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Root word
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Type of root word
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Example
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Definition
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a or an
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Greek
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abyss - without bottom; achromatic - without color; anhydrous - without water
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not, without
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a
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Latin
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afire - on fire; ashore - on the shore; aside - on the side
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on
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a, ab, abs
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Latin
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abduct - carry away by force; abnormal - away from normal, not normal; absent - away, not present; aversion - the act of turning away from; abbreviate: to shorten
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from, away, off
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ac or ad
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Latin
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accelerate - to increase the speed of; accessible - easily entered, approached, or obtained; admittance - allowing into;
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to, toward, near
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acro
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Greek
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acrobat - a "high walker"; acronym - a word formed from the first (capital) letters of a word; acrophobia - fear of height
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top, height, tip, beginning
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act
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Latin
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activity - something that a person does; react - to do something in response; interaction - communication between two or more things
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do
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aer or aero
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Greek
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aerate - to let air reach something; aerial - relating to the air; aerospace - the air space
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air
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agri or agro
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Latin and Greek
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agriculture - management of the land, agribusiness - making money by utilizing land; agrarian - relating to the management of land
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farming
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alg or algo
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Latin
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neuralgia - pain caused by a nerve; analgesic - a drug that makes one pain free; nostalgia - aching for the familiar
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pain
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ambi or amphi
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Latin
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ambidextrous - able to use both hands equally; ambiguous - having more than one meaning; ambivalence - conflicting or opposite feelings toward a person or thing
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both, on both sides, around
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ambul
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Latin
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amble - to walk in a slow, relaxed way; ambulant - walking or moving around; ambulance - a vehicle that moves a patient
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walk, move
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ami or amo
|
Latin
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amiable - friendly, pleasant, lovable; amity - friendly and peaceful relations; amorous - showing romantic love
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love
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ana
|
Greek
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analysis - a close examination of something; anatomy - the structure of something as visible when cut up for analysis; anachronism - not being in the right place in time
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up, back, against,
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andr or andro
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Greek
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androgynous - being both male and female; android - resembling a human; misandry - hatred towards men
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man, male
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anim
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Latin
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animal - a living organism; animate - to make alive; equanimity - of balanced spirit
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life, spirit
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ann or enn
|
Latin
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anniversary - a date observed once a year; annual - happening once a year; millennium - 1,000 years
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year
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ante
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Latin
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antecede - to come before something in time; antemeridian - before noon; anteroom- a small room before the main room
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before, in front
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anth or antho
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Greek
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chrysanthemum and amaranth - names of flowers; anthology - a collection of treasured writings; anthozoan - half plant, half animal, like anemones and corals.
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flower
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anthrop anthropo
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Greek
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anthropology - the study of mankind; anthropomorphism - giving human form to non-human things; philanthropy - the love to mankind (expressed through good deeds)
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human
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anti
|
Greek
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antibody - a substance that destroys micro-organisms; antiseptic - preventing infection; antisocial - opposing social norm
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against, opposite of
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apo or apho
|
Greek
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aphorism - a short expression of a general truth; apology - an explicit expression of regret, apostrophe - a small dash used in place of an omitted letter
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away, off, separate
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aqu or aqua
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Latin
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aquarium - a water container for fish; aquatic- relating to water; aqueduct - a pipeline for water
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water
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arbor
|
Latin
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arborist - someone working with trees; arbor - a shady area formed by trees; arborous - having many trees
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tree
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