Greek & Latin Roots (bio, graph, phon)

Greek and Latin Roots

Greek and Latin Roots

The English language was built on borrowing from other languages. More than 60% of English words have Greek or Latin roots. This week, we will be looking at 4 Greek and Latin roots and words that use them.

Bio

Our first root word is Bio. Like when we see the word biology. Bio is a Greek word and it means life.

Multiple Choice

What do you think biohazard means?

• Hazard to biomes

• Dangerous to life

• Life happens

Graph

Our next root word is graph. Graph is also a Greek word and it means to write. Think of paragraph. Para is another Greek prefix that means beside. So, it’s writing that is beside each other.

Multiple Choice

A written story of someone's life

• Biography

• Megaphone

• Epigraph

• Geology

Phon

Our last root word for the week is phon. Phone is also Greek and it means sound. Think of homophone. It means having the same sound!

Multiple Choice

A funnel-shaped device used to increase sound

• Biography

• Megaphone

• Epigraph

• Geology

Multiple Choice

Which root means "write"?

• graph
• logy
• geo
• auto

Multiple Choice

Which root means "life"?

• aqua/hydr
• geo
• bio

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of phon-?

• sound

• taste

• smell

• see

Multiple Choice

Organized unit of writing with one main idea

• graphics

• paragraph

• photograph

Multiple Choice

A person who studies life

• zoologist

• biologist

• geologist

Multiple Choice

Instrument to hear sound from someone that is very far away

• telegraph

• photograph

• telephone