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The table below defines and illustrates 30 of the most common Greek and Latin roots. The letter in parentheses indicates whether the root word is Greek (G) or Latin (L).
Word Roots
ROOT
MEANING
EXAMPLES
-ast(er)-(G)
star
asteroid, astronomy
-audi- (L)
hear
audible, audience
-auto- (G)
self
automatic, autopsy
-bene- (L)
good
benefit, benign
-bio- (G)
life
biography, biology
-chrono- (G)
time
chronic, synchronize
-dict- (L)
say
dictate, diction
-duc- (L)
lead, make
deduce, produce
-gen- (L)
give birth
gene, generate
-geo- (G)
earth
geography, geology
-graph- (G)
write
autograph, graph
-jur-, -jus- (L)
law
jury, justice
-log-, -logue- (L)
thought
logic, obloquy
-luc- (L)
light
lucid, translucent
-man(u)- (L)
hand
manual, manure
-mand-, -mend- (L)
order
demand, recommend
-mis-, -mit- (L)
send
missile, transmission
-omni- (L)
all
omnivorous
-path- (G)
feel
empathy, pathetic
-phil- (G)
love
philosophy, bibliophile
-phon- (G)
sound
phonics, telephone
-photo- (G)
light
photograph, photon
-port- (L)
carry
export, portable
-qui(t)- (L)
quiet, rest
acquit, tranquil
-scrib-, -script- (L)
write
ascribe, script
-sens-, -sent- (L)
feel
resent, sensitive
-tele- (G)
far off
telecast, telephone
-terr- (L)
earth
terrain, territory
-vac- (L)
empty
evacuate, vacate
-vid-, -vis- (L)
see
visible, video