Basic Latin Elements that All English Speakers and Readers Should Know  

The 125 basic Latin elements every English speaker/reader should know for an adequate understanding of thousands of English words that are used in the mass media (newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, books, and the Internet).

Please note: the lists that are presented here and on the next pages are only a very small part of the cross references, relative words, and definitions that are available at the Cross-Reference Search Dictionary that specializes in the thousands of English words that are derived from Latin and Greek origins. You may connect to this special Cross-Reference Search source of Latin-Greek-English elements here.

Click this connection so you can see fourteen basic prefixes and roots considered by some to be “most useful as a short cut to a bigger vocabulary”.

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a-, ab-, abs- (Latin: from, away, away from; used as a prefix).

This prefix is normally used with elements of Latin and French origins (abs- usually joins elements beginning with c, q or t).

The form ab- is regularly used before all vowels and h; and it becomes a- before the consonants m, p, and v. The prefix apo- has similar meanings.

ad- (Latin: to, a direction toward, addition to, near; used as a prefix).

ad- appears before vowels and before the consonants d, h, j, m, and v:

agri-, agrio- (Greek > Latin: fields).

“Wild, savage; living in the fields” through Latin, ager, agri.

amat-, amor-, am- (Latin: love, loving; fondness for).

ami-, amic- (Latin: friend).

ambi-, amb- (Latin: both, on both sides; around, about).

ambul-, ambulat-, -ambulate, -ambulating, -ambulation -ambulator, -ambulatory, -ambulant, -ambulic, -ambulism, -ambulist (Latin: walk, take steps, move around; from “to wander, to go astray”).

anima-, anim- (Latin: animal life; breath; soul; mind).

Anima- is “a living being” from a Latin form meaning, “of air, having a spirit, living”, which in turn comes from another form meaning, “breath of air, air, soul, life”.

anni-, annu-, enni- (Latin: year, yearly).

ante-, anti-, ant- (Latin: before, in front of, prior to, forward; used as a prefix).

Compare this element with anti-, meaning “against”. Anti-, with the meaning of “before”, is found in very few words, such as: “antipasto” (from Italian). and “anticipate” with its various forms, plus a few scientific terms.

aqua-, aquatic-, aqui-, aqu-, -aquatically, aque-, -aqueous (Latin: water).

audio-, aud-, audi-, audit- (Latin: hearing, listening, perception of sounds).

bene-, ben-, beni- (Latin: good, well) and bon- (Latin: good).

brevi-, brev- [brie-, bri-] (Latin: short).

cand-, can-, cend- (Latin: glow; white).

capit-, capt-, ceps-, chapt-, chef, cip-, -cup- (Latin: head, leader, chief, or first).

carno-, carn-, carne-, carni- (Latin: flesh, meat).

celer- (Latin: fast, speed, swift, rapid).

centi-, cent- (Latin: hundred; a decimal prefix used in the international metric system for measurements).

This prefix is used in the metric [decimal] system as, one-hundredth [U.S.] and hundredth [U.K.], and denotes 1/100th of a unit or 10^-2 [0.01]. The metric symbol for centi- is c.

-cise, -cis, -cide (Latin: a suffix; to cut, cut).

-cide, -cides, -cidal (Latin: a suffix; kill, killer; murder, to cause death, slayer; cutter; “to cut down”).

Don’t confuse this element with the another -cide that means “to cut”; although -cide, “death”, is related to -cise, -cide, “to cut down”.

circum- (Latin: around, about, surrounding, on all sides; literally, “in a circle”).

com- [co-, cog-, col-, con-, cor-] (Latin: together, with; used as a prefix).

contra-, contro-, counter, contre- (Latin: against, opposed to, opposite, contrary; used as a prefix).

cor-, cord-, cour- (Latin: heart).

corp-, corpor-, corpus- (Latin: body).

cred-, credit-, creed- (Latin: believe, belief, faith, confidence, trust).

cura-, cur- (Latin: heal, cure [care for, give attention to, to take care of]).

cur(r).-, curs-, -course (Latin: run, go).

dei-, div- (Latin: God, god [deity, divine nature]).

adieu (French): Goodbye (literally, “I commend you to god.”).

dento-, dent-, denta-, dentino-, denti-, dentin- (Latin: tooth, teeth).

dic-, dict- (Latin: talk, speak, say, tell, declare).

digit (Latin: finger, toe).

dor-, do-, don- (Greek > Latin: gift).

dorm-, dormi- (Latin: sleep, sleeping).

duo-, du- (Latin: two; a number used as a prefix).

duc-, -duce, -duct, -ducent, -ductor, -duction, -ductive, -ducer, -ducement, -ducation (Latin: lead, leading, bring, take, draw).

equ-, equi- (Latin: same, equal, similar, even).

ex- (e-, ef-). (Latin: [out of, from]; [upward]; [completely, entirely]; [to remove from, deprive of]; [without]; [former]; used as a prefix).

extra-, extro- (Latin: beyond, outside, on the outside, outward, external; used as a prefix).

fac-, fact-, feas-, -feat, -fect, -feit, -facient, -faction, fic-, -fy, facil- (Latin: make, do, build, cause, produce; forming, shaping).

fid-, fidel- (Latin: believe, belief, trust, faith).

fin- (Latin: end, last, limit, boundary, border).

flagr- (Latin: fire; burn, blaze).

fluct-, flucti-, -flux, flu- (Latin: flow, wave).

fortu-, fortun- (Latin: chance, fate, luck).

frag-, frang-, fract-, fring- (Latin: break).

fug-, -fuge, -fugit (Latin: drive away, flee, fly, run away).

grad-, -grade, -gred, -gree, -gress (Latin: walk, step, take steps, move around; walking or stepping).

grav-, griev- (Latin: heavy, weighty).

habili-, habil- (Latin: clothe, clothing; that which may be easily handled, suitable, fit, proper).

ign-, igni-, ignis- (Latin: fire, burn).

inter- (Latin: between [also: among, mutually, together]; used as a prefix).

intra- (Latin: within, inside, on the inside; used as a prefix).

jet-, -ject, -jecting, -jected, -jection, -jector, -jectory; jac- (Latin: throw, send, fling, hurl, cast; gush; spurt).

junct-, jug- (Latin: join, unite, yoke).