85+ Greek and Latin Root Words To Boost Vocabulary and Spelling

If you’re looking for an easy way to boost your students’ vocabulary and reading comprehension, teach them Greek and Latin root words! Once they know the meanings of the root words, they can figure out the definitions of so many other words. Here’s why it works and the best root words to teach kids in grades K-12.

What are root words?

A root word is a basic building block used to create larger English words. Root words come from other languages, often Greek and Latin, and can’t usually stand on their own. Instead, they’re combined with prefixes, suffixes, and/or other root words to create a whole new word. Take a look at these examples:

auto (Greek for self) + graph (Greek for write) = autograph (to write your own name)
bi (prefix meaning two) + cycl (Greek for circle) = bicycle (two-wheeled vehicle)
contra (Greek for against or opposite) + dict (speak or say) = contradict (to say the opposite of something is true)
manu (Latin for hand) + fact (Latin for make or do) + ure (suffix meaning the process of) = manufacture (the process of making something, originally by hand)

You’ll even find examples that combine both Greek and Latin root words in a single word!

aqua (Latin for water) + phobia (Greek for fear of) = aquaphobia (fear of water)
dys (Greek for bad) + functio (Latin for to perform) = dysfunction (not performing correctly)

Modern English is a real hodgepodge of a language, influenced by Latin, Greek, French, German, Hindi, Norse, Arabic, and Old English, just to name a few. Greek and Latin root words are among the most common, especially when it comes to words used in academia or science.

Why teach Greek and Latin root words?

Knowing the definitions of common Latin and Greek roots gives students a real boost when it comes to working out the meanings of unknown words. When you combine this information with a good working knowledge of prefixes and suffixes, it’s easy to make sense of many words, even out of context. (This can be very helpful on standardized tests like the SAT.)

It’s important to make sure your students know that while root words can be a good starting point, they can also be misleading sometimes. “Discipline” comes from the Latin word for student or learner (discipulus). In English, discipline can mean an area of study, which is related to the Latin root. But it can also mean self-control, or a form of punishment, meanings that the root word don’t make clear.

In other cases, the root word is downright confusing, though it made sense in other languages. For instance, salary comes from the Latin root sal, which means salt. If you know that Roman soldiers were partly paid in salt, it makes sense. But otherwise, knowing that root doesn’t really help.

That being said, knowing Greek and Latin roots is helpful more often that not. That’s why it’s worth sharing this list of the most common Greek and Latin root words with your students.

Greek Root Words (43)

acro

Meaning: high, top

Examples: acropolis, acrobat

anthropo

Meaning: human, human, humanity

Examples: anthropology, philanthropist

anti

Meaning: against

Examples: antidote, antibacterial

arch

Meaning: chief, first, rule

Examples: monarch, archaeology

ast / astro

Meaning: star

Examples: astronomy, astronaut

auto

Meaning: self

Examples: autograph, automatic

bio

Meaning: life

Examples: biology, biography

chrome

Meaning: color

Examples: chromatic, monochrome

chron

Meaning: time

Examples: chronology, synchronize

cycl

Meaning: circle, wheel

Examples: bicycle, cyclone

dem

Meaning: people

Examples: democracy, epidemic

dyn / dynam

Meaning: power, strength

Examples: dynamo, dynamic

dys

Meaning: bad, difficult, abnormal

Examples: dysfunction, dystopia

geo

Meaning: earth

Examples: geography, geology

graph / gram

Meaning: write, draw

Examples: paragraph, grammar

GRAPH, Greek for Write — We Are Teachers

hetero

Meaning: different

Examples: heterogeneous, heterosexual

homo

Meaning: same

Examples: homonym, homogeneous

hydr

Meaning: water

Examples: hydrant, hydroelectric

hyper

Meaning: over, above

Examples: hyperactive, hyperbole

hypo

Meaning: under, below

Examples: hypothermia, hypodermic

log / logy

Meaning: word, study

Examples: dialogue, biology

mega / megalo

Meaning: great, large

Examples: megaphone, megalopolis

METER/METR Greek for measure — We Are Teachers

metr / meter

Meaning: measure

Examples: speedometer, barometer

micro

Meaning: small

Examples: microscope, microchip

mis / miso

Meaning: hate

Examples: misogyny, misanthrope

morph

Meaning: form, shape

Examples: metamorphosis, morphology

narc

Meaning: sleep

Examples: narcotic, narcolepsy

naut

Meaning: sailor, ship

Examples: astronaut, nautical

nym

Meaning: name

Examples: pseudonym, antonym

path

Meaning: feeling, disease

Examples: sympathy, pathology

phil

Meaning: love

Examples: philosophy, philanthropist

phobia

Meaning: fear of

Examples: claustrophobia, arachnophobia

phon

Meaning: sound

Examples: telephone, symphony

PHON, Greek for sound or voice — We Are Teachers

photo

Meaning: light

Examples: photograph, photosynthesis

polis / polit

Meaning: city, citizen

Examples: metropolis, politics

pseudo

Meaning: false, pretended

Examples: pseudonym, pseudoscientific

psych

Meaning: mind, soul

Examples: psychology, psychic

scope

Meaning: look at, examine

Examples: microscope, periscope

syn

Meaning: together, with

Examples: photosynthesis, synchronize

techno

Meaning: art, craft, skill

Examples: technique, technology

tele

Meaning: far, distant

Examples: television, telescope

theo

Meaning: god

Examples: theology, monotheism

therm

Meaning: heat

Examples: thermometer, thermal

Latin Root Words (45)

ab

Meaning: away, off

Examples: abstain, absent

act

Meaning: to do

Examples: action, actor

ambi

Meaning: both, around

Examples: ambiguous, ambidextrous

aqua

Meaning: water

Examples: aquarium, aquatic

aud

Meaning: hear

Examples: audience, audible

bene

Meaning: good, well

Examples: benefit, benevolent

cent

Meaning: hundred

Examples: century, percent

circum

Meaning: around

Examples: circumference, circulate

contra / counter

Meaning: against, opposite

Examples: contradict, counteract

dict

Meaning: say, speak

Examples: dictate, predict

DICT, Latin for say or speak — We Are Teachers

doc

Meaning: teach, prove

Examples: document, doctor

duc / duct

Meaning: lead

Examples: educate, conduct

fac / fact

Meaning: make, do

Examples: factory, manufacture

form

Meaning: shape

Examples: transform, uniform

fort

Meaning: strong

Examples: fortress, fortify

fract / frag

Meaning: break

Examples: fracture, fragment

fund / found

Meaning: bottom, base

Examples: foundation, fundamental

gen

Meaning: give birth to

Examples: genesis, generation

ject

Meaning: throw

Examples: project, eject

jur

Meaning: law

Examples: jury, jurisdiction

lev

Meaning: lift

Examples: Levitate, elevate

lumin / luc / lum

Meaning: light

Examples: illuminate, translucent

mal

Meaning: bad

Examples: malfunction, malevolent

manu / mani

Meaning: hand

Examples: manuscript, manicure

mater / matr

Meaning: mother

Examples: maternity, matriarch

mit / mis

Meaning: send

Examples: transmit, mission

mort

Meaning: death

Examples: mortal, immortal

multi

Meaning: many

Examples: multicolor, multimedia

omni

Meaning: all

Examples: omnivorous, omnipotent

pac

Meaning: peace

Examples: pacify, pact

pater / patr

Meaning: father

Examples: paternal, patriot

port

Meaning: carry

Examples: transport, portable

rupt

Meaning: break

Examples: interrupt, erupt

scrib / script

Meaning: write

Examples: describe, manuscript

sect / sec

Meaning: cut

Examples: section, dissect

sens

Meaning: feel

Examples: sensory, sentiment

spect

Meaning: look, see

Examples: inspect, spectator

struct

Meaning: build

Examples: construct, structure

STRUCT, Latin for build — We Are Teachers

terr