Use the meanings of words as clues to the meanings of Greek and Latin roots

Key Notes :

Ever wondered how some words seem to share a secret? It’s often because they come from common Greek and Latin roots! Understanding these roots can help you:

• Decode unfamiliar words.
• Expand your vocabulary.
• Improve your reading comprehension.
• Become a word detective! 🕵️‍♀️🕵️‍♂️

Strategy: Word Meaning as a Clue

Think of roots as building blocks. If you know the meaning of the root, you can often guess the meaning of the whole word! Here’s how:

1. Identify the root in the word.
2. Think of words you already know that use the same root.
3. Consider the context of the sentence.
4. Infer the meaning of the unknown word based on the root and context.

Example Time!

Root: port (Latin) Meaning: to carry

Words: transport: To carry something across a distance. export: To carry goods out of a country. import: To carry goods into a country. portable: Able to be carried easily. See how port always relates to carrying something? Words: transport: To carry something across a distance. export: To carry goods out of a country. import: To carry goods into a country. portable: Able to be carried easily. See how port always relates to carrying something?

Root: graph (Greek) Meaning: to write

Words: autograph: A signature, written by oneself. biography: An account of someone’s life, written by another person. graphic: Relating to visual art, especially involving drawing or writing. paragraph: Section of writing. Notice how graph is always associated with writing!

Time to Practice! 💪

Let’s put your detective skills to the test!

Instructions: For each word below, identify the root, its meaning, and then guess the meaning of the whole word.

1. Telephone (Root: tele = far, phone = sound)
2. Visible (Root: vis = to see)
3. Audience (Root: aud = to hear)
4. Predict (Root: pre = before, dict = to say)
5. Telescope (Root: tele = far, scope = see)

Next Steps

Keep an eye out for Greek and Latin roots in your reading! The more you practice, the better you’ll become at unlocking the meanings of new words. You can even create your own root word dictionary!

Let’s practice!