Latin Roots and Prefixes

Common Latin origins helping decode English vocabulary

roots_digger 15 terms Oct 25, 2025

Terms 15

aud-

To hear; e.g. audio, audience, auditory

bene-

Good, well; e.g. benefit, benevolent, beneficial

chron-

Time; e.g. chronological, synchronize, anachronism

dict-

Say, tell; e.g. dictate, predict, contradict

duc-/duct-

Lead; e.g. conduct, deduce, educate

geo-

Earth; e.g. geology, geography, geopolitics

graph-

Write; e.g. photograph, biography, graphic

mal-

Bad, ill; e.g. malicious, malpractice, malevolent

mit-/mis-

Send; e.g. transmit, mission, submit

mort-

Death; e.g. mortal, mortuary, immortal

omni-

All; e.g. omnivore, omnipotent, omniscient

port-

Carry; e.g. transport, portable, export

scrib-/script-

Write; e.g. describe, prescribe, scripture

spec-/spect-

Look, see; e.g. spectator, inspect, perspective

voc-/vok-

Voice, call; e.g. vocal, revoke, evoke