Latin root word mean

A basic word to which affixes (prefixes and suffixes) are added is called a root word because it forms the basis of a new word. The root word is also a word in its own right. For example, the word reject is made up of the prefix re- and the Latin root ject, which is not a stand-alone word.

Which of the following Latin roots means to cut off?

The root word cis and its variants cid and -cide come from a Latin root which means ‘cut’ or ‘kill. ‘ A decision, for instance, is a ‘cutting off’ of all possibilities except for one; if you are decisive you have ‘killed’ all other options.

Which word is derived from the Latin root word meaning carry?

The important Latin root word port means ‘carry. ‘ Some common English words that use this root include import, export, deport, and report. An easy way to remember this word root is through the word portable, which is something that is easily ‘carried’ from one place to another.

What is the root word of official?

1400, “required by duty,” from Old French oficial “official; main, principal” (14c., Modern French officiel) and directly from Late Latin officialis “of or belonging to duty, service, or office,” from Latin officium “service, kindness, favor; official duty, function, business; ceremonial observance,” literally “work- …

Why is impossible not Unpossible?

That “impossible” is a publicly approved word in the oxford dictionary describing something that is not possible, while “unpossible” is not, per Oxford dictionary, a word, though it arguably could mean roughly the same as the former.

Is Unpossible correct?

March Hare’s completely right: no such word as “unpossible” in English. (Also – “Sir” – the first word in a sentence, takes a capital.) Romany wrote: Also – “Sir” – the first word in a sentence, takes a capital.

Is Unimpossible a word?

(rare, nonstandard) Not impossible: possible. (rare, nonstandard) Impossible.

What is the difference between impossible and implausible?

“Implausible” means “not seeming reasonable or probable”, while “impossible” means “not able to occur, exist or be done,” as you read in Oxford Dictionary of English. Probably, in some contexts, “totally implausible” could mean “impossible.” You can use these words together.

What’s implausible mean?

: not plausible : provoking disbelief.

What is the meaning of unmanageable?

not manageable

What does imposter mean?

: a person who deceives others by pretending to be someone else. impostor. noun.

What is an example of an impossible event?

Impossible Event. An impossible event is an event that cannot happen. E is an impossible event if and only if P(E) = 0. In flipping a coin once, an impossible event would be getting BOTH a head AND a tail.

What does irreversible mean?

incapable of being reversed

What is impossible with man is possible with God?

We read in Luke 18:27 that Jesus, referring to salvation, told those who questioned him that what is impossible for man is possible with God. What is impossible for man is made possible with God. It is He who touched all our hearts to reach out together.

What is impossible with man is possible with God KJV?

“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37, KJV. “And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

What things can God not do?

3 Things God Cannot Do (Gospel Tract, Packet of 20, KJV) This catchy tract explains that there are three things God cannot do: He cannot lie, He cannot change, and He cannot allow sinners into heaven. Colorful images and high-quality, glossy paper increase appeal.

How do I ask God for something?

Ask God specifically for what you want. Tell God what you want or need and ask Him to provide that for you. Be specific about your request. Even though God knows what you want and need, He wants you to ask Him for it. God can answer vague prayers, but being specific creates a deeper bond between you and Him.

Why does God want us to ask?

To those who ask! He said, “Ask and you shall receive…” There is something about “asking” that God likes. The Lord wants us to ask Him for good things! When we ask God for something, it’s a humble acknowledgment that we are needy and He is our good and benevolent Father – willing to give us the things we desire.

Can you pray with your mind?

You can pray mentally through your thoughts: “’The worshipper must pray with a detached spirit, concentrated attention, in unconditional surrender of the will to God, and spiritual passion. ‘

Adding the ‘re‘ prefix to the root ‘do‘ creates the word ‘redo‘, which means to do something again/more than once.

Latin Suffixes Examples

So, what do we now know about Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes?

Here are a few key points:

In English grammar, a root is a word or portion of a word from which other words grow, usually through the addition of prefixes and suffixes. By learning root words, you can decipher unfamiliar words, expand your vocabulary, and become a better English speaker. 

The Roots of Words

Most words in the English language are based on words from ancient Greek and Latin. The root of the word «vocabulary,» for example, is ​voc, a Latin root meaning «word» or «name.» This root also appears in such words as «advocacy,» «convocation,» «evocative,» «vocal,» and «vowel.» By dissecting words such as these, etymologists can study how a word has evolved over time and tell us about the cultures they came from.

In some cases, root words might be slightly transformed en route to becoming part of words that we’re familiar with. In the above example, «vowel» is a word that’s clearly related to the voc root and its family of derivative words, and yet the «c» in «voc» is not present. There are several reasons for this sort of pattern, and the changes often depend on what language each individual word comes from, but it serves as a reminder that not every word with the same root will look exactly the same.

Root words are also useful for creating new words, especially in technology and medicine, where new innovations occur frequently. Think of the Greek root word tele, which means «far,» and inventions that traverse long distances, such as the telegraph, telephone, and television. The word «technology» itself is a combination of two other Greek root words, techne, meaning «skill» or «art,» and logos, or «study.»

Because several modern languages share some of the same ancestor languages, it’s not entirely uncommon for several related languages to share root words. For instance, the Latin root voc, described above, is shared by several Romance languages. Connections between languages can be found in the shared roots between them, although one always has to be wary of false cognates — that is, words that sound like they have the same roots (and thus related meanings) but actually don’t.

Greek Root Words

The table below defines and illustrates 25 of the most common Greek roots.

Latin Root Words

The table below defines and illustrates 25 of the most common Latin roots.

​Understanding the meanings of the common word roots can help us deduce the meanings of new words that we encounter. But be careful: root words can have more than one meaning as well as various shades of meaning. In addition, words that look similar may derive from different roots.

In addition, a handful of root words can stand on their own as whole words in and of themselves. This list includes words such as photo, kinesis, chrome, port, and script. Words like this tend to have related meanings on their own, then can also act as roots for longer, more complex words.

Sources

• Bryant, Alice, and Robbins, Jill. «Grow Your Vocabulary by Learning Root Words.» VOANews.com, 28 November 2017.
• Grammarly staff. «Why You Should Learn Roots.» Grammarly.com, 6 February 2016.
• McCammon, Ellen. «50 GRE Words You Should Know.» PrepScholar.com, 8 February 2017.

This article may contain affiliate links, meaning that I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read my disclosure.

The English language contains over one million words, most of which the average speaker will never even know. Stacker identified the 50 most important Latin roots to help English speakers better comprehend the extensive English lexicon.

marekuliasz // Shutterstock

Anyone who has ever studied a stack of GRE vocabulary words or invested in a word-a-day calendar to try to expand their lexicon can attest to the fact that the English language is incredibly expansive. Data has shown that the average adult knows somewhere around 40,000 words in total, and that includes active (i.e., regularly used) and passive (i.e., familiar, but not utilized) vocabulary. Put that number up against the more than one million total words in the English language, and it becomes clear that the percentage of terms in English speakers’ everyday rotation is only a small fraction of the English language as a whole.

Looking at the sheer volume of the English vocabulary, one thing that helps make sense of the words is the notable patterns that emerge in light of its etymological roots; particularly, its Latin roots. Though Latin itself has often been referred to as a dead language, it is very much alive in the 80% of English terms that are borrowed directly from the ancient language and the over 60% of English words that have roots in Latin and Greek. In the same way that a new reader may try to sound out a word phonetically, looking at English through the lens of Latin etymology allows us to obtain a new grasp on the language, such that we can more actively deduce the meanings of unfamiliar words. This is the secret behind amazing spellers at the Bee!

To identify key linguistic elements from Latin that appear throughout the English language today, Stacker sorted through educational resources and online databases and compiled a list of 50 important Latin roots that shape the English language as we know it. Read on to get a better understanding of how some of the words you use regularly—and a few perhaps you’ve never seen before—all share a common foundation in Latin.

You may also like: States doing the most for a clean energy future

Pra Chid // Shutterstock

Ann

– Meaning in English: Yearly

The Latin root “ann”—which means “yearly”—can be found in countless words that reference events and occurrences that happen on a yearly basis. For example, an anniversary celebration marks the passing of another year of a relationship, a business, or a birthday. Then there are yearly events that are characterized as annual, such as award ceremonies (e.g., the Academy Awards), sporting events (e.g., Super Bowl), and holidays (e.g., Halloween).

EpicStockMedia // Shutterstock

Aqu

– Meaning in English: Water, sea

Whether it’s being used in reference to a color such as aqua, a blueish-green hue, or to describe sea life, i.e., aquatic, the Latin root “aqu” is familiar in its relationship to water and large bodies of water. The mainstream familiarity of the Latin root was on full display in the 2006 coming-of-age film “Aquamarine,” where the titular character is a mermaid washed ashore.

adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

Audi

– Meaning in English: Hearing, listening, sound

Those who prefer the convenience of listening to their books rather than reading them may recognize this Latin root from the name of Audible, Amazon’s audiobook and entertainment platform. The root also makes an appearance in the English terms audience, as in a group of people gathered together to listen to or receive a performance, and auditorium, the room in which said audience sits to listen.

Evgeny Bakharev // Shutterstock

Bene

– Meaning in English: Good

Derived from a Latin term meaning “well,” bene is most commonly used as a prefix in the English language. The word benign means harmless or favorable, and in pathology is used to describe a condition that is not life-threatening. A benefit is something that is considered favorable or advantageous, and the term can also be used to describe a charitable event. A benefactor gives help to a person or a cause. Perhaps the most famous example of a benefactor is Miss Havisham from “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens.

You may also like: 125 Unique Words in English With Deep Meanings.

MAD_Production // Shutterstock

Bi

– Meaning in English: Two

The Latin prefix “bi” means two, as does the closely related, Greek-derived prefix “di.” A bifurcation describes the act of something splitting off into two distinct branches. In anatomy, the bicep is a muscle of the arm that runs between the shoulder and the elbow, so-named because it splits off into two branches where the muscle connects at the scapula. The word bicep translates to “two-headed muscle of the arm.”

You may also like: Most popular baby names in the 21st century

Yulia Grigoryeva // Shutterstock

Bibl

– Meaning in English: Book

The Latin root “bibl” may sooner remind college students of having to create bibliographies—detailed lists of the books and sources referenced in academic work—than anything else. However, the root’s connection to the English language has a far deeper history: “bibl” is also the root for the name of the Bible, the collection of Judeo-Christian texts and scripture.

frees // Shutterstock

Cent

– Meaning in English: Hundred

The term “cent” likely conjures up thoughts of money—i.e., dollars and cents—before anything else, but that ties back perfectly to the Latin root from which the term comes. One cent is 1/100th of a dollar. Pennies aside, the Latin root also makes an appearance in terms like “century” and “centennial,” which pertain to 100-year timespans and a hundredth anniversary, respectively.

Hurst Photo // Shutterstock

Circum

– Meaning in English: Around

The Latin root “circum”—meaning “around”—appears in terms like “circumnavigate,” which is the act of traveling all the way around something. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan is remembered for successfully circumnavigating the globe in the early 16th century. This root also appears in terms like “circumvent,” which describes the act of getting around a problem, and “circumstance,” which pairs this root with another Latin root—“stance,” meaning “stand”—to reference a situation that focuses on a core cause.

otomobil // Shutterstock

Civ

– Meaning in English: Citizen

“Civility” is characterized by respect towards others, and “civics,” which refers to the infrastructure in place that is intended to facilitate civility, are both rooted in the Latin “civ,” meaning “citizen.” The root also makes an appearance in the name of the Honda Civic, a car that––as the brand puts it––is meant to improve the lives of citizens.

Maridav // Shutterstock

Clar

– Meaning in English: Clear

The term “clarity”—which comes from the Latin root “clar,” meaning “clear”—is the property of being both pure and clean, as well as being lucid and coherent. The root has seen a variety of modern uses alluding to its Latin translation, including the brand Clarisonic, a beauty company that develops products meant to provide clearer-looking skin, and Claritin, an allergy medication that promises clarity and relief from chronic allergies.

You may also like: How communities are dealing with invasive species across the U.S.

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

Cred

– Meaning in English: Believe

Credibility is the characteristic of being believable, and it’s a term that comes from the Latin root “cred,” meaning “believe.” While the term may appear in the case of legal proceedings—e.g., a court case requires credible witnesses—it also ties into the idea of credit and credit cards. Since credit cards work by allowing users to acquire items before paying for them in full, they operate on a system of trust and good faith—belief, essentially—that payments will be made in full at a later time.

Shutterstock

Dict

– Meaning in English: Say/speak

The Latin root “dict” appears in words like dictate, meaning to read something aloud; dictation, the act of speaking aloud with the intention of having your words recorded or transcribed; and predict, the act of stating something that will happen before it actually happens. Of all the instances in which “dict” appears in the English language, though, one of the most important may be the dictionary, which offers a comprehensive guide to all of the officially-recognized words in the English language. Some of the most respected and trusted dictionaries in the U.S. include the Oxford English Dictionary, Collins English Dictionary, and Merriam-Webster.

Somnuek saelim // Shutterstock

Ex

– Meaning in English: Out

The Latin root “ex” means “out,” while related roots, including “exter” and “extrem,” offer additional variations of the same translation. The word extreme, for example, may refer to something that falls out of a normal expected range, as was the case with weather extremities, including record rainfall and high/low daily temperatures across the U.S. in 2019, which broke more than 120,000 records across the country.

Canva

Fract

– Meaning in English: Break

The Latin “fract” is closely related to fellow Latin roots “frang,” “fring,” and “frag,” all of which mean “break.” A few of its familiar appearances may include infringe, as in the breaking of a legal agreement or violation of copyright, and fragment, a small piece of an item that has been broken. The root also appears in the word fragile, which can be used to describe items that are easily breakable.

Vadim Sadovski // Shutterstock

Inter

– Meaning in English: Between

The premise of the film “Interstellar” starring Matthew McConaughey is that a NASA physicist travels the universe via a wormhole in a quest to find a new home for mankind. The plot––and the flick’s title––reference the Latin root “inter,” meaning “between,” as McConaughey’s character essentially travels between cosmic stars. This root also appears in terms like international, which may refer to travel or political relations between nations, and interpersonal, which may refer to communication happening between different people (as opposed to intrapersonal, which uses the Latin root meaning “within”).

You may also like: Most popular baby names for baby boomers

Billion Photos // Shutterstock

Jur

– Meaning in English: Law

Legal systems are intended to act as a source of order and justice in society, and it turns out that a lot of the legal terminology that we’re familiar with today stems from the Latin “jur”—as well as the related roots “jus” and “judic”—meaning “law.” This includes the word jury, as in the body of citizens meant to come to a verdict in legal cases; judicial, as in something pertaining to the court or judge; and justice, as in fairness.

Peera_stockfoto // Shutterstock

Lax

– Meaning in English: Not tense

There are a number of ways that someone may choose to relax—yoga, unwinding with a good book, taking a bath, etc. Regardless of the method, the practice of relaxation just comes down to letting go of stress and releasing tension. The root origin of the term—the Latin “lax,” meaning “not tense”—is echoed in this way. The root also appears in the word laxative, which describes an agent used to relieve constipation by reducing tension in the bowels.

katjen // Shutterstock

Liber

– Meaning in English: Free

Liberty—which is defined as freedom from oppression in regards to one’s belief systems and way of life—is a fundamental tenet on which democracy is built. As for the Latin word “liber,” this is a fundamental root from which the term “liberty” stems. Further examples of “liber” in mainstream English language include the words liberate and liberation.

Champiofoto // Shutterstock

Lumin

– Meaning in English: Light

This Latin root meaning “light” appears in a number of common English words including luminous, which means that something is bright and shining. However, the Latin root has seen several linguistic iterations that go beyond these everyday terms as well, including brand names such as Luminary, a podcast streaming platform that may be considered to be bringing new and creative ideas “to light,” and fictional terms such as “lumos maxima,” the incantation used in the “Harry Potter” universe to generate a bright flash of light.

SDubi // Shutterstock

Magn

– Meaning in English: Big, great

The Latin root “magn,” meaning “big” or “great,” can be used either in reference to something physically large in size or something that big in its presence, such that it’s striking. In regular use today, the root appears in words like magnificent, which simply refers to something that’s amazing or awe-inspiring, and magnitude, which is used to characterize the large size or impact of something (e.g., a 3.2 magnitude earthquake).

You may also like: Resilient photos of cities that recovered from war

Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney

Mal

– Meaning in English: Bad

“Mal” is a Latin root meaning “bad,” and appears in such English terms as malicious, which is defined as having the intention to cause harm, as well as malevolent, which combines this root with another Latin root “volent,” which means “wishing.” Mal is defined as wishing evil or ill will upon another. Perhaps one of the most common pop culture affiliations with the root is “Maleficent,” the Disney film starring Angelina Jolie as the villainous fairy known for cursing Sleeping Beauty.

Fishman64 // Shutterstock

Migr

– Meaning in English: Wander

This Latin root is perhaps most prevalent in its connection to current events. Namely, “migr”—meaning “wander”—appears in the terms immigration and migrant, both of which have become majorly familiar in the collective consciousness as a result of such issues as the European migrant crisis as well as the U.S. border crisis and questions surrounding the country’s immigration policies.

Hrecheniuk Oleksii // Shutterstock

Multi

– Meaning in English: Many

There are a multitude of examples in the English language of the Latin root “multi,” meaning “many,” in use (with multitude being one of them). The root is perhaps most notable for its role in arithmetic, as it occurs in multiplication, which is a mathematical process for growing a number in size and count. The root also appears in the title of the 1996 comedy “Multiplicity,” which stars Michael Keaton as a man who clones himself numerous times to manage the demands of his day-to-day life.

richardjohnson // Shutterstock

Neg

– Meaning in English: Say no

The Latin root “neg” appears in English words that are defined by a lack of positive or affirmative response. For example, the word negate means that something is being nullified or shut down, or, it’s being “said no to,” essentially. Negativity, a quality often associated with pessimism and naysaying, is another example of the root in action.

Piyapong Wongkam // Shutterstock

Non

– Meaning in English: Not

When something is described as nonsensical, it means that it doesn’t make sense. When something or someone is characterized as noncommittal, it means that they won’t commit. These words—along with others that include “non” as a prefix—pull from the Latin root’s definition meaning “not.” It’s important to keep in mind that the line between “non” and “un” can get a little troublesome when navigating common vocabulary. For example, while unprofessional refers to behavior that isn’t professional, nonprofessional refers to lines of work that don’t require professional training.

You may also like: Most popular dog breed the year you were born

MyImages – Micha // Shutterstock

Nov

– Meaning in English: New

The allure of novels comes from their imaginative stories that can take readers away from the ordinary and mundane. A novel concept or innovative idea is characterized by offering something fresh and new, which all ties back to the Latin root “nov.”

Krasula // Shutterstock

Ov

– Meaning in English: Egg

While there are some English words beginning with “ov” that don’t tie back to this Latin root such as “oven,” which actually comes from Germanic origins, there are others that reference the root’s original definition: “egg.” Examples include oval, as in the egg-like shape, and ovary, as in the female reproductive organ that produces eggs.

Fabrik Bilder // Shutterstock

Pre

– Meaning in English: Before

“Pre” is a Latin-derived prefix that clarifies chronological order by signifying that something came before something else. For example, predict means that you talk about something happening before it actually happens. The word preliminary is another example and means that something occurs prior to something else in preparation for the main event. Of course, “pre” also occurs in the word prefix itself, which by definition is a grammatical add-on to the beginning of a word—i.e., it comes “before” the original word—that changes its meaning.

Julie Clopper // Shutterstock

Prim

– Meaning in English: First

In addition to words that reflect this root’s origins in its most literal sense such as primary, primordial, and primitive, there are also words derived from this Latin root that more loosely mean best-in-class, or top-tier. One such example is the word prime, most commonly used in reference to Amazon Prime, the membership service that provides expedited shipping and a catalog of member-only streaming content for Amazon customers.

fizkes // Shutterstock

Proxim

– Meaning in English: Nearness

When one makes an approximation of something, they’re making an educated guess about the count, measurement, or quantity of something based on information that allows them to come close—though maybe not exact—to the correct value. This word, along with others like proximity or proximal, comes from the Latin root “proxim,” meaning nearness.

You may also like: U.S. Air Force history from the year you were born

Evgeniy Voytik // Shutterstock

Ques

– Meaning in English: Seek

A Latin root that means “to seek” or “to look for,” “ques” appears in a number of words that English speakers use on a daily basis. Besides the very literal quest, which basically refers to a long search for something, there are also the terms question and request, both of which attempt to elicit some kind of response, information, or action.

Pixel-Shot // Shutterstock

Re

– Meaning in English: Again, backward

This Latin root is one that could refer to something happening over and over again, as is the case with such words as repeat or recur. It may also, however, be used to reference something that moves backward by being withdrawn, as is the case with the words renege and revert.

Andrey Bayda // Shutterstock

Retro

– Meaning in English: Backward, behind

Retro has been a standalone word since the mid-1970s when it started getting used in reference to fashion nostalgia. Before that, though, the word existed in the Latin vocabulary as a prefix meaning “backward” or “behind.” Of all the words that include the prefix—e.g., retrogress, retroactive, retrospective—one of the most familiar nowadays may be retrograde, as in Mercury Retrograde (when Mercury appears to be moving backward in its orbit).

ThamKC // Shutterstock

San

– Meaning in English: Healthy

This Latin root appears throughout the English language in a few different ways. For starters, it has a very literal and practical application in words like sanitize and sanitary, which simply refer to the eradication of bacteria so as to make something healthier and safer. However, the same root also occurs in the term sanity—and the opposite, insanity—which refers to mental health.

sirtravelalot // Shutterstock

Sci

– Meaning in English: Know

The Latin root “sci” (meaning “know”) has a few different roles in English. For one, it can refer to the actual act of knowing things, as is the case with terms like omniscience (meaning all-knowing), conscience (knowing right from wrong), and prescience (knowing things before they happen). Beyond that, “sci” also ties into the accumulation of knowledge, as it is a key root in the term science and is thus connected to all scientific branches (formal, natural, and social sciences).

You may also like: Where every U.S. president went to college

Shutterstock

Scrib

– Meaning in English: Write

While a young child’s doodles on a piece of paper might be dismissed as nothing but a little scribble, it turns out that scribble has some roots in the Latin language. The root “scrib” actually means “write,” and appears in such terms as transcribe, the act of copying down words from a recording or dictation, and describe, the act of writing down (or saying) what something looks, feels, tastes, sounds, or smells like.

designs by Jack // Shutterstock

Semi

– Meaning in English: Half

The Latin root “semi” (meaning “half”) is central to a lot of the traditions that we consider to be commonplace. For example, there’s the idea of a semi-final, where two sports teams face off in a match directly before the final and only one—such as half of the two teams—moves on to the final. A lot of brands, most notably, Victoria’s Secret, are also known for having semi-annual sales: one at the start of the year in January and one around the half-way mark in June.

Cipolina // Shutterstock

Senti

– Meaning in English: Feel

The Latin root “senti,” which is also close to the root “sens,” means “feel”—which is evident when looking at the English terms that have stemmed from the original root. The root is at the heart of our sensory system, which allows us to feel and experience things through our different senses. The classic book “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen interestingly juxtaposes two words that stem from this same Latin root in its title; here, sense is the ability to act with sound judgment and without being overly emotional, while sensibility refers to the ability to act from the heart or with feelings as a guide.

Twin Design // Shutterstock

Soci

– Meaning in English: Group

In the most basic sense, the Latin root “soci” appears in the term society, which is very literally a group of people who coexist in some capacity, whether they’re connected by a common government, neighborhood, or even just common interests (e.g., the National Audubon Society). This Latin root is also at the core of one of the biggest trends to have shaped modern culture: social media and the rise of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.

everst // Shutterstock

Sol

– Meaning in English: Alone

While social networks bring people together—even if only virtually—togetherness isn’t always the name of the game. “Sol,” the Latin root for “alone,” is also a big player in the English language, and is used in words that refer to loneliness or lack of connection. For example, solitude and isolation are two words that pull from the root, as is the name for Solitaire, the computer card game meant to be played solo.

You may also like: Bizarre slang words and phrases from every state

schusterbauer.com // Shutterstock

Sub

– Meaning in English: Under

When The Beatles released “Yellow Submarine,” they may not have realized that they were incorporating some Latin-based lyrics in their hit song. “Sub” is the Latin root meaning “under,” and beyond showing up in the name of the underwater warship, the root also occurs in terms like submerge, which is the act of putting something underwater. The New York City subway system also employs the Latin root for the name of its network of underground trains and tracks.

Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock

Surg

– Meaning in English: Rise

Not to be confused with the root for surgery, which comes from the Greek words meaning “hand work,” the Latin “surg” means “rise.” For example, there’s been a “resurgence”: This combines the Latin root “re” with “surg”. Anyone who has attempted to call an Uber during rush hour or an “extreme” (if we’re using Latin) rainstorm is also likely familiar with the phenomenon of surge pricing, where rates increase as a result of heightened demand.

Min C. Chiu // Shutterstock

Tempor

– Meaning in English: Time

Musicians understand that tempo is the speed of a song’s underlying beat, and thus that the tempo helps determine the timing of a piece of music. For those less musically-inclined, however, this Latin root may feel more familiar in words like temporary, meaning something that only lasts for a given period of time, and contemporary, meaning that something is of the current time.

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

Test

– Meaning in English: Witness

Though the term “test” is a word on its own, the Latin root “test” is unrelated to the term meaning exam. Instead, the Latin here means “witness,” as in testimony, where someone shares their account of what they saw in a court trial. Legal proceedings aside, the root also appears in the word testament, which reflects a reliable account of something, such that it can be used as evidence to make a point.

Ink Drop // Shutterstock

Trans

– Meaning in English: Across

English terms that include the root “trans” are generally referring to something that has traversed a physical or imaginary border in some way. For example, the first trans-Atlantic flight was completed in 1919 by Charles Lindbergh when he spent 34 hours traveling from New York to Paris. A common use of the root is also in reference to transgender individuals, whose gender identity does not align with their birth sex.

You may also like: Iconic products released the year you were born

CURAphotography // Shutterstock

Vac

– Meaning in English: Empty

The Latin root “vac” appears in several highly-used English words, including what may be a collective favorite: “vacation.” Unlike certain terms that have a more literal tie to this root’s definition––e.g., “vacancy” means there are empty rooms in a space, “vacate” means emptying out a space, etc.––“vacation” is more of a loose derivative of the root, alluding to an empty schedule.

everst // Shutterstock

Vag

– Meaning in English: Wander

Of the Latin roots on this list, “vag” is one of the more unique in that it has a few different derivative words that reflect the term in unique ways. For example, while vagabond is a pretty literal extension of the Latin root, one of the other common derivative words—vague—reflects the meaning of the Latin root in a less direct way (i.e., it alludes to ideological “wandering” from the main topic).

Freedomz // Shutterstock

Ver

– Meaning in English: True

“Ver” is one of the more common Latin roots to appear in the English language. There are some terms that include the root—verdict and veracity—that may be less frequently utilized in everyday jargon, but that’s hardly the case with one of the most popular words that stems from this root: very. Whenever something is described as very soft, for example, the intention of the speaker is to communicate that something is “truly” soft.

Tero Vesalainen // Shutterstock

Vid

– Meaning in English: See, visual

While videotapes might have become obsolete, this Latin root, meaning “see,” is still kept alive in plenty of other key terms in the English language. One of the biggest, of course, is video, and though people’s sources of video entertainment have changed over the years, their affinity for it certainly has it. According to recent data, people watch an average of 16 hours of online video per week.

defotoberg // Shutterstock

Uni

– Meaning in English: One

This root, meaning “one,” is incredibly prevalent throughout the English language. It appears in a wide range of words, including unicorn (a one-horned mythical horse), unity (one entity), uniform (one outfit), unicycle (one-wheeled bike), and unibrow (one eyebrow).

This article originally appeared on Stacker.com. The article has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.