Root Words and SAT Vocabulary

1. 9th Grade Root Words and SAT Vocabulary

2. -able/-ible : quality of; can do; able • responsible • audible • convertible • flexible • forcible • tangible • agreeable • portable • bearable • enjoyable • manageable • laughable • Ex: incontrovertible • Def: describes something that is definitely true and that cannot be denied or disproved No one could question the incontrovertible eye witness proof provided at the trial.

3. agon : to contest, struggle • agony • Ex: antagonist • Def: a person or thing that competes with or goes against another. • The character who is the “bad guy” in a story is also known as the antagonist.

4. amo, amatum : love • amateur (from French word for ‘lover’ • amiable • amicable • enamored (in love) • amity (friendship) • Ex: amorous • Def: someone or something indicating affection or desire, especially of a sexual nature. • The amorous couple held hands and stole kisses when no one was looking.

5. annus : year • anniversary • annual • biennial (every two years) • centennial (every hundred years) • millennial • perennial • annuity • annals • Ex: annuity • Def: a sum of money or an investment that is paid at regular intervals • Mrs. Clark’s annuity paid her $1,000 every year.

6. ant, ante- : before • antebellum • antecedent • Ex: antediluvian • Def: Someone or something from before the time of the Great Flood or ancient, elderly, or passe • The dinosaur is an antediluvian animal.

7. arbor : tree • arboretum • Arbor Day • arboraceous (full of trees • arboriculture • arborvitae (“tree of life”) • Ex: arboreal • Def: anything referring to trees or something that is like a tree • Some animals are generally arboreal in habit, hunting in the trees and forest canopy.

8. arch : lead, rule, first, begin • anarchy • archaeology • archaic • architect • archive • monarch • oligarchy (gov’t by the few) • patriarch • Ex: archetype • Def: the original pattern, or model, from which all other things of the same kind are made; prototype • The god represents the trickster archetype, which can be found in many mythologies.

9. aster : star • astronomer • asteroid • astrologer • astronaut • astral • asterisk • Ex: disaster • Def: an event, often sudden, that causes great damage or devastation. • Japan’s tsunami was a life-changing disaster for so many people.

10. -ate : to make • animate • captivate • fabricate • hydrate • irrigate • saturate • tabulate • ventilate • Ex: commiserate • Def: to express or have sympathy. • My best friend was there to commiserate when my boyfriend broke up with me.

11. auto : self • autograph • automobile • autobiography • autocrat • automatic • Ex: autonomy • Def: independence in one's thoughts or actions. • The new graduate experienced true autonomy when she moved into her new apartment in a strange city.

12. bellum : war • antebellum • belligerent • rebellion • Ex: bellicose • Def: someone or something aggressive and eager or willing to fight; warlike • The group of protesters became more bellicose than diplomatic, which offended people and did not help their cause.

13. Bene, bon : good • benefit • benediction • beneficiary • benevolent • benign • bonanza • bonbon • bonhomie • bon mot • bonus • bonny • bon vivant • Ex: beneficent • Def: doing good; resulting in a benefit • The American Cancer Society is a beneficent organization dedicated to helping the fight against cancer.

14. biblos : book • Bible • bibliography • bibliomania • bibliophobia • biblioklept (one who steals books) • Ex: bibliophile • Def: a person who loves or admires books • Mary was a bibliophile with an impressive library of titles, all of which she had read twice!

15. bios : life • biology • biography • autobiography • bionic • antibiotic • amphibian (amphi = both) • microbe (micro = small) • Ex: biopsy • Def: the removal of living tissue from the body for diagnostic examination • A biopsy of the suspected tumor is taken by using a fine needle.

16. caput, capitis : head • capital • capitalism • captain • recapitulate • cabbage (vegetable “head”) • Ex: capitulate • Def: to surrender or give in to all demands. • The principal capitulated to the reasonable requests from the student body representatives.

17. centum : hundred • cent • century • centurion • percent • centipede • centigrade (gradus = degree) • Ex: centennial • Def: a 100th anniversary, or a celebration of a 100th anniversary. • The centennial celebration of the founding of the city will include a parade of vintage cars.

18. chrom : color • achromatic (colorless) • chromatology • chromatosis • chromosome • polychrome • Kodachrome (color film) • Ex: chromatic • Def: of color or having color or colors; colorful • The chromatic piece of art will show nicely against a stark white wall.

19. chrono : time • synchronize • chronometer • chronic • anachronism • chronicle • Ex: chronological • Def: arranged in the order it happened; timeline • In his court testimony, the detective chronologically outlined the movements of the suspect.

20. corpus : body • corporeal • corps (military • division organized as a body) • incorporate • corporation • corpse • corpuscle (small part of body) • corpus delicti • Ex: corpulence • Def: fatness or stoutness of body; obesity • His corpulence made it difficult for him to fit into an airliner seat.

21. decem : ten • December • Ex: decimate • Def: to destroy or kill a large part of something. • A large portion of the population was decimated after the tsunami struck the island.

22. dico, dictum : speak, say • dictate • dictation • dictator • predict • benediction • contradict • verdict • Ex: diction • Def: manner of expression in words; choice of words; wording • Poetic diction describes the range of language used in poems.

23. dormio : sleep • dormitory • Ex: dormant • Def: someone or something inactive, sleeping or quiet. • The volcano is dormant and has not erupted in years.

24. tuit, tui, tut : to teach • intuit • tutor • tutorial • tuition • intuitive • Ex: intuition • Def: knowledge obtained without instruction; insight • John’s intuition told him to avoid the dark alley at night.

25. ex- : outside, from, past • exit • extinct • exaggerate • exclaim • exclude • exodus • expedite • expire • expulsion • extinguish • extract • exile • Ex: expatriate • Def: to be removed from or to leave one's homeland. • The author became an expatriate and moved to Europe because he didn’t like the politics of his own country.

26. frater : brother • fraternal • fraternity • friar • Ex: fraternize • Def: to associate in a brotherly manner; be on friendly terms • The commander told the soldiers that if they fraternized with the enemy they would be severely punished.

27. geo : earth • geography • geology • geologist • geometry • George (farmer) • Ex: geocentric • Def: measured or viewed as from the center of the earth; having or regarding the earth as a center. • Since we reside on Earth, it makes sense that we would have a geocentric theory about the solar system.

28. graph : write or draw • photograph • phonograph • telegraph • graph • lithograph • graphite • autograph • pictograph • Ex: calligraphy • Def: a special, formal style of handwriting • Since it was a formal occasion, my mother told me to address the wedding invitations in calligraphy.

29. hosp/host : guest or host • hostess • hospital • hospitality • hostel • hospice • Ex: inhospitable • Def: not offering hospitality; not offering protection, shelter, etc.; barren; forbidding • A lack of oxygen would make a planet inhospitable to human life.

30. hydro : water • hydroplane • hydrophobia • hydrogen • hydrophone • hydroelectric • hydrology • hydrate • Ex: dehydrate • Def: to remove water from (a compound, substance, body tissues, etc.); dry • Foods are dehydrated to preserve them for future use.

31. logos : study or word • logic • geology • astrology • biology • zoology • anthropology • psychology • Ex: technology • Def: scientific research put into practical use. • The technology of computers is improving all the time. • The concept was so new that the company did not understand the digital technology well enough to move forward.

32. luna : moon • lunar • lunacy • clair de lune (fr. moonlight) • lunarium • interlunar • lunambulist (sleepwalking) • Ex: lunatic • Def: a person who is either actually crazy or who is acting crazy and wild in his behavior. • I don’t like to shop at that store because the owner always acts like a lunatic around his customers.

33. mal : bad • malady • malediction • malefactor • dismal • malaria • malevolent • malice • malign • malapropism • malcontent • maleficent • Ex: malinger • Def: to fake sick or to exaggerate an illness in order to skip school, work or some other undesirable event. • Many students like to malinger by pretending to have a stomach ache so that they can stay home from school.

34. manus : hand • manufacture • manifest • manicottti • manuscript • manumit (to release from hand) • manicure • manacles • emancipation • Ex: manipulate • Def: to move, arrange or control something in a skilled manner. • The flower arranger manipulated the roses so they would be more prominent in the table arrangement.

35. mater : mother • matriarch • maternal • maternity • matrix • matriculate • alma mater • matrimony • Ex: matrilineal • Def: designating or of descent, kinship, or derivation through the mother • She is my matrilineal cousin because our mothers are sisters.

36. mega : great or large • megaphone • megalith • megaton • megabyte • megatropolis • Ex: megalomania • Def: a mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur, power, etc. • Many people believe that Napoleon suffered from megalomania.

37. mille : thousand • millimeter • millipede • milligram • million • millionaire • Ex: millennium • Def: a period of 1000 years or is an anniversary of the passage of 1000 years. • In 2000, people around the world celebrated the new millennium in a variety of ways.

38. nomen : name • nominate • nomination • nominal • nomenclature • nom de plume • denomination • denominator • Ex: misnomer • Def: giving the wrong name for a person, thing or place. • The Black Forest in Germany is a misnomer because it is actually a mountain range.

39. omni : all • omnipotent • omnipotence • omnipresent • omnivorous • omnibus • omnidirectional • Ex: omniscient • Def: seeing all or knowing all. • God is considered to be omniscient.

40. pan : all • panacea • pandemonium • panorama • pantheon • Ex: pandemic • Def: widespread, particularly a disease that affects many people. • The bird flu became a pandemic when it sickened people over a large geographic area.

41. pater : father • patriarch • patriotism • patrician • patrimony • patron • paternal • compatriot • Ex: patriot • Def: a person who loves, defends and supports his or her country. • In this country, a person who fights for the United States is considered a patriot.

42. pes, pedis : foot • pedal • biped • impede • pedestal • pedicure • pedometer • podiatry • podium • Quadruped • centipede • Ex: pedestrian • Def: something dull, boring or lacking inspiration or excitement; a person who is walking along a road • There was nothing distinguished about the painting, which was considered rather pedestrian by most art critics.

43. phil : love • bibliophile • audiophile • Philadelphia • philanderer • philatelist • philharmonic • philology • philosophy • Ex: philanthropy • Def: the act of doing charitable work or an activity designed to improve human welfare. • My mother enjoyed philanthropy and volunteered at a battered women’s shelter once a week.

44. phone : sound • phonograph • telephone • phonogram • euphony • symphony • megaphone • microphone • phoneme • phonics • phonetic • cacophony • Def: sounds that are loud, and irritating and out of tune. • The band that was warming up produced an annoying cacophony of sound because they really weren’t very good.

45. photo : light • photography • photograph • photon • symphony • telephoto • photometer • photophobia • photokinesis • Ex: photosynthesis • Def: the biological synthesis of chemical compounds in the presence of light • Green plants are able to make their own food in a process is called photosynthesis

46. poli : city • political • police • polite • policy • metropolitan • Ex: metropolis • Def: a large or main city. • Manhattan, New York is an example of a metropolis.

47. port, portatum : carry • export • import • deportment • portable • portage • portmanteau • porter • transport • important • report • support • deport • Ex: portfolio • Def: a flat case used for carrying loose sheets of paper or a combination of investments or samples of completed works. • The artist took several excellent drawings from his portfolio to show the gallery owner.

48. pre- : before • predict • preamble • precaution • precursor • prefer • pregnant (time before birth) • prejudice • preview • premature • premonition • preschool • Ex: precocious • Def: developed or matured to a point beyond that which is normal for the age: a precocious child • Shirley Temple was a precocious child actress who won many awards for her talents.

49. pro : in favor of • proceed • profess • procrastinate • professional • profile • problem • project • prologue • pronoun • prohibit • promontory • prospect • Ex: proponent • Def: someone who is in favor of something or who advocates for a cause. • Although she owns many guns, she is a proponent of gun-control laws.

50. skopeo : look at, inspect • scope • microscope • telescope • periscope • kaleidoscope • Ex: skeptical • Def: someone who has doubts, questions or is not easily convinced of something. • The police detective was skeptical about the story the suspect told on the night of the robbery.