Focus on Vocabulary: Use Word Origins
Many English words have their origins in other languages, like Greek and Latin. Certain roots, or word parts, help form many words.
| Root | Source and Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bio- | Greek, bios (life), of or about living things | biology—study of life |
| cred- | Latin, credere (to believe), about beliefs | incredible—unbelievable |
| divi- | Latin, dividere (to separate), in parts or disconnected | divide—to separate |
| leg- | Latin, lex (law), of or about the law | legal—according to law |
| -ology | Greek, logos (word), the study or science of | geology—study of Earth |
| psych- | Greek, psyche (spirit), of or about the mind or emotions | psychology—study of the mind |
| posi- | Latin, positus (place), put in place or set down | deposit—to put down |
| uni- | Latin, unus (one), one, or singular | unite—to bring together |
How the Strategy Works
Use origins to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words.
| EXAMPLE | We don’t give much credence to her statement. |
1. Study the word. Look for a root. (cred-)
2. Think of a word you know that has a similar root. (incredible)
3. Use this similarity to figure out the meaning of the unfamiliar word. (cred- means “believe”)
Follow the strategy to figure out the meanings of the underlined words:
REMEMBER You can use roots to figure out many new words.