Identify Word Parts to Determine the Meaning

Word Roots &
Expanding Vocabulary

Word Roots

The most common word roots in English are from Greek and Latin.

Word roots contain the basic meaning of a word; they are word building blocks.

Word Parts

Words can be broken down into various parts.
These include the word root(s) plus any affixes attached to the root(s)

Multiple Choice

What do you think the word root morph means based on the following words?

Amorphous, metamorphosis, anthropomorphic

• Shape

• Color

• Twist

• Bend

Affixes

Remember that prefixes come at the beginning of a word and suffixes come at the end of a word!

Affixes change the meaning of a word and sometimes the part of speech (especially suffixes)!

Recognizing common affixes can help you decipher unknown words.

Let's break down a word into its parts!

anthropomorphism

This word contains several different parts!

Which word parts do you recognize?

Breaking down a word...

anthropo/morph/ism

Anthro means "man, human"

Anthropo is the combining form of anthro

Morph means "to change"

Ism means "action or process of doing something"

Breaking down a word...

anthropo/morph/ism

"Process of changing into a person"

Anthropomorphism is a common literary term used when authors give non-human entities human characteristics.

You can see lots of examples of anthropomorphism in Disney movies!

Similar words...

anthropo/logy

Logy means "study, science, theory"

So what does anthropology mean?

Even if you don't know all of the separate parts of a word, you can gain some understanding of the word if you can isolate one of its roots!

Similar words...

Philo/soph/y

Philo means "love"

Soph means "knowledge"

-y means "state or condition"

So what does philosophy mean?

Multiple Choice

What do you think the word root "phon" means based on the following words?

phonics, telephone, microphone, homophone

• Sight

• Taste

• Sound

• Speak

Multiple Choice

What do you think the prefix omni means in the following words?

omnivore, omnipotent, omnidirectional

• Color

• All

• Peace

• Power

Multiple Choice

What do you think the word root vor means based on the following words?

voracious, omnivore, carnivorous

• to eat

• to live

• to play

• to redeem

Multiple Choice

What do you think the word root viru means based on the following words?

Virus, virulent

• Potent

• Danger

• Truth

• Poison

Multiple Choice

What is the meaning of the word part ac/acr in the following words?

acerbic, acrid, acumen, acute, exacerbate

• Crude/Poorly Defined

• Rudimentary/Elementary

• Toward/Near/To

• Sharp/Bitter/Sour

​Pro-tip

Sometimes similar-sounding word parts have different meanings. It's important to be familiar with as many word parts as possible to help you decipher unknown words!

LEC/LEG/LEX: to read, to speak
legible: readable
lexicographer: a writer of dictionaries
lexicon: a dictionary
 
LECT/LEG: to select, to choose
eclectic: selecting ideas, etc. from various sources
predilection: preference, liking