Determine the meanings of words with Greek and Latin roots

Key Notes :

Why Learn About Roots?

Ever wonder how big words are built? Many English words come from Greek and Latin roots. Knowing these roots is like having a secret code to unlock the meanings of thousands of words! 🎉

Think of roots as the foundation of a word. By understanding the root, you can often figure out the word’s meaning, even if you’ve never seen it before!

Identifying Greek and Latin Roots

Here’s how to spot those roots:

1. Look for familiar parts: Roots often appear in many different words.
2. Break the word down: See if you can separate the word into smaller parts.
3. Think about meaning: Does a part of the word remind you of something?

Let’s explore some common Greek and Latin roots!

• Spect = Look (like in inspect)
• Port = Carry (like in transport)
• Script = Write (like in manuscript)
• Voc = Call/Voice (like in vocal)
• Vid/Vis = See (like in vision)
• Photo = Light (like in photograph)
• Graph = Write (like in telegraph)
• Tele = Far away (like in telephone)
• Bio = Life (like in biology)
• Therm = Heat (like in thermometer)
• Photograph: Photo (light) + graph (write) = To write or draw with light.
• Telephone: Tele (far) + phone (sound/voice) = A device that sends sound from far away.
• Biology: Bio (life) + logy (study of) = The study of life.
• Inspect: In (into) + spect (look) = To look carefully at something.
• Transport: Trans (across) + port (carry) = To carry something across.

Time to Practice! 💪

Let’s test your root-detecting skills! For each word, identify the Greek or Latin root and explain what you think the word means:

Autograph:

• Root(s):
• Meaning:

Television:

• Root(s):
• Meaning:

Audible:

• Root(s):
• Meaning:

Portable:

• Root(s):
• Meaning:

Spectator:

• Root(s):
• Meaning:

Summary

Today, we’ve learned how understanding Greek and Latin roots can help us unlock the meaning of new words. Remember to look for familiar parts, break down the words, and think about the meaning. Keep practicing, and you’ll become a word detective in no time! 🕵️‍♀️🕵️‍♂️

Let’s practice!