behind.” A postscript (or PS) is a note that comes after an otherwise completed letter, usually as an afterthought. Postpartum refers to the period following childbirth, with any related events and complications. To postdate a check is to give it a date after the day it was written.

• posterior
  Situated toward or on the back; rear.

• posthumous
  1).Published after the death of the author.
  2).Following or happening after one’s death.

• postmodern
  Having to do with a movement in
  architecture, art, or literature that is a reaction against modernism and that reintroduces traditional elements and techniques in odd contexts as well as elements from popular culture.

• postmortem
  1).Occurring after death.
  2).Following the event.

Words from Mythology

• calypso
  A folk song or style of singing of West Indian origin that has a lively rhythm and words that are often made up by the singer.

• odyssey
  1).A long, wandering journey full of trials and adventures.
  2).A spiritual journey or quest.

• palladium
  A precious, silver-white metal related to platinum that is used in electrical contacts and as an alloy with gold to form white gold.

• Penelope
  A modest domestic wife.

• procrustean
  Ruthlessly disregarding individual differences or special circumstances.

• protean
  1).Displaying great versatility or variety.
  2).Able to take on many different forms or natures.

• sibyl
  A female prophet or fortune-teller.

• siren
  A woman who tempts men with bewitching sweetness.

Unit 5

MAL

MAL comes from a Latin word meaning “bad.” A malady is a bad condition —a disease or illness—of the body or mind. Malpractice is bad medical practice. Malodorous things smell bad. And a malefactor is someone guilty of bad deeds.

• malevolent
  Having or showing intense ill will or hatred.

• malicious
  Desiring to cause pain, injury, or distress to another.

• malign
  To make harsh and often false or misleading statements about.

• malnourished
  Badly or poorly nourished.

• cataclysm
  1).A violent and massive change of the earth’s surface.
  2).A momentous event that results in great upheaval and often destruction.

• catacomb
  An underground cemetery of connecting passageways with recesses for tombs.

• catalyst
  1).A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction or lets it take place under different conditions.
  2).Someone or something that brings about or speeds significant change or action.

• catatonic
  1).Relating to or suffering from a form of schizophrenia.
  2).Showing an unusual lack of movement, activity, or expression.

PROT/PROTO

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, that 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 of gas and dust that astronomers believe may someday become a planet.

• protagonist
  The main character in a literary work.

• protocol
  1).A code of diplomatic or military rules of behavior.
  2).A set of rules for the formatting of data in an electronic communications system.

• protoplasm
  The substance that makes up the living parts of cells.

• prototype
  1).An original model on which something is patterned.
  2).A first, full-scale, usually working version of a new type or design.

ANTE

ANTE is Latin for “before” or “in front of.” Antediluvian, which describes something very old or outdated, literally means “before the flood”—that is, Noah’s Flood. And antebellum literally means “before the war,” usually the American Civil War.

• antechamber
  An outer room that leads to another and is often used as a waiting room.

• antedate
  1).To date something (such as a check) with a date earlier than that of actual writing.
  2).To precede in time.

• antecedent
  1).A word or phrase that is referred to by a pronoun that follows it.
  2).An event or cause coming before something.

• anterior
  1).Located before or toward the front or head.
  2).Coming before in time or development.

ORTHO

ORTHO comes from orthos, the Greek word for “straight,” “right,” or “true.” Orthotics is a branch of therapy that straightens out your stance or posture by providing artificial support for weak joints or muscles. And orthograde animals, such as human beings, walk with their bodies in a “straight” or vertical position.

• orthodontics
  A branch of dentistry that deals with the treatment and correction of crooked teeth and other irregularities.

• orthodox
  1).Holding established beliefs, especially in religion.
  2).Conforming to established rules or traditions; conventional.

• orthopedics
  The correction or prevention of deformities of the skeleton.

• orthography
  The spelling of words, especially spelling according to standard usage.

RECT

RECT comes from the Latin word rectus, which means “straight” or “right.” To correct something is to make it right. A rectangle is a four-sided figure with straight parallel sides. Rectus, short for Latin rectus musculus, may refer to any of several straight muscles, such as those of the abdomen.

• rectitude
  Moral integrity.

• rectify
  To set right; remedy.

• rectilinear
  1).Moving in or forming a straight line.
  2).Having many straight lines.

• directive
  Something that guides or directs; especially, a general instruction from a high-level body or official.

EU

EU comes from the Greek word for “well”; in English words it can also mean “good” or “true.” A veterinarian who performs euthanasia is providing a very sick or hopelessly injured animal a “good” or easy death.

• eugenic
  Relating to or fitted for the production of good offspring through controlled breeding.

• euphemism
  An agreeable or inoffensive word or expression that is substituted for one that may offend or disgust.

• euphoria
  A strong feeling of well-being or happiness.

• eulogy
  1).A formal speech or writing especially in honor of a dead person.
  2).High praise.

DYS

DYS comes from Greek, where it means “bad” or “difficult.” So dysphagia is difficult swallowing, and dyspnea is difficult or labored breathing. Dysphasia is an inability to use and understand language because of injury to or disease of the brain. Dys- is sometimes close in meaning to dis- (see DIS), but try not to confuse the two.

• dystopia
  An imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives.

• dyslexia
  A disturbance or interference with the ability to read or to use language.

• dyspeptic
  1).Relating to or suffering from indigestion.
  2).Having an irritable temperament; ill-humored.

• dysplasia
  Abnormal development of cells or organs, or an abnormal structure resulting from such growth.

Latin Borrowings

• a fortiori
  All the more certainly.

• a posteriori
  Relating to or derived by reasoning from known or observed facts.

• a priori
  Relating to or derived by reasoning from self-evident propositions.

• bona fide
  1).Made in good faith, without deceit.
  2).Authentic or genuine.

• carpe diem
  Enjoy the pleasures or opportunities of the moment without concern about the future.

• caveat emptor
  Let the buyer beware.

• corpus delicti
  1).The substantial and basic fact or facts necessary to prove that a crime has been committed.
  2).The material substance, such as the murdered body, on which a crime has been committed.

• curriculum vitae
  A short summary of one’s career and qualifications, typically prepared by an applicant for a position; resume.

Unit 6

EQU

EQU comes from the Latin word aequus, meaning “equal.” To equalize means to make things equal. Things that are equivalent have the same value, use, or meaning. All three sides of an equilateral triangle are of the same length. And an equation (for instance, 21 + 47 = 68) is a statement that two mathematical expressions are equal.

• equable
  1).Tending to remain calm.
  2).Free from harsh changes or extreme variation.

• adequacy
  Being equal to some need or requirement.

• equilibrium
  1).A state in which opposing forces are balanced so that one is not stronger or greater than the other.
  2).A state of emotional balance or calmness.

• equinox
  A day when day and night are the same length.

QUIS

QUIS is derived from the Latin verb meaning “to seek or obtain.” The roots quer, quir, and ques are derived from the same Latin verb and give us words such as inquiry and question.

• inquisition
  A questioning or examining that is often harsh or severe.

• perquisite
  1).A privilege or profit that is provided in addition to one’s base salary.
  2).Something claimed as an exclusive possession or right.

• acquisitive
  Eager to acquire; greedy.

• requisition
  A demand or request (such as for supplies) made with proper authority.

PLE/PLEN

PLE/PLEN comes from a Latin word meaning “to fill.” It can be seen in the words plenty, meaning basically “filled,” and complete, meaning “thoroughly filled.”

• plenary
  1).Including all who have a right to attend.
  2).Complete in all ways.

• complement
  1).Something that fills up or makes perfect; the amount needed to make something complete.
  2).A counterpart.

• deplete
  To reduce in amount by using up.

• replete
  Fully or abundantly filled or supplied.

METR/METER

METR/METER 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.

• metric
  1).Relating to or based on the metric system.
  2).Relating to or arranged in meter.

• meter
  1).The basic metric unit of length, equal to about
  2).A systematic rhythm in poetry or music.

• tachometer
  A device used to measure speed of rotation.

AUD

AUD, from the Latin verb audire, is the root that has to do with hearing. What is audible can be heard. An audience is a group of listeners, sometimes seated in an auditorium. And audio today can mean almost anything that has to do with sound.

• auditor
  A person who formally examines and verifies financial accounts.

• auditory
  1).Perceived or experienced through hearing.
  2).Of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing.

• audition
  A trial performance to evaluate a performer’s skills.

• inaudible
  Not heard or capable of being heard.

SON

SON is the Latin root meaning “sound.” Sonata, meaning a piece for one or two instruments, was originally an Italian verb meaning “sounded” (when singers were involved, the Italians used a different verb). And sonorous means full, loud, or rich in sound.

• sonic
  1).Having to do with sound.
  2).Having to do with the speed of sound in air (about 750 miles per hour).

• dissonant
  1).Clashing or discordant, especially in music.
  2).Incompatible or disagreeing.

• resonance
  1).A continuing or echoing of sound.
  2).A richness and variety in the depth and quality of sound.

• ultrasonic
  Having a frequency higher than what can be heard by the human ear.

ERR

ERR, from the Latin verb errare, means “to wander” or “to stray.” The root is seen in the word error, meaning a wandering or straying from what is correct or true. Erratum (plural, errata) is Latin for “mistake”; so an errata page is a book page that lists mistakes found too late to correct before the book’s publication.

• errant
  1).Wandering or moving about aimlessly.
  2).Straying outside proper bounds, or away from an accepted pattern or standard.

• aberrant
  Straying or differing from the right, normal, or natural type.

• erratic
  1).Having no fixed course.
  2).Lacking in consistency.

• erroneous
  Mistaken, incorrect.

• cede
  To give up, especially by treaty; yield.

• concede
  To admit grudgingly; yield.

• accede
  1).To give in to a request or demand.
  2).To give approval or consent.

• precedent
  Something done or said that may be an example or rule to guide later acts of a similar kind.

Words from Mythology and History

• Augean stable
  A condition or place marked by great accumulation of filth or corruption.

dragon’s teeth Seeds of conflict.

• Hades
  The underground home of the dead in Greek mythology.

• lethargic
  1).Lazily sluggish.
  2).Indifferent or apathetic.

• Midas touch The talent for making money in every venture.

• Pyrrhic victory A victory won at excessive cost.

• stygian
  Extremely dark, dank, gloomy, and forbidding.

Unit 7

VIS

VIS comes from a Latin verb meaning “see.” Vision is what enables us to see, visual images are visible to our eyes, and a visitor is someone who comes to see something. The same verb actually gives us another root, vid-, as in Julius Caesar’s famous statement about his military exploits, “Veni, vidi, vici” (“I came, I saw, I conquered”), and such common English words as video.

• vista
  1).A distant view.
  2).An extensive mental view, as over a stretch of time.

vis–vis In relation to or compared with.

• visionary
  1).A person with foresight and imagination.
  2).A dreamer whose ideas are often impractical.

• envisage
  To have a mental picture of; visualize.

SPECT

SPECT comes from the Latin verb specere, meaning “to look at,” and produces several familiar English words. Spectacles can be glasses that you look through; but a spectacle can also be a remarkable sight—in Roman times, perhaps a spectacular chariot race or a spectacularly bloody battle between gladiators and wild beasts, mounted for the pleasure of its spectators.

• aspect
  1).A part of something.
  2).A certain way in which something appears or may be regarded.

• prospect
  1).The possibility that something will happen in the future.
  2).An opportunity for something to happen.

• perspective
  1).Point of view; the angle, direction, or standpoint from which a person looks at something.
  2).The art or technique of painting or drawing a scene so that objects in it seem to have depth and distance.

• prospectus
  A printed statement that describes something (such as a new business or a stock offering) and is sent out to people who may be interested in buying or investing.

VOC

VOC comes from the Latin words meaning “voice” and “speak.” So a vocal ensemble is a singing group. A vocation was originally a “calling” from God to do religious work as a priest, monk, or nun, though today most people use the word just to mean a career. And a vocabulary is a set of words for speaking.

• equivocate
  1).To use ambiguous language, especially in order to deceive.
  2).To avoid giving a direct answer.

• irrevocable
  Impossible to call back or retract.

• advocate
  To speak in favor of.

• vociferous
  Making noisy or emphatic outcries.

PHON

PHON is a Greek root meaning “sound,” “voice,” or “speech.” It’s probably most familiar in the form of the English suffix -phone, in words that begin with a Greek or Latin root as well. Thus, the tele- in telephone means “far,” the micro- in microphone means “small,” the xylo- in xylophone means “wood,” and so on.

• phonics
  A method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the characteristic sounds of letters, letter groups, and especially syllables.

• phonetic
  Relating to or representing the sounds of the spoken language.

• polyphonic
  Referring to a style of music in which two or more melodies are sung or played against each other in harmony.

• cacophony
  Harsh or unpleasant sound.

CUR

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”).

• curative
  Having to do with curing diseases.

• curator
  Someone in charge of something where things are on exhibit, such as a collection, a museum, or a zoo.

• procure
  To get possession of; obtain.

• sinecure
  A job or position requiring little work but usually providing some income.

PERI

PERI, in both Latin and Greek, means “around.” A period is often a span of time that keeps coming around regularly, day after day or year after year. With a periscope, you can see around corners. Peristalsis is the process that moves food around the intestines; without it, digestion would grind to a halt.

• perimeter
  The boundary or distance around a body or figure.

• periodontal
  Concerning or affecting the tissues around the teeth.

• peripatetic
  1).Having to do with walking.
  2).Moving or traveling from place to place.

• peripheral
  1).Having to do with the outer edges, especially of the field of vision.
  2).Secondary or supplemental.

SENS

SENS comes from the Latin noun sensus, meaning “feeling” or “sense.” Sense itself obviously comes straight from the Latin. A sensation is something you sense. And if you’re sensitive, you feel or sense things sharply, maybe even too sharply.

• sensor
  A device that detects a physical quantity (such as a movement or a beam of light) and responds by transmitting a signal.

• desensitize
  To cause (someone or something) to react less to or be less affected by something.

• extrasensory
  Not acting or occurring through any of the known senses.

• sensuous
  1).Highly pleasing to the senses.
  2).Relating to the senses.

SOPH

SOPH come from the Greek words meaning “wise” and “wisdom.” In English the root sometimes appears in words where the wisdom is of the “wise guy” variety, but in words such as philosophy we see it used more respectfully.

• sophistry
  Cleverly deceptive reasoning or argument.

• sophisticated
  1).Having a thorough knowledge of the ways of society.
  2).Highly complex or developed.

• sophomoric
  Overly impressed with one’s own knowledge, but in fact undereducated and immature.

• theosophy
  A set of teachings about God and the world based

• on
  mystical insight, especially teachings founded on a blend of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs.

Words from Mythology and History

• Achilles’ heel
  A vulnerable point.

• arcadia
  A region or setting of rural pleasure and peacefulness.

• Cassandra
  Cassandra A person who predicts misfortune or disaster.

• cyclopean
  Huge or massive.

• draconian
  Extremely severe or cruel.

• myrmidon
  A loyal follower, especially one who executes orders unquestioningly.

• nemesis
  A powerful, frightening opponent or rival who is usually victorious.

• Trojan
  Trojan horse Someone or something that works from within to weaken or defeat.

Unit 8

PORT

PORT comes from the Latin verb portare, meaning “to carry.” Thus, something portable can be carried around. A porter carries your luggage, whether through a train station or high into the Himalayas. When we transport something, we have it carried from one place to another. And goods for export are carried away to another country.

• portage
  The carrying of boats or goods overland from one body of water to another; also, a regular route for such carrying.

2).The investments owned by a person or organization.

• comport
  1).To be in agreement with.
  2).To behave.

• deportment
  Manner of conducting oneself socially.

• pendant
  Something that hangs down, especially as an ornament.

• append
  To add as something extra.

• appendage
  1).Something joined on to a larger or more important body or thing.
  2).A secondary body part, such as an arm or a leg.

• suspend
  1).To stop something, or to force someone to give up some right or position, for a limited time.
  2).To hang something so that it is free on all sides.

• panacea
  A remedy for all ills or difficulties; cure-all.

• pandemonium
  A wild uproar or commotion.

• pantheism
  A system of belief that regards God as identical with the forces and laws of the universe.

• panoply
  1).A magnificent or impressive array.
  2).A display of all appropriate accessory items.

EXTRA

EXTRA is Latin for “outside” or “beyond.” So anything extraterrestrial or extragalactic takes place beyond the earth or the galaxy. Something extravagant, such as an extravaganza, goes way beyond the normal. And extra is naturally a word itself, a shortening of extraordinary, “beyond the ordinary.”

• extradite
  To deliver an accused criminal from one place to another where the trial will be held.

• extrapolate
  To extend or project facts or data into an area not known in order to make assumptions or to predict facts or trends.

• extrovert
  A person mainly concerned with things outside him- or herself; a sociable and outgoing person.

• extraneous
  1).Existing or coming from the outside.
  2).Not forming an essential part; irrelevant.

• photoelectric
  Involving an electrical effect produced by the action of light or other radiation.

• photovoltaic
  Involving the direct generation of electricity when sunlight or other radiant energy falls on the boundary between dissimilar substances (such as two different semiconductors).

• photon
  A tiny particle or bundle of radiant energy.

• photosynthesis
  The process by which green plants use light to produce organic matter from carbon dioxide and water.

LUC

LUC comes from the Latin noun lux, “light,” and the verb lucere, “to shine or glitter.” In ancient Rome, Lucifer, meaning “Light-bearer,” was the name given to the morning star, but the name was eventually transferred by Christians to Satan. This tradition, which dates back to the period before Christ, said that Lucifer had once been among the angels but had wanted to be the great light in the sky, and for his pride had been cast out of heaven and thus became the opponent of everything good.

• lucid
  1).Very clear and easy to understand.
  2).Able to think clearly.

• elucidate
  To clarify by explaining; explain.

• lucubration
  1).Hard and difficult study.
  2).The product of such study.

• translucent
  Partly transparent; allowing light to pass through without permitting objects beyond to be seen clearly.

MOR/MORT

MOR/MORT comes from Latin words meaning “to die” and “death.” A mortuary is a place where dead bodies are kept until burial, and a postmortem examination is one conducted on a recently dead body. The Latin phrase “Memento mori” means “Remember that you must die”; so a memento mori is the name we give to a reminder of death; the skulls you can find carved on gravestones in old cemeteries are examples.

• mortality
  1).The quality or state of being alive and
• therefore
  certain to die.
  2).The number of deaths that occur in a particular time or place.

2).Inactive or becoming outmoded.

• amortize
  To pay off (something such as a mortgage) by making small payments over a period of time.

• mortify
  1).To subdue or deaden (the body) especially by selfdiscipline or self-inflicted pain.
  2).To embarrass greatly.

TROPH

TROPH comes from the Greek trophe, meaning “nourishment.” This particular troph- root doesn’t show up in many everyday English words (the troph- in words like trophy, apostrophe, and catastrophe has a different meaning), but instead tends to appear in scientific terms.

• atrophy
  1).Gradual loss of muscle or flesh, usually because of disease or lack of use.
  2).A decline or degeneration.

2).Exaggerated growth or complexity.

• dystrophy
  Any of several disorders involving the nerves and muscles, especially muscular dystrophy.

• eutrophication
  The process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients.

Words from Mythology and History

• aeolian
  harp A box-shaped instrument with strings that produce musical sounds when the wind blows on them.

• cynosure
  1).A guide.
  2).A center of attention.

• laconic
  Using extremely few words.

• mnemonic
  Having to do with the memory; assisting the memory.

• platonic
  1).Relating to the philosopher Plato or his teachings.

2).Involving a close relationship from which romance and sex are absent.

• sapphic
  1).Lesbian.
  2).Relating to a poetic verse pattern associated with Sappho.

Socratic

Socratic Having to do with the philosopher Socrates or with his teaching method, in which he systematically questioned the student in conversation in order to draw forth truths.

• solecism
  1).A grammatical mistake in speaking or writing.

2).A blunder in etiquette or proper behavior.

Unit 9

HER

HER comes from the Latin verb haerere, meaning “to stick.” Another form of the verb produces the root hes-, seen in such words as adhesive, which means basically “sticky” or “sticking,” and hesitate, which means more or less “stuck in one place.”

• adherent
  1).Someone who follows a leader, a party, or a profession.
  2).One who believes in a particular philosophy or religion.

• cohere
  To hold together firmly as parts of the same mass.

• incoherent
  1).Unclear or difficult to understand.
  2).Loosely organized or inconsistent.

• inherent
  Part of something by nature or habit.

• centrifugal
  Moving outward from a center or central focus.

• refuge
  Shelter or protection from danger or distress, or a place that provides shelter or protection.

• fugue
  A musical form in which a theme is echoed and imitated by voices or instruments that enter one after another and interweave as the piece proceeds.

• subterfuge
  1).A trick designed to help conceal, escape, or evade.
  2).A deceptive trick.

COSM

COSM comes from the Greek word for “order.” Since the Greeks believed the universe was an orderly place, words in this group usually relate to the universe. So cosmonaut was the word for a space traveler from the former Soviet Union. (The roots of our own word, astronaut, suggest “star traveler” instead.) Oddly enough, cosmetics comes from the same root, since putting things in order is similar to decorating something—such as your face.

• cosmos
  1).The universe, especially when it is viewed as orderly and systematic.
  2).Any orderly system that is complete in itself.

• cosmology
  1).A theory that describes the nature of the universe.
  2).A branch of astronomy that deals with the origin and structure of the universe.

• microcosm
  Something (such as a place or an event) that is seen as a small version of something much larger.

• cosmopolitan
  1).Having international sophistication and experience.
  2).Made up of persons, elements, or influences from many different parts of the world.

SCI

SCI comes from the Latin verb scire, “to know” or “to understand.” The root appears in such common words as science, which originally meant simply “knowledge,” and conscience, meaning “moral knowledge.” And to be conscious is to be in a state where you are able to know or understand.

• conscientious
  1).Governed by morality; scrupulous.

2).Resulting from painstaking or exact attention.

• nescience
  Lack of knowledge or awareness: ignorance.

• unconscionable
  1).Not guided by any moral sense; unscrupulous.
  2).Shockingly excessive, unreasonable, or unfair.

JUNCT

JUNCT comes from the Latin verb jungere, meaning “to join.” A junction is a place where roads or railways come together. A conjunction is a word that joins two other words or groups of words: “this and that,” “to be or not to be.”

• juncture
  1).An important point in a process or activity.
  2).A place where things join: junction.

• adjunct
  Something joined or added to another thing of which it is not a part.

• disjunction
  A break, separation, or sharp difference between two things.

• conjunct
  Bound together; joined, united.

PART

PART, from the Latin word pars, meaning “part,” comes into English most obviously in our word part. An apartment or compartment is part of a larger whole. The same is usually true of a particle.

• bipartite
  1).Being in two parts.
  2).Shared by two.

• impartial
  Fair and not biased; treating or affecting all equally.

• participle
  A word that is formed from a verb but used like an adjective.

• partisan
  1).A person who is strongly devoted to a particular cause or group.
  2).A guerrilla fighter.

• mission
  1).A task that someone is given to do, especially a military task.
  2).A task that someone considers an important duty.

• missionary
  A person undertaking a mission, and especially a religious missionary.

• emissary
  Someone sent out to represent another; an agent.

• transmission
  1).The act or process of sending something from one point to another, especially sending electrical signals to a radio, television, computer, etc.
  2).The gears by which the power is passed from the engine to the axle in a motor vehicle.

PEL

PEL comes from the Latin verb pellere, meaning “to move or drive.” So a propeller moves a small airplane forward. And if you dispel someone’s fears, you “drive them away.”

• compel
  1).To force (someone) to do something.
  2).To make
  (something) happen.

• expel
  1).To drive or force out.
  2).To force to leave, usually by official action.

• impel
  To urge or drive forward by strong moral force.

• repel
  1).To keep (something) out or away.
  2).To drive back.

Words from Mythology

• arachnid
  A member of the class Arachnida, which principally includes animals with four pairs of legs and no antennae, such as spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks.

• dryad
  A wood nymph.

• fauna
  Animal life, especially the animals that live naturally in a given area or environment.

• flora
  Plant life, especially the flowering plants that live naturally in a specific area or environment.

• herculean
  1).Extremely strong.
  2).Extremely extensive, intense, or difficult.

• Pandora’s box
  A source of many troubles.

• Scylla
  Scylla and Charybdis Two equally dangerous alternatives.

Unit 10

PUT

PUT comes from the Latin verb putare, meaning “to think, consider, or believe.” So, for example, a reputation is what others think of you. But when the root shows up in such words as compute, dispute, and deputy, its meaning is harder to trace.

• reputed
  Believed to be a certain way by popular opinion.

• disrepute
  Loss or lack of good reputation; disgrace.

• impute
  To attribute.

• putative
  Generally supposed; assumed to exist.

LOG

LOG, from the Greek word logos, meaning “word,” “speech,” or “reason,” is found particularly in English words that end in -logy and -logue. The ending logy often means “the study of”; so, for instance, biology is the study of life, and anthropology is the study of humans. And -logue usually indicates a type of discussion; thus, dialogue is conversation between two people or groups, and an epilogue is an author’s last words on a subject. But exceptions aren’t hard to find.

• physiology
  1).A branch of biology dealing with the processes and activities by which living things, tissues, and cells function.
  2).The life processes and activities of a living thing or any of its parts.

• methodology
  A set of methods or rules followed in a science or field.

• ideology
  The set of ideas and beliefs of a group or political party.

• cardiology
  The study of the heart and its action and diseases.

TERR

TERR comes from the Latin terra, “earth.” A territory is a large expanse of land. Terra firma is Latin for “firm ground” as opposed to the swaying seas. A terrace is a leveled area, often one created for farming on a sloping hill. And the French word for potato, pomme de terre, means literally “apple of the earth.”

• parterre
  1).A decorative garden with paths between the beds of plants.
  2).The back area of the ground floor of a theater, often under the balcony.

• subterranean
  Underground.

• terrarium
  An enclosure, usually transparent, with a layer of dirt in the bottom in which plants and sometimes small animals are kept indoors.

• terrestrial
  1).Having to do with Earth or its inhabitants.
  2).Living or growing on land instead of in water or air.

MAR

MAR, from the Latin word mare, meaning “sea,” brings its salty tang to several English words. A submarine is an undersea ship. Marine means basically “relating to the sea,” so when the Continental Marines were established back in 1775, their job was to provide on-board security on naval ships; but they immediately began to be used on land as well, and the marines have continued to operate on both land and sea ever since.

• marina
  A dock or harbor where pleasure boats can be moored securely, often with facilities offering supplies or repairs.

• aquamarine
  1).A transparent blue or blue-green gem.

2).A pale blue or greenish blue that is the color of clear seawater in sunlight.

• mariner
  A seaman or sailor.

• maritime
  1).Bordering on or having to do with the sea.
  2).Having to do with navigation or commerce on the sea.

PATH

PATH comes from the Greek word pathos, which means “feeling” or “suffering.” So a pathetic sight moves us to pity, and a sympathetic friend “feels with” you when you yourself are suffering.

• pathos
  1).An element in life or drama that produces sympathetic pity.
  2).An emotion of sympathetic pity.

• apathetic
  1).Showing or feeling little or no emotion.
  2).Having no interest.

• empathy
  The feeling of, or the ability to feel, the emotions and sensations of another.

• telepathic
  Involving apparent communication from one mind to another without speech or signs.

PEN/PUN

PEN/PUN comes from the Latin words poena, “penalty,” and punire, “to punish.” A penalty is, of course, a punishment.

• penal
  Having to do with punishment or penalties, or institutions where punishment is given.

• impunity
  Freedom from punishment, harm, or loss.

• penance
  An act of self-punishment or religious devotion to show sorrow or regret for sin or wrongdoing.

• punitive
  Giving, involving, or aiming at punishment.

MATR/MATER

MATR/MATER comes from the Greek and Latin words for “mother.” A matron is a mature woman with children. And matrimony is marriage itself, the traditional first step toward motherhood.

• maternity
  The state of being a mother; motherhood.

• matriarch
  A woman who controls a family, group, or government.

• matrilineal
  Based on or tracing the family through the mother.

• matrix
  1).Something (such as a situation or a set of conditions) in which something else develops or forms.
  2).Something shaped like a pattern of lines and spaces.

AQU

AQU comes from aqua, the Latin word for “water.” We keep pet fish in an aquarium at home or visit larger sea animals in a building with that name. Water sports such as swimming, canoeing, and sailing are sometimes called aquatics. In Scandinavia there’s a popular drink called aquavit, the name coming from the Latin aqua vitae, “water of life”—though instead of water it mostly consists of alcohol.

• aquaculture
  The farming of plants and animals (such as kelp, fish, and shellfish) that live in the water.

• aquanaut
  A scuba diver who lives and works both inside and outside an underwater shelter for an extended time.

• aqueduct
  1).A pipe or channel for water.
  2).A bridgelike structure for carrying water over a valley.

• aquifer
  A layer of rock, sand, or gravel that can absorb and hold water.

Words from Mythology

• cereal
  1).A plant that produces grain that can be eaten as food, or the grain it produces.
  2).The food made from grain.

• Junoesque
  Having mature, poised, and dignified beauty.

• martial
  Having to do with war and military life.

• Promethean
  Promethean New or creative in a daring way.

• Sisyphean
  Endless and difficult, involving many disappointments.

• titanic
  Having great size, strength, or power; colossal.

• Triton
  1).A being with a human upper body and the lower body of a fish; a merman.
  2).Any of various large mollusks with a heavy, conical shell.

• vulcanize
  To treat crude or synthetic rubber or plastic so that it becomes elastic and strong and resists decay.

Unit 11

CANT

CANT, from the Latin verb cantare, meaning “sing,” produces several words that come directly from Latin. But some others came to English by way of French, which added an h to the root, giving us such words as chant and chantey.

• cantata
  A musical composition, particularly a religious work from the 17th or 18th century, for one or more voices accompanied by instruments.

• incantation
  1).A use of spells or verbal charms spoken or sung as part of a ritual of magic.
  2).A formula of words used in, or as if in, such a ritual.

• cantor
  An official of a Jewish synagogue who sings or chants the music of the services and leads the congregation in prayer.

• descant
  An additional melody sung above the principal melody.

LINGU

LINGU comes from the Latin word that means both “tongue” and
“language,” and in English today tongue can still mean “language” (as in “her native tongue”). Our expression “slip of the tongue” is just a translation of the Latin phrase lapsus linguae. The root even shows up in a slangy-sounding word like lingo. And since lingu- changed to langu- in French, our word language is related as well.

• linguistics
  The study of human speech.

• multilingual
  Using or able to use several languages.

• lingua
  franca A language used as a common or commercial language among peoples who speak different languages.

• linguine
  A narrow, flat pasta.

SPIR

SPIR comes from the Latin words meaning “breath” and “breathe.” When we inspire others—that is, give them inspiration—it’s as though we’re breathing new energy and imagination into them. When you expire, or die, you “breathe out” your soul in your last breath. A license, membership, credit card, or free offer may also expire, at a time indicated by its expiration date.

• spirited
  Full of energy or courage; very lively or determined.

• dispiriting
  Causing a loss of hope or enthusiasm.

• respirator
  1).A device worn over the nose and mouth to filter out dangerous substances from the air.
  2).A device for maintaining artificial respiration.

• transpire
  1).To happen.
  2).To become known.

VER

VER comes from the Latin word for “truth.” A verdict in a trial is “the truth spoken” (see DICT). But a just verdict may depend on the veracity, or “truthfulness,” of the witnesses.

• verify
  1).To prove to be true or correct.
  2).To check or test the accuracy of.

• aver
  To state positively as true; declare.

• verisimilitude
  1).The appearance of being true or probable.
  2).The depiction of realism in art or literature.

• veracity
  1).Truth or accuracy.
  2).The quality of being truthful or honest.

TURB

TURB comes from the Latin verb turbare, “to throw into confusion or upset,” and the noun turba, “crowd” or “confusion.” So a disturbance, for example, confuses and upsets normal order or routine.

• turbid
  1).Thick or murky, especially with churned-up sediment.

2).Unclear, confused, muddled.

• perturb
  To upset, confuse, or disarrange.

• turbine
  A rotary engine with blades made to turn and generate power by a current of water, steam, or air under pressure.

• turbulent
  1).Stirred up, agitated.
  2).Stirring up unrest, violence, or disturbance.

VOLU/VOLV

VOLU/VOLV comes from the Latin verb volvere, meaning “to roll, wind, turn around, or twist around.” Thus, revolve simply means “turn in circles.” And a volume was originally a scroll or roll of papyrus.

• voluble
  Speaking readily and rapidly; talkative.

• devolve
  (
  1).To pass (responsibility, power, etc.) from one person or group to another person or group at a lower level of authority.
  2).To gradually go from an advanced state to a less advanced state.

• evolution
  A process of change from a lower, simpler, or worse state to one that is higher, more complex, or better.

• convoluted
  1).Having a pattern of curved windings.
  2).Involved, intricate.

• factor
  Something that contributes to producing a result: ingredient.

• factotum
  A person whose job involves doing many different kinds of work.

• facile
  1).Easily accomplished.
  2).Shallow, superficial.

• facilitate
  To make (something) easier; to make (something) run more smoothly.

• lumen
  In physics, the standard unit for measuring the rate of the flow of light.

• luminous
  1).Producing or seeming to produce light.
  2).Filled with light.

• bioluminescent
  Relating to light given off by living organisms.

• luminary
  A very famous or distinguished person.

Words from Mythology and History

• muse
  A source of inspiration; a guiding spirit.

• iridescent
  Having a glowing, rainbowlike play of color that seems to change as the light shifts.

• mausoleum
  1).A large tomb, especially one built aboveground with shelves for the dead.
  2).A large, gloomy building or room.

• mentor
  A trusted counselor, guide, tutor, or coach.

• narcissism
  1).Extreme self-centeredness or fascination with oneself.
  2).Love or desire for one’s own body.

• tantalize
  To tease or torment by offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach.

• thespian
  An actor.

• zephyr
  1).A breeze from the west.
  2).A gentle breeze.

Unit 12

UMBR

UMBR comes from the Latin umbra, meaning “shadow.” Thus, the familiar umbrella, with its ending meaning “little,” casts a “little shadow” to keep off the sun or the rain.

• umber
  1).A darkish brown mineral containing manganese and iron oxides used for coloring paint.
  2).A color that is greenish brown to dark reddish brown.

2).To hint at or foretell.

• penumbra
  1).The partial shadow surrounding a complete shadow, as in an eclipse.
  2).The fringe or surrounding area where something exists less fully.

• umbrage
  A feeling of resentment at some slight or insult, often one that is imagined rather than real.

VEST

VEST comes from the Latin verb vestire, “to clothe” or “to dress,” and the noun vestis, “clothing” or “garment.” Vest is the shortest English word we have from this root, and is the name of a rather small piece of clothing.

• divest
  1).To get rid of or free oneself of property, authority, or title.
  2).To strip of clothing, ornaments, or equipment.

• investiture
  The formal placing of someone in office.

• transvestite
  A person, especially a male, who wears the clothing and adopts the mannerisms of the opposite sex.

• travesty
  1).An inferior or distorted imitation.
  2).A broadly comic imitation in drama, literature, or art that is usually grotesque and ridiculous.

THE/THEO

THE/THEO comes from the Greek word meaning “god.” Theology, the study of religion, is practiced by theologians. Monotheism is the worship of a single god; Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are monotheistic religions, and all three worship the same god. Polytheistic religions such as those of ancient Greece and Rome, on the other hand, worship many gods.

• apotheosis
  1).Transformation into a god.
  2).The perfect example.

• atheistic
  Denying the existence of God or divine power.

• pantheon
  1).A building serving as the burial place of or containing memorials to the famous dead of a nation.
  2).A group of notable persons or things.

• theocracy
  1).Government by officials who are regarded as divinely inspired.
  2).A state governed by a theocracy.

ICON

ICON comes from the Greek eikon, which led to the Latin icon, both meaning “image.” Though the icon- root hasn’t produced many English words, the words that is does appear in tend to be interesting.

• icon
  1).A religious image usually painted on a small wooden panel: idol.
  2).Emblem, symbol.

• iconic
  1).Symbolic.
  2).Relating to a greatly admired and successful person or thing.

• iconoclast
  1).A person who destroys religious images or opposes their use.
  2).A person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions.

• iconography
  1).The imagery and symbolism of a work of art or an artist.
  2).The study of artistic symbolism.

URB

URB comes from the Latin noun for “city.” Our word urban describes cities and the people who live in them. With its sub- prefix (see SUB), a suburb is a town “near” or “under” a larger city, and suburban houses are home to suburbanites.

• urbane
  Sophisticated and with polished manners.

• exurban
  Relating to a region or settlement that lies outside a city and usually beyond its suburbs and often is inhabited chiefly by well-todo families.

• interurban
  Going between or connecting cities or towns.

• urbanization
  The process by which towns and cities are formed and become larger as more and more people begin living and working in central areas.

• acculturation
  1).Modification of the culture of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture.
  2).The process by which a human being acquires the culture of a particular society from infancy.

cross-cultural Dealing with or offering comparison between two or more different cultures or cultural areas.

• horticulture
  The science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants.

• subculture
  A group whose beliefs and behaviors are different from the main groups within a culture or society.

DEM/DEMO

DEM/DEMO comes from the Greek word meaning “people.” “Government by the people” was invented by the ancient Greeks, so it’s appropriate that they were the first to come up with a word for it: demokratia, or democracy.

• demographic
  Having to do with the study of human populations, especially their size, growth, density, and patterns of living.

• endemic
  1).Found only in a given place or region.
  2).Often found in a given occupation, area, or environment.

• demagogue
  A political leader who appeals to the emotions and prejudices of people in order to arouse discontent and to advance his or her own political purposes.

• demotic
  Popular or common.

• populist
  A believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people.

• populace
  1).The common people or masses.
  2).Population.

• populous
  Numerous, densely settled, or having a large population.

• vox
  populi Popular sentiment or opinion.

Animal Words

• aquiline
  1).Relating to eagles.
  2).Curving like an eagle’s beak.

• asinine
  Foolish, brainless.

• bovine
  1).Relating to cows and oxen.
  2).Placid, dull, unemotional.

• canine
  Relating to dogs or the dog family; doglike.

• feline
  1).Relating to cats or the cat family.
  2).Like a cat in being sleek, graceful, sly, treacherous, or stealthy.

• leonine
  Relating to lions; lionlike.

• porcine
  Relating to pigs or swine; piglike.

• vulpine
  1).Relating to foxes; foxlike.
  2).Sneaky, clever, or crafty; foxy.

Unit 13

CORD

CORD, from the Latin word for “heart,” turns up in several common English words. So does its Greek relative card-, which is familiar to us in words such as cardiac, “relating to the heart.”

• accord
  1).To grant.
  2).To be in harmony; agree.

• concord
  1).A state of agreement: harmony.
  2).A formal agreement.

• cordial
  Warm, friendly, gracious.

• discordant
  Being at odds, conflicting, not in harmony.

CULP

CULP comes from the Latin word for “guilt.” Its best-known appearance in English is probably in culprit, meaning someone who is guilty of a crime.

• culpable
  Deserving to be condemned or blamed.

• exculpate
  To clear from accusations of fault or guilt.

• inculpate
  To accuse or incriminate; to show evidence of someone’s involvement in a fault or crime.

• mea
  culpa An admission of personal fault or error.

DICT

DICT comes from dicere, the Latin word meaning “to speak.” So a dictionary is a treasury of words for speaking. And a contradiction (with its prefix contra-, “against”) speaks against or denies something.

• diction
  1).Choice of words, especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.
  2).Clarity of speech.

• edict
  1).An official announcement that has the force of a law.
  2).An order or command.

• jurisdiction
  1).The power or right to control or exercise authority.
  2).The territory where power may be exercised.

• dictum
  A formal and authoritative statement.

GNI/GNO

GNI/GNO comes from a Greek and Latin verb meaning “to know,” and can be found at the root of know itself. Among other words built from this root, you may recognize (“know again”) some and be ignorant of (“not know”) others. But only an ignoramus would know absolutely none of them.

• cognitive
  1).Having to do with the process of knowing, including awareness, judgment, and understanding.
  2).Based on factual knowledge that has been or can be gained by experience.

• agnostic
  A person who believes that whether God exists is not known and probably cannot be known.

• incognito
  In disguise, or with one’s identity concealed.

• prognosis
  1).The chance of recovery from a given disease or condition.
  2).A forecast or prophecy.

GRAPH

GRAPH comes from the Greek verb graphein, “to write.” Thus, a biography is a written account of someone’s life (see BIO), a discography is a written list of recordings on disc (records or CDs), and a filmography is a list of motion pictures. But lots of uses of -graph and -graphy don’t mean literally “writing” (as in autograph or paragraph), but instead something more like “recording,” as in photography, seismograph, or graph itself.

• calligraphy
  The art of producing beautiful handwriting.

• hagiography
  1).Biography of saints.
  2).Biography that idealizes or idolizes.

• choreography
  1).The art of composing and arranging dances and of representing them in symbolic notation.
  2).The movements by dancers in a performance.

• lithograph
  A picture made by printing from a flat surface (such as a smooth stone) prepared so that the ink will only stick to the design that will be printed.

ART

ART comes from the Latin word for “skill.” This reminds us that, until a few centuries ago, almost no one made a strong distinction between skilled craftsmanship and what we would now call “art.” And the word art itself could also mean simply “cleverness.” The result is that this root appears in some words where we might not expect it.

• artful
  1).Skillful.
  2).Wily, crafty, sly.

• artifact
  A usually simple object made by human workmanship, such as a tool or ornament, that represents a culture or a stage in a culture’s development.

• artifice
  1).Clever skill.
  2).A clever trick.

• artisan
  A skilled worker or craftsperson.

FORT

FORT comes from fortis, Latin for “strong.” The familiar noun fort, meaning a building strengthened against possible attacks, comes directly from it. And our verb comfort actually means “to give strength and hope to.”

• fortify
  To strengthen.

• fortification
  1).The building of military defenses to protect a place against attack.
  2).A structure built to protect a place.

• forte
  Something that a person does particularly well; one’s strong point.

• fortitude
  Mental strength that allows one to face danger, pain, or hardship with courage.

CIS

CIS comes from the Latin verb meaning “to cut, cut down, or slay.” An incisor is one of the big front biting teeth; beavers and woodchucks have especially large ones. A decision “cuts off” previous discussion and uncertainty.

• concise
  Brief and condensed, especially in expression or statement.

• excise
  To cut out, especially surgically.

• incisive
  Impressively direct and decisive.

• precision
  Exactness and accuracy.

Animal Words

• apiary
  A place where bees are kept for their honey.

• caper
  1).A playful leap.
  2).A prank or mischievous adventure.

• equestrian
  Of or relating to horseback riding.

• lupine
  Like a wolf; wolfish.

• ovine
  Of, relating to, or resembling sheep.

• ornithologist
  A person who studies birds.

• serpentine
  Like a snake or serpent in shape or movement; winding.

• simian
  Having to do with monkeys or apes; monkeylike.

Unit 14

CRYPT

CRYPT comes from the Greek word for “hidden.” To encrypt a message is to encode it—that is, to hide its meaning in code language. When a scientific term begins with crypto-, it always means that there’s something hidden about it .

• crypt
  1).A room completely or partly underground, especially under the main floor of a church.
  2).A room or area in a large aboveground tomb.

• encrypt
  1).To convert into cipher.
  2).To convert a message into code.

• cryptic
  1).Mysterious; puzzlingly short.
  2).Acting to hide or conceal.

• cryptography
  1).Secret writing.
  2).The encoding and decoding of messages.

AB/ABS

AB/ABS comes to us from Latin, and means “from,” “away,” or “off.” Abuse is the use of something in the wrong way. To abduct is to “lead away from” or kidnap. Aberrant behavior is behavior that “wanders away from” what is acceptable. But there are so many words that include these roots that it would be absurd to try to list them all here.

• abscond
  To depart in secret and hide.

• abstemious
  Restrained, especially in the consumption of food or alcohol.

• abstraction
  The consideration of a thing or idea without associating it with a particular example.

• abstruse
  Hard to understand; deep or complex.

PED-

PED- comes from the Greek word for “child.” The same root also has the meaning “foot” (see PED), but in English words it usually isn’t hard to tell the two apart.

• pedagogy
  The art, science, or profession of teaching.

• pedant
  1).A formal, unimaginative teacher.
  2).A person who shows off his or her learning.

• pediatrician
  A doctor who specializes in the diseases, development, and care of children.

• encyclopedic
  1).Of or relating to an encyclopedia.
  2).Covering a wide range of subjects.

TROP

TROP comes from the Greek tropos, meaning “turn” or “change.” The troposphere is the level of the atmosphere where most weather changes—or “turns in the weather”—occur. And the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn are the lines of latitude where the sun is directly overhead when it reaches its northernmost and southernmost points, on about June 22 and December 22 every year—that is, the point where it seems to turn and go back the other way.

• tropism
  Automatic movement by an organism unable to move about from place to place, especially a plant, that involves turning or growing toward or away from a stimulus.

• entropy
  1).The decomposition of the matter and energy in the universe to an ultimate state of inactive uniformity.
  2).Chaos, randomness.

• heliotrope
  Any of a genus of herbs or shrubs having small white or purple flowers.

• psychotropic
  Acting on the mind.

NEO

NEO comes from the Greek neos, meaning “new.” Neo- has become a part of many English words. Some are easy to understand; for example, neo-Nazi. Some are less so; you might not immediately guess that neotropical means
“from the tropics of the New World,” or that a neophyte is a “newcomer.” When William Ramsay discovered four new gases, he named them all using Greek roots that at first glance might sound slightly mysterious: argon (“idle”), krypton (“hidden”), xenon (“strange”)—and neon (“new”).

• neoclassic
  Relating to a revival or adaptation of the styles of ancient Greece and Roman, especially in music, art, or architecture.

• neoconservative
  A conservative who favors strongly encouraging democracy and the U.S. national interest in world affairs, including through military means.

• neonatal
  Of or relating to babies in the first month after their birth.

NOV

NOV comes from the Latin word novus, meaning “new.” To renovate an old house is to “make it new again”—that is, put it back in tip-top shape. The long-running PBS show Nova keeps its large audience up to date on what’s new in the world of science. And when the British king sent Scottish settlers to a large island off Canada’s Atlantic coast in the 17th century, he named it Nova Scotia, or “New Scotland.”

• novice
  1).One who has no previous training or experience in a specific field or activity; beginner.
  2).A new member of a religious order who is preparing to become a nun or monk.

• novel
  1).New and not resembling something formerly known or used.
  2).Original and striking, especially in conception or style.

• innovation
  1).A new idea, device, or method.
  2).The introduction of new ideas, devices, or methods.

• supernova
  1).The explosion of a star that causes it to become extremely bright.
  2).Something that explodes into prominence or popularity.

• impose
  1).To establish or apply as a charge or penalty or in a forceful or harmful way.
  2).To take unfair advantage.

• juxtapose
  To place side by side.

• transpose
  1).To change the position or order of (two things).
  2).To move from one place or period to another.

• superimpose
  To put or place one thing over something else.

TEN

TEN, from the Latin verb tenere, basically means “hold” or “hold on to.” A tenant is the “holder” of an apartment, house, or land, but not necessarily the owner. A lieutenant governor may “hold the position” ( “serve in lieu”) of the governor when necessary.

• tenure
  1).The amount of time that a person holds a job, office, or title.
  2).The right to keep a job, especially the job of teacher or professor.

• tenacious
  Stubborn or determined in clinging to something.

• tenable
  Capable of being held or defended; reasonable.

• tenet
  A widely held principle or belief, especially one held in common by members of a group or profession.

MONO

MONO comes from the Greek monos, meaning “along” or “single.” So a monorail is a railroad that has only one rail; a monocle is an old-fashioned eyeglass that a gentleman used to squeeze into his eye socket; a monotonous voice seems to have only one tone; and a monopoly puts all ownership of a type of product or service in the hands of a single company.

• monogamous
  Being married to one person or having one mate at a time.

• monoculture
  1).The cultivation of a single crop to the exclusion of other uses of land.
  2).A culture dominated by a single element.

• monolithic
  1).Appearing to be a huge, featureless, often rigid whole.
  2).Made up of material with no joints or seams.

• monotheism
  The worship of a single god.

UNI

UNI comes from the Latin word for “one.” A uniform is a single design worn by everyone. A united group has one single opinion, or forms a single unit. A unitard is a one-piece combination leotard and tights, very good for skating, skiing, dancing—or riding a one-wheeled unicycle.

• unicameral
  Having only one lawmaking chamber.

• unilateral
  1).Done by one person or party; one-sided.
  2).Affecting one side of the body.

• unison
  1).Perfect agreement.
  2).Sameness of musical pitch.

• unitarian
  Relating or belonging to a religious group that believes that God exists only in one person and stresses individual freedom of belief.

Unit 15

TERM/TERMIN

TERM/TERMIN comes from the Latin verb terminare, “to limit, bound, or set limits to,” and the noun terminus, “limit or boundary.” In English, those boundaries or limits tend to be final. A term goes on for a given amount of time and then ends, and to terminate a sentence or a meeting or a ballgame means to end it.

• terminal
  1).Forming or relating to an end or limit.
  2).Fatal.

• indeterminate
  Not precisely determined; vague.

• interminable
  Having or seeming to have no end; tiresomely drawn out.

• terminus
  1).The end of a travel route (such as a rail or bus line), or the station at the end of a route.
  2).An extreme point; tip.

• geocentric
  Having or relating to the Earth as the center.

• geophysics
  The science that deals with the physical processes and phenomena occurring especially in the Earth and in its vicinity.

• geostationary
  Being or having an orbit such that a satellite remains in a fixed position above the Earth, especially having such an orbit above the equator.

• geothermal
  Of, relating to, or using the natural heat produced inside the Earth.

SPHER

SPHER comes from the Greek word for “ball.” A ball is itself a sphere, as is the ball that we call Earth. So is the atmosphere, and so are several other invisible “spheres” that encircle the Earth.

• spherical
  Relating to a sphere; shaped like a sphere or one of its segments.

• stratosphere
  1).The part of the earth’s atmosphere that extends from about seven to about 30 miles above the surface.
  2).A very high or the highest region.

• biosphere
  1).The part of the world in which life can exist.
  2).Living things and their environment.

• hemisphere
  Half a sphere, especially half the global sphere as divided by the equator or a meridian.

VERT

VERT comes from the Latin verb vertere, meaning “to turn” or “to turn around.” Vertigo is the dizziness that makes it seem as if everything is turning around you. And an advertisement turns your attention to a product or service.

• divert
  1).To turn from one purpose or course to another.
  2).To give pleasure to by distracting from burdens or distress.

• converter
  A device that changes something (such as radio signals, radio frequencies, or data) from one form to another.

• avert
  1).To turn (your eyes or gaze) away or aside.
  2).To avoid or prevent.

• revert
  1).To go back or return (to an earlier state, condition, situation, etc.).
  2).To be given back to (a former owner).

MORPH

MORPH comes from the Greek word for “shape.” Morph is itself an English word with a brand-new meaning, which was needed when we began to digitally alter photographic images or shapes to make them move or transform themselves in often astonishing ways.

• amorphous
  Without a definite shape or form; shapeless.

• anthropomorphic
  1).Having or described as having human form or traits.
  2).Seeing human traits in nonhuman things.

• metamorphosis
  1).A physical change, especially one supernaturally caused.
  2).A developmental change in an animal that occurs after birth or hatching.

• morphology
  1).The study of the structure and form of plants and animals.
  2).The study of word formation.

• format
  1).The shape, size, and general makeup of something.
  2).A general plan, arrangement, or choice of material.

• conform
  1).To be similar or identical; to be in agreement or harmony.
  2).To follow ordinary standards or customs.

• formality
  1).An established custom or way of behaving that is required or standard.
  2).The following of conventional rules.

• formative
  1).Giving or able to give form or shape; constructive.
  2).Having to do with important growth or development.

DOC/DOCT

DOC/DOCT comes from the Latin docere, which means “to teach.” So, for instance, a doctor was originally a highly educated person capable of instructing others in a field—which usually wasn’t medicine.

• doctrine
  1).Something that is taught.
  2).An official principle, opinion, or belief.

• docent
  1).Teacher, lecturer.
  2).A person who leads guided tours, especially through a museum.

• doctrinaire
  Tending to apply principles or theories without regard for practical difficulties or individual circumstance.

• indoctrinate
  1).To teach, especially basics or fundamentals.
  2).To fill someone with a particular opinion or point of view.

TUT/TUI

TUT/TUI comes from a Latin verb meaning “to look after,” and in English the root generally shows up in words that include the meaning “guide,” “guard,” or “teach”—such as tutor, the name for a private teacher who guides a student (or tutee) through a subject.

• tutorial
  1).A class for one student or a small group of students.
  2).An instructional program that gives information about a specific subject.

• tuition
  1).The act of teaching; instruction.
  2).The cost of or payment for instruction.

• intuition
  1).The power of knowing something immediately without mental effort; quick insight.
  2).Something known in this way.

• tutelage
  Instruction or guidance of an individual; guardianship.

DI/DUP

DI/DUP, Greek and Latin prefixes meaning “two,” show up in both technical and nontechnical terms, with dup- sometimes shortened to du-. So a duel is a battle between two people. A duet is music for a duo, or pair of musicians. A duplicate is an exact copy, or twin. And if you have dual citizenship, you belong to two countries at once.

• dichotomy
  1).A division into two often contradictory groups.
  2).Something with qualities that seem to contradict each other.

• dimorphic
  Occurring in two distinguishable forms (as of color or size).

• duplex
  1).Having two principal elements; double.
  2).Allowing electronic communication in two directions at the same time.

• duplicity
  Deception by pretending to feel and act one way while acting in another.

BI/BIN

BI/BIN also means “two” or “double.” A bicycle has two wheels, and binoculars consist of two little telescopes. Bigamy is marriage to two people at once. And a road built through the middle of a neighborhood bisects it into two pieces.

• bipartisan
  Involving members of two political parties.

• binary
  1).Consisting of two things or parts; double.
  2).Involving a choice between two alternatives.

• biennial
  1).Occurring every two years.
  2).Continuing or lasting over two years.

• bipolar
  Having two opposed forces or views; having two poles or opposed points of attraction.

Unit 16

TOP

TOP comes from topos, the Greek word for “place.” A topic is a subject rather than a place; to the Greeks, the original word meant more or less “about one place or subject (rather than another)”—which just goes to show that it’s not always easy to trace a word’s meaning from its roots.

• topical
  1).Designed for local application to or treatment of a bodily part.
  2).Referring to the topics of the day.

• ectopic
  Occurring or originating in an abnormal place.

• utopian
  Relating to an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect.

• topography
  1).The art of showing the natural and manmade features of a region on a map or chart.
  2).The features of a surface, including both natural and man-made features.

CENTR/CENTER

CENTR/CENTER comes from the Greek kentron and the Latin centrum, meaning “sharp point” or “center point of a circle.” A centrifuge is a spinning machine that throws things outward from the center; the apparent force that pushes them outward is called centrifugal force.

• eccentric
  1).Not following an established or usual style or conduct.
  2).Straying from a circular path; off-center.

• epicenter
  1).The location on the earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
  2).The center or focus of activity.

• egocentric
  Overly concerned with oneself; self-centered.

• ethnocentric
  Marked by or based on the attitude that one’s own group is superior to others.

DOM

DOM comes from the Latin domus, “house,” and dominus, “master,” and the two are indeed related. In the Bible, King Ahasuerus, angered by his queen’s disobedience, proclaims that “every man is to be master of his own house,” and in the Roman empire no one doubted that this was how it was meant to be. A domain is the area where a person has authority or is dominant—but we no longer think of a house as the domain of a single dominant member of a family.

• dominion
  1).An area over which one rules; domain.
  2).Supreme authority.

• predominant
  Greater in importance, strength, influence, or authority.

• domineering
  Tending to control the behavior of others in a bossy manner.

• domination
  1).Supremacy or power over another.
  2).The exercise of governing or controlling influence.

OMNI

OMNI comes from the Latin word omnis, meaning “all.” So in English words, omni- can mean “in all ways,” “in all places,” or “without limits.” An omnidirectional antenna, for example, is one that receives or sends radio waves equally well in all directions. And Omni by itself has been used repeatedly as a brand name for things as different as a hotel chain and a science magazine.

• omnivore
  An animal that eats both plants and other animals.

• omnipotent
  Having complete or unlimited power; allpowerful.

• omnibus
  Of or including many things.

• omniscient
  Knowing everything; having unlimited understanding or knowledge.

HOL/HOLO

HOL/HOLO, meaning “whole,” comes from the Greek word holos, with the same meaning. The root can be found in catholic. When capitalized, Catholic refers to the worldwide Christian church based in Rome, which was once the “whole”—that is, the only—Christian church. Without the capital letter, catholic means simply “universal” or, when describing a person, “broad in one’s interests or tastes.”

• holistic
  Relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts.

• hologram
  A three-dimensional image reproduced from a pattern of interference produced by a beam of radiation such as a laser.

• Holocene
  Of, relating to, or being the present geologic epoch.

• holocaust
  1).(usually capitalized) The mass slaughter of European civilians and especially Jews by the Nazis during World War II.
  2).A thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life, especially through fire.

RETRO

RETRO means “back,” “backward,” or “behind” in Latin. Retro in English is generally a prefix, but has also become a word in its own right, usually used to describe old styles or fashions.

• retroactive
  Intended to apply or take effect at a date in the past.

• retrofit
  To furnish something with new or modified parts or equipment that was optional or unavailable at the time of manufacture.

• retrogress
  To return to an earlier and usually worse or more primitive state.

• retrospective
  A generally comprehensive exhibition or performance usually covering an artist’s output to date.

TEMPOR

TEMPOR comes from the Latin tempus, meaning “time.” A temporary repair is meant to last only a short time. The tempo, or speed, of a countryand-western ballad is usually different from that of a hip-hop number. The Latin phrase Tempus fugit means “Time flies,” an observation that seems more true during summer vacation than in the dead of winter.

• temporal
  1).Having to do with time as opposed to eternity; having to do with earthly life as opposed to heavenly existence.
  2).Having to do with time as distinguished from space.

• contemporary
  1).Occurring or existing during the

• same
  period of time.
  2).Having to do with the present period; modern or current.

• extemporaneous
  1).Composed, performed, spoken, or done on the spur of the moment; impromptu or improvised.
  2).Carefully prepared but delivered without notes.

• temporize
  1).To act in a way that fits the time or occasion; to give way to current opinion.
  2).To draw out discussions to gain time.

• chronic
  1).Lasting a long time or recurring frequently.
  2).Always present; constantly annoying or troubling; habitual.

• chronology
  1).A sequence of events in the order they occurred.
  2).A table, list, or account that presents events in order.

• anachronism
  1).The error of placing a person or thing in the wrong time period.
  2).A person or thing that is out of its own time.

• synchronous
  1).Happening or existing at exactly the same time; simultaneous.
  2).Recurring or acting at exactly the same intervals.

Number Words TRI

TRI means “three,” whether derived from Greek or Latin. A tricycle has three wheels. A triangle has three sides and three angles. And a triumvirate is a board or government of three people.

• triad
  1).A group of three usually related people or things.
  2).A secret Chinese criminal organization.

• trilogy
  A series of three creative works that are closely related and develop a single theme.

• triceratops
  One of a group of large dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous period and had three horns, a bony crest or hood, and hoofed toes.

• trident
  A three-pronged spear, especially one carried by various sea gods in classical mythology.

• trimester
  1).A period of about three months, especially one of three such periods in a human pregnancy.
  2).One of three terms into which an academic year is sometimes divided.

• trinity
  1).(capitalized) The unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one God in Christian belief.
  2).A group of three people.

• triptych
  1).A picture or carving made in the form of three panels side by side.
  2).Something composed or presented in three sections.

• trivial
  Of little value or importance.

Unit 17

ANIM

ANIM comes from the Latin anima, meaning “breath” or “soul.” So, for example, an animal is a living, breathing thing—though human animals have often argued about whether other species actually have souls.

• animated
  1).Full of life; lively, vigorous, active.
  2).Seeming or appearing to be alive.

• magnanimous
  1).Showing a lofty and courageous spirit.
  2).Generous and forgiving.

• animosity
  Ill will or resentment.

• inanimate
  1).Not alive; lifeless.
  2).Not lively; dull.

• figurative
  1).Representing form or figure in art.
  2).Saying one thing in terms normally meaning or describing another thing.

• configuration
  An arrangement of parts or elements; shape, design.

• effigy
  An image of a person, especially a crude representation of a hated person.

• figment
  Something made up or imagined.

ANN/ENN

ANN/ENN comes from Latin annus, meaning “year.” An annual event occurs yearly. An anniversary is an example of an annual event, although the older you get the more frequent they seem to be.

• annuity
  Money that is payable yearly or on some regular basis, or a contract providing for such payment.

• superannuated
  1).Outworn, old-fashioned, or out-of-date.
  2).Forced to retire because of old age or infirmity.

• millennium
  1).A period of time lasting 1,000 years, or the celebration of a 1,000-year anniversary.
  2).A period of great happiness and perfection on earth.

• perennial
  1).Continuing to grow for several years.
  2).Enduring or continuing without interruption.

• coeval
  Having the same age or lasting the same amount of time; contemporary.

• longevity
  1).A long duration of life.
  2).Length of life; long continuance.

• medieval
  1).Relating to the Middle Ages of European history, from about A.D. 500 to
  2).Extremely out-of-date.

• primeval
  1).Having to do with the earliest ages; primitive or ancient.
  2).Existing from the beginning.

CORP

CORP comes from corpus, the Latin word for “body.” A corpse is a dead body. A corporation is also a kind of body, since it may act almost like an individual. And a corps is a “body” of soldiers.

• corporeal
  Having or relating to a physical body; substantial.

• corpulent
  Having a large, bulky body; obese.

• corporal
  Relating to or affecting the body.

• incorporate
  1).To blend or combine into something already existing to form one whole.
  2).To form or form into a corporation.

TANG/TACT

TANG/TACT comes from the Latin words tangere, “to touch,” and tactus, “sense of touch.” So, for instance, to make contact is to touch or “get in touch with.”

• tact
  The ability to deal with others without offending them.

• tactile
  1).Able to be perceived by touching.
  2).Relating to the sense of touch.

• tangential
  Touching lightly; incidental.

• tangible
  Able to be perceived, especially by touch; physical, substantial.

CODI/CODE

CODI/CODE comes from the Latin codex, meaning “trunk of a tree” or “document written on wooden tablets.” A code can be either a set of laws or a system of symbols used to write messages. To encode a message is to write it in code. A genetic code, transmitted by genes, is a set of instructions for everything from blood type to eye color.

• codex
  A book in handwritten form, especially a book of Scripture, classics, or ancient texts.

• codicil
  1).An amendment or addition made to a will.
  2).An appendix or supplement.

• codify
  To arrange according to a system; classify.

2).To find the underlying meaning of; decipher.

• signify
  1).To be a sign of something; to mean something.
  2).To show or make known, especially by a sign.

• insignia
  A badge of authority or honor; a distinguishing sign or mark.

• signatory
  A person or government that signs an agreement with others; especially a government that agrees with others to abide by a signed agreement.

• signet
  1).A seal used instead of a signature to give personal or official authority to a document.
  2).A small engraved seal, often in the form of a ring.

QUADR/QUART

QUADR/QUART comes from Latin words meaning “four” or “fourth.” In English, a quart is one-fourth of a gallon, just as a quarter is one-fourth of a dollar. A quadrangle has four sides and angles but isn’t necessarily square.And quadruplets are four babies born at the same time.

• quadrant
  1).A quarter of a circle.
  2).Any of the four quarters into which something is divided by two lines intersecting at right angles.

• quadrille
  A square dance popular in the 18th and 19th century, made up of five or six patterns for four couples.

• quadriplegic
  Paralyzed in both arms and both legs.

• quartile
  One of four equal groups each containing a quarter of a statistical population.

• tetracycline
  A yellow broad-spectrum antibiotic.

• tetrahedron
  A solid shape formed by four flat faces.

• tetralogy
  A set of four connected literary, artistic, or musical works.

• tetrapod
  A vertebrate with two pairs of limbs.

Unit 18

CAPIT

CAPIT, from the Latin word for “head,” caput, turns up in some important places. The head of a ship is its captain, and the capital of a state or country is where the “head of state” works. A capital letter stands head and shoulders above a lowercase letter, as well as at the head (beginning) of a sentence.

• capitalism
  An economic system based on private ownership, private decisions, and open competition in a free market.

• capitulate
  To surrender or stop resisting; give up.

• decapitate
  1).To cut off the head; behead.
  2).To destroy or make useless.

• recapitulate
  To repeat or summarize the most important points or stages.

ANTHROP

ANTHROP comes from the Greek word for “human being.” So an anthropomorphic god, such as Zeus or Athena, basically looks and acts like a human. And in Aesop’s fables and many animated cartoons, animals are usually anthropomorphized and behave exactly like furry, four-legged human beings.

• anthropoid
  Any of several large, tailless apes.

• anthropology
  The science and study of human beings.

• misanthropic
  Hating or distrusting humans.

• lycanthropy
  1).A delusion that one has become a wolf.

2).Transformation into a wolf through witchcraft or magic.

KINE

KINE comes from the Greek word kinesis, meaning “movement.” Kinetic energy is the energy of motion (as opposed to potential energy, the kind of energy held by a stretched elastic band). Kinetic art is art that has moving parts, such as Alexander Calder’s famous mobiles. And cinema, the art of moving pictures, actually comes from the same kine- root as well.

• kinesiology
  The scientific study of human movement.

• hyperkinetic
  1).Relating to or affected with hyperactivity.
  2).Characterized by fast-paced or frantic activity.

• kinescope
  A motion picture made from an image on a picture tube.

• telekinesis
  The movement of objects without contact or other physical means, as by the exercise of an occult power.

DYNAM

DYNAM comes from the Greek dynamis, meaning “power.” A dyne is a unit used in measuring force; an instrument that measures force is called a dynamometer. And when Alfred Nobel invented a powerful explosive in 1867, he named it dynamite.

• dynamic
  1).Relating to physical force or energy.
  2).Continuously and productively active and changing; energetic or forceful.

• dynamo
  1).A power generator, especially one that produces direct electric current.
  2).A forceful, energetic person.

• aerodynamics
  1).A science that studies the movement of gases such as air and the way that objects move through such gases.
  2).The qualities of an object that affect how easily it is able to move through the air.

• hydrodynamic
  Having to do with the science that studies fluids in motion and the forces that act on bodies surrounded by fluids.

• gradation
  1).A series made up of successive stages.
  2).A step in an ordered scale.

• degrade
  1).To treat someone or something poorly and without respect.
  2).To make the quality of something worse.

• gradient
  1).Slope, grade.
  2).A continuous change in measure, activity, or substance.

• retrograde
  1).Moving or performed in a direction that is backward or opposite to the usual direction.
  2).Moving toward a worse or earlier state.

• regimen
  A regular course of treatment, usually involving food, exercise, or medicine.

• interregnum
  1).The time during which a throne is vacant between two successive reigns or regimes.
  2).A period during which the normal functions of government or control are suspended.

• regalia
  1).The emblems and symbols of royalty.
  2).Special or official dress.

• regency
  A government or period of time in which a regent rules in place of a king or queen.

CRIT

CRIT comes from a Greek verb that means “to judge” or “to decide.” So a film critic judges a movie and tells us what’s good or bad about it. Her critical opinion may convince us not to go, or we may overlook any negative criticism and see it anyway.

• criterion
  A standard by which a judgment or decision is made.

• critique
  A judgment or evaluation, especially a rating or discussion of merits and faults.

• hypercritical
  Overly critical.

• hematocrit
  The ratio of the volume of red blood cells to whole blood.

JUR

JUR comes from the Latin verb jurare, “to swear, take an oath,” and the noun jus, “right or law.” A jury, made up of jurors, makes judgments based on the law. And a personal injury was originally something done to you that a court would find unjust.

• jurisprudence
  1).A system of law.
  2).The study and philosophy of law.

• abjure
  To reject formally.

• perjury
  The crime of telling a lie under oath.

• de
  jure Based on or according to the law.

• pentathlon
  An athletic contest in which each athlete competes in five different events.

Pentateuch

Pentateuch The first five books of the Old Testament, traditionally said to have been written by Moses.

• pentameter
  A line of poetry consisting of five metrical feet.

Pentecostal

Pentecostal Of or relating to any of various fundamentalist sects that stress personal experience of God and vocal expression in worship.

QUINT

QUINT comes from the Latin word meaning “five.” Quintuplets are babies that come in sets of five; about 60 U.S. families increase in size by that number every year.

• quincentennial
  A 500th anniversary, or the celebration of such an event.

• quintessential
  Representing the purest or most perfect example of something.

• quintet
  1).A musical piece for five instruments or voices.
  2).A group of five, such as the performers of a quintet or a basketball team.

• quintile
  One or another of the values that divide a tested population into five evenly distributed classes, or one of these classes.

Unit 19

BIO

BIO comes from the Greek word for “life,” and forms the base for many English words. Biology, for instance, is the study of living forms and life processes; the biosphere is the entire area of and above the earth where life can exist; and biotechnology is the use of living organisms to create useful products.

• bionic
  Made stronger or more capable by electronic or mechanical devices.

• biopsy
  The removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from a living body.

• biodegradable
  Able to be broken down into harmless substances by microorganisms or other living things.

• symbiosis
  1).The close living together of two different forms of life in a way that benefits both.
  2).A cooperative relationship between two people or groups.

GEN

GEN, which comes from the Greek genos, meaning “birth,” has generated dozens of English words. A set of genes, for instance, gives birth to a living being. And a genealogy is a historical map of your family, showing how each generation gave birth to the next.

• genesis
  Origin, beginning.

• generator
  A machine by which mechanical energy is

• changed
  into electrical energy

• genre
  Kind, sort; especially a distinctive type or category of literature, art, or music.

• carcinogenic
  Producing or causing cancer.

FUNCT

FUNCT comes from the Latin verb fungi, “to perform, carry out.” If your car is functional, it’s able to perform its function of providing transportation. But a functional illiterate is a person who, for all practical or functional purposes, might as well not be able to read or write at all.

• functionary
  1).Someone who performs a certain function.
  2).Someone who holds a position in a political party or government.

• malfunction
  To fail to operate in the normal or usual manner.

• defunct
  No longer, living, existing, or functioning.

• dysfunctional
  1).Showing abnormal or unhealthy behaviors and attitudes within a group of people.
  2).Being unable to function in a normal way.

MUT

MUT comes from the Latin mutare, “to change.” Plenty of science-fiction movies—Godzilla, The Fly, The Incredible Shrinking Man—used to be made on the subject of weird mutations, changes in normal people or animals that usually end up causing death and destruction. What causes the unfortunate victim to mutate may be a mysterious or alien force, or perhaps invisible radiation. Though the science in these films isn’t always right on target, the scare factor of an army of mutants can be hard to beat.

• commute
  1).To exchange or substitute; especially to change a penalty to another one that is less severe.
  2).To travel back and forth regularly.

• immutable
  Not able or liable to change.

• permutation
  A change in the order of a set of objects; rearrangement, variation.

• transmute
  1).To change in shape, appearance, or nature, especially for the better; to transform.
  2).To experience such a change.

FRACT

FRACT comes from the Latin verb frangere, “to break or shatter.” A fraction is one of the pieces into which a whole can be broken, and a fracture is a break in a wall, a rock, or a bone.

• fractious
  1).Apt to cause trouble or be unruly.
  2).Stirring up quarrels; irritable.

• fractal
  An irregular shape that looks much the same at any scale on which it is examined.

• infraction
  The breaking of a law or a violation of another’s rights.

• refraction
  The change of direction of a ray of light or wave of energy as it passes at an angle from one substance into another in which its speed is different.

TELE

TELE has as its basic meanings “distant” or “at a distance.” A telescope is for looking at far-off objects; a camera’s telephoto lens magnifies a distant scene for a photograph; and a television lets us watch things taking place far away.

• telegenic
  Well-suited to appear on television, especially by having an appearance and manner attractive to viewers.

• teleological
  Showing or relating to design or purpose, especially in nature.

• telemetry
  The science or process of measuring such things as pressure, speed, or temperature, sending the result usually by radio to a distant station, and recording the measurements there.

• telecommute
  To work at home using an electronic link with a central office.

PHIL

PHIL comes from the Greek word meaning “love.” In philosophy, it’s joined with sophia, “wisdom,” so philosophy means literally “love of wisdom.” When joined with biblio-, “book,” the result is bibliophile, or “lover of books.” And Philadelphia, containing the Greek word adelphos, “brother,” was named by its Quaker founder, William Penn, as the city of “brotherly love.”

• oenophile
  A person with an appreciation and usually knowledge of fine wine.

• philatelist
  A person who collects or studies stamps.

Anglophile

Anglophile A person who greatly admires or favors England and English things.

• philanthropy
  1).A charitable act or gift.
  2).An organization that distributes or is supported by charitable contributions.

NEG

NEG and its variants nec- and ne- are prefixes of denial or refusal in Latin, and the Latin verb negare means “to say no.” To negate something is to make it ineffective, and something negative denies, contradicts, refuses, or reverses.

• negligent
  1).Failing to take proper or normal care.
  2).Marked by or likely to show neglect.

• abnegation
  Self-denial.

• negligible
  So small as to be neglected or disregarded.

• renege
  To go back on a promise or commitment.

• decalogue
  1).(capitalized) The Ten Commandments.
  2).Any basic set of rules that must be obeyed.

• decathlon
  An athletic contest made up of ten parts.

• decibel
  A unit based on a scale ranging from 0 to about 130 used to measure the loudness of sound, with 0 indicating the least sound that can be heard and 130 the average level that causes pain.

• decimate
  To reduce drastically or destroy most of.

CENT

CENT, from the Latin centum, means “one hundred.” A dollar is made up of a hundred cents, though other monetary systems use centavos or centimes as the smallest coin. A centipede has what appears to be a hundred feet, though the actual number varies greatly. But there really are a hundred years in a century.

• centenary
  A 100th anniversary or the celebration of it; a centennial.

• centigrade
  Relating to a temperature scale in which 0 is the freezing point of water and 100 is its boiling point.

• centimeter
  A length measuring 1/100th of a meter, or about

• centurion
  The officer in command of a Roman century, originally a troop of 100 soldiers.

Unit 20

NOM

NOM comes from the Latin word for “name.” A nominee is a person “named”—or nominated—to run for or serve in office. A binomial (“two names”) is the scientific name for a species: Felis catus for the house cat, for example. A polynomial, with “many names,” is an algebra expression involving several terms: 2x2 + 9y ¨C z3, for instance.

• nominal
  1).Existing in name or form only and not in reality.

2).So small as to be unimportant; insignificant.

• nomenclature
  1).A name or designation, or the act

• of
  naming.
  2).A system of terms or symbols used in biology, where New Latin names are given to kinds and groups of animals and plants.

• ignominious
  1).Marked with shame or disgrace; dishonorable.
  2).Humiliating or degrading.

• misnomer
  A wrong name, or the use of a wrong name.

PATER/PATR

PATER/PATR comes from both the Greek and the Latin word for “father.” So a patron, for example, is someone who assumes a fatherly role toward an institution or project or individual, giving moral and financial support.

• patrician
  A person of high birth or of good breeding and cultivation; an aristocrat.

• patriarchy
  1).A family, group, or government controlled by a man or a group of men.
  2).A social system in which family members are related to each other through their fathers.

• expatriate
  A person who has moved to a foreign land.

• paternalistic
  Tending to supply the needs of or regulate the activities of those under one’s control.

LEGA

LEGA comes from the Latin legare, meaning “to appoint” or “to send as a deputy.” The same root actually shows up in such words as legal—but how the law connects with sending deputies can get awfully complicated and probably isn’t worth going into.

• legate
  An official representative, such as an ambassador.

• legacy
  1).Something left to a person in a will.
  2).Something handed down by an ancestor or predecessor or received from the past.

• delegation
  A group of people chosen to represent the interests or opinions of others.

• relegate
  1).To remove or assign to a less important place.
  2).To refer or hand over for decision or for carrying out.

GREG

GREG comes from the Latin grex, “herd” or “flock.” Bees, starlings, cows— any creatures that like to live together in flocks or herds—are called gregarious, and the same word is used for people who enjoy companionship and are happiest when they’re in the middle of a rowdy herd.

• aggregate
  A collection or sum of units or parts.

• congregation
  1).A gathering of people, especially for worship or religious instruction.
  2).The membership of a church or temple.

• egregious
  Standing out, especially in a bad way; flagrant.

• segregate
  1).To separate from others or from the general mass; isolate.
  2).To separate along racial lines.

FLU

FLU comes from the Latin verb fluere, “to flow.” So a flume is a narrow gorge with a stream flowing through it. A fluent speaker is one from whom words flow easily. Influence originally referred to an invisible fluid that was believed to flow from the stars and to affect the actions of humans. A mysterious outbreak of disease in 15th-century Italy led Italians to blame it on the stars’ influenza—and the name stuck.

• affluence
  An abundance of wealth.

• effluent
  Polluting waste material discharged into the environment.

• confluence
  1).A coming or flowing together at one point.

2).A place of meeting, especially of two streams.

• mellifluous
  Flowing like honey; sweetened as if with honey.

PREHEND/PREHENS

PREHEND/PREHENS comes from the Latin verb prehendere, “to seize.” Most of the English words where it appears are closely related to the ones discussed below.

• prehensile
  Adapted for grasping, especially by wrapping around.

• apprehend
  1).Arrest, seize.
  2).Understand.

• comprehend
  1).To grasp the meaning of; understand.
  2).To take in or include.

• reprehensible
  Deserving stern criticism or blame.

TEMPER

TEMPER comes from the Latin verb temperare, “to moderate or keep within limits” or “to mix.” Most of the world’s people live in the temperate zone—that is, the zone where the temperature is moderate, between the hot tropics and the icy Arctic and Antarctic Circles. It’s less easy to see how we get temperature from this root; the word actually used to refer to the mixing of different basic elements in the body, and only slowly came to mean how hot or cold that body was.

• temper
  To dilute, qualify, or soften by adding something more agreeable; to moderate.

• temperance
  1).Moderation in satisfying appetites or passions.

2).The drinking of little or no alcohol.

• intemperate
  Not moderate or mild; excessive, extreme.

• distemper
  1).A highly contagious viral disease, especially of dogs.
  2).A highly contagious and usually fatal viral disease, especially of cats, marked by the destruction of white blood cells.

PURG

PURG comes from the Latin verb purgare, “to clean or cleanse.” Almost all the English words where it shows up are closely related to those discussed below.

• purge
  1).To clear of guilt or sin.
  2).To free of something unwanted or considered impure.

• expurgate
  To cleanse of something morally harmful or offensive; to remove objectionable parts from.

• purgative
  1).Cleansing or purifying, especially from sin.
  2).Causing a significant looseness of the bowels.

• purgatory
  1).According to Roman Catholic doctrine, the place where the souls of those who have died in God’s grace must pay for their sins through suffering before ascending to heaven.
  2).A place or state of temporary suffering or misery.

Number Words MILL

MILL means either “a thousand” or “a thousandth.” A millennium is a thousand years, and a million is a thousand thousands. But a milligram is a thousandth of a gram, a milliliter a thousandth of a liter, and a millimeter a thousandth of a meter.

• millefleur
  Having a pattern of small flowers and plants all over.

• millenarianism
  1).Belief in the 1,000-year era of holiness foretold in the Book of Revelation.
  2).Belief in an ideal society to come, especially one brought about by revolution.

• millisecond
  One thousandth of a second.

HEMI/SEMI

HEMI/SEMI means “half.” Hemi- comes from Greek, semi- from Latin. A hemisphere is half a sphere, and a semicircle is half a circle. (The French prefix demi-, which probably developed from Latin as well, also means “half”—as in demitasse, a little after-dinner coffee cup half the size of a regular cup.)

• semitone
  The tone at a half step.

• semicolon
  The punctuation mark ; , used chiefly to separate major sentence elements such as independent clauses.

• hemiplegia
  Total or partial paralysis of one side of the body that results from disease of or injury to the motor centers of the brain.

• semiconductor
  A solid that conducts electricity like a metal at high temperatures and insulates like a nonmetal at low temperatures.

Unit 21

SUB

SUB means “under.” So a subway runs under the streets, and a submarine moves under the ocean’s surface. A subject is a person under the authority of another. A movie’s subplot is lower in importance than the main plot. Subscribe once meant “to write one’s name underneath,” so subscription was the act of signing a document or agreement.

• subconscious
  Existing in the mind just below the level of awareness.

• subjugate
  To bring under control and rule as a subject; conquer, subdue.

• subliminal
  Not quite strong enough to be sensed or perceived consciously.

• subversion
  1).An attempt to overthrow a government by

• working
  secretly from within.
  2).The corrupting of someone or something by weakening their morals, loyalty, or faith.

HYPER

HYPER is a Greek prefix that means “above or beyond,” so hyper- often means about the same thing as super-. Hyperinflation is inflation that’s growing at a very high rate. To be hypercritical or hypersensitive is to be critical or sensitive beyond the normal. And if you hyperextend a knee or elbow, it means you’re actually bending it backward.

• hyperactive
  Excessively active.

• hyperbole
  Extreme exaggeration.

• hypertension
  High blood pressure.

• hyperventilate
  To breathe rapidly and deeply.

PRE

PRE, one of the most common of all English prefixes, comes from prae, the Latin word meaning “before” or “in front of.” So a prediction forecasts what will happen before it occurs. The 5:00 TV news precedes the 6:00 news. And someone with a prejudice against a class of people has judged them before having even met them.

• preclude
  To make impossible beforehand; prevent.

• precocious
  Showing the qualities or abilities of an adult at an unusually early age.

• predispose
  1).To influence in advance in order to create a particular attitude.
  2).To make one more likely to develop a particular disease or physical condition.

• prerequisite
  Something that is required in advance to achieve a goal or to carry out a function.

PARA

PARA is a Greek prefix usually meaning “beside” or “closely related to.” So parallel lines run beside each other. And a Greek paragraphos was originally a line written beside the main text of a play to show where a new person begins speaking; today we just start a new paragraph on a new line.

• paraphrase
  To restate the meaning (of something written or spoken) in different words.

• paralegal
  Of, relating to, or being a trained assistant to a lawyer.

• paramedic
  A specially trained medical technician licensed to provide a wide range of emergency services before or during transportation to a hospital.

• paramilitary
  Relating to a force formed on a military pattern, especially as a possible backup military force.

META

META is a prefix in English that generally means “behind” or “beyond.” In medicine, for example, the metacarpal bones are the hand bones that come right after, or beyond, the carpal or wrist bones. And metalanguage is language used to talk about language, which requires going beyond normal language.

• metadata
  Data that provides information about other data.

• metaphorical
  Relating to a figure of speech in which a word or phrase meaning one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a similarity between them.

• metaphysics
  The part of philosophy having to do with the ultimate causes and basic nature of things.

• metonymy
  A figure of speech in which the name of one thing is used for the name of something else that is associated with it or related to it.

PER

PER is a Latin preposition that generally means “through,” “throughout,” or “thoroughly.” Thus, perforate means “to bore through,” perennial means “throughout the years,” and permanent means “remaining throughout.” And the “thoroughly” sense shows up in persuade, for “thoroughly advise,” and perverted, “thoroughly turned around.”

• percolate
  1).To trickle or filter through something porous.
  2).To become spread through.

• pervade
  To spread through all parts of something.

• permeate
  1).To spread throughout.
  2).To pass through the pores or small openings of.

• persevere
  To keep at something in spite of difficulties, opposition, or discouragement.

ANT/ANTI

ANT/ANTI is a Latin prefix meaning “against.” An anticlimax is the opposite of a climax. An antiseptic or antibiotic fights germs. An antacid attacks acid in the stomach. And an antidote works against the effects of a poison.

• antagonist
  A person who opposes or is unfriendly toward another; an opponent.

• antigen
  A chemical substance (such as a protein) that, when introduced into the body, causes the body to form antibodies against it.

• antipathy
  A strong dislike.

• antithesis
  1).The contrast or opposition of ideas.
  2).The exact opposite.

CONTRA

CONTRA is the Latin equivalent of anti-, and it too means essentially “against” or “contrary to.” A contrast “stands against” something else that it’s compared to. And contrapuntal music, as in the music of Bach, sets one melody against another played at the same time and produces harmony (which no one is opposed to).

• contraband
  Goods that are forbidden by law to be owned or brought into or out of a country; smuggled goods.

• contraindication
  Something (such as a symptom or condition) that makes a particular treatment, medication, or procedure likely to be unsafe.

2).To oppose in an argument, to contradict.

• contrarian
  A person who takes a contrary position or
  attitude, especially an investor who buys shares of stock when most others are selling or sells when others are buying.

Greek

Greek and Latin Borrowings

• in memoriam
  In memory of.

• magnum opus
  A great work, especially the greatest achievement of an artist, composer, or writer.

• memento mori
  A reminder of mortality, especially a human skull symbolizing death.

• habeas corpus
  An order to bring a jailed person before a judge or court to find out if that person should really be in jail.

• rigor mortis
  The temporary rigidity of muscles that sets in after death.

• sine qua non
  An essential thing.

• tabula rasa
  1).The mind in its blank or unmarked state before receiving any impressions from outside.
  2).Something existing in its original pure state.

• terra incognita
  An unexplored country or field of knowledge.

Unit 22

ACER/ACR

ACER/ACR comes from the Latin adjective acer, meaning “sharp” or “sour.” Grapefruit and limes have an acid taste; acid can also describe a person’s sense of humor (other words for it might be sharp or biting). The acidity of the soil often indicates whether it’s good for growing certain crops; blueberries, for instance, love acid soil, so they’re more likely to be found east of the Mississippi River, where acid soil is the rule.

• acerbic
  Sharp or biting in temper, mood, or tone.

• acrid
  Unpleasantly sharp and harsh; bitter.

• acrimony
  Harsh or bitter sharpness in words, manner, or temper.

• exacerbate
  To make worse, more violent, or more severe.

STRICT

STRICT comes from the Latin verb meaning “to draw tight, bind, or tie.” So the English word strict means “tightly controlled.” And when someone begins a sentence “Strictly speaking, . . .” you know he or she is going to be talking about a word or idea in its most limited sense, “drawing tight” the meaning till it’s as narrow as possible.

• stricture
  1).A law or rule that limits or controls something; restriction.
  2).A strong criticism.

• restrictive
  1).Serving or likely to keep within bounds.
  2).Serving or tending to place under limits as to use.

• constrict
  1).To draw together or make narrow.
  2).To limit.

• vasoconstrictor
  Something such as a nerve fiber or a drug that narrows a blood vessel.

STRU/STRUCT

STRU/STRUCT comes from the Latin verb struere, meaning “to put together, build, arrange.” A structure is something that’s been constructed,— that is, built or put together. Instructions tell how the pieces should be arranged. Something that obstructs is a barrier that’s been “built” to stand in

• your
  way. And something destructive “unbuilds.”

• deconstruction
  Analysis of texts, works of art, and cultural patterns that is intended to expose the assumptions on which they are based, especially by exposing the limitations of language.

• infrastructure
  1).The underlying foundation or basic framework.
  2).A system of public works.

• construe
  1).To explain the arrangement and meaning of words in a sentence.
  2).To understand or explain; interpret.

• instrumental
  1).Acting as a means, agent, or tool.
  2).Relating to an instrument, especially a musical instrument.

PROP/PROPRI

PROP/PROPRI comes from the Latin word proprius, meaning “own.” A proprietor is an owner, and property is what he or she owns. And the original meaning of proper was “belonging to oneself,” so a writer around the year 1400 could say “With his own proper sword he was slain,” even if we might not say it quite the same way today.

• proprietary
  1).Relating to an owner or proprietor; made or sold by one who has the sole right to do so.
  2).Privately owned and run as a profit-making organization.

• propriety
  1).The state of being proper; appropriateness.
  2).Acting according to what is socially acceptable, especially in conduct between the sexes.

• appropriate
  1).To take exclusive possession of, often without right.
  2).To set apart for a particular purpose or use.

• expropriate
  1).To take away the right of possession or ownership.
  2).To transfer to oneself.

TORT

TORT comes from a form of the Latin verb torquere, meaning “to twist, wind, or wrench.” In torture, parts of the body may be wrenched or twisted or stretched; so those “Indian sunburns” that schoolkids give by twisting in different directions on some unlucky guy’s wrist stay pretty close to torture’s original meaning.

• tort
  A wrongful act that does not involve breach of contract and for which the injured party can receive damages in a civil action.

• extort
  To obtain from a person by force, threats, or illegal power.

• contort
  To twist in a violent manner.

2).Crooked or tricky; involved, complex.

VIV

VIV comes from vivere, the Latin verb meaning “to live or be alive.” A survivor has lived through something terrible. A revival brings something back to life, whether it’s an old film, interest in a long-dead novelist, or religious enthusiasm in a group, maybe in a huge tent in the countryside.

• vivacious
  Lively in an attractive way.

• bon
  vivant A sociable person with a love of excellent food and drink.

• revivify
  To give new life to; bring back to life.

• vivisection
  Operation on living animals, often for experimental purposes.

• serviceable
  1).Helpful or useful.
  2).Usable.

• servile
  1).Suitable to a servant.
  2).Humbly submissive.

• servitude
  A state or condition of slavery or bondage to another.

• subservient
  1).Serving or useful in an inferior situation or capacity.
  2).Slavishly obedient.

CLUS

CLUS comes from the Latin claudere, “to close.” Words based on the Latin verb often have forms in which the d becomes an s. So, for example, include, which once meant “to shut up or enclose” and now means “to contain,” has the related word inclusive, which means “including everything.”

• occlusion
  An obstruction or blockage; the act of obstructing or closing off.

• exclusive
  1).Not shared; available to only one person or group, especially those from a high social class.
  2).Full and complete.

• recluse
  A person who lives withdrawn from society.

• seclusion
  1).A screening or hiding from view.
  2).A place that is isolated or hidden.

Greek and Latin Borrowings

• acme
  Highest point; summit, peak.

• catharsis
  A cleansing or purification of the body, emotions, or spirit.

• colossus
  1).A gigantic statue.
  2).A person or thing that resembles such a statue in size or activity or influence.

• detritus
  Loose material that results from disintegration; debris.

• hoi
  polloi The general population; the masses.

• kudos
  1).Fame and renown that result from an achievement; prestige.
  2).Praise.

• onus
  A disagreeable necessity or obligation; responsibility.

• stigma
  A mark of shame: stain.

Unit 23

TEXT

TEXT comes from a Latin verb that means “to weave.” So a textile is a woven or knitted cloth. The material it’s made from determines its texture, the smoothness or roughness of its surface. And individual words are “woven” into sentences and paragraphs to form a text.

• textual
  Having to do with or based on a text.

• context
  1).The surrounding spoken or written material in which a word or remark occurs.
  2).The conditions or circumstances in which an event occurs; environment or setting.

• hypertext
  A database format in which information related to that on a display screen can be accessed directly from the screen (as by a mouse click).

• subtext
  The underlying meaning of a spoken or written passage.

PLAC

PLAC comes from the Latin placere, “to please or be agreeable to,” or placare, “to soothe or calm.” Pleasant, pleasurable, and pleasing all derive from this root, even though their spelling makes it hard to see.

• placate
  To calm the anger or bitterness of someone.

• placebo
  A harmless substance given to a patient in place of genuine medication, either for experimental purposes or to soothe the patient.

• placidity
  Serene freedom from interruption or disturbance; calmness.

• implacable
  Not capable of being pleased, satisfied, or changed.

AUT/AUTO

AUT/AUTO comes from the Greek word for “same” or “self.” Something automatic operates by itself, and an automobile moves by itself, without the help of a horse. An autograph is in the handwriting of the person him- or herself, and an autopsy is an inspection of a corpse by an examiner’s own eyes.

• automaton
  1).An automatic machine, especially a robot.
  2).An individual who acts mechanically.

• autoimmune
  Of, relating to, or caused by antibodies that attack molecules, cells, or tissues of the organism producing them.

• autonomy
  1).The power or right of self-government.
  2).Self-directing freedom, especially moral independence.

• autism
  \ A condition that begins in childhood and causes

• problems
  in forming social relationships and in communicating with others and includes behavior in which certain activities are constantly repeated.

GRAT

GRAT comes from the Latin words gratus, meaning “pleasing, welcome, or agreeable,” and gratia, meaning “grace, agreeableness, or pleasantness.” A meal that’s served graciously will be received with gratitude by grateful guests; those who show no appreciation could be called ingrates.

• gratify
  1).To be a source of pleasure or satisfaction; give pleasure or satisfaction to.
  2).To give in to; indulge or satisfy.

• gratuity
  Something, especially a tip, given freely.

• gratuitous
  Not called for by the circumstances.

• ingratiate
  To gain favor or acceptance by making a deliberate effort.

CLAM/CLAIM

CLAM/CLAIM comes from the Latin verb clamare, meaning “to shout or cry out.” To claim often means “to call for.” And an exclamation is a cry of shock, joy, or surprise.

• clamor
  1).Noisy shouting; loud, continuous noise.
  2).Strong and active protest or demand.

• acclamation
  1).A loud, eager indication of approval, praise, or agreement.
  2).An overwhelming yes vote by cheers, shouts, or applause.

• declaim
  To speak in the formal manner of someone delivering a speech.

• proclaim
  To declare or announce publicly, officially, or definitely.

CRAC/CRAT

CRAC/CRAT comes from the Greek word meaning “power.” Attached to another root, it indicates which group holds the power. With demos, the Greek word for “people,” it forms democracy, a form of government in which the people rule. A theocracy, from the Greek theos, “god,” is government based on divine guidance. In a meritocracy, people earn power by their own merit.

• aristocrat
  The highest social class in a country, usually because of birth and wealth.

• autocratic
  1).Having to do with a form of government in which one person rules.
  2).Resembling the ruler of such a government.

• bureaucrat
  1).An appointed government official.
  2).An official of a government or system that is marked by fixed and complex rules that often result in long delays.

• plutocracy
  1).Government by the wealthy.
  2).A controlling class of wealthy people.

• punctilious
  Very careful about the details of codes or conventions.

• punctual
  Being on time; prompt.

• compunction
  1).Anxiety caused by guilt.
  2).A slight misgiving.

• acupuncture
  A method of relieving pain or curing illness by inserting fine needles through the skin at specific points.

• potential
  1).The possibility that something will happen in the future.
  2).A cause for hope.

• impotent
  Lacking power or strength.

• plenipotentiary
  A person, such as a diplomat, who has complete power to do business for a government.

• potentate
  A powerful ruler.

Greek

Greek and Latin Borrowings

• ambrosia
  1).The food of the Greek and Roman gods.
  2).Something extremely pleasant to taste or smell.

• dogma
  1).Something treated as established and accepted opinion.
  2).A principle or set of principles taught by a religious organization.

• gratis
  Without charge; free.

• eureka
  An exclamation used to express triumph and delight on a discovery.

• per
  se By, of, or in itself; as such.

• opus
  A creative work, especially a musical composition or set of compositions numbered in order of publication.

• impetus
  1).A driving force or impulse; something that makes a person try or work hard; incentive.
  2).Momentum.

• thesis
  1).An opinion or proposition that a person presents and tries to prove by argument.
  2).An extended paper that contains the results of original research, especially one written by a candidate for an academic degree.

Unit 24

MAND

MAND comes from mandare, Latin for “entrust” or “order.” A command is an order; a commandment is also an order, but usually one that comes from God. And a commando unit carries out orders for special military actions.

• mandate
  1).A formal command.
  2).Permission to act, given by the people to their representatives.

• mandatory
  Required.

• commandeer
  To take possession of something by force, especially for military purposes.

• remand
  1).To order a case sent back to another court or agency for further action.
  2).To send a prisoner back into custody to await further trial or sentencing.

UND

UND comes into English from the Latin words unda, “wave,” and undare, “to rise in waves,” “to surge or flood.” Undulations are waves or wavelike things or motions, and to undulate is to rise and fall in a wavelike way.

• undulant
  1).Rising and falling in waves.
  2).Wavy in form, outline, or surface.

• inundate
  1).To cover with a flood or overflow.
  2).To overwhelm.

• redound
  1).To have an effect for good or bad.
  2).To rebound or reflect.

• redundancy
  1).The state of being extra or unnecessary.

2).Needless repetition.

SANCT

SANCT, meaning “holy,” comes from the Latin word sanctus. Thus, sanctity means “holiness.” In ancient Greece, a spot could be sanctified, or “made holy,” by a group of priests who carried out a solemn ritual; these might be spots where fumes arose from a crack in the earth or where a spring of clear water flowed out of the ground, and a temple might be built there for worship of a god.

• sanction
  To give approval to.

• sanctimonious
  Pretending to be more religiously observant or morally better than other people.

• sacrosanct
  1).Most sacred or holy.
  2).Treated as if holy and therefore immune from criticism or disturbance of any kind.

• sanctuary
  1).A holy place, such as a church or temple, or the most holy part of one.
  2).A place of safety, refuge, and protection.

LOQU

LOQU comes from the Latin verb loqui, “to talk.” An eloquent preacher speaks fluently, forcefully, and expressively. And a dummy’s words come out of a ventriloquist’s mouth—or perhaps out of his belly (in Latin, venter).

• colloquium
  A conference in which various speakers take turns lecturing on a subject and then answering questions about it.

• soliloquy
  A dramatic speech that represents a series of unspoken thoughts.

• colloquial
  Conversational in style.

• loquacious
  Apt to talk too much; talkative.

VIR

VIR is Latin for “man.” A virtue is a good quality—originally, the kind of quality an ideal man possessed. And virtuous behavior is morally excellent. All in all, the Romans seem to have believed that being a man was a good thing.

• virility
  Energetic, vigorous manhood; masculinity.

• triumvirate
  1).A commission or government of three.
  2).A group or association of three.

• virago
  A loud, bad-tempered, overbearing woman.

• virtuosity
  Great technical skill, especially in the practice of a fine art.

• valor
  Personal bravery in the face of danger.

• equivalent
  1).Equal in force, amount, value, area, or volume.
  2).Similar or virtually identical in effect or function.

• prevalent
  Widely accepted, favored, or practiced; widespread.

• validate
  1).To make legally valid; give official approval to.
  2).To support or confirm the validity of.

CRE/CRET

CRE/CRET comes from the Latin verb crescere, which means both “to come into being” and “to grow.” So a crescendo in music occurs when the music is growing louder, and a decrescendo when it’s growing softer.

• crescent
  1).The moon between the new moon and first quarter, and between the last quarter and the next new moon.
  2).Anything shaped like the crescent moon.

• accretion
  1).Growth or enlargement by gradual buildup.
  2).A product of such buildup.

• excrescence
  1).A projection of growth, especially when abnormal.
  2).A disfiguring, unnecessary, or unwanted mark or part.

• increment
  1).Something gained or added, especially as one of a series of regular additions or as a tiny increase in amount.
  2).The amount or extent of change, especially the positive or negative change in value of one or more variables.

FUS

FUS comes from the Latin verb fundere, “to pour out” or “to melt.” A fuse depends on melting metal to break an overloaded circuit. Nuclear fusion involves the “melting” together of light nuclei to form heavier nuclei, and fusion cuisine brings together the cooking of two or more cultures.

• transfusion
  1).The process of transferring a fluid and especially blood into a blood vessel.
  2).Something transfused.

• effusive
  1).Given to excessive display of feeling.
  2).Freely expressed.

• profusion
  Great abundance.

• suffuse
  To spread over or fill something, as if by fluid or light.

Greek and Latin Borrowings

• apologia
  A defense, especially of one’s own ideas, opinions, or actions.

• atrium
  1).An open rectangular patio around which a house is built.
  2).A court with a skylight in a many-storied building.

• oligarchy
  A government in which power is in the hands of a small group.

• encomium
  Glowing, enthusiastic praise, or an expression of such praise.

• neurosis
  A mental and emotional disorder that is less severe than a psychosis and may involve various pains, anxieties, or phobias.

• opprobrium
  1).Something that brings disgrace.
  2).A public disgrace that results from conduct considered wrong or bad.

• referendum
  1).The referring of legislative measures to the voters for approval or rejection.
  2).A vote on such a measure.

• ultimatum
  A final proposal, condition, or demand, especially one whose rejection will result in forceful action.

Unit 25

VERB

VERB comes from the Latin verbum, meaning “word.” A verb—or action word—appears in some form in every complete sentence. To express something verbally—or to verbalize something—is to say it or write it.

• verbose
  Using more words than are needed; wordy.

• proverb
  A brief, often-repeated statement that expresses a general truth or common observation.

• verbatim
  In the exact words; word for word.

• verbiage
  An excess of words, often with little content; wordiness.

SIMIL/SIMUL

SIMIL/SIMUL come from the Latin adjective similis, meaning “like, resembling, similar,” and the verb simulare, “to make like.” Two similar things resemble each other. Two simultaneous activities proceed at the same time. And a facsimile, such as you might receive from your fax machine, looks exactly the same as the original.

• simile
  A figure of speech, introduced by as or like, that makes a point of comparison between two things different in all other respects.

• assimilate
  1).To take in and thoroughly understand.
  2).To cause to become part of a different society or culture.

• simulacrum
  A copy, especially a superficial likeness or imitation.

• simulate
  1).To take on the appearance or effect of something, often in order to deceive.
  2).To make a realistic imitation of something, such as a physical environment.

SCEND

SCEND comes from the Latin verb scandere, “to climb.” The staircase we ascend to our bedroom at night we will descend the next morning, since what goes up must come down.

• transcend
  To rise above the limits of; overcome, surpass.

• condescend
  1).To stoop to a level of lesser importance or dignity.
  2).To behave as if superior.

• descendant
  1).One that has come down from another or from a common stock.
  2).One deriving directly from a forerunner or original.

• ascendancy
  Governing or controlling interest; domination.

ONYM

ONYM comes from the Greek onyma, meaning “name, word.” An anonymous donor or writer is one who isn’t named. A synonym is a word with the same meaning as another word (see SYN). And homonyms (see HOM/HOMO) are words that look and sound alike but aren’t actually related, such as well (“healthy”) and well (“a deep hole with water in it”).

• antonym
  A word that means the opposite of some other word.

• eponymous
  Of, relating to, or being the person for whom something is named.

• patronymic
  Part of a personal name based on the name of one’s father or one of his ancestors.

• pseudonym
  A name that someone (such as a writer) uses instead of his or her real name.

SCRIB/SCRIP

SCRIB/SCRIP comes from the Latin verb scribere, “to write.” Scribble is an old word meaning to write or draw carelessly. A written work that hasn’t been published is a manuscript. And to describe is to picture something in words.

• conscription
  Enforced enlistment of persons, especially for military service; draft.

• circumscribe
  1).To clearly limit the range or activity of something.
  2).To draw a line around or to surround with a boundary.

• inscription
  1).Something permanently written, engraved, or printed, particularly on a building, coin, medal, or piece of currency.
  2).The dedication of a book or work of art.

• proscribe
  To forbid as harmful or unlawful; prohibit.

FALL

FALL comes from the Latin verb fallere, “to deceive.” It’s actually at the root of the word false, which we rarely use today to mean “deceptive,” though that meaning does show up in older phrases: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,” for instance, or “A false-hearted lover will send you to your grave.” Fallere is even at the root of fail and fault, though you might not guess it to look at them.

• fallacy
  A wrong belief; a false or mistaken idea.

• fallacious
  Containing a mistake; not true or accurate.

• fallibility
  Capability of making mistakes or being wrong.

• infallible
  1).Not capable of being wrong or making mistakes.

2).Certain to work properly or succeed.

SOLU

SOLU comes from the Latin verb solvere, “to loosen, free, release,” and the root therefore may take the form solv- as well. So to solve a problem means to find its solution, as if you were freeing up a logjam. And a solvent is a chemical that dissolves or “loosens up” oil or paint.

• soluble
  1).Able to be dissolved in a liquid, especially water.
  2).Able to be solved or explained.

• absolution
  The act of forgiving someone for their sins.

• dissolution
  The act or process of breaking down or apart into basic components, as through disruption or decay.

• resolute
  Marked by firm determination.

HYDR

HYDR flows from the Greek word for “water.” The “water” root can be found in the lovely flower called the hydrangea: its seed capsules resemble ancient Greek water vessels.

• hydraulic
  1).Relating to water; operated, moved, or brought about by means of water.
  2).Operated by the resistance or pressure of liquid forced through a small opening or tube.

• dehydrate
  1).To remove water from.
  2).To deprive of energy and zest.

• hydroelectric
  Having to do with the production of electricity by waterpower.

• hydroponics
  The growing of plants in nutrient solutions, with or without supporting substances such as sand or gravel.

Greek and Latin Borrowings

• aegis
  1).Something that protects or defends; shield.
  2).Sponsorship or guidance by an individual or organization.

• charisma
  1).An extraordinary gift for leadership that attracts popular support and enthusiasm.
  2).A special ability to attract or charm; magnetism.

• ego
  1).A sense of confidence and satisfaction in oneself; self-esteem.

2).An exaggerated sense of self-importance.

• ethos
  The features, attitudes, moral code, or basic beliefs that define a person, a group, or an institution.

• hubris
  Unreasonable or unjustified pride or self-confidence.

• id
  The part of a person’s unconscious mind that relates to basic needs and desires.

• libido
  1).Sexual drive.
  2).In psychoanalytic theory, energy that is derived from primitive biological urges and is usually goal-oriented.

• trauma
  1).A serious injury to the body.
  2).An abnormal psychological state caused by mental or emotional stress or physical injury.

Unit 26

MUR

MUR, from the Latin noun murus, meaning “wall,” has produced a modest number of English words.

• muralist
  A painter of wall paintings.

• intramural
  Existing or occurring within the bounds of an institution, especially a school.

• extramural
  Existing outside or beyond the walls or boundaries of an organized unit such as a school or hospital.

• immure
  To enclose within, or as if within, walls; imprison.

POLIS/POLIT

POLIS/POLITcomes from the Greek word for “city.” The ancient Greek city-states, such as Athens, Thebes, and Sparta, operated much like separate nations, so all their politics was local, like all their public policy—and even all their police!

• politic
  1).Cleverly tactful.
  2).Wise in promoting a plan or plan of action.

• politicize
  To give a political tone or character to.

• acropolis
  The high, fortified part of a city, especially an ancient Greek city.

• megalopolis
  1).A very large city.
  2).A thickly populated area that includes one or more cities with the surrounding suburbs.

NUMER

NUMER comes from the Latin words meaning “number” and “to count.” A numeral is the symbol that represents a number. Numerous means “many,” and innumerable means “countless.” Numerical superiority is superiority in numbers, and your numerical standing in a class is a ranking expressed as a number.

• numerology
  The study of the occult significance of numbers.

• alphanumeric
  Having or using both letters and numbers.

• enumerate
  To specify one after another; list.

• supernumerary
  Exceeding the usual number.

KILO

KILO is the French version of the Greek word chilioi, meaning “thousand.” France is also where the metric system originated, in the years following the French Revolution. So in English, kilo- shows up chiefly in metric-system units. Before the computer age, the most familiar kilo- words for Englishspeakers were probably kilowatt, meaning “1,000 watts,” and kilowatt-hour, meaning the amount of energy equal to one kilowatt over the course of an hour.

• kilobyte
  A unit of computer information equal to 1,024 bytes.

• kilometer
  A unit of length equal to 1,000 meters.

• kilohertz
  A unit of frequency equal to 1,000 cycles per second.

• kilogram
  A unit of weight equal to 1,000 grams.

MICRO

MICRO, from the Greek mikros, meaning “small,” is a popular English prefix. A microscope lets the eye see microscopic objects, and libraries store the pages of old newspapers on microfilm at 1/400th of their original size. And we continue to attach micro- to lots of familiar words; most of us could figure out the meaning of microbus and microquake without ever having heard them before. Scientists often use micro- to mean “millionth”; thus, a microsecond is a millionth of a second, and a micrometer is a millionth of a meter.

• microbe
  An organism (such as a bacterium) of microscopic or less than microscopic size.

• microbiologist
  A scientist who studies extremely small forms of life, such as bacteria and viruses.

• microbrew
  A beer made by a brewery that makes beer in small amounts.

• microclimate
  The essentially uniform local climate of a small site or habitat.

• multicellular
  Consisting of many cells.

• multidisciplinary
  Involving two or more subject areas.

• multifarious
  Having or occurring in great variety; diverse.

• multilateral
  Involving more than two nations or parties.

PAR

PAR, from the Latin, means “equal.” Our English word par means an amount taken as an average or a standard, and especially the standard score for each hole on a golf course—which is why the phrase “par for the course” means “about as well as expected.” We compare things to see if they’re equal; similar things can be called comparable—that is, “equal with.” And “on a par with” means “comparable to.”

• parity
  The state of being equal.

• disparity
  A noticeable and often unfair difference between people or things.

• nonpareil
  Someone or something of unequaled excellence.

• subpar
  Below a usual or normal level.

PHOB

PHOB comes from the Greek noun phobos, “fear,” and it shows up clearly in our noun phobia, meaning “unusual fear of a specific thing.” Phobias vary greatly in seriousness and also in frequency. Most of us have experienced claustrophobia at some time, but few truly suffer from fear of the number 13, a condition known as triskaidekaphobia.

• acrophobic
  Fearful of heights.

• agoraphobia
  A fear of being in embarrassing or inescapable situations, especially in open or public places.

• xenophobe
  One who has a fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners.

• arachnophobia
  Having a fear or dislike of spiders.

HEM/HEMO

HEM/HEMO comes from the Greek word for “blood” and is found at the beginning of many medical terms. By dropping the h-, the same word produced the suffix -emia, which likewise shows up in lots of “blood” words, including anemia, leukemia and hyperglycemia.

• hemorrhage
  1).A large loss of blood from a blood vessel.
  2).A rapid and uncontrollable loss or outflow.

• hematology
  The study of blood and blood-forming organs.

• hemophilia
  A bleeding disorder caused by the blood’s inability to coagulate.

• hemoglobin
  The element in blood that transports oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues and transports carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.

ITIS

ITIS, a suffix found in both Greek and Latin, means “disease” or “inflammation.” In appendicitis your appendix is swollen and painful, and in tonsillitis the same is true of your tonsils. With laryngitis, your throat and larynx may become so sore that it’s difficult to talk. Some of us enjoy making up our own -itis words; high-school teachers, for example, long ago noticed that many of their seniors tended to lose all interest in schoolwork and start skipping classes, and labeled the condition senioritis.

• bursitis
  Inflammation of a lubricating sac (bursa), especially of the shoulder or elbow.

• hepatitis
  Inflammation of the liver.

• bronchitis
  Inflammation of the bronchial tubes.

• tendinitis
  A painful condition in which a tendon in the arm or leg becomes inflamed.

Unit 27

NANO

NANO comes from the Greek nanos, meaning “dwarf.” For a prefix meaning “small,” English got by for centuries with the Greek micro-, and later minicame to be used widely as well. But only recently, as a result of advances in scientific knowledge and technology, has there been a need for a prefix meaning “extremely small”—a need that’s been filled by nano-, which today is being attached to all kinds of words, sometimes not very seriously (nanoskirt, nano-brained, etc.).

• nanotechnology
  The science of manipulating materials on an atomic or molecular scale, especially to build microscopic devices such as robots.

• nanosecond
  One billionth of a second.

• nanostructure
  An arrangement, structure, or part of something of molecular dimensions.

• nanoparticle
  A tiny particle whose size is measured in billionths of a meter.

SUPER

SUPER, a Latin prefix meaning “over, higher, more than,” has become one of the most familiar prefixes in English, one of those prefixes that we use to create new words all the time: supermodel, superpowerful, superjock, supersize, supersweet—the list goes on and on. This all seems to have started in 1903 when the playwright G. B. Shaw translated the German word

• superfluous
  Beyond what is needed; extra.

• insuperable
  Incapable of being solved or overcome.

• supersede
  To take the place of; to replace with something newer or more useful.

• superlative
  Supreme, excellent.

DE

DE in Latin means “down, away.” So a descent is a downward slope or climb, and a decline is a downward slide (of health, income, etc.). To devalue something is to take value away from it. And you might describe a depressed friend as “down.”

• debase
  To lower the value or reputation of someone or something.

• defamation
  The harming of someone’s reputation by libel or slander.

• degenerative
  Causing the body or part of the body to become weaker or less able to function as time passes.

• dejection
  Sadness, depression, or lowness of spirits.

NUL/NULL

NUL/NULL comes from the Latin word nullus, “none,” which is itself a combination of ne- (“not”) and ullus (“any”). Have you ever noticed how many of our negative words start with n-

• null
  1).Having no legal power; invalid.
  2).Having no elements.

• nullity
  1).Nothingness.
  2).A mere nothing.

• nullify
  1).To cancel legally.
  2).To cause something to lose its value or to have no effect.

• annulment
  An official statement that something is no longer valid.

• armada
  A large group of warships or boats.

• armistice
  An agreement to stop fighting a war; a truce.

• armory
  A place where weapons are made or stored.

• disarming
  Tending to remove any feelings of unfriendliness or distrust.

• upsurge
  A rapid or sudden increase or rise.

• insurgency
  A usually violent attempt to take control of a government; a rebellion or uprising.

• counterinsurgent
  A person taking military or political action against guerrillas or revolutionaries.

• resurgent
  Rising again into life, activity, or prominence.

STRAT

STRAT comes from the Latin word stratum, meaning “spread” or “bed.” Strata, a form of the same word, came to be used by the Romans to mean “paved road”—that is, street.

• stratum
  1).A layer of a substance, especially one of a series of layers.
  2).A level of society made up of people of the same rank or position.

• stratification
  The process or state of being formed, deposited, or arranged in layers.

• substrate
  1).An underlying layer.
  2).The base on which an organism lives.

• stratocumulus
  A low-lying cloud formation appearing as extensive and often dark horizontal layers, with tops rounded into large balls or rolls.

LATER

LATER comes from the Latin adjective lateralis, meaning “side.” The noun for “side” in Latin was latus, and the same word served as an adjective meaning “wide.” The relationship between the two isn’t hard to spot, since something wide extends far out to its sides. So lines of latitude extend eastwest around the earth, in the dimension we tend to think of as its width (unlike lines of longitude, which extend north-south, in the dimension that, for some reason, we decided to think of as its “length”).

• lateral
  Of or relating to the side.

• bilateral
  Involving two groups or countries.

• collateral
  1).Associated but of secondary importance.
  2).Related but not in a direct or close way.

• equilateral
  Having all sides or faces equal.

TOM

TOM comes from the Greek root meaning “cut.” Thus, the Latin word anatomia, from which we get anatomy, means “dissection”—that is cutting or separating the parts of an organism for detailed examination. In a lobotomy, the nerves linking a brain lobe to the rest of the brain are removed; even though lobotomies have hardly been performed in the last 50 years, the idea can still fill us with horror.

• appendectomy
  Surgical removal of the human appendix.

• gastrectomy
  Surgical removal of all or part of the stomach.

• tonsillectomy
  Surgical removal of the tonsils.

• mastectomy
  Surgical removal of all or part of the breast.

IATR

IATR, from the Greek iatros, “healer, physician,” usually hides in the middle of words, where it isn’t immediately noticed. A pediatrician treats children (see PED-). A psychiatrist is a physician who treats mental problems. (A psychologist, by contrast, doesn’t have a medical degree and thus can’t prescribe drugs.) And a physiatrist is a doctor who practices “physical medicine and rehabilitation,” which may involve such things as testing various physical abilities, relieving pain through electric heat or massage, or training patients to exercise or to use an artificial limb.

• iatrogenic
  Caused accidentally by medical treatment.

• bariatric
  Relating to or specializing in the treatment of obesity.

• geriatric
  Of or relating to old people.

• podiatrist
  A doctor who treats injuries and diseases of the foot.

Unit 28

MEDI

MEDI comes from the Latin medius, meaning “middle.” Our word medium refers to something in a middle position. The medieval period of European history, also known as the Middle Ages, is the period between Greek and Roman antiquity and the “modern age.” But why people around 1620 began to use the term “Middle Ages,” because they regarded themselves as modern, is an interesting question.

• median
  In the middle; especially, having a value that is in the middle of a series of values arranged from smallest to largest.

• mediate
  1).To work with opposing sides in an argument or dispute in order to get an agreement.
  2).To achieve a settlement or agreement by working with the opposing sides.

• intermediary
  A person who works with opposing sides in a dispute in order to bring about an agreement.

• mediocrity
  The quality of being not very good.

OID

OID comes from the Greek word for “appearance” or “form.” Since aster in ancient Greek meant “star,” the small bodies orbiting between Mars and Jupiter that looked like stars through primitive telescopes were called asteroids. A factoid is a little bit of information that looks like a fact, whether it is or not. And some people these days will attach -oid to just about anything; you can probably figure out the meaning of nutsoid, nerdoid, and freakazoid without much help.

• rhomboid
  In geometry, a shape with four sides where only the opposite sides and angles are equal.

• deltoid
  A large muscle of the shoulder.

• humanoid
  Looking or acting like a human.

SCOP

SCOP, which usually appears in a suffix, comes from the Greek skopein, meaning “to look at.” In English we have the simple noun scope, along with some other words it sometimes stands for: telescope, microscope, periscope, and so on. And have you ever used a stereoscope, a device your greatgrandparents probably enjoyed, which lets you look through a viewer at two slightly different photographs of the same thing, one with each eye, to enjoy the illusion that you’re seeing it in three dimensions

• endoscope
  A lighted tubular medical instrument for viewing the interior or a hollow organ or body part that typically has one or more channels to permit passage of surgical instruments.

• arthroscopic
  Relating to a fiber-optic instrument that is inserted through an incision near a joint to examine the joint’s interior.

• laparoscopy
  Examination of the interior of the abdomen using a fiber-optic instrument inserted through a cut in the abdomen’s wall.

• oscilloscope
  An instrument that shows visual images of changing electrical current on a screen.

TRANS

TRANS comes from Latin to indicate movement “through, across, or beyond” something. Translation carries a writer’s meaning from one language to another. A television signal is sent or transmitted through the air (or a cable) to your set. When making your way through a city on public transportation, you may have to transfer from one bus or subway to another.

• transient
  1).Not lasting long; short-lived.
  2).Passing through a place and staying only briefly.

• transfiguration
  A change in form or appearance; a glorifying spiritual change.

• transponder
  A radio or radar set that emits a radio signal after receiving such a signal.

• transcendent
  1).Exceeding or rising above usual limits;
  supreme.
  2).Beyond comprehension; beyond ordinary experience or material existence.

PRO

PRO is an important prefix, with a couple of quite different broad meanings. In this section, we’ll look at words in which pro- has the basic meaning “for” or “favoring.” Everyone knows words like pro-democracy and pro-American, but other pro- words may not be quite so self-explanatory.

• proactive
  Acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes.

• pro
  bono Being, involved in, or doing professional work, and especially legal work, donated for the public good.

• proponent
  One who argues in favor of something: advocate.

• pro
  forma Done or existing as something that is required but that has little true meaning or importance.

• protrude
  To jut out from the surrounding surface or context.

• prophylaxis
  Measures designed to preserve health and prevent the spread of disease.

• promulgate
  1).To proclaim or make public.
  2).To put (a law) into effect.

• prologue
  1).An introduction to a literary work.
  2).An introductory event or development.

RE

RE is a prefix which, like pro- (see PRO), has more than one meaning. In this section, we’ll focus on the meaning “again.” We use re- words with this meaning every day—redo, reheat, recheck, reread, resell, repaint, etc.—and we feel free to make up new ones as needed. But in plenty of other re- words, the meaning isn’t so obvious.

• remorse
  A deep regret arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs.

• reiterate
  To state or do over again or repeatedly.

• rejuvenate
  To make young or youthful again; to give new vigor to.

• reconcile
  1).To make agree.
  2).To make friendly again.

RE-

RE-, in its other main sense, means “back” or backward." Since doing something again means going back to it, the two senses are actually related; still, the meaning of re- in most words is pretty clearly one or the other. So a rebound comes back at you; to recall means to “call back” a memory; and to react is to “act back” at someone else’s action.

• reciprocal
  1).Done, given, or felt equally by both sides.
  2).Related to each other in such a way that one completes the other or is the equal of the other.

• rebut
  1).To oppose by argument.
  2).To prove to be wrong.

• revoke
  To officially cancel the power or effect of something (such as a law, order, or privilege).

• regress
  To return to an earlier and usually worse or less developed condition or state.

DERM

DERM comes from the Greek derma, meaning “skin.” For medical advice on a skin problem such as acne, we may go to a dermatologist, or skin specialist. When we get a shot, it’s usually with a hypodermic, a needle that goes “under the skin” (see HYP/HYPO). A pachyderm is a “thick-skinned” animal, which most of us just call an elephant.

• dermal
  Relating to the skin and especially to the dermis.

• epidermis
  The outer layer of the skin.

• taxidermist
  One who prepares, stuffs, and mounts the skins of dead animals.

• dermatitis
  Inflammation of the skin.

ENDO

ENDO comes from the Greek endon, meaning “within.” In English it appears almost always in scientific terms, especially in biology. A nonscientific endoword is endogamy, meaning marriage within a specific group as required by custom or law—one of the many customs that can be seen everywhere from the most remote tribes to the highest society in wealthy countries.

• endocrine
  1).A hormone.
  2).Any of several glands (such as the thyroid) that pour their secretions directly into the blood or lymph.

• endogenous
  Developing or originating within a cell, organ, body, or system.

• endorphin
  Any of a group of proteins in the brain that are able to relieve pain.

Unit 29

NECRO

NECRO comes from the Greek nekros, meaning “dead body,” so it’s not surprising that it shows up in some unappetizing places. A necrophagous insect, for instance, is one that feeds on dead bodies; when homicide investigators discover a corpse, they may use the insect evidence to figure out when the person died.

• necrosis
  Death of living tissue, usually within a limited area.

• necromancer
  One who conjures the spirits of the dead in order to magically reveal the future or influence the course of events.

• necropolis
  A cemetery, especially a large, elaborate cemetery of an ancient city.

• necropsy
  An autopsy, especially one performed on an animal.

PALEO

PALEO comes from the Greek palaios, meaning “ancient”—that is, “older than old.” The prefix sometimes gets attached to very recognizable words; paleobiology, for instance, deals with the biology of fossil organisms, paleogeography is the study of geography in earlier geological eras, and paleoecology is the study of the relationship of plants and animals to their environment in those eras.

• Paleolithic Of or relating to the earliest period of the Stone Age, characterized by rough or chipped stone implements.

• paleography
  1).The study of ancient writings and inscriptions.
  2).Ancient writings.

• paleontology
  A science dealing with the life of past geological periods as known from fossil remains.

• Paleozoic The era of geological history, ending about 248 million years ago, in which vertebrates and land plants first appeared.

CIRCU/CIRCUM

CIRCU/CIRCUM comes from the Latin circus, meaning “circle.” So a circus is traditionally held under a round tent. A circuit can be a tour around an area or territory, or the complete path of an electric current. To circumnavigate means “to navigate around”—often around the world.

• circuitous
  1).Having a circular or winding course.
  2).Not forthright or direct in action.

2).The outer boundary or surface of a shape or object.

• circumspect
  Careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences; cautious.

• circumvent
  1).To make a circuit around.
  2).To manage to get around, especially by clever means.

MINI/MINU

MINI/MINU come from Latin words meaning “small” and “least.” So the minimum is the least, and a minute amount is almost nothing. And mini- is all too familiar as a prefix that we’ve been applying to all kinds of things since the 1950s: minivan, miniskirt, mini-mart, minipark, and the rest.

• minimalism
  A style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity.

• minuscule
  Very small.

• minutiae
  Very small or minor details.

• diminutive
  1).Indicating small size.
  2).Very small.

INTER

INTER comes straight from Latin. In English it has various meanings; all of them can be expressed broadly as “between,” but they’re still quite distinct: “moving between” (intercity), “communicating between” (intercom), “coming between” (intercept), and so on. No wonder so many English words begin with inter-.

• intercede
  1).To act as a go-between between unfriendly parties.
  2).To beg or plead in behalf of another.

• interstice
  A little space between two things; chink, crevice.

• interdict
  1).To prohibit or forbid.
  2).To destroy, damage, or cut off (as an enemy line of supply) by firepower to stop or hamper an enemy.

• interpolate
  To put something between other things or parts, especially to put words into a piece of writing or a conversation.

SUR

SUR is actually a shortening of the Latin prefix super-, meaning “over, above” (see SUPER), and has the same meaning. A surface is the face above or on the outside of something. A surplus is something above and beyond what is needed. And to survey a landscape is to look out over it.

• surmount
  To rise above; overcome.

• surcharge
  An additional tax or charge.

• surfeit
  A supply that is more than enough; excess.

• surreal
  Very strange or unusual; having the quality of a dream.

CO

CO is a Latin prefix that generally means “with, together,” and we see it daily in such words as costar, cofounder, co-owner, and coworker. But many other co- words aren’t quite so easy to understand when you first encounter them.

• coalesce
  To come together to form one group or mass.

• cogeneration
  The production of electricity using waste heat (as in steam) from an industrial process, or the use of steam from electric power generation as a source of heat.

SYN

SYN is a Greek and Latin prefix meaning “together” or “at the same time.” So “in sync” (short for “in synchronization”) means “together in time.” And a synonym is a word that can be considered together with another word since it has the same meaning.

• syntax
  The way in which words are put together to form phrases, clauses, or sentences.

• synthesize
  To make something by combining different things.

• synergy
  The increased effectiveness that results when two or more people or businesses work together.

• syndrome
  A group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize a particular abnormality or condition.

Words from Mythology and History

• Adonis
  A very handsome young man.

• amazon
  A tall, strong, often masculine woman.

• chimera
  An often grotesque creature of the imagination.

• cornucopia
  1).A container shaped like a hollow horn full of fruits, vegetables, and ears of grain.
  2).An abundance of something desirable.

• Elysium
  A place or condition of ideal happiness; paradise.

• epicure
  A person with cultivated taste, especially for food and drink; a gourmet.

• exodus
  A situation in which many people leave a place at the same time.

• gorgon
  An ugly, repulsive, or terrifying woman.

Unit 30

TOXI

TOXI comes from the Greek and Latin words for “poison,” something the Greeks and Romans knew a good deal about. Socrates died by taking a solution of poison hemlock, a flowering plant much like wild carrot that now also grows in the U.S. Rome’s enemy Mithridates, king of Pontus, was obsessed with poisons, experimented with them on prisoners, and tried to make himself immune to them by eating tiny amounts of them daily. Nero’s mother Agrippina poisoned several of her son’s rivals to power—and probably did the same to her own husband, the emperor Claudius.

• toxin
  A substance produced by a living organism (such as bacteria) that is highly poisonous to other organisms.

• toxicity
  The state of being poisonous; the degree to which something is poisonous.

• toxicology
  A science that deals with poisons and their effect.

• neurotoxin
  A poisonous protein that acts on the nervous system.

TEN/TENU

TEN/TENU comes from the Latin tenuis, meaning “thin.” So to extend something is to stretch it, and lots of things get thin when they’re stretched. The ten- root is even seen in pretend, which once meant to stretch something out above or in front; that something came to be a claim that you were something that you actually weren’t.

• tenuous
  Having little substance or strength; flimsy, weak.

• attenuated
  Thinned or weakened.

• extenuating
  Partially excusing or justifying.

• distended
  Stretched or bulging out in all directions; swelled.

TECHNI/TECHNO

TECHNI/TECHNO comes from the Greek techne, meaning “art, craft, skill,” and shows up in dozens of English words. Some, such as technical, technology, and technique, have long been familiar. Others, such as technothriller, were only coined in the current computer age, which has also seen the new cut-down terms techno (for techno-pop, the electronic dance music) and tech (for technician or technology).

• technocrat
  A scientist or technical expert with power in politics or industry.

• technophobe
  One who fears or dislikes advanced technology or complex devices and especially computers.

• technophile
  One who loves technology.

• pyrotechnic
  Of or relating to fireworks.

LONG

LONG comes from Latin longus, which, as you might guess, means “long.” The English word long shows up in many compound terms such as longsuffering (“patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship”) and long-winded (“boringly long in speaking or writing”), but the long- root also sometimes shows up less obviously. To prolong something is to lengthen it, for example, and a chaise longue (not lounge!) is “a long reclining chair.”

• longitude
  Distance measured by degrees or time east or west from the prime meridian.

• elongate
  1).To extend the length of; stretch.
  2).To grow in length.

• longueur
  A dull and boring portion, as of a book.

• oblong
  Longer in one direction than in the other.

IDIO

IDIO comes from the Greek idios, meaning “one’s own” or “private.” In Latin this root led to the word idiota, meaning “ignorant person”—that is, a person who doesn’t take in knowledge from outside himself. And that led to a familiar English word that gets used too often, usually to describe people who aren’t ignorant at all.

• idiom
  An expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but must be learned as a whole.

• idiomatic
  In a manner conforming to the particular forms of a language.

• idiosyncrasy
  An individual peculiarity of a person’s behavior or thinking.

• idiopathic
  Arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause.

AER/AERO

AER/AERO comes from the Greek word for “air.” The aerospace industry manufactures vehicles that travel through the atmosphere and beyond into space. Aerodynamic designs move through the air with maximum speed. And aerophobia is the technical name for what we usually just call fear of flying.

• aerial
  1).Performed in the air.
  2).Performed using an airplane.

• aerate
  To supply with air or oxygen.

• aerobic
  1).Living or occurring only in the presence of oxygen.
  2).Involving or increasing oxygen consumption.

• anaerobic
  1).Living or occurring in the absence of oxygen.
  2).Relating to activity in which the body works temporarily with inadequate oxygen.

CAD

CAD comes from the Latin verb cadere, “to fall.” Thus, a cascade is usually a waterfall, but sometimes a flood of something else that seems to pour on top of you: a cascade of new problems, a cascade of honors, and so on.

• cadaver
  A dead body, especially one that is to be dissected; a corpse.

• decadent
  Marked by decay or decline, especially in morals.

• cadence
  1).The close of a musical phrase, especially one that moves to a harmonic point of rest.
  2).The rhythmic flow of sound in language.

• cadenza
  A virtuosic flourish or extended passage by a soloist, often improvised, that occurs shortly before the end of a piece or movement.

• tribute
  1).Something (such as a gift or speech) that is given or performed to show appreciation, respect, or affection.
  2).Something that proves the good quality or effectiveness of something.

• tributary
  A stream flowing into a larger stream or a lake.

• attribute
  1).To explain by indicating a cause.
  2).To regard as likely to be a quality of a person or thing.

• retribution
  Something given in payment for a wrong; punishment.

Words from Mythology and History

• halcyon
  1).Calm and peaceful.
  2).Happy and successful.

• meander
  1).To follow a winding course.
  2).To wander slowly without a specific purpose or direction.

• oedipal
  Relating to an intense emotional relationship with one’s mother and conflict with one’s father.

• ostracize
  To exclude someone from a group by common consent .

• paean
  1).A song of joy, praise, tribute, or triumph.
  2).A work that praises or honors its subject.

• philippic
  A speech full of bitter condemnation; a tirade.

• satyr
  A man with a strong desire for many women.

• zealot
  A fanatical supporter.

Merriam词根词典笔记

Merriam

• Unit.1
• • BENE
  • AM
  • BELL
  • PAC
  • PROB
  • GRAV
  • LEV
  • Words from Mythology[^mythology] and History
• Unit.2
• • MANIA
  • PSYCH
  • CEPT
  • FIN
  • JECT
  • TRACT
  • DUC/DUCT
  • SEQU
  • Words from Mythology
• Unit 3
• • AMBI
  • EPI
  • HYP/HYPO
  • THERM/THERMO
  • POLY
  • PRIM
  • HOM/HOMO
  • DIS
  • Latin Borrowings
• Unit 4
• • VOR
  • CARN
  • CRED
  • FID
  • CURR/CURS
  • PED
  • FLECT
  • POST
  • Words from Mythology
• Unit 5
• • MAL
  • PROT/PROTO
  • ANTE
  • ORTHO
  • RECT
  • EU
  • DYS
  • Latin Borrowings
• Unit 6
• • EQU
  • QUIS
  • PLE/PLEN
  • METR/METER
  • AUD
  • SON
  • ERR
  • Words from Mythology and History
• Unit 7
• • VIS
  • SPECT
  • VOC
  • PHON
  • CUR
  • PERI
  • SENS
  • SOPH
  • Words from Mythology and History
• Unit 8
• • PORT
  • EXTRA
  • LUC
  • MOR/MORT
  • TROPH
  • Words from Mythology and History
  • Socratic
• Unit 9
• • HER
  • COSM
  • SCI
  • JUNCT
  • PART
  • PEL
  • Words from Mythology
• Unit 10
• • PUT
  • LOG
  • TERR
  • MAR
  • PATH
  • PEN/PUN
  • MATR/MATER
  • AQU
  • Words from Mythology
• Unit 11
• • CANT
  • LINGU
  • SPIR
  • VER
  • TURB
  • VOLU/VOLV
  • Words from Mythology and History
• Unit 12
• • UMBR
  • VEST
  • THE/THEO
  • ICON
  • URB
  • DEM/DEMO
  • Animal Words
• Unit 13
• • CORD
  • CULP
  • DICT
  • GNI/GNO
  • GRAPH
  • ART
  • FORT
  • CIS
  • Animal Words
• Unit 14
• • CRYPT
  • AB/ABS
  • PED-
  • TROP
  • NEO
  • NOV
  • TEN
  • MONO
  • UNI
• Unit 15
• • TERM/TERMIN
  • SPHER
  • VERT
  • MORPH
  • DOC/DOCT
  • TUT/TUI
  • DI/DUP
  • BI/BIN
• Unit 16
• • TOP
  • CENTR/CENTER
  • DOM
  • OMNI
  • HOL/HOLO
  • RETRO
  • TEMPOR
  • Number Words TRI
• Unit 17
• • ANIM
  • ANN/ENN
  • CORP
  • TANG/TACT
  • CODI/CODE
  • QUADR/QUART
• Unit 18
• • CAPIT
  • ANTHROP
  • KINE
  • DYNAM
  • CRIT
  • JUR
  • Pentateuch
  • Pentecostal
  • QUINT
• Unit 19
• • BIO
  • GEN
  • FUNCT
  • MUT
  • FRACT
  • TELE
  • PHIL
  • Anglophile
  • NEG
  • CENT
• Unit 20
• • NOM
  • PATER/PATR
  • LEGA
  • GREG
  • FLU
  • PREHEND/PREHENS
  • TEMPER
  • PURG
  • Number Words MILL
  • HEMI/SEMI
• Unit 21
• • SUB
  • HYPER
  • PRE
  • PARA
  • META
  • PER
  • ANT/ANTI
  • CONTRA
  • Greek
• Unit 22
• • ACER/ACR
  • STRICT
  • STRU/STRUCT
  • PROP/PROPRI
  • TORT
  • VIV
  • CLUS
  • Greek and Latin Borrowings
• Unit 23
• • TEXT
  • PLAC
  • AUT/AUTO
  • GRAT
  • CLAM/CLAIM
  • CRAC/CRAT
  • Greek
• Unit 24
• • MAND
  • UND
  • SANCT
  • LOQU
  • VIR
  • CRE/CRET
  • FUS
  • Greek and Latin Borrowings
• Unit 25
• • VERB
  • SIMIL/SIMUL
  • SCEND
  • ONYM
  • SCRIB/SCRIP
  • FALL
  • SOLU
  • HYDR
  • Greek and Latin Borrowings
• Unit 26
• • MUR
  • POLIS/POLIT
  • NUMER
  • KILO
  • MICRO
  • PAR
  • PHOB
  • HEM/HEMO
  • ITIS
• Unit 27
• • NANO
  • SUPER
  • DE
  • NUL/NULL
  • STRAT
  • LATER
  • TOM
  • IATR
• Unit 28
• • MEDI
  • OID
  • SCOP
  • TRANS
  • PRO
  • RE
  • RE-
  • DERM
  • ENDO
• Unit 29
• • NECRO
  • PALEO
  • CIRCU/CIRCUM
  • MINI/MINU
  • INTER
  • SUR
  • CO
  • SYN
  • Words from Mythology and History
• Unit 30
• • TOXI
  • TEN/TENU
  • TECHNI/TECHNO
  • LONG
  • IDIO
  • AER/AERO
  • CAD
  • Words from Mythology and History

Unit.1

BENE

BENE is Latin for “well”.

• benediction
  A prayer that asks for God’s blessing, especially a prayer that concludes a worship service.
• benefactor
  Someone who helps another person or group, especially by giving money.
• beneficiary
  A person or organization that benefits or is expected to benefit from something, especially one that received money or property when someone dies.
• benevolence
  Kindness, generosity.

AM

AM comes from the Latin amare, “to love”.

• amicable
  Friendly, peaceful.
• enamored
  Charmed or fascinated; inflamed with love.
• amorous
  Having or showing strong feelings of attraction or love.
• paramour
  A lover, often secret, not allowed by law or custom.

BELL

BELL comes from the Latin word meaning “war”.

• antebellum
  Existing before a war, especially before the American Civil War.
• bellicose
  Warlike, aggressive, quarrelsome.
• belligerence
  Aggressiveness, combativeness.
• rebellion
  Open defiance and opposition, sometimes armed, to a person or thing in authority.

PAC

PAC is related to Latin words “agree” and “peace”.

• pacify
  1). To soothe^{1 angel or agitation2.
  2). To subdue3 by armed action.}

• pacifist
  A person opposed to war or violence, especially someone who refuse to bear arms or to fight, on moral or religious grounds.
• pact
  An agreement between two or more people or groups; a treaty or formal agreement between nations to deal with a problem or to resolve a dispute^4.

• pace
  Contrary to the opinion of.
  #CRIM
  CRIM comes from the Latin words for “fault or crime” or “accusation^5”.

• criminology
  The study of crime, criminals, law enforcement, and punishment.
• decriminalize
  To remove or reduce the criminal status of.
• incriminate
  To show evidence of involvement in a crime or a fault.
• recrimination
  1).An accusation in answer to an accusation made against oneself.
  2)The making of such an accusation.

PROB

PROB comes from the Latin words for “prove or proof” and “honest or integrity^6”.

• approbation
  A formal or official act of approving; praise, usually given with pleasure or enthusiasm.
• probate
  The process of proving in court that the will of someone who has died is valid, and of administering the estate of a dead person.
• probity
  Absolute honesty and uprightness^7.

• reprobate
  A person of thoroughly^{8 bad character.}

GRAV

• grave
  1).Requiring serious thought or concern.
  2)Serious and formal in appearance or manner.
• gravitas
  Great or very dignified seriousness.
• gravitate
  To move or be drawn toward something, especially by natural tendency^{9 or as if by an invisible force.}

• aggravate
  1).To make (an injury,problem,etc.) more serious or severe.
  2)To annoy^{10 or bother.}

LEV

LEV comes from the Latin adjective levis, meaning “light”, and the verb levare, meaning “to raise or lighten”.

• alleviate
  To lighten, lessen ,or relieve, especially physical or mental suffering.
• elevation
  1).The height of a place.
  2)The act or result of lifting or raising someone or something.
• cantilever
  A long piece of wood, metal, etc., that sticks out from a wall to support something above it.
• levity
  Lack of appropriate seriousness.

Words from Mythology^{11 and History}

• cicerone
  A guide, especially one who takes tourists to museums, monuments, or architectural sites and explains what is being seen.
• hector
  To bully^{12 or harass13 by bluster14 or personal pressure.}

• hedonism
  An attitude or way of life based on the idea that pleasure or happiness should be the chief goal.
• nestor
  A senior figure or leader in one’s field.
• spartan
  Marked by simplicity, avoidance of luxury, and often strict self-discipline or self-denial^15.

• stentorian
  Extremely loud, often with especially deep richness of sound.
• stoic
  Seemingly indifferent to pleasure or pain.
• sybaritic
  Marked by a luxurious or sensual^{16 way of life.}

Unit.2

MANIA

MANIA in Latin means “madness,” and the meaning passed over into English unchanged.

• kleptomania
  A mental illness in which a person has a strong desire to steal things.
• dipsomaniac
  A person with an extreme and uncontrollable desire for alcohol.
• megalomaniac
  A mental disorder marked by feelings of great personal power and importance.
• egomaniac
  Someone who is extremely self-centered and ignores the problems and concerns of others.

PSYCH

PSYCH comes from the Greek word psyche, meaning “breath, life, soul.”

• psyche
  Soul, personality, mind.
• psychedelic
  1).Of or relating to a drug (such as LSD) that produces abnormal and often extreme mental effects such as hallucinations.
  2).Imitating the effects of psychedelic drugs.
• psychosomatic
  Caused by mental or emotional problems rather than by physical illness.
• psychotherapist
  One who treats mental or emotional disorder or related bodily ills by psychological means.

CEPT

CEPT comes from the Latin verb meaning “take, seize.”

• reception
  1). The act of receiving.
  2).A social gathering where guests are formally welcomed.
• intercept
  To stop, seize, or interrupt (something or someone) before arrival.
• perceptible
  Noticeable or able to be felt by the senses.
• susceptible
  1).Open to some influence; responsive.
  2).Able to be submitted to an action or process.

FIN

FIN comes from the Latin word for “end” or “boundary.”

• confine
  1).To keep (someone or something) within limits.
  2).To hold (someone) in a location.
• definitive 1).Authoritative and final.
  2).Specifying perfectly or precisely.
• finite
  Having definite limits.
• infinitesimal
  Extremely or immeasurably small.

JECT

JECT comes from jacere, the Latin verb meaning “throw” or “hurl.”

• interject
  To interrupt a conversation with a comment or remark.
• conjecture
  To guess.
• projection
  An estimate of what might happen in the future based on what is happening now.
• trajectory
  The curved path that an object makes in space, or that a thrown object follows as it rises and falls to earth.

TRACT

TRACT comes from trahere, the Latin verb meaning “drag or draw.”

• traction
  The friction that allows a moving thing to move over a surface without slipping.
• retract
  1).To pull back (something) into something larger. 2).To take back (something said or written).
• protracted
  Drawn out, continued, or extended.
• intractable
  Not easily handled, led, taught, or controlled.

DUC/DUCT

DUC/DUCT, from the Latin verb ducere, “to lead,” shows up regularly in English.

• conducive
  Tending to promote, encourage, or assist; helpful.
• deduction
  1).Subtraction.
  2).The reaching of a conclusion by reasoning.
• induce
  1).Persuade, influence.
  2).Bring about.
• seduction
  1).Temptation to sin, especially temptation to sexual intercourse.
  2).Attraction or charm.

SEQU

SEQU comes from the Latin verb sequi, meaning “to follow.”

• sequential
  1).Arranged in order or in a series.
  2).Following in a series.
• subsequent
  Following in time, order, or place; later.
• consequential
  1).Resulting. 2).Important.
• non sequitur
  A statement that does not follow logically from anything previously said.

Words from Mythology

• Apollonian
  Harmonious, ordered, rational, calm.
• bacchanalian
  Frenzied, orgiastic.
• delphic
  Unclear, ambiguous, or confusing.
• Dionysian
  Frenzied, delirious.
• jovial
  Jolly, good-natured.
• mercurial
  Having rapid and unpredictable changes of mood.
• Olympian
  Lofty, superior, and detached.
• venereal
  Having to do with sexual intercourse or diseases transmitted by it.

Unit 3

AMBI

AMBI means “on both sides” or “around”; ambi- comes from Latin. Most of us are either right-handed or left-handed, but ambidextrous people can use their right and left hand equally well.

• ambiguous
  1).Doubtful or uncertain especially from being obscure or indistinct.
  2).Unclear in meaning because of being understandable in more than one way.

• ambient
  Existing or present on all sides.

• ambivalent
  1).Holding opposite feelings and attitudes at the same time toward someone or something.
  2).Continually wavering between opposites or alternative courses of action.

• ambit
  The range or limit covered by something (such as a law).

EPI

EPI is a Greek prefix that may mean various things, but usually “on, over” or “attached to.” So an earthquake’s epicenter is the ground right over the center of the quake. And your epidermis is the outer layer of your skin, on top of the inner dermis.

• epilogue
  The final section after the main part of a book or play.

• epiphyte
  A plant that obtains its nutrients from the air and the rain and usually grows on another plant for support.

• epitaph
  An inscription on a grave or tomb in memory of the one buried there.

• epithet
  1).A descriptive word or phrase occurring with or in place of the name of a person or thing.
  2).An insulting or demeaning word or phrase.

HYP/HYPO

HYP/HYPO is a Greek prefix meaning “below, under.” Many hypo- words are medical. A hypodermic needle injects medication under the skin. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, can be just as unhealthy as the betterknown hypertension, or high blood pressure.

• hypochondriac
  A person overly concerned with his or her own health who often suffers from delusions of physical disease.

• hypoglycemia
  Abnormal decrease of sugar in the blood.

• hypothermia
  Subnormal temperature of the body.

• hypothetical
  1).Involving an assumption made for the sake of argument or for further study or investigation.
  2).Imagined for purposes of example.

THERM/THERMO

THERM/THERMO comes from the Greek word meaning “warm.” A thermometer measures the amount of warmth in a body, the air, or an oven. A thermostat makes sure the temperature stays at the same level. And it’s easy to see why the German manufacturers of a vacuum-insulated bottle back in 1904 gave it the name Thermos.

• thermal
  1).Of, relating to, or caused by heat.
  2).Designed to insulate in order to retain body heat.

• thermodynamics
  Physics that deals with the mechanical actions or relations of heat.

• thermonuclear
  Of or relating to the changes in the nucleus of atoms with low atomic weight, such as hydrogen, that require a very high temperature to begin.

POLY

POLY comes from polys, the Greek word for “many.” A polytechnic institute offers instruction in many technical fields. Polygamy is marriage in which one has many spouses, or at least more than the legal limit of one. And polysyllabic words are words of many syllables—of which there are quite a few in this book.

• polyp
  1).A sea invertebrate that has a mouth opening at one end surrounded by stinging tentacles.
  2).A growth projecting from a mucous membrane, as on the colon or vocal cords.

• polyglot
  1).One who can speak or write several languages.
  2).Having or using several languages.

• polymer
  A chemical compound formed by a reaction in which two or more molecules combine to form larger molecules with repeating structural units.

• polygraph
  An instrument for recording changes in several bodily functions (such as blood pressure and rate of breathing) at the same time; lie detector.

PRIM

PRIM comes from primus, the Latin word for “first.” Something primary is first in time, rank, or importance. Something primitive is in its first stage of development. And something primeval had its origin in the first period of world or human history.

• primal
  Basic or primitive.

• primer
  1).A small book for teaching children to read.
  2).A small introductory book on a subject.

• primate
  Any member of the group of animals that includes human beings, apes, and monkeys.

• primordial
  1).First created or developed.
  2).Existing in or from the very beginning.

HOM/HOMO

HOM/HOMO comes from homos, the Greek word for “same,” which in English words may also mean “similar.” A homograph is a word spelled like another word but different in meaning or pronunciation, and a homosexual is a person who favors others of the same sex. (This root has nothing to do with the Latin homo, meaning “person,” as in Homo sapiens, the French homme, and the Spanish hombre.)

• homonym
  One of two or more words pronounced and/or spelled alike but different in meaning.

• homogeneous
  1).Of the same or a similar kind.
  2).Of uniform structure or composition throughout.

• homologous
  Developing from the same or a similar part of a remote ancestor.

• homogenize
  1).To treat (milk) so that the fat is mixed throughout instead of floating on top.
  2).To change (something) so that its parts are the same or similar.

DIS

DIS comes from Latin, where it means “apart.” In English, its meanings have increased to include “opposite” or “not” (as in distaste, disagreeable), “deprive of” (disinfect), or “exclude or expel from” (disbar). The original meaning can still be seen in a word like dissipate, which means “to break up and scatter.”

• dissuade
  To convince (someone) not to do something.

• disorient
  To cause to be confused or lost.

• discredit
  1).To cause (someone or something) to seem dishonest or untrue.
  2).To damage the reputation of (someone).

• dislodge
  To force out of a place, especially a place of rest, hiding, or defense.

Latin Borrowings

• ad hoc
  Formed or used for a particular purpose or for immediate needs.

• ad hominem
  Marked by an attack on an opponent’s character rather than by an answer to the arguments made or the issues raised.

• alter ego
  1).A trusted friend or personal representative.
  2).The opposite side of a personality.

• de facto
  Being such in practice or effect, although not formally recognized; actual.

• quid pro quo
  Something given or received for something else.

• ex post facto
  Done, made, or formulated after the fact.

• modus operandi
  A usual way of doing something.

• modus vivendi
  1).A practical compromise or arrangement that is acceptable to all concerned.
  2).A way of life.

Unit 4

VOR

VOR comes from the Latin verb vorare, “to eat,” and the ending -ivorous shows up in words that refer to eaters of certain kinds of food. Frugivorous (for “fruit-eating”), granivorous (for “grain-eating”), and graminivorous (for “grass-eating”) aren’t too rare, but you won’t run across phytosuccivorous (“plant-sap-eating”) every day.

• carnivorous
  Meat-eating or flesh-eating.

• herbivorous
  Plant-eating.

• insectivorous
  Feeding on insects.

• voracious
  Having a huge appetite.

CARN

CARN comes from a Latin word meaning “flesh” or “meat.” Carnation originally meant “the color of flesh,” which was once the only color of the flower we call the carnation. In Christian countries, Lent is the period when the faithful traditionally give up something they love, often meat. The days leading up to Lent are known as the carnival season, from the Italian carnelevare, later shortened to carnevale, which meant “removal of meat”— though during carnival, of course, people indulge in just about everything, and the removal of meat only comes later.

• carnage
  Great destruction of life (as in a battle); slaughter.

• carnal
  Having to do with bodily pleasures.

• incarnate
  Given bodily or actual form; especially, having human body.

• reincarnation
  1).Rebirth in new bodies or forms of life.
  2).Someone who has been born again with a new body after death.

CRED

CRED comes from credere, the Latin verb meaning “to believe” or “to entrust.” We have a good credit rating when institutions trust in our ability to repay a loan, and we carry credentials so that others will believe that we are who we say we are.

• credence
  Mental acceptance of something as true or real; belief.

• credible
  1).Able to be believed; reasonable to trust or believe.
  2).Good enough to be effective.

• credulity
  Readiness and willingness to believe on the basis of little evidence.

• credo
  1).A statement of the basic beliefs of a religious faith.
  2).A set of guiding principles or beliefs.

FID

FID comes from fides, the Latin word for “faith” or “trust.” Fidelity is another word for “faithfulness.” Confidence is having faith in someone or something. An infidel is someone who lacks a particular kind of religious faith. And the once-popular dog’s name Fido is Latin for “I trust.”

• affidavit
  A sworn statement made in writing.

• diffident
  Lacking confidence; timid, cautious.

• fiduciary
  1).Having to do with a confidence or trust.
  2).Held in trust for another.

• perfidy
  Faithlessness, disloyalty, or treachery.

CURR/CURS

CURR/CURS comes from currere, the Latin verb meaning “to run.” Although words based on this root don’t tend to suggest speed, the sense of movement remains. Current, for instance, refers to running water in a stream or river, or electrons running through a wire, and an excursion is a trip from one place to another.

• concurrent
  Happening or operating at the same time.

• cursory
  Hastily and often carelessly done.

• discursive
  Passing from one topic to another.

• precursor
  One that goes before and indicates the coming of another.

PED

PED comes from the Latin word for “foot.” A pedal is pushed by the foot; a pedicure is a treatment of the feet, toes, and toenails; and a pedestal is what a statue stands on—in a sense, its foot.

• quadruped
  An animal having four feet.

• pedigree
  The line of ancestors of a person or animal.

• impediment
  Something that interferes with movement or progress.

• pedestrian
  Commonplace, ordinary, or unimaginative.

FLECT

FLECT comes from flectere, the Latin verb meaning “to bend.” The root sometimes takes the form flex-. Things that are flexible can be bent, and when you flex a muscle, you’re usually bending a limb—which, as a trainer at the gym will tell you, requires the use of flexor muscles.

• deflect
  To turn aside, especially from a straight or fixed course.

• reflective
  1).Capable of reflecting light, images, or sound waves.
  2).Thoughtful.

• genuflect
  To kneel on one knee and then rise as an act of respect.

• inflection
  1).A change in the pitch, tone, or loudness of the voice.
  2).The change in form of a word showing its case, gender, number, person, tense, mood, voice, or comparison.

POST

POST comes from a Latin word meaning “after” or “behind.” A postscript (or PS) is a note that comes after an otherwise completed letter, usually as an afterthought. Postpartum refers to the period following childbirth, with any related events and complications. To postdate a check is to give it a date after the day it was written.

• posterior
  Situated toward or on the back; rear.

• posthumous
  1).Published after the death of the author.
  2).Following or happening after one’s death.

• postmodern
  Having to do with a movement in
  architecture, art, or literature that is a reaction against modernism and that reintroduces traditional elements and techniques in odd contexts as well as elements from popular culture.

• postmortem
  1).Occurring after death.
  2).Following the event.

Words from Mythology

• calypso
  A folk song or style of singing of West Indian origin that has a lively rhythm and words that are often made up by the singer.

• odyssey
  1).A long, wandering journey full of trials and adventures.
  2).A spiritual journey or quest.

• palladium
  A precious, silver-white metal related to platinum that is used in electrical contacts and as an alloy with gold to form white gold.

• Penelope
  A modest domestic wife.

• procrustean
  Ruthlessly disregarding individual differences or special circumstances.

• protean
  1).Displaying great versatility or variety.
  2).Able to take on many different forms or natures.

• sibyl
  A female prophet or fortune-teller.

• siren
  A woman who tempts men with bewitching sweetness.

Unit 5

MAL

MAL comes from a Latin word meaning “bad.” A malady is a bad condition —a disease or illness—of the body or mind. Malpractice is bad medical practice. Malodorous things smell bad. And a malefactor is someone guilty of bad deeds.

• malevolent
  Having or showing intense ill will or hatred.

• malicious
  Desiring to cause pain, injury, or distress to another.

• malign
  To make harsh and often false or misleading statements about.

• malnourished
  Badly or poorly nourished.

• cataclysm
  1).A violent and massive change of the earth’s surface.
  2).A momentous event that results in great upheaval and often destruction.

• catacomb
  An underground cemetery of connecting passageways with recesses for tombs.

• catalyst
  1).A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction or lets it take place under different conditions.
  2).Someone or something that brings about or speeds significant change or action.

• catatonic
  1).Relating to or suffering from a form of schizophrenia.
  2).Showing an unusual lack of movement, activity, or expression.

PROT/PROTO

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, that 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 of gas and dust that astronomers believe may someday become a planet.

• protagonist
  The main character in a literary work.

• protocol
  1).A code of diplomatic or military rules of behavior.
  2).A set of rules for the formatting of data in an electronic communications system.

• protoplasm
  The substance that makes up the living parts of cells.

• prototype
  1).An original model on which something is patterned.
  2).A first, full-scale, usually working version of a new type or design.

ANTE

ANTE is Latin for “before” or “in front of.” Antediluvian, which describes something very old or outdated, literally means “before the flood”—that is, Noah’s Flood. And antebellum literally means “before the war,” usually the American Civil War.

• antechamber
  An outer room that leads to another and is often used as a waiting room.

• antedate
  1).To date something (such as a check) with a date earlier than that of actual writing.
  2).To precede in time.

• antecedent
  1).A word or phrase that is referred to by a pronoun that follows it.
  2).An event or cause coming before something.

• anterior
  1).Located before or toward the front or head.
  2).Coming before in time or development.

ORTHO

ORTHO comes from orthos, the Greek word for “straight,” “right,” or “true.” Orthotics is a branch of therapy that straightens out your stance or posture by providing artificial support for weak joints or muscles. And orthograde animals, such as human beings, walk with their bodies in a “straight” or vertical position.

• orthodontics
  A branch of dentistry that deals with the treatment and correction of crooked teeth and other irregularities.

• orthodox
  1).Holding established beliefs, especially in religion.
  2).Conforming to established rules or traditions; conventional.

• orthopedics
  The correction or prevention of deformities of the skeleton.

• orthography
  The spelling of words, especially spelling according to standard usage.

RECT

RECT comes from the Latin word rectus, which means “straight” or “right.” To correct something is to make it right. A rectangle is a four-sided figure with straight parallel sides. Rectus, short for Latin rectus musculus, may refer to any of several straight muscles, such as those of the abdomen.

• rectitude
  Moral integrity.

• rectify
  To set right; remedy.

• rectilinear
  1).Moving in or forming a straight line.
  2).Having many straight lines.

• directive
  Something that guides or directs; especially, a general instruction from a high-level body or official.

EU

EU comes from the Greek word for “well”; in English words it can also mean “good” or “true.” A veterinarian who performs euthanasia is providing a very sick or hopelessly injured animal a “good” or easy death.

• eugenic
  Relating to or fitted for the production of good offspring through controlled breeding.

• euphemism
  An agreeable or inoffensive word or expression that is substituted for one that may offend or disgust.

• euphoria
  A strong feeling of well-being or happiness.

• eulogy
  1).A formal speech or writing especially in honor of a dead person.
  2).High praise.

DYS

DYS comes from Greek, where it means “bad” or “difficult.” So dysphagia is difficult swallowing, and dyspnea is difficult or labored breathing. Dysphasia is an inability to use and understand language because of injury to or disease of the brain. Dys- is sometimes close in meaning to dis- (see DIS), but try not to confuse the two.

• dystopia
  An imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives.

• dyslexia
  A disturbance or interference with the ability to read or to use language.

• dyspeptic
  1).Relating to or suffering from indigestion.
  2).Having an irritable temperament; ill-humored.

• dysplasia
  Abnormal development of cells or organs, or an abnormal structure resulting from such growth.

Latin Borrowings

• a fortiori
  All the more certainly.

• a posteriori
  Relating to or derived by reasoning from known or observed facts.

• a priori
  Relating to or derived by reasoning from self-evident propositions.

• bona fide
  1).Made in good faith, without deceit.
  2).Authentic or genuine.

• carpe diem
  Enjoy the pleasures or opportunities of the moment without concern about the future.

• caveat emptor
  Let the buyer beware.

• corpus delicti
  1).The substantial and basic fact or facts necessary to prove that a crime has been committed.
  2).The material substance, such as the murdered body, on which a crime has been committed.

• curriculum vitae
  A short summary of one’s career and qualifications, typically prepared by an applicant for a position; resume.

Unit 6

EQU

EQU comes from the Latin word aequus, meaning “equal.” To equalize means to make things equal. Things that are equivalent have the same value, use, or meaning. All three sides of an equilateral triangle are of the same length. And an equation (for instance, 21 + 47 = 68) is a statement that two mathematical expressions are equal.

• equable
  1).Tending to remain calm.
  2).Free from harsh changes or extreme variation.

• adequacy
  Being equal to some need or requirement.

• equilibrium
  1).A state in which opposing forces are balanced so that one is not stronger or greater than the other.
  2).A state of emotional balance or calmness.

• equinox
  A day when day and night are the same length.

QUIS

QUIS is derived from the Latin verb meaning “to seek or obtain.” The roots quer, quir, and ques are derived from the same Latin verb and give us words such as inquiry and question.

• inquisition
  A questioning or examining that is often harsh or severe.

• perquisite
  1).A privilege or profit that is provided in addition to one’s base salary.
  2).Something claimed as an exclusive possession or right.

• acquisitive
  Eager to acquire; greedy.

• requisition
  A demand or request (such as for supplies) made with proper authority.

PLE/PLEN

PLE/PLEN comes from a Latin word meaning “to fill.” It can be seen in the words plenty, meaning basically “filled,” and complete, meaning “thoroughly filled.”

• plenary
  1).Including all who have a right to attend.
  2).Complete in all ways.

• complement
  1).Something that fills up or makes perfect; the amount needed to make something complete.
  2).A counterpart.

• deplete
  To reduce in amount by using up.

• replete
  Fully or abundantly filled or supplied.

METR/METER

METR/METER 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.

• metric
  1).Relating to or based on the metric system.
  2).Relating to or arranged in meter.

• meter
  1).The basic metric unit of length, equal to about
  2).A systematic rhythm in poetry or music.

• tachometer
  A device used to measure speed of rotation.

AUD

AUD, from the Latin verb audire, is the root that has to do with hearing. What is audible can be heard. An audience is a group of listeners, sometimes seated in an auditorium. And audio today can mean almost anything that has to do with sound.

• auditor
  A person who formally examines and verifies financial accounts.

• auditory
  1).Perceived or experienced through hearing.
  2).Of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing.

• audition
  A trial performance to evaluate a performer’s skills.

• inaudible
  Not heard or capable of being heard.

SON

SON is the Latin root meaning “sound.” Sonata, meaning a piece for one or two instruments, was originally an Italian verb meaning “sounded” (when singers were involved, the Italians used a different verb). And sonorous means full, loud, or rich in sound.

• sonic
  1).Having to do with sound.
  2).Having to do with the speed of sound in air (about 750 miles per hour).

• dissonant
  1).Clashing or discordant, especially in music.
  2).Incompatible or disagreeing.

• resonance
  1).A continuing or echoing of sound.
  2).A richness and variety in the depth and quality of sound.

• ultrasonic
  Having a frequency higher than what can be heard by the human ear.

ERR

ERR, from the Latin verb errare, means “to wander” or “to stray.” The root is seen in the word error, meaning a wandering or straying from what is correct or true. Erratum (plural, errata) is Latin for “mistake”; so an errata page is a book page that lists mistakes found too late to correct before the book’s publication.

• errant
  1).Wandering or moving about aimlessly.
  2).Straying outside proper bounds, or away from an accepted pattern or standard.

• aberrant
  Straying or differing from the right, normal, or natural type.

• erratic
  1).Having no fixed course.
  2).Lacking in consistency.

• erroneous
  Mistaken, incorrect.

• cede
  To give up, especially by treaty; yield.

• concede
  To admit grudgingly; yield.

• accede
  1).To give in to a request or demand.
  2).To give approval or consent.

• precedent
  Something done or said that may be an example or rule to guide later acts of a similar kind.

Words from Mythology and History

• Augean stable
  A condition or place marked by great accumulation of filth or corruption.

dragon’s teeth Seeds of conflict.

• Hades
  The underground home of the dead in Greek mythology.

• lethargic
  1).Lazily sluggish.
  2).Indifferent or apathetic.

• Midas touch The talent for making money in every venture.

• Pyrrhic victory A victory won at excessive cost.

• stygian
  Extremely dark, dank, gloomy, and forbidding.

Unit 7

VIS

VIS comes from a Latin verb meaning “see.” Vision is what enables us to see, visual images are visible to our eyes, and a visitor is someone who comes to see something. The same verb actually gives us another root, vid-, as in Julius Caesar’s famous statement about his military exploits, “Veni, vidi, vici” (“I came, I saw, I conquered”), and such common English words as video.

• vista
  1).A distant view.
  2).An extensive mental view, as over a stretch of time.

vis–vis In relation to or compared with.

• visionary
  1).A person with foresight and imagination.
  2).A dreamer whose ideas are often impractical.

• envisage
  To have a mental picture of; visualize.

SPECT

SPECT comes from the Latin verb specere, meaning “to look at,” and produces several familiar English words. Spectacles can be glasses that you look through; but a spectacle can also be a remarkable sight—in Roman times, perhaps a spectacular chariot race or a spectacularly bloody battle between gladiators and wild beasts, mounted for the pleasure of its spectators.

• aspect
  1).A part of something.
  2).A certain way in which something appears or may be regarded.

• prospect
  1).The possibility that something will happen in the future.
  2).An opportunity for something to happen.

• perspective
  1).Point of view; the angle, direction, or standpoint from which a person looks at something.
  2).The art or technique of painting or drawing a scene so that objects in it seem to have depth and distance.

• prospectus
  A printed statement that describes something (such as a new business or a stock offering) and is sent out to people who may be interested in buying or investing.

VOC

VOC comes from the Latin words meaning “voice” and “speak.” So a vocal ensemble is a singing group. A vocation was originally a “calling” from God to do religious work as a priest, monk, or nun, though today most people use the word just to mean a career. And a vocabulary is a set of words for speaking.

• equivocate
  1).To use ambiguous language, especially in order to deceive.
  2).To avoid giving a direct answer.

• irrevocable
  Impossible to call back or retract.

• advocate
  To speak in favor of.

• vociferous
  Making noisy or emphatic outcries.

PHON

PHON is a Greek root meaning “sound,” “voice,” or “speech.” It’s probably most familiar in the form of the English suffix -phone, in words that begin with a Greek or Latin root as well. Thus, the tele- in telephone means “far,” the micro- in microphone means “small,” the xylo- in xylophone means “wood,” and so on.

• phonics
  A method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the characteristic sounds of letters, letter groups, and especially syllables.

• phonetic
  Relating to or representing the sounds of the spoken language.

• polyphonic
  Referring to a style of music in which two or more melodies are sung or played against each other in harmony.

• cacophony
  Harsh or unpleasant sound.

CUR

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”).

• curative
  Having to do with curing diseases.

• curator
  Someone in charge of something where things are on exhibit, such as a collection, a museum, or a zoo.

• procure
  To get possession of; obtain.

• sinecure
  A job or position requiring little work but usually providing some income.

PERI

PERI, in both Latin and Greek, means “around.” A period is often a span of time that keeps coming around regularly, day after day or year after year. With a periscope, you can see around corners. Peristalsis is the process that moves food around the intestines; without it, digestion would grind to a halt.

• perimeter
  The boundary or distance around a body or figure.

• periodontal
  Concerning or affecting the tissues around the teeth.

• peripatetic
  1).Having to do with walking.
  2).Moving or traveling from place to place.

• peripheral
  1).Having to do with the outer edges, especially of the field of vision.
  2).Secondary or supplemental.

SENS

SENS comes from the Latin noun sensus, meaning “feeling” or “sense.” Sense itself obviously comes straight from the Latin. A sensation is something you sense. And if you’re sensitive, you feel or sense things sharply, maybe even too sharply.

• sensor
  A device that detects a physical quantity (such as a movement or a beam of light) and responds by transmitting a signal.

• desensitize
  To cause (someone or something) to react less to or be less affected by something.

• extrasensory
  Not acting or occurring through any of the known senses.

• sensuous
  1).Highly pleasing to the senses.
  2).Relating to the senses.

SOPH

SOPH come from the Greek words meaning “wise” and “wisdom.” In English the root sometimes appears in words where the wisdom is of the “wise guy” variety, but in words such as philosophy we see it used more respectfully.

• sophistry
  Cleverly deceptive reasoning or argument.

• sophisticated
  1).Having a thorough knowledge of the ways of society.
  2).Highly complex or developed.

• sophomoric
  Overly impressed with one’s own knowledge, but in fact undereducated and immature.

• theosophy
  A set of teachings about God and the world based

• on
  mystical insight, especially teachings founded on a blend of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs.

Words from Mythology and History

• Achilles’ heel
  A vulnerable point.

• arcadia
  A region or setting of rural pleasure and peacefulness.

• Cassandra
  Cassandra A person who predicts misfortune or disaster.

• cyclopean
  Huge or massive.

• draconian
  Extremely severe or cruel.

• myrmidon
  A loyal follower, especially one who executes orders unquestioningly.

• nemesis
  A powerful, frightening opponent or rival who is usually victorious.

• Trojan
  Trojan horse Someone or something that works from within to weaken or defeat.

Unit 8

PORT

PORT comes from the Latin verb portare, meaning “to carry.” Thus, something portable can be carried around. A porter carries your luggage, whether through a train station or high into the Himalayas. When we transport something, we have it carried from one place to another. And goods for export are carried away to another country.

• portage
  The carrying of boats or goods overland from one body of water to another; also, a regular route for such carrying.

2).The investments owned by a person or organization.

• comport
  1).To be in agreement with.
  2).To behave.

• deportment
  Manner of conducting oneself socially.

• pendant
  Something that hangs down, especially as an ornament.

• append
  To add as something extra.

• appendage
  1).Something joined on to a larger or more important body or thing.
  2).A secondary body part, such as an arm or a leg.

• suspend
  1).To stop something, or to force someone to give up some right or position, for a limited time.
  2).To hang something so that it is free on all sides.

• panacea
  A remedy for all ills or difficulties; cure-all.

• pandemonium
  A wild uproar or commotion.

• pantheism
  A system of belief that regards God as identical with the forces and laws of the universe.

• panoply
  1).A magnificent or impressive array.
  2).A display of all appropriate accessory items.

EXTRA

EXTRA is Latin for “outside” or “beyond.” So anything extraterrestrial or extragalactic takes place beyond the earth or the galaxy. Something extravagant, such as an extravaganza, goes way beyond the normal. And extra is naturally a word itself, a shortening of extraordinary, “beyond the ordinary.”

• extradite
  To deliver an accused criminal from one place to another where the trial will be held.

• extrapolate
  To extend or project facts or data into an area not known in order to make assumptions or to predict facts or trends.

• extrovert
  A person mainly concerned with things outside him- or herself; a sociable and outgoing person.

• extraneous
  1).Existing or coming from the outside.
  2).Not forming an essential part; irrelevant.

• photoelectric
  Involving an electrical effect produced by the action of light or other radiation.

• photovoltaic
  Involving the direct generation of electricity when sunlight or other radiant energy falls on the boundary between dissimilar substances (such as two different semiconductors).

• photon
  A tiny particle or bundle of radiant energy.

• photosynthesis
  The process by which green plants use light to produce organic matter from carbon dioxide and water.

LUC

LUC comes from the Latin noun lux, “light,” and the verb lucere, “to shine or glitter.” In ancient Rome, Lucifer, meaning “Light-bearer,” was the name given to the morning star, but the name was eventually transferred by Christians to Satan. This tradition, which dates back to the period before Christ, said that Lucifer had once been among the angels but had wanted to be the great light in the sky, and for his pride had been cast out of heaven and thus became the opponent of everything good.

• lucid
  1).Very clear and easy to understand.
  2).Able to think clearly.

• elucidate
  To clarify by explaining; explain.

• lucubration
  1).Hard and difficult study.
  2).The product of such study.

• translucent
  Partly transparent; allowing light to pass through without permitting objects beyond to be seen clearly.

MOR/MORT

MOR/MORT comes from Latin words meaning “to die” and “death.” A mortuary is a place where dead bodies are kept until burial, and a postmortem examination is one conducted on a recently dead body. The Latin phrase “Memento mori” means “Remember that you must die”; so a memento mori is the name we give to a reminder of death; the skulls you can find carved on gravestones in old cemeteries are examples.

• mortality
  1).The quality or state of being alive and
• therefore
  certain to die.
  2).The number of deaths that occur in a particular time or place.

2).Inactive or becoming outmoded.

• amortize
  To pay off (something such as a mortgage) by making small payments over a period of time.

• mortify
  1).To subdue or deaden (the body) especially by selfdiscipline or self-inflicted pain.
  2).To embarrass greatly.

TROPH

TROPH comes from the Greek trophe, meaning “nourishment.” This particular troph- root doesn’t show up in many everyday English words (the troph- in words like trophy, apostrophe, and catastrophe has a different meaning), but instead tends to appear in scientific terms.

• atrophy
  1).Gradual loss of muscle or flesh, usually because of disease or lack of use.
  2).A decline or degeneration.

2).Exaggerated growth or complexity.

• dystrophy
  Any of several disorders involving the nerves and muscles, especially muscular dystrophy.

• eutrophication
  The process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients.

Words from Mythology and History

• aeolian
  harp A box-shaped instrument with strings that produce musical sounds when the wind blows on them.

• cynosure
  1).A guide.
  2).A center of attention.

• laconic
  Using extremely few words.

• mnemonic
  Having to do with the memory; assisting the memory.

• platonic
  1).Relating to the philosopher Plato or his teachings.

2).Involving a close relationship from which romance and sex are absent.

• sapphic
  1).Lesbian.
  2).Relating to a poetic verse pattern associated with Sappho.

Socratic

Socratic Having to do with the philosopher Socrates or with his teaching method, in which he systematically questioned the student in conversation in order to draw forth truths.

• solecism
  1).A grammatical mistake in speaking or writing.

2).A blunder in etiquette or proper behavior.

Unit 9

HER

HER comes from the Latin verb haerere, meaning “to stick.” Another form of the verb produces the root hes-, seen in such words as adhesive, which means basically “sticky” or “sticking,” and hesitate, which means more or less “stuck in one place.”

• adherent
  1).Someone who follows a leader, a party, or a profession.
  2).One who believes in a particular philosophy or religion.

• cohere
  To hold together firmly as parts of the same mass.

• incoherent
  1).Unclear or difficult to understand.
  2).Loosely organized or inconsistent.

• inherent
  Part of something by nature or habit.

• centrifugal
  Moving outward from a center or central focus.

• refuge
  Shelter or protection from danger or distress, or a place that provides shelter or protection.

• fugue
  A musical form in which a theme is echoed and imitated by voices or instruments that enter one after another and interweave as the piece proceeds.

• subterfuge
  1).A trick designed to help conceal, escape, or evade.
  2).A deceptive trick.

COSM

COSM comes from the Greek word for “order.” Since the Greeks believed the universe was an orderly place, words in this group usually relate to the universe. So cosmonaut was the word for a space traveler from the former Soviet Union. (The roots of our own word, astronaut, suggest “star traveler” instead.) Oddly enough, cosmetics comes from the same root, since putting things in order is similar to decorating something—such as your face.

• cosmos
  1).The universe, especially when it is viewed as orderly and systematic.
  2).Any orderly system that is complete in itself.

• cosmology
  1).A theory that describes the nature of the universe.
  2).A branch of astronomy that deals with the origin and structure of the universe.

• microcosm
  Something (such as a place or an event) that is seen as a small version of something much larger.

• cosmopolitan
  1).Having international sophistication and experience.
  2).Made up of persons, elements, or influences from many different parts of the world.

SCI

SCI comes from the Latin verb scire, “to know” or “to understand.” The root appears in such common words as science, which originally meant simply “knowledge,” and conscience, meaning “moral knowledge.” And to be conscious is to be in a state where you are able to know or understand.

• conscientious
  1).Governed by morality; scrupulous.

2).Resulting from painstaking or exact attention.

• nescience
  Lack of knowledge or awareness: ignorance.

• unconscionable
  1).Not guided by any moral sense; unscrupulous.
  2).Shockingly excessive, unreasonable, or unfair.

JUNCT

JUNCT comes from the Latin verb jungere, meaning “to join.” A junction is a place where roads or railways come together. A conjunction is a word that joins two other words or groups of words: “this and that,” “to be or not to be.”

• juncture
  1).An important point in a process or activity.
  2).A place where things join: junction.

• adjunct
  Something joined or added to another thing of which it is not a part.

• disjunction
  A break, separation, or sharp difference between two things.

• conjunct
  Bound together; joined, united.

PART

PART, from the Latin word pars, meaning “part,” comes into English most obviously in our word part. An apartment or compartment is part of a larger whole. The same is usually true of a particle.

• bipartite
  1).Being in two parts.
  2).Shared by two.

• impartial
  Fair and not biased; treating or affecting all equally.

• participle
  A word that is formed from a verb but used like an adjective.

• partisan
  1).A person who is strongly devoted to a particular cause or group.
  2).A guerrilla fighter.

• mission
  1).A task that someone is given to do, especially a military task.
  2).A task that someone considers an important duty.

• missionary
  A person undertaking a mission, and especially a religious missionary.

• emissary
  Someone sent out to represent another; an agent.

• transmission
  1).The act or process of sending something from one point to another, especially sending electrical signals to a radio, television, computer, etc.
  2).The gears by which the power is passed from the engine to the axle in a motor vehicle.

PEL

PEL comes from the Latin verb pellere, meaning “to move or drive.” So a propeller moves a small airplane forward. And if you dispel someone’s fears, you “drive them away.”

• compel
  1).To force (someone) to do something.
  2).To make
  (something) happen.

• expel
  1).To drive or force out.
  2).To force to leave, usually by official action.

• impel
  To urge or drive forward by strong moral force.

• repel
  1).To keep (something) out or away.
  2).To drive back.

Words from Mythology

• arachnid
  A member of the class Arachnida, which principally includes animals with four pairs of legs and no antennae, such as spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks.

• dryad
  A wood nymph.

• fauna
  Animal life, especially the animals that live naturally in a given area or environment.

• flora
  Plant life, especially the flowering plants that live naturally in a specific area or environment.

• herculean
  1).Extremely strong.
  2).Extremely extensive, intense, or difficult.

• Pandora’s box
  A source of many troubles.

• Scylla
  Scylla and Charybdis Two equally dangerous alternatives.

Unit 10

PUT

PUT comes from the Latin verb putare, meaning “to think, consider, or believe.” So, for example, a reputation is what others think of you. But when the root shows up in such words as compute, dispute, and deputy, its meaning is harder to trace.

• reputed
  Believed to be a certain way by popular opinion.

• disrepute
  Loss or lack of good reputation; disgrace.

• impute
  To attribute.

• putative
  Generally supposed; assumed to exist.

LOG

LOG, from the Greek word logos, meaning “word,” “speech,” or “reason,” is found particularly in English words that end in -logy and -logue. The ending logy often means “the study of”; so, for instance, biology is the study of life, and anthropology is the study of humans. And -logue usually indicates a type of discussion; thus, dialogue is conversation between two people or groups, and an epilogue is an author’s last words on a subject. But exceptions aren’t hard to find.

• physiology
  1).A branch of biology dealing with the processes and activities by which living things, tissues, and cells function.
  2).The life processes and activities of a living thing or any of its parts.

• methodology
  A set of methods or rules followed in a science or field.

• ideology
  The set of ideas and beliefs of a group or political party.

• cardiology
  The study of the heart and its action and diseases.

TERR

TERR comes from the Latin terra, “earth.” A territory is a large expanse of land. Terra firma is Latin for “firm ground” as opposed to the swaying seas. A terrace is a leveled area, often one created for farming on a sloping hill. And the French word for potato, pomme de terre, means literally “apple of the earth.”

• parterre
  1).A decorative garden with paths between the beds of plants.
  2).The back area of the ground floor of a theater, often under the balcony.

• subterranean
  Underground.

• terrarium
  An enclosure, usually transparent, with a layer of dirt in the bottom in which plants and sometimes small animals are kept indoors.

• terrestrial
  1).Having to do with Earth or its inhabitants.
  2).Living or growing on land instead of in water or air.

MAR

MAR, from the Latin word mare, meaning “sea,” brings its salty tang to several English words. A submarine is an undersea ship. Marine means basically “relating to the sea,” so when the Continental Marines were established back in 1775, their job was to provide on-board security on naval ships; but they immediately began to be used on land as well, and the marines have continued to operate on both land and sea ever since.

• marina
  A dock or harbor where pleasure boats can be moored securely, often with facilities offering supplies or repairs.

• aquamarine
  1).A transparent blue or blue-green gem.

2).A pale blue or greenish blue that is the color of clear seawater in sunlight.

• mariner
  A seaman or sailor.

• maritime
  1).Bordering on or having to do with the sea.
  2).Having to do with navigation or commerce on the sea.

PATH

PATH comes from the Greek word pathos, which means “feeling” or “suffering.” So a pathetic sight moves us to pity, and a sympathetic friend “feels with” you when you yourself are suffering.

• pathos
  1).An element in life or drama that produces sympathetic pity.
  2).An emotion of sympathetic pity.

• apathetic
  1).Showing or feeling little or no emotion.
  2).Having no interest.

• empathy
  The feeling of, or the ability to feel, the emotions and sensations of another.

• telepathic
  Involving apparent communication from one mind to another without speech or signs.

PEN/PUN

PEN/PUN comes from the Latin words poena, “penalty,” and punire, “to punish.” A penalty is, of course, a punishment.

• penal
  Having to do with punishment or penalties, or institutions where punishment is given.

• impunity
  Freedom from punishment, harm, or loss.

• penance
  An act of self-punishment or religious devotion to show sorrow or regret for sin or wrongdoing.

• punitive
  Giving, involving, or aiming at punishment.

MATR/MATER

MATR/MATER comes from the Greek and Latin words for “mother.” A matron is a mature woman with children. And matrimony is marriage itself, the traditional first step toward motherhood.

• maternity
  The state of being a mother; motherhood.

• matriarch
  A woman who controls a family, group, or government.

• matrilineal
  Based on or tracing the family through the mother.

• matrix
  1).Something (such as a situation or a set of conditions) in which something else develops or forms.
  2).Something shaped like a pattern of lines and spaces.

AQU

AQU comes from aqua, the Latin word for “water.” We keep pet fish in an aquarium at home or visit larger sea animals in a building with that name. Water sports such as swimming, canoeing, and sailing are sometimes called aquatics. In Scandinavia there’s a popular drink called aquavit, the name coming from the Latin aqua vitae, “water of life”—though instead of water it mostly consists of alcohol.

• aquaculture
  The farming of plants and animals (such as kelp, fish, and shellfish) that live in the water.

• aquanaut
  A scuba diver who lives and works both inside and outside an underwater shelter for an extended time.

• aqueduct
  1).A pipe or channel for water.
  2).A bridgelike structure for carrying water over a valley.

• aquifer
  A layer of rock, sand, or gravel that can absorb and hold water.

Words from Mythology

• cereal
  1).A plant that produces grain that can be eaten as food, or the grain it produces.
  2).The food made from grain.

• Junoesque
  Having mature, poised, and dignified beauty.

• martial
  Having to do with war and military life.

• Promethean
  Promethean New or creative in a daring way.

• Sisyphean
  Endless and difficult, involving many disappointments.

• titanic
  Having great size, strength, or power; colossal.

• Triton
  1).A being with a human upper body and the lower body of a fish; a merman.
  2).Any of various large mollusks with a heavy, conical shell.

• vulcanize
  To treat crude or synthetic rubber or plastic so that it becomes elastic and strong and resists decay.

Unit 11

CANT

CANT, from the Latin verb cantare, meaning “sing,” produces several words that come directly from Latin. But some others came to English by way of French, which added an h to the root, giving us such words as chant and chantey.

• cantata
  A musical composition, particularly a religious work from the 17th or 18th century, for one or more voices accompanied by instruments.

• incantation
  1).A use of spells or verbal charms spoken or sung as part of a ritual of magic.
  2).A formula of words used in, or as if in, such a ritual.

• cantor
  An official of a Jewish synagogue who sings or chants the music of the services and leads the congregation in prayer.

• descant
  An additional melody sung above the principal melody.

LINGU

LINGU comes from the Latin word that means both “tongue” and
“language,” and in English today tongue can still mean “language” (as in “her native tongue”). Our expression “slip of the tongue” is just a translation of the Latin phrase lapsus linguae. The root even shows up in a slangy-sounding word like lingo. And since lingu- changed to langu- in French, our word language is related as well.

• linguistics
  The study of human speech.

• multilingual
  Using or able to use several languages.

• lingua
  franca A language used as a common or commercial language among peoples who speak different languages.

• linguine
  A narrow, flat pasta.

SPIR

SPIR comes from the Latin words meaning “breath” and “breathe.” When we inspire others—that is, give them inspiration—it’s as though we’re breathing new energy and imagination into them. When you expire, or die, you “breathe out” your soul in your last breath. A license, membership, credit card, or free offer may also expire, at a time indicated by its expiration date.

• spirited
  Full of energy or courage; very lively or determined.

• dispiriting
  Causing a loss of hope or enthusiasm.

• respirator
  1).A device worn over the nose and mouth to filter out dangerous substances from the air.
  2).A device for maintaining artificial respiration.

• transpire
  1).To happen.
  2).To become known.

VER

VER comes from the Latin word for “truth.” A verdict in a trial is “the truth spoken” (see DICT). But a just verdict may depend on the veracity, or “truthfulness,” of the witnesses.

• verify
  1).To prove to be true or correct.
  2).To check or test the accuracy of.

• aver
  To state positively as true; declare.

• verisimilitude
  1).The appearance of being true or probable.
  2).The depiction of realism in art or literature.

• veracity
  1).Truth or accuracy.
  2).The quality of being truthful or honest.

TURB

TURB comes from the Latin verb turbare, “to throw into confusion or upset,” and the noun turba, “crowd” or “confusion.” So a disturbance, for example, confuses and upsets normal order or routine.

• turbid
  1).Thick or murky, especially with churned-up sediment.

2).Unclear, confused, muddled.

• perturb
  To upset, confuse, or disarrange.

• turbine
  A rotary engine with blades made to turn and generate power by a current of water, steam, or air under pressure.

• turbulent
  1).Stirred up, agitated.
  2).Stirring up unrest, violence, or disturbance.

VOLU/VOLV

VOLU/VOLV comes from the Latin verb volvere, meaning “to roll, wind, turn around, or twist around.” Thus, revolve simply means “turn in circles.” And a volume was originally a scroll or roll of papyrus.

• voluble
  Speaking readily and rapidly; talkative.

• devolve
  (
  1).To pass (responsibility, power, etc.) from one person or group to another person or group at a lower level of authority.
  2).To gradually go from an advanced state to a less advanced state.

• evolution
  A process of change from a lower, simpler, or worse state to one that is higher, more complex, or better.

• convoluted
  1).Having a pattern of curved windings.
  2).Involved, intricate.

• factor
  Something that contributes to producing a result: ingredient.

• factotum
  A person whose job involves doing many different kinds of work.

• facile
  1).Easily accomplished.
  2).Shallow, superficial.

• facilitate
  To make (something) easier; to make (something) run more smoothly.

• lumen
  In physics, the standard unit for measuring the rate of the flow of light.

• luminous
  1).Producing or seeming to produce light.
  2).Filled with light.

• bioluminescent
  Relating to light given off by living organisms.

• luminary
  A very famous or distinguished person.

Words from Mythology and History

• muse
  A source of inspiration; a guiding spirit.

• iridescent
  Having a glowing, rainbowlike play of color that seems to change as the light shifts.

• mausoleum
  1).A large tomb, especially one built aboveground with shelves for the dead.
  2).A large, gloomy building or room.

• mentor
  A trusted counselor, guide, tutor, or coach.

• narcissism
  1).Extreme self-centeredness or fascination with oneself.
  2).Love or desire for one’s own body.

• tantalize
  To tease or torment by offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach.

• thespian
  An actor.

• zephyr
  1).A breeze from the west.
  2).A gentle breeze.

Unit 12

UMBR

UMBR comes from the Latin umbra, meaning “shadow.” Thus, the familiar umbrella, with its ending meaning “little,” casts a “little shadow” to keep off the sun or the rain.

• umber
  1).A darkish brown mineral containing manganese and iron oxides used for coloring paint.
  2).A color that is greenish brown to dark reddish brown.

2).To hint at or foretell.

• penumbra
  1).The partial shadow surrounding a complete shadow, as in an eclipse.
  2).The fringe or surrounding area where something exists less fully.

• umbrage
  A feeling of resentment at some slight or insult, often one that is imagined rather than real.

VEST

VEST comes from the Latin verb vestire, “to clothe” or “to dress,” and the noun vestis, “clothing” or “garment.” Vest is the shortest English word we have from this root, and is the name of a rather small piece of clothing.

• divest
  1).To get rid of or free oneself of property, authority, or title.
  2).To strip of clothing, ornaments, or equipment.

• investiture
  The formal placing of someone in office.

• transvestite
  A person, especially a male, who wears the clothing and adopts the mannerisms of the opposite sex.

• travesty
  1).An inferior or distorted imitation.
  2).A broadly comic imitation in drama, literature, or art that is usually grotesque and ridiculous.

THE/THEO

THE/THEO comes from the Greek word meaning “god.” Theology, the study of religion, is practiced by theologians. Monotheism is the worship of a single god; Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are monotheistic religions, and all three worship the same god. Polytheistic religions such as those of ancient Greece and Rome, on the other hand, worship many gods.

• apotheosis
  1).Transformation into a god.
  2).The perfect example.

• atheistic
  Denying the existence of God or divine power.

• pantheon
  1).A building serving as the burial place of or containing memorials to the famous dead of a nation.
  2).A group of notable persons or things.

• theocracy
  1).Government by officials who are regarded as divinely inspired.
  2).A state governed by a theocracy.

ICON

ICON comes from the Greek eikon, which led to the Latin icon, both meaning “image.” Though the icon- root hasn’t produced many English words, the words that is does appear in tend to be interesting.

• icon
  1).A religious image usually painted on a small wooden panel: idol.
  2).Emblem, symbol.

• iconic
  1).Symbolic.
  2).Relating to a greatly admired and successful person or thing.

• iconoclast
  1).A person who destroys religious images or opposes their use.
  2).A person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions.

• iconography
  1).The imagery and symbolism of a work of art or an artist.
  2).The study of artistic symbolism.

URB

URB comes from the Latin noun for “city.” Our word urban describes cities and the people who live in them. With its sub- prefix (see SUB), a suburb is a town “near” or “under” a larger city, and suburban houses are home to suburbanites.

• urbane
  Sophisticated and with polished manners.

• exurban
  Relating to a region or settlement that lies outside a city and usually beyond its suburbs and often is inhabited chiefly by well-todo families.

• interurban
  Going between or connecting cities or towns.

• urbanization
  The process by which towns and cities are formed and become larger as more and more people begin living and working in central areas.

• acculturation
  1).Modification of the culture of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture.
  2).The process by which a human being acquires the culture of a particular society from infancy.

cross-cultural Dealing with or offering comparison between two or more different cultures or cultural areas.

• horticulture
  The science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants.

• subculture
  A group whose beliefs and behaviors are different from the main groups within a culture or society.

DEM/DEMO

DEM/DEMO comes from the Greek word meaning “people.” “Government by the people” was invented by the ancient Greeks, so it’s appropriate that they were the first to come up with a word for it: demokratia, or democracy.

• demographic
  Having to do with the study of human populations, especially their size, growth, density, and patterns of living.

• endemic
  1).Found only in a given place or region.
  2).Often found in a given occupation, area, or environment.

• demagogue
  A political leader who appeals to the emotions and prejudices of people in order to arouse discontent and to advance his or her own political purposes.

• demotic
  Popular or common.

• populist
  A believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people.

• populace
  1).The common people or masses.
  2).Population.

• populous
  Numerous, densely settled, or having a large population.

• vox
  populi Popular sentiment or opinion.

Animal Words

• aquiline
  1).Relating to eagles.
  2).Curving like an eagle’s beak.

• asinine
  Foolish, brainless.

• bovine
  1).Relating to cows and oxen.
  2).Placid, dull, unemotional.

• canine
  Relating to dogs or the dog family; doglike.

• feline
  1).Relating to cats or the cat family.
  2).Like a cat in being sleek, graceful, sly, treacherous, or stealthy.

• leonine
  Relating to lions; lionlike.

• porcine
  Relating to pigs or swine; piglike.

• vulpine
  1).Relating to foxes; foxlike.
  2).Sneaky, clever, or crafty; foxy.

Unit 13

CORD

CORD, from the Latin word for “heart,” turns up in several common English words. So does its Greek relative card-, which is familiar to us in words such as cardiac, “relating to the heart.”

• accord
  1).To grant.
  2).To be in harmony; agree.

• concord
  1).A state of agreement: harmony.
  2).A formal agreement.

• cordial
  Warm, friendly, gracious.

• discordant
  Being at odds, conflicting, not in harmony.

CULP

CULP comes from the Latin word for “guilt.” Its best-known appearance in English is probably in culprit, meaning someone who is guilty of a crime.

• culpable
  Deserving to be condemned or blamed.

• exculpate
  To clear from accusations of fault or guilt.

• inculpate
  To accuse or incriminate; to show evidence of someone’s involvement in a fault or crime.

• mea
  culpa An admission of personal fault or error.

DICT

DICT comes from dicere, the Latin word meaning “to speak.” So a dictionary is a treasury of words for speaking. And a contradiction (with its prefix contra-, “against”) speaks against or denies something.

• diction
  1).Choice of words, especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.
  2).Clarity of speech.

• edict
  1).An official announcement that has the force of a law.
  2).An order or command.

• jurisdiction
  1).The power or right to control or exercise authority.
  2).The territory where power may be exercised.

• dictum
  A formal and authoritative statement.

GNI/GNO

GNI/GNO comes from a Greek and Latin verb meaning “to know,” and can be found at the root of know itself. Among other words built from this root, you may recognize (“know again”) some and be ignorant of (“not know”) others. But only an ignoramus would know absolutely none of them.

• cognitive
  1).Having to do with the process of knowing, including awareness, judgment, and understanding.
  2).Based on factual knowledge that has been or can be gained by experience.

• agnostic
  A person who believes that whether God exists is not known and probably cannot be known.

• incognito
  In disguise, or with one’s identity concealed.

• prognosis
  1).The chance of recovery from a given disease or condition.
  2).A forecast or prophecy.

GRAPH

GRAPH comes from the Greek verb graphein, “to write.” Thus, a biography is a written account of someone’s life (see BIO), a discography is a written list of recordings on disc (records or CDs), and a filmography is a list of motion pictures. But lots of uses of -graph and -graphy don’t mean literally “writing” (as in autograph or paragraph), but instead something more like “recording,” as in photography, seismograph, or graph itself.

• calligraphy
  The art of producing beautiful handwriting.

• hagiography
  1).Biography of saints.
  2).Biography that idealizes or idolizes.

• choreography
  1).The art of composing and arranging dances and of representing them in symbolic notation.
  2).The movements by dancers in a performance.

• lithograph
  A picture made by printing from a flat surface (such as a smooth stone) prepared so that the ink will only stick to the design that will be printed.

ART

ART comes from the Latin word for “skill.” This reminds us that, until a few centuries ago, almost no one made a strong distinction between skilled craftsmanship and what we would now call “art.” And the word art itself could also mean simply “cleverness.” The result is that this root appears in some words where we might not expect it.

• artful
  1).Skillful.
  2).Wily, crafty, sly.

• artifact
  A usually simple object made by human workmanship, such as a tool or ornament, that represents a culture or a stage in a culture’s development.

• artifice
  1).Clever skill.
  2).A clever trick.

• artisan
  A skilled worker or craftsperson.

FORT

FORT comes from fortis, Latin for “strong.” The familiar noun fort, meaning a building strengthened against possible attacks, comes directly from it. And our verb comfort actually means “to give strength and hope to.”

• fortify
  To strengthen.

• fortification
  1).The building of military defenses to protect a place against attack.
  2).A structure built to protect a place.

• forte
  Something that a person does particularly well; one’s strong point.

• fortitude
  Mental strength that allows one to face danger, pain, or hardship with courage.

CIS

CIS comes from the Latin verb meaning “to cut, cut down, or slay.” An incisor is one of the big front biting teeth; beavers and woodchucks have especially large ones. A decision “cuts off” previous discussion and uncertainty.

• concise
  Brief and condensed, especially in expression or statement.

• excise
  To cut out, especially surgically.

• incisive
  Impressively direct and decisive.

• precision
  Exactness and accuracy.

Animal Words

• apiary
  A place where bees are kept for their honey.

• caper
  1).A playful leap.
  2).A prank or mischievous adventure.

• equestrian
  Of or relating to horseback riding.

• lupine
  Like a wolf; wolfish.

• ovine
  Of, relating to, or resembling sheep.

• ornithologist
  A person who studies birds.

• serpentine
  Like a snake or serpent in shape or movement; winding.

• simian
  Having to do with monkeys or apes; monkeylike.

Unit 14

CRYPT

CRYPT comes from the Greek word for “hidden.” To encrypt a message is to encode it—that is, to hide its meaning in code language. When a scientific term begins with crypto-, it always means that there’s something hidden about it .

• crypt
  1).A room completely or partly underground, especially under the main floor of a church.
  2).A room or area in a large aboveground tomb.

• encrypt
  1).To convert into cipher.
  2).To convert a message into code.

• cryptic
  1).Mysterious; puzzlingly short.
  2).Acting to hide or conceal.

• cryptography
  1).Secret writing.
  2).The encoding and decoding of messages.

AB/ABS

AB/ABS comes to us from Latin, and means “from,” “away,” or “off.” Abuse is the use of something in the wrong way. To abduct is to “lead away from” or kidnap. Aberrant behavior is behavior that “wanders away from” what is acceptable. But there are so many words that include these roots that it would be absurd to try to list them all here.

• abscond
  To depart in secret and hide.

• abstemious
  Restrained, especially in the consumption of food or alcohol.

• abstraction
  The consideration of a thing or idea without associating it with a particular example.

• abstruse
  Hard to understand; deep or complex.

PED-

PED- comes from the Greek word for “child.” The same root also has the meaning “foot” (see PED), but in English words it usually isn’t hard to tell the two apart.

• pedagogy
  The art, science, or profession of teaching.

• pedant
  1).A formal, unimaginative teacher.
  2).A person who shows off his or her learning.

• pediatrician
  A doctor who specializes in the diseases, development, and care of children.

• encyclopedic
  1).Of or relating to an encyclopedia.
  2).Covering a wide range of subjects.

TROP

TROP comes from the Greek tropos, meaning “turn” or “change.” The troposphere is the level of the atmosphere where most weather changes—or “turns in the weather”—occur. And the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn are the lines of latitude where the sun is directly overhead when it reaches its northernmost and southernmost points, on about June 22 and December 22 every year—that is, the point where it seems to turn and go back the other way.

• tropism
  Automatic movement by an organism unable to move about from place to place, especially a plant, that involves turning or growing toward or away from a stimulus.

• entropy
  1).The decomposition of the matter and energy in the universe to an ultimate state of inactive uniformity.
  2).Chaos, randomness.

• heliotrope
  Any of a genus of herbs or shrubs having small white or purple flowers.

• psychotropic
  Acting on the mind.

NEO

NEO comes from the Greek neos, meaning “new.” Neo- has become a part of many English words. Some are easy to understand; for example, neo-Nazi. Some are less so; you might not immediately guess that neotropical means
“from the tropics of the New World,” or that a neophyte is a “newcomer.” When William Ramsay discovered four new gases, he named them all using Greek roots that at first glance might sound slightly mysterious: argon (“idle”), krypton (“hidden”), xenon (“strange”)—and neon (“new”).

• neoclassic
  Relating to a revival or adaptation of the styles of ancient Greece and Roman, especially in music, art, or architecture.

• neoconservative
  A conservative who favors strongly encouraging democracy and the U.S. national interest in world affairs, including through military means.

• neonatal
  Of or relating to babies in the first month after their birth.

NOV

NOV comes from the Latin word novus, meaning “new.” To renovate an old house is to “make it new again”—that is, put it back in tip-top shape. The long-running PBS show Nova keeps its large audience up to date on what’s new in the world of science. And when the British king sent Scottish settlers to a large island off Canada’s Atlantic coast in the 17th century, he named it Nova Scotia, or “New Scotland.”

• novice
  1).One who has no previous training or experience in a specific field or activity; beginner.
  2).A new member of a religious order who is preparing to become a nun or monk.

• novel
  1).New and not resembling something formerly known or used.
  2).Original and striking, especially in conception or style.

• innovation
  1).A new idea, device, or method.
  2).The introduction of new ideas, devices, or methods.

• supernova
  1).The explosion of a star that causes it to become extremely bright.
  2).Something that explodes into prominence or popularity.

• impose
  1).To establish or apply as a charge or penalty or in a forceful or harmful way.
  2).To take unfair advantage.

• juxtapose
  To place side by side.

• transpose
  1).To change the position or order of (two things).
  2).To move from one place or period to another.

• superimpose
  To put or place one thing over something else.

TEN

TEN, from the Latin verb tenere, basically means “hold” or “hold on to.” A tenant is the “holder” of an apartment, house, or land, but not necessarily the owner. A lieutenant governor may “hold the position” ( “serve in lieu”) of the governor when necessary.

• tenure
  1).The amount of time that a person holds a job, office, or title.
  2).The right to keep a job, especially the job of teacher or professor.

• tenacious
  Stubborn or determined in clinging to something.

• tenable
  Capable of being held or defended; reasonable.

• tenet
  A widely held principle or belief, especially one held in common by members of a group or profession.

MONO

MONO comes from the Greek monos, meaning “along” or “single.” So a monorail is a railroad that has only one rail; a monocle is an old-fashioned eyeglass that a gentleman used to squeeze into his eye socket; a monotonous voice seems to have only one tone; and a monopoly puts all ownership of a type of product or service in the hands of a single company.

• monogamous
  Being married to one person or having one mate at a time.

• monoculture
  1).The cultivation of a single crop to the exclusion of other uses of land.
  2).A culture dominated by a single element.

• monolithic
  1).Appearing to be a huge, featureless, often rigid whole.
  2).Made up of material with no joints or seams.

• monotheism
  The worship of a single god.

UNI

UNI comes from the Latin word for “one.” A uniform is a single design worn by everyone. A united group has one single opinion, or forms a single unit. A unitard is a one-piece combination leotard and tights, very good for skating, skiing, dancing—or riding a one-wheeled unicycle.

• unicameral
  Having only one lawmaking chamber.

• unilateral
  1).Done by one person or party; one-sided.
  2).Affecting one side of the body.

• unison
  1).Perfect agreement.
  2).Sameness of musical pitch.

• unitarian
  Relating or belonging to a religious group that believes that God exists only in one person and stresses individual freedom of belief.

Unit 15

TERM/TERMIN

TERM/TERMIN comes from the Latin verb terminare, “to limit, bound, or set limits to,” and the noun terminus, “limit or boundary.” In English, those boundaries or limits tend to be final. A term goes on for a given amount of time and then ends, and to terminate a sentence or a meeting or a ballgame means to end it.

• terminal
  1).Forming or relating to an end or limit.
  2).Fatal.

• indeterminate
  Not precisely determined; vague.

• interminable
  Having or seeming to have no end; tiresomely drawn out.

• terminus
  1).The end of a travel route (such as a rail or bus line), or the station at the end of a route.
  2).An extreme point; tip.

• geocentric
  Having or relating to the Earth as the center.

• geophysics
  The science that deals with the physical processes and phenomena occurring especially in the Earth and in its vicinity.

• geostationary
  Being or having an orbit such that a satellite remains in a fixed position above the Earth, especially having such an orbit above the equator.

• geothermal
  Of, relating to, or using the natural heat produced inside the Earth.

SPHER

SPHER comes from the Greek word for “ball.” A ball is itself a sphere, as is the ball that we call Earth. So is the atmosphere, and so are several other invisible “spheres” that encircle the Earth.

• spherical
  Relating to a sphere; shaped like a sphere or one of its segments.

• stratosphere
  1).The part of the earth’s atmosphere that extends from about seven to about 30 miles above the surface.
  2).A very high or the highest region.

• biosphere
  1).The part of the world in which life can exist.
  2).Living things and their environment.

• hemisphere
  Half a sphere, especially half the global sphere as divided by the equator or a meridian.

VERT

VERT comes from the Latin verb vertere, meaning “to turn” or “to turn around.” Vertigo is the dizziness that makes it seem as if everything is turning around you. And an advertisement turns your attention to a product or service.

• divert
  1).To turn from one purpose or course to another.
  2).To give pleasure to by distracting from burdens or distress.

• converter
  A device that changes something (such as radio signals, radio frequencies, or data) from one form to another.

• avert
  1).To turn (your eyes or gaze) away or aside.
  2).To avoid or prevent.

• revert
  1).To go back or return (to an earlier state, condition, situation, etc.).
  2).To be given back to (a former owner).

MORPH

MORPH comes from the Greek word for “shape.” Morph is itself an English word with a brand-new meaning, which was needed when we began to digitally alter photographic images or shapes to make them move or transform themselves in often astonishing ways.

• amorphous
  Without a definite shape or form; shapeless.

• anthropomorphic
  1).Having or described as having human form or traits.
  2).Seeing human traits in nonhuman things.

• metamorphosis
  1).A physical change, especially one supernaturally caused.
  2).A developmental change in an animal that occurs after birth or hatching.

• morphology
  1).The study of the structure and form of plants and animals.
  2).The study of word formation.

• format
  1).The shape, size, and general makeup of something.
  2).A general plan, arrangement, or choice of material.

• conform
  1).To be similar or identical; to be in agreement or harmony.
  2).To follow ordinary standards or customs.

• formality
  1).An established custom or way of behaving that is required or standard.
  2).The following of conventional rules.

• formative
  1).Giving or able to give form or shape; constructive.
  2).Having to do with important growth or development.

DOC/DOCT

DOC/DOCT comes from the Latin docere, which means “to teach.” So, for instance, a doctor was originally a highly educated person capable of instructing others in a field—which usually wasn’t medicine.

• doctrine
  1).Something that is taught.
  2).An official principle, opinion, or belief.

• docent
  1).Teacher, lecturer.
  2).A person who leads guided tours, especially through a museum.

• doctrinaire
  Tending to apply principles or theories without regard for practical difficulties or individual circumstance.

• indoctrinate
  1).To teach, especially basics or fundamentals.
  2).To fill someone with a particular opinion or point of view.

TUT/TUI

TUT/TUI comes from a Latin verb meaning “to look after,” and in English the root generally shows up in words that include the meaning “guide,” “guard,” or “teach”—such as tutor, the name for a private teacher who guides a student (or tutee) through a subject.

• tutorial
  1).A class for one student or a small group of students.
  2).An instructional program that gives information about a specific subject.

• tuition
  1).The act of teaching; instruction.
  2).The cost of or payment for instruction.

• intuition
  1).The power of knowing something immediately without mental effort; quick insight.
  2).Something known in this way.

• tutelage
  Instruction or guidance of an individual; guardianship.

DI/DUP

DI/DUP, Greek and Latin prefixes meaning “two,” show up in both technical and nontechnical terms, with dup- sometimes shortened to du-. So a duel is a battle between two people. A duet is music for a duo, or pair of musicians. A duplicate is an exact copy, or twin. And if you have dual citizenship, you belong to two countries at once.

• dichotomy
  1).A division into two often contradictory groups.
  2).Something with qualities that seem to contradict each other.

• dimorphic
  Occurring in two distinguishable forms (as of color or size).

• duplex
  1).Having two principal elements; double.
  2).Allowing electronic communication in two directions at the same time.

• duplicity
  Deception by pretending to feel and act one way while acting in another.

BI/BIN

BI/BIN also means “two” or “double.” A bicycle has two wheels, and binoculars consist of two little telescopes. Bigamy is marriage to two people at once. And a road built through the middle of a neighborhood bisects it into two pieces.

• bipartisan
  Involving members of two political parties.

• binary
  1).Consisting of two things or parts; double.
  2).Involving a choice between two alternatives.

• biennial
  1).Occurring every two years.
  2).Continuing or lasting over two years.

• bipolar
  Having two opposed forces or views; having two poles or opposed points of attraction.

Unit 16

TOP

TOP comes from topos, the Greek word for “place.” A topic is a subject rather than a place; to the Greeks, the original word meant more or less “about one place or subject (rather than another)”—which just goes to show that it’s not always easy to trace a word’s meaning from its roots.

• topical
  1).Designed for local application to or treatment of a bodily part.
  2).Referring to the topics of the day.

• ectopic
  Occurring or originating in an abnormal place.

• utopian
  Relating to an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect.

• topography
  1).The art of showing the natural and manmade features of a region on a map or chart.
  2).The features of a surface, including both natural and man-made features.

CENTR/CENTER

CENTR/CENTER comes from the Greek kentron and the Latin centrum, meaning “sharp point” or “center point of a circle.” A centrifuge is a spinning machine that throws things outward from the center; the apparent force that pushes them outward is called centrifugal force.

• eccentric
  1).Not following an established or usual style or conduct.
  2).Straying from a circular path; off-center.

• epicenter
  1).The location on the earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
  2).The center or focus of activity.

• egocentric
  Overly concerned with oneself; self-centered.

• ethnocentric
  Marked by or based on the attitude that one’s own group is superior to others.

DOM

DOM comes from the Latin domus, “house,” and dominus, “master,” and the two are indeed related. In the Bible, King Ahasuerus, angered by his queen’s disobedience, proclaims that “every man is to be master of his own house,” and in the Roman empire no one doubted that this was how it was meant to be. A domain is the area where a person has authority or is dominant—but we no longer think of a house as the domain of a single dominant member of a family.

• dominion
  1).An area over which one rules; domain.
  2).Supreme authority.

• predominant
  Greater in importance, strength, influence, or authority.

• domineering
  Tending to control the behavior of others in a bossy manner.

• domination
  1).Supremacy or power over another.
  2).The exercise of governing or controlling influence.

OMNI

OMNI comes from the Latin word omnis, meaning “all.” So in English words, omni- can mean “in all ways,” “in all places,” or “without limits.” An omnidirectional antenna, for example, is one that receives or sends radio waves equally well in all directions. And Omni by itself has been used repeatedly as a brand name for things as different as a hotel chain and a science magazine.

• omnivore
  An animal that eats both plants and other animals.

• omnipotent
  Having complete or unlimited power; allpowerful.

• omnibus
  Of or including many things.

• omniscient
  Knowing everything; having unlimited understanding or knowledge.

HOL/HOLO

HOL/HOLO, meaning “whole,” comes from the Greek word holos, with the same meaning. The root can be found in catholic. When capitalized, Catholic refers to the worldwide Christian church based in Rome, which was once the “whole”—that is, the only—Christian church. Without the capital letter, catholic means simply “universal” or, when describing a person, “broad in one’s interests or tastes.”

• holistic
  Relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts.

• hologram
  A three-dimensional image reproduced from a pattern of interference produced by a beam of radiation such as a laser.

• Holocene
  Of, relating to, or being the present geologic epoch.

• holocaust
  1).(usually capitalized) The mass slaughter of European civilians and especially Jews by the Nazis during World War II.
  2).A thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life, especially through fire.

RETRO

RETRO means “back,” “backward,” or “behind” in Latin. Retro in English is generally a prefix, but has also become a word in its own right, usually used to describe old styles or fashions.

• retroactive
  Intended to apply or take effect at a date in the past.

• retrofit
  To furnish something with new or modified parts or equipment that was optional or unavailable at the time of manufacture.

• retrogress
  To return to an earlier and usually worse or more primitive state.

• retrospective
  A generally comprehensive exhibition or performance usually covering an artist’s output to date.

TEMPOR

TEMPOR comes from the Latin tempus, meaning “time.” A temporary repair is meant to last only a short time. The tempo, or speed, of a countryand-western ballad is usually different from that of a hip-hop number. The Latin phrase Tempus fugit means “Time flies,” an observation that seems more true during summer vacation than in the dead of winter.

• temporal
  1).Having to do with time as opposed to eternity; having to do with earthly life as opposed to heavenly existence.
  2).Having to do with time as distinguished from space.

• contemporary
  1).Occurring or existing during the

• same
  period of time.
  2).Having to do with the present period; modern or current.

• extemporaneous
  1).Composed, performed, spoken, or done on the spur of the moment; impromptu or improvised.
  2).Carefully prepared but delivered without notes.

• temporize
  1).To act in a way that fits the time or occasion; to give way to current opinion.
  2).To draw out discussions to gain time.

• chronic
  1).Lasting a long time or recurring frequently.
  2).Always present; constantly annoying or troubling; habitual.

• chronology
  1).A sequence of events in the order they occurred.
  2).A table, list, or account that presents events in order.

• anachronism
  1).The error of placing a person or thing in the wrong time period.
  2).A person or thing that is out of its own time.

• synchronous
  1).Happening or existing at exactly the same time; simultaneous.
  2).Recurring or acting at exactly the same intervals.

Number Words TRI

TRI means “three,” whether derived from Greek or Latin. A tricycle has three wheels. A triangle has three sides and three angles. And a triumvirate is a board or government of three people.

• triad
  1).A group of three usually related people or things.
  2).A secret Chinese criminal organization.

• trilogy
  A series of three creative works that are closely related and develop a single theme.

• triceratops
  One of a group of large dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous period and had three horns, a bony crest or hood, and hoofed toes.

• trident
  A three-pronged spear, especially one carried by various sea gods in classical mythology.

• trimester
  1).A period of about three months, especially one of three such periods in a human pregnancy.
  2).One of three terms into which an academic year is sometimes divided.

• trinity
  1).(capitalized) The unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one God in Christian belief.
  2).A group of three people.

• triptych
  1).A picture or carving made in the form of three panels side by side.
  2).Something composed or presented in three sections.

• trivial
  Of little value or importance.

Unit 17

ANIM

ANIM comes from the Latin anima, meaning “breath” or “soul.” So, for example, an animal is a living, breathing thing—though human animals have often argued about whether other species actually have souls.

• animated
  1).Full of life; lively, vigorous, active.
  2).Seeming or appearing to be alive.

• magnanimous
  1).Showing a lofty and courageous spirit.
  2).Generous and forgiving.

• animosity
  Ill will or resentment.

• inanimate
  1).Not alive; lifeless.
  2).Not lively; dull.

• figurative
  1).Representing form or figure in art.
  2).Saying one thing in terms normally meaning or describing another thing.

• configuration
  An arrangement of parts or elements; shape, design.

• effigy
  An image of a person, especially a crude representation of a hated person.

• figment
  Something made up or imagined.

ANN/ENN

ANN/ENN comes from Latin annus, meaning “year.” An annual event occurs yearly. An anniversary is an example of an annual event, although the older you get the more frequent they seem to be.

• annuity
  Money that is payable yearly or on some regular basis, or a contract providing for such payment.

• superannuated
  1).Outworn, old-fashioned, or out-of-date.
  2).Forced to retire because of old age or infirmity.

• millennium
  1).A period of time lasting 1,000 years, or the celebration of a 1,000-year anniversary.
  2).A period of great happiness and perfection on earth.

• perennial
  1).Continuing to grow for several years.
  2).Enduring or continuing without interruption.

• coeval
  Having the same age or lasting the same amount of time; contemporary.

• longevity
  1).A long duration of life.
  2).Length of life; long continuance.

• medieval
  1).Relating to the Middle Ages of European history, from about A.D. 500 to
  2).Extremely out-of-date.

• primeval
  1).Having to do with the earliest ages; primitive or ancient.
  2).Existing from the beginning.

CORP

CORP comes from corpus, the Latin word for “body.” A corpse is a dead body. A corporation is also a kind of body, since it may act almost like an individual. And a corps is a “body” of soldiers.

• corporeal
  Having or relating to a physical body; substantial.

• corpulent
  Having a large, bulky body; obese.

• corporal
  Relating to or affecting the body.

• incorporate
  1).To blend or combine into something already existing to form one whole.
  2).To form or form into a corporation.

TANG/TACT

TANG/TACT comes from the Latin words tangere, “to touch,” and tactus, “sense of touch.” So, for instance, to make contact is to touch or “get in touch with.”

• tact
  The ability to deal with others without offending them.

• tactile
  1).Able to be perceived by touching.
  2).Relating to the sense of touch.

• tangential
  Touching lightly; incidental.

• tangible
  Able to be perceived, especially by touch; physical, substantial.

CODI/CODE

CODI/CODE comes from the Latin codex, meaning “trunk of a tree” or “document written on wooden tablets.” A code can be either a set of laws or a system of symbols used to write messages. To encode a message is to write it in code. A genetic code, transmitted by genes, is a set of instructions for everything from blood type to eye color.

• codex
  A book in handwritten form, especially a book of Scripture, classics, or ancient texts.

• codicil
  1).An amendment or addition made to a will.
  2).An appendix or supplement.

• codify
  To arrange according to a system; classify.

2).To find the underlying meaning of; decipher.

• signify
  1).To be a sign of something; to mean something.
  2).To show or make known, especially by a sign.

• insignia
  A badge of authority or honor; a distinguishing sign or mark.

• signatory
  A person or government that signs an agreement with others; especially a government that agrees with others to abide by a signed agreement.

• signet
  1).A seal used instead of a signature to give personal or official authority to a document.
  2).A small engraved seal, often in the form of a ring.

QUADR/QUART

QUADR/QUART comes from Latin words meaning “four” or “fourth.” In English, a quart is one-fourth of a gallon, just as a quarter is one-fourth of a dollar. A quadrangle has four sides and angles but isn’t necessarily square.And quadruplets are four babies born at the same time.

• quadrant
  1).A quarter of a circle.
  2).Any of the four quarters into which something is divided by two lines intersecting at right angles.

• quadrille
  A square dance popular in the 18th and 19th century, made up of five or six patterns for four couples.

• quadriplegic
  Paralyzed in both arms and both legs.

• quartile
  One of four equal groups each containing a quarter of a statistical population.

• tetracycline
  A yellow broad-spectrum antibiotic.

• tetrahedron
  A solid shape formed by four flat faces.

• tetralogy
  A set of four connected literary, artistic, or musical works.

• tetrapod
  A vertebrate with two pairs of limbs.