1. Programmed College Vocabulary
Latin Derivatives I
Programmed College Vocabulary

2. The English Language
Sixty percent of the English language comes from Latin and Greek.
The Latin and Greek languages used a system of word parts to create new words.
Each word part had a specific meaning and a specific placement in a word.

3. Word Parts - Roots
The main part of a word which gives the word its main meaning is called the root or stem:
port – means to carry
capit – means head
duct – means lead
Portable computer = able to carry
Capital letter = head or main letter
Conduct an orchestra = lead the orchestra

4. The Prefix
The prefix is the part of a word that comes before the root/stem; it can change the word’s meaning.
Im port = import (to carry in)
Ex port = export (to carry out)
Trans port = transport (to carry across)

5. The Suffix
The suffix is a word part attached to the end of the root/stem. A suffix may change a word’s meaning, but it usually changes the word’s part of speech or form.
Porter (noun) = one who carries
Portable (adjective) = able to carry
Ported (verb) = carried; past tense of carry

6. Affixes and Derivatives
Word parts that are added to a root or stem are called affixes. Thus, a prefix or a suffix can be referred to as an affix.
Any word that is made up of or uses a Latin or Greek term is known as a derivative. There are many derivatives you will be required to know.
Learning the definitions of the Latin and Greek terms from these chapters will help you unlock the meaning of many unknown words you come across in your academic career as well as in your daily life.

7. Do you know the definitions of the following roots?
ann, enn
year
capit
head
cent
hundred
aud, audit
hear
duc, duct
lead
frater
brother
greg
flock

8. Definitions conduct anniversary year lead capitol fraternity head
The best way to learn the definitions of a Greek or Latin term is to associate
it with a derivative you know. In each of the following derivatives what do the
underlined roots mean?
anniversary
year
capitol
head
century
hundred
auditorium
hear
conduct
lead
fraternity
brother
gregarious
flock

9. Practice: In each of the following derivatives, what do the
underlined roots mean?
amatory
love
credible
believe; trust
confidence
faith; trust
malign
bad
loquacious
talk
location
place
maternal
mother
manufacture
hand

10. More Practice In each of the following derivatives underline the root
what does each root mean?
mission
send
literacy
letter
novice
new
post-mortem
death
pedestrian
foot
deposit
place
omnipresent
all

11. THE MORE YOU PRACTICE, THE GREATER YOUR VOCABULARY WILL BECOME!