Greek root words

The Greek root thermo, as in the word thermometer, is related to what concept?

• Heat

• Water

• Distance

• Life

Answer explanation

The Greek root thermo means 'heat.' A thermometer is a tool used to measure temperature (heat). The other roots mean 'water' (hydro), 'far' (tele), and 'life' (bio).

Match each Greek root to its correct meaning.

• Water

• astro

• Earth

• geo

• Star

• bio

• Life

• hydro

Answer explanation

Each root is matched to its specific meaning: astro (star), geo (earth), bio (life), and hydro (water). These roots are the building blocks for many English words.

The Greek root tele- means 'far.' A telescope is an instrument that helps you do what?

• See things that are far away

• See things that are very small

• Hear things that are far away

• Write about things that are far away

Answer explanation

A telescope combines the Greek roots tele- (far) and -scope (to see). Therefore, it is an instrument used for seeing things that are far away.

Sort these words based on whether they contain the Greek root phon or the Greek root graph.

Groups:

(a) Words with the root <i>phon</i>

,

(b) Words with the root <i>graph</i>

• photograph

• symphony

• autograph

• microphone

Answer explanation

Words are sorted by their core root. 'Symphony' and 'microphone' contain the root phon, which relates to sound. 'Autograph' and 'photograph' contain the root graph, which relates to writing or recording.

A scientist who studies living things is called a biologist. If the suffix -logist means 'one who studies,' what does the Greek root bio- mean?

• Life

• Earth

• Books

• Stars

Answer explanation

By analyzing the word biologist, we know it refers to someone who studies living things. If -logist means 'one who studies,' then the root bio- must refer to 'life.' The root for Earth is geo- and for stars is astro-.

Match each word to the sentence that best shows its meaning.

• The car wash was amazing; the machine did everything by itself.

• automatic

• For our history project, we had to list events in the order they happened.

• psychology

• The class helped me understand why people have certain feelings.

• chronological

Answer explanation

Each word is matched to a context that demonstrates its meaning. Automatic (auto=self), chronological (chron=time), and psychology (psych=mind) fit their respective sentences.

What is the meaning of the Greek root graph, found in words like paragraph and autograph?

• To write or draw

• To see or look

• To hear or listen

• To measure

Answer explanation

The root graph means 'to write or draw.' An autograph is something you write yourself, and a paragraph is a section of writing.

The Greek root -phobia means 'an extreme fear.' A person with hydrophobia has an extreme fear of what?

• Water

• Heights

• Spiders

• Small spaces

Answer explanation

The word hydrophobia combines the Greek root hydro- (water) and the root -phobia (fear). Therefore, it means the fear of water.

The names of these tools contain Greek roots. Sort the tools based on the concept their root describes.

Groups:

(a) Related to Heat

,

(b) Related to Seeing

• thermometer

• thermal camera

• microscope

• telescope

Answer explanation

Words with the root therm- (like thermometer, thermal) relate to heat. Words with the root -scope (like telescope, microscope) relate to seeing or looking.

Choose the word that best completes the sentence: My favorite subject is _____, because I love learning about rocks, mountains, and the layers of the Earth.

• geology

• biology

• psychology

• chronology

Answer explanation

The root geo means 'Earth' and -logy means 'study of.' Therefore, geology is the study of the Earth, which fits the sentence context about rocks and mountains.