Unit 1 Get to the ROOT of it!

ROOTS Root Meaning Origin Latin dys Greek bene/bon badly, ill good/well Latin mal bad, wretched dys badly, ill Greek

benefit—a good or helpful result or effect There are many health benefits that come from exercise and healthy eating.

benevolent—kind and generous; organized to do good things for other people. Thanks to a benevolent donor, our school’s art program will continue for the next three years.

benign—not causing harm or damage; mild, gentle, or pleasant We were relieved when the vet told us that our dog’s tumor was benign and that he would continue to live a happy, healthy life.

bona fide—real or genuine; made or done in an honest and sincere way Once the band’s song went viral, they became bona fide celebrities.

malice—a desire to cause harm to another person Her cruel practical joke was just one example of the malice she had for others.

malign—to say bad things about someone or something publicly; to criticize harshly or unfairly If his opponents malign the politician, he might not win the race for governor.

malcontent—a person who is always or often unhappy or angry about something Jake is quite the malcontent who complains constantly and is never satisfied

malfunction—to fail to function or work properly I spent hours with tech support trying to repair the computer malfunction.

dysfunction —the condition of having poor or unhealthy behaviors and attitudes within a group of people; the state of being unable to function in a normal way If there is dysfunction in the work place, employees will be unhappy and it will be difficult to get any work completed.

dysentery—a serious disease that causes severe diarrhea and a loss of blood With no clean drinking water available, many people from the village became sick with dysentery.