Determine the meanings of Greek and Latin roots

Key Notes :

Hey everyone! Today, we’re going to become word detectives! We’ll be exploring Greek and Latin roots, which are like secret codes hidden inside many English words. Understanding these roots will help you figure out what words mean, even if you’ve never seen them before!

Think of roots as building blocks. You can combine them with other parts (prefixes and suffixes) to create all sorts of words. Let’s get started!

Common Greek Roots

Here are some common Greek roots you’ll see a lot:

• Photo – means ‘light’
• Tele – means ‘far’ or ‘distant’
• Graph – means ‘write’ or ‘draw’
• Therm – means ‘heat’
• Bio – means ‘life’
• Geo – means ‘earth’

Let’s see these roots in action:

• Photograph: A picture made using light. (photo + graph)
• Telephone: A device for hearing sound from far away. (tele + phone)
• Autograph: Your own written signature. (auto + graph)
• Thermometer: A device that measures heat. (therm + meter)
• Biology: The study of life. (bio + logy)
• Geography: The study of the earth. (geo + graphy)

Common Latin Roots

Now, let’s check out some Latin roots:

• Spect – means ‘look’ or ‘see’
• Port – means ‘carry’
• Form – means ‘shape’
• Script/Scrib – means ‘write’
• Voc/Vox – means ‘call’ or ‘voice’
• Vid/Vis – means ‘see’

Here’s how they work in words:

• Spectator: Someone who looks at an event. (spect + ator)
• Transport: To carry something across. (trans + port)
• Form: The shape or structure of something. (form)
• Scribble: To write carelessly. (scrib + ble)
• Vocal: Relating to the voice. (voc + al)
• Video: Something you can see (vid)

Practice Time!

Instructions: Match the root to the word and explain how knowing the root helps you understand the word’s meaning. Words: Photograph Telephone Autograph Spectacles Export Conform

Root Photo Tele Graph Spect Port Form

Challenge Yourself!

Can you find other words that use these roots? Write them down and explain what they mean! For example:

• Television: tele (far) + vision (seeing) = seeing things from far away.
• Portable: port (carry) + able (able to) = able to be carried.

Key Takeaways

Today we explored the amazing world of Greek and Latin roots! Remember, these roots are like building blocks that can help you unlock the meanings of new words. By learning these roots, you’ll become a word detective, able to solve the mystery behind any word you encounter. Keep practicing, and you’ll be amazed at how many words you can understand!

Let’s practice!