This is not an exhaustive list of Greek and Latin roots. This
will be added to as time goes by. Note that I haven't distinguished
between Greek and Latin in this table, which is why there are a large number
of synonyms (example: "nose" is the Greek root rhyncho-, Latin root
naso-; "stone" is the Greek roots litho- or petro-,
Latin root calc-; "foot" is the Greek podo-, -pous, -pus,
Latin root pes, pedi-; etc. etc. etc.). Theoretically you shouldn't mix Greek and
Latin roots in the same word, but people do it all the time, and it's not as
if you're going to be using these to impress any native speakers of Classical
Latin anyway. . .
E-mail me with additions or
suggestions. Last update:: 7/25/00.
Root
Meaning
a-, an-
not; no; absent
ab-
away from
acantho-
thorn; spine
acro-
high
actino-
ray
ad-
towards
adelpho-
brother
aegis
shield
allo-
another
amphi-
both
angio-
vessel
anthraco-, -anthrax
coal
anti-
opposite
apso-, apsis
opening
archo-
old; ancient
arthro-
joint
aspido-, -aspis
shield
astro-
star
austro-, australo-
south
auto-
self; oneself
avi-, avis
bird
batho-, bathy-
deep
batracho-
frog
bi-
two
bio-, -bios
life
boreo-
north
brachio-
arm
branchio-, -branch
gill
bronto-, -brontes
thunder
caeco-, caecus
blind
caeno-, ceno-
recent
calci-, -calx, -calcis
pebble; stone
capito-, caput
head
cardio-
heart
cephalo-
head
cerato-, cera-
horn
chiro-, cheiro-
hand
chondro-
cartilage
chordo-
cord
clasto-, -clasm
destroy; tear down
cloaca
sewer
coelo-, -coel
cavity, hollow
cono-
cone
copro-
feces
cranio-
skull
cyclo-
circle
cyno-, -cyon
dog
cysto-, -cyst
bladder; fluid-filled sac
cyto-, -cyte
cell
dactylo-, -dactyl
finger
delpho-, -delphis
uterus
demo-, demos, -deme
people; tribe; population
dendro-
tree
dent-
tooth
dermo-, dermato-, -derm
skin
deutero-
second
dextro-
right side
di-
two
diplo-
double
disco-
disc-shaped
dorso-, dorsum
back
dryo-
oak tree
ductus, -duct
to lead
duo-
two
ecto-
outside of
edapho-
soil; dirt
eido-, -oides, -oid
form; shape
encephalo-
brain
endo-
inside; within
epi-
on top of
eu-
true; good
facere, -fact
make, made
fer-, -fer
bear; carry
fero-
wild animal
foramino-, foramen
window
form-, -formis
shape; form
fossa, fosso-
pit
geno-
give birth; beget; generate
geo-, gaea-
earth
gladio-
sword
glosso-
tongue
glypho-
to carve; engrave
gnatho-
jaws
gorgo-, -gorgon
monster
grapho-, -graph
to write
gymno-
naked
haemo-, hemo-, -heme
blood
helico-, -helix
spiral
helio-
sun
herpeto-, -herpes
reptile; crawling
hetero-
different
hiero-
holy
hippo-, hippus
horse
holo-
complete
homeo-, homoio-
similar
homo-
same
hydro-
water
hyper-
above; beyond
hypo-
below
hystero-
uterus
ichthyo-, -ichthys
fish
iso-
same, equal
kineto-, kinesis
movement
labio-
labyrintho-
maze
latero-
side
lepido-, -lepis
scale
lest-, -lestes
thief
lisso-
smooth
litho-, -lith
stone
logo-, -logos, -logy
word; field of study
lyso-
to break apart
macro-
large
mamma-, mammo-
nipple
mano-
hand
marsupio-, marsupium
pouch; pocket
mega-, megalo-
very large
mero-, -mer
division; part; subdivisions
meso-
middle
meta-
alter; change
micro-
small
mimo-, -mimus
mimic; imitate
mixo-, -mixis
mixture; mixed
mono-
one
morpho-
shape; form
myo-
muscle
myxo-
slime
naso-
nose
necto-
swim
nemato-, -nema
thread
neo-
new
neuro-
nerve
novo-
new
odonto-, -don, -odon
tooth
ophio-, -ophis
snake
ornitho-, -ornis
bird
osmo-
smell
osteo-
bone
ostraco-
shell; potsherd
oto-
ear
ovo-, ovi-, ovum
egg
oxi-, oxy-, -oxus
sharp
paedo-, pedo-
child; juvenile
paleo-
old
paro-, para-, par-
to give birth
patho-, -pathos, -pathy
feeling; suffering
patrio-
father; fatherland; homeland
pedo-, -pes
foot
penta-
five
petro-
wood
phago-
eat
phalango-, -phalanx
marching formation; finger
phero-, -pher
bear; carry
philo-, -phile
love
phobo-, -phobe
fear
phono-
sound
phono-
sound
photo-
light
phryne
toad
phyllo-
leaf
phylo-, phylum, phylon
tribe
pino-
drink
placo-, -plax, -placus
flat
pluri-
many
pneumo-, -pnoi, pneumato-
lung; breath; air
poieto-, -poiesis
to create
poly-
many
potamo-
river
primo-, primi-
first
procto-
anus
proto-
first
pseudo-
false
psycho-, -psyche
soul; butterfly
pterygo-, -pteryx
wing; fin
pygo-
buttocks
pyro-
fire
rapt-
to seize; carry off
recto-, rectus
straight
rhipido-, -rhipidon
fish fin
rhyncho-
nose
sarco-
flesh
sauro-
lizard
scapho-, -scaphe
wedge
sclero-
hard
scopo-, -scope
to see; look; examine
sidero-
star; heavens
sinistro-
left side
somato-, -some, soma
body
spatho-
short sword
squamo-
scale
stomo-, stomato-, -stome
mouth
struthio-
ostrich
stylo-
pen; stylus; spine
sub-
below
sucho-, -suchus
crocodile
super-
above
tele-
far away
telo-
final; goal; end
terra-
earth
tetra-
four
thalasso-
ocean
theco-, theca-
pocket; pouch; sheath
therio-, -there
beast
thermo-
heat; temperature
thyro-
shield
trema-, tremato-, -treme
hole
tri-
three
tricho-
hair; bristle; filament
trito-
third
uro-
tail
vago-, vagus
to wander
ventro-, venter
belly
xipho-
sword
xylo-
wood
zoo-
animal
zygo-
yoke; join