Roots & Etymology

What is Etymology?

Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words. Most English words have roots in Latin or Greek, especially in academic and scientific vocabulary.

Common Latin Roots

Root	Meaning	Examples
port	carry	transport, import, export
scrib/script	write	describe, prescription, manuscript
aud	hear	audience, audio, auditorium
vis/vid	see	visible, video, vision
dict	say/speak	dictate, dictionary, predict
rupt	break	interrupt, erupt, corrupt

Common Greek Roots

Root	Meaning	Examples
bio	life	biology, biography
geo	earth	geography, geology
tele	far	telephone, television, telescope
graph	write	photograph, autograph
micro	small	microscope, microbe
phon	sound	telephone, phonics, symphony

Why it Matters

Recognising roots helps you understand unfamiliar words instantly.

• Aqua (water) → aquarium, aquatic, aquaduct
• Chron (time) → chronology, synchronise, chronic

Once you know a root, you can decode dozens of words.