Ch 3.4: Unit 12

Let's start at the 'head' of our lesson with words from the Latin root CAPUT or CAPITIS, meaning 'head'. These words relate to leadership, beginnings, or the literal head of something.

Key Words

Example Usage

• The clever inventor wanted to capitalize on his new idea by patenting it immediately.
• To save the company, the new CEO had to decapitate the ineffective management structure, removing the top leaders.

Now, let's talk about words that come out of the Latin root OS or ORIS, which means 'mouth'. As you can guess, these words are all related to the mouth or speaking.

Key Words

Example Usage

• Before the final exam, students had to give an oral presentation to the class.
• Martin Luther King Jr. was famous for his powerful oratory, inspiring millions with his speeches.
• The principal’s welcoming oration at the start of the school year was surprisingly brief and funny.

Let's get 'hands-on' with our next set of words from the Latin root MANUS, meaning 'hand'. These words often involve working with one's hands or the concept of control.

Key Words

Example Usage

• The factory can manufacture over a thousand pairs of shoes each day using its advanced machinery.
• When the electric mixer broke, she had to switch to the manual method of stirring the batter by hand.
• The goal of the animal rescue was to emancipate the dogs from their neglectful owner.

Hold your 'tongue'—or rather, use it! This group comes from the Latin root LINGUA, meaning 'tongue' or 'language'.

Key Words

Example Usage

• Being multilingual is a great skill for a diplomat who needs to communicate with leaders from around the world.
• The codebreakers performed a linguistic analysis on the secret message to understand its pattern and meaning.