Root Words

Get to the root of the problem with root words. Getting familiar with root words can help kids learn more about the English language. Once your kid knows a root word’s meaning, it can help them figure out what the rest of the word, and even the words around it, might mean. Help your child familiarize themselves with root words with our worksheets, workbooks, activities, games, and lots more.

Like most concepts and lessons we learn, the words we use everyday evolved from something else. The English language is extended from both the Greek and Latin languages. Many of our words are even based on Greek or Latin root words.

A root word is a Latin or Greek root that has its own meaning. It is the foundation of a new word, built upon using either a meaningful prefix or suffix. Regardless of what prefix or suffix is applied to the word, students with an understanding of root words and their meanings can approach words they have never seen before with a contextual theory as to what the word might mean. Understanding this gives students a foundation that reading comprehension can be built upon.

Common Latin Roots
Root	Meaning	Examples
fac	To make	Factory, facilitate
form	To shape	Conform, reform, formation
mort	death	Mortal, mortality, mortician
spect	To look	Inspect, spectate
multi	many	Multimedia, multiply

Common Latin Roots
Root	Meaning	Examples
auto	Self	Automobile, automate
hydro	water	hydraulic, hydroponic
micro	small	microscope, microbe
logy	study of	biology, physiology
photo	light	photosynthesis, photographer

One of the most common ways to learn root words is with flash cards. Showing students a root word, then asking for them to define the root and provide examples will help them retain the meaning. Using a variety of words can show the students that the root can either occur at the beginning of the end of the word. Resources like those provided above by Education.com may provide enough variety to keep students engaged when learning root words.