Word Roots

1
Word Roots

• T-V (the end)

2
Key

• Become familiar with the roots
• Use them to make connections to the definitions
  of words
• Its not a fool-proof system
• If you cant figure out the word based on the
  root, then look up the word
• This will greatly expand your vocabulary
• It will help you for the PSAT, the SAT, the GRE,
  and life!

3
tac/tic to be silent

• reticent
• tacit
• taciturn

4
tain/ten/tent/tin (to hold)

• contain
• detain
• sustain
• tenure
• tenable reasonable
• sustenance

5
tend/tens/tent/tenu to stretch, to thin

• tension
• tendency
• tentative
• tenuous
• distend
• attenuate satisfy, ease

6
theo (god)

• atheist
• theocracy
• theology

7
tort to twist

• extort
• torture
• tortuous

8
tract to drag, to pull, to draw

• attract
• contract
• detract
• intractable stubborn/inflexible

9
trans across

• transfer
• transaction
• transparent
• transition
• transient
• transgress
• transcendent
• translucent see-through

10
us/ut to use

• abuse
• usage
• utensil
• usurp seize/take over/grab
• utilitarian

11
ven/vent to come, to move toward

• convene
• venturesome
• contravene break/breach
• circumvent
• intervene

12
ver truth

• verdict
• verify
• veracious
• veracity
• veritas

13
vers/vert to turn

• subvert undermine/destabilize
• invert
• divert
• aversion
• avert

14
vi life

• vicarious
• vivid
• vivacity
• viable livable/doable/workable
• vibrant

15
vid/vis to see

• evident
• video
• vision
• adviser
• vista
• visage
• provident far seeing/prophetic

16
voc/vok to call

• vocabulary
• vocal
• provocative challenging or offensive
• advocate
• vocation
• vociferous
• revoke

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vol to wish

• voluntary
• volunteer
• volition wish/will
• benevolent
• malevolent spiteful

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Source

• Princeton Reviews Word Smart