Roots2Words Affix of the Week: POLY-
Looking to dramatically enhance your personal lexicon or just want to better understand the English language? Learn the common roots, prefixes, and suffixes that so many of our words are based on, and you’ll have the tools to recognize familiar words or decode unfamiliar ones. That’s what Roots2Words is all about! Your Roots2Words Affix of the Week is POLY-: POLY- is a prefix meaning more than one, many, or excessive. (Prefixes appear at the beginning of words) **EXAMPLES** polygamy (noun) – the condition of having more than one romantic partner or spouse at one time BREAKDOWN: POLY- (more than one) + -GAMY (marriage or union) — polygamous means married to more than one partner at a time — polygyny is the condition of having more than one wife at a time — polyandry is the condition of having more than one husband at a time polyglot (adj) –…
Roots2Words Affix of the Week: MONO-
Looking to dramatically enhance your personal lexicon or just want to better understand the English language? Learn the common roots, prefixes, and suffixes that so many of our words are based on, and you’ll have the tools to recognize familiar words or decode unfamiliar ones. That’s what Roots2Words is all about! Your Roots2Words Affix of the Week is MONO-: MONO- is a prefix meaning one or single. (Prefixes appear at the beginning of words) **EXAMPLES** monogamy (noun) – marriage with only one person at a time BREAKDOWN: MONO- (one) + -GAMY (marriage or union) — monogamous means married to or faithful to one partner at a time monogram (noun) – a design of one or more letters, usually initials BREAKDOWN: MONO- (one) + -GRAM (written, drawing) monograph (noun) – on a single subject or a group of related subjects, usually written by one person BREAKDOWN: MONO- (single) +…
Roots2Words Affix of the Week: -MONY
Looking to add a lot more words your personal lexicon or just want to better understand the English language? Learning the common roots, prefixes, and suffixes that so many of our words are based on gives you the tools to recognize familiar words or decode unfamiliar words. That’s the Roots2Words way! Your Roots2Words Affix of the Week is -MONY: -MONY is a suffix meaning status or behavior. (Suffixes appear at the end of words) **EXAMPLES** acrimony (noun) – sharpness, harshness, or bitterness of nature, manner, or speech BREAKDOWN: ACR- (bitter) + -MONY (status or behavior) — acrimonious means bitter and caustic in nature, manner, or speech alimony (noun) – a court-enforced allowance made to a former spouse by a divorced or legally separated person BREAKDOWN: AL- (to nourish) + -MONY (status or behavior) — palimony is a form of alimony paid to a former partner in a long-term…
Roots2Words Affix of the Week: NEO-
Looking to add a lot more words your personal lexicon or just want to better understand the English language? Learn the common roots, prefixes, and suffixes that so many of our words are based on, and you’ll have the tools to recognize familiar words or decode unfamiliar ones. That’s what Roots2Words is all about! Your Roots2Words Affix of the Week is NEO-: NEO- is a prefix meaning new, recent, or modern. (Prefixes appear at the beginning of words) **EXAMPLES** neologism (noun) – a newly coined word or phrase BREAKDOWN: NEO- (new) + LOG- (word) + -ISM (practice or state) neonatal (noun) – of or pertaining to the period of time immediately following birth BREAKDOWN: NEO- (new) + NAT- (birth) + -AL (pertaining to) — a neonate is a newborn child neophilia (noun) – love of new things BREAKDOWN: NEO- (new) + -PHILIA (love of) neophyte (noun) – a…
2014 Words of the Year
Every twelve months, we as a society take stock of the prevailing spirit of the year that passed. Each year contributes new terms to the lexicon but also inspires heightened interest in existing words, sometimes popularizing vocabulary that has fallen into disuse. Oxford Dictionaries embraced the former in declaring “vape” their Word of the Year 2014. In honor of this disreputable yet extremely influential word, we’re exploring the root VAP- this week on the Roots2Words website. Merriam-Webster looked instead to the words that saw substantial upticks in search interest in their online dictionary. Thus, the Merriam-Webster 2014 Words of the Year channel the zeitgeist of the year that was. As our New Year’s gift to you, we’re giving this list the Roots2Words treatment. Enjoy! 1. culture (noun) – the arts, customs, and habits that characterize a particular society or civilization BREAKDOWN: CULT- (care) + -URE (act or state) 2.…
Roots2Words Affix of the Week: PROTO-
Looking to add a lot more words your personal lexicon or just want to better understand the English language? Learn the common roots, prefixes, and suffixes that so many of our words are based on, and you’ll have the tools to recognize familiar words or decode unfamiliar ones. That’s the Roots2Words way! Your Roots2Words Affix of the Week is PROTO-: PROTO- is a prefix meaning first, foremost, or original. (Prefixes appear at the beginning of words) **EXAMPLES** protocol (noun) – customs, regulations, or standard etiquette; a code of conduct for diplomatic relations or other specific situations BREAKDOWN: PROTO- (first) + COL- (glue) protohuman (adj) – pertaining to the first humans other than Homo sapiens BREAKDOWN: PROTO- (first) + HUM- (human) + -AN (pertaining to) protoplasm (noun) – the living, semifluid contents of plant and animal cells BREAKDOWN: PROTO- (first) + PLASM- (molded or formed) prototype (noun) – the…