English 10 / Unit 11: Vocabulary: Roots, Context and Connotation
11.1 Greek and Latin Roots
Notes
A root is the core of a word that carries its basic meaning. Knowing roots lets you decode unfamiliar words.
| Root | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| bene (L) | good, well | benefit, benevolent |
| mal (L) | bad | malice, malfunction |
| chron (G) | time | chronology, chronic |
| dict (L) | say, speak | predict, contradict |
| spec/spic (L) | look | spectator, conspicuous |
| ject (L) | throw | eject, projectile |
| path (G) | feeling, suffering | empathy, apathy |
| phil (G) | love | philosophy, bibliophile |
- Example: benevolent = bene (good) + vol (wish): wishing good to others.
Practice
Based on its root, a "malevolent" character most likely:
"Mal" means bad; malevolent is the opposite of benevolent.
The root "chron" in "anachronism" suggests the word relates to:
An anachronism is something out of its proper time, like a phone in an ancient Greek play.
A person who shows "apathy" toward an election:
"A-" means without and "path" means feeling.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 11 test.