Learn on PengiVocabulary from Latin and Greek Roots, Level XIUnit 19 ~ Unit 22

Ch 7.2: Unit 20

These words are built on the Latin roots MUNUS, meaning "payment, gift, or public work," and COMMUNIS, meaning "common." Key Words | Word | Definition | | : | : | | munificent (adj.) | Generous; giving | | remunerate (v.) | To compensate; pay | | communal (adj.) | Shared by the people of a community; public | | excommunicate (v.) | To exclude from membership in a group | | incommunicado (adj.) | Unable or not allowed to communicate with others |.

Section 1

Root: MUN — gift, common

These words are built on the Latin roots MUNUS, meaning "payment, gift, or public work," and COMMUNIS, meaning "common."

Key Words

WordDefinition
munificent (adj.)Generous; giving
remunerate (v.)To compensate; pay
communal (adj.)Shared by the people of a community; public
excommunicate (v.)To exclude from membership in a group
incommunicado (adj.)Unable or not allowed to communicate with others

Example Usage

  • The celebrity's munificent donation helped build a new wing for the children's hospital.
  • Because the witness was placed incommunicado, no one from the press could reach her for a comment.

Word Spark

  • munificent: Think of a billionaire handing out new cars to every person in a small town.
  • incommunicado: Like being on a remote island with no phone, no internet, and no way to talk to anyone.

Section 2

Root: PREC, PRAIS — price, value

This group of words comes from the Latin root PRETIUM, which means "price" or "value."

Key Words

WordDefinition
appreciable (adj.)Able to be measured or perceived
appraise (v.)To evaluate; estimate the quality, amount, size, and other features of

Example Usage

  • Before selling the painting, we need an expert to appraise it to determine its true market value.
  • There was no appreciable improvement in his health, so the doctors decided to try a new treatment.

Word Spark

  • appraise: Think of an expert on a TV show looking closely at an old vase to decide how much it's worth.

Section 3

Root: MERIT, MERE — to earn

These words derive from the Latin root MERERE, meaning "to earn" or "to deserve."

Key Words

WordDefinition
meritorious (adj.)Deserving reward or praise
demerit (n.)A fault or flaw
meretricious (adj.)Seemingly true, but actually false

Example Usage

  • The firefighter's meritorious actions during the rescue earned her a city-wide honor.
  • His argument seemed compelling at first, but it was full of meretricious claims that fell apart under scrutiny.

Word Spark

  • meritorious: Like a student who worked all semester on a project and received the top prize at the science fair.
  • demerit: Think of getting a mark against your name in a logbook for being late to class.

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Unit 19 ~ Unit 22

  1. Lesson 1

    Ch 7.1: Unit 19

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  2. Lesson 2Current

    Ch 7.2: Unit 20

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  3. Lesson 3

    Ch 7.3: Unit 21

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  4. Lesson 4

    Ch 7.4: Unit 22

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Lesson overview

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Section 1

Root: MUN — gift, common

These words are built on the Latin roots MUNUS, meaning "payment, gift, or public work," and COMMUNIS, meaning "common."

Key Words

WordDefinition
munificent (adj.)Generous; giving
remunerate (v.)To compensate; pay
communal (adj.)Shared by the people of a community; public
excommunicate (v.)To exclude from membership in a group
incommunicado (adj.)Unable or not allowed to communicate with others

Example Usage

  • The celebrity's munificent donation helped build a new wing for the children's hospital.
  • Because the witness was placed incommunicado, no one from the press could reach her for a comment.

Word Spark

  • munificent: Think of a billionaire handing out new cars to every person in a small town.
  • incommunicado: Like being on a remote island with no phone, no internet, and no way to talk to anyone.

Section 2

Root: PREC, PRAIS — price, value

This group of words comes from the Latin root PRETIUM, which means "price" or "value."

Key Words

WordDefinition
appreciable (adj.)Able to be measured or perceived
appraise (v.)To evaluate; estimate the quality, amount, size, and other features of

Example Usage

  • Before selling the painting, we need an expert to appraise it to determine its true market value.
  • There was no appreciable improvement in his health, so the doctors decided to try a new treatment.

Word Spark

  • appraise: Think of an expert on a TV show looking closely at an old vase to decide how much it's worth.

Section 3

Root: MERIT, MERE — to earn

These words derive from the Latin root MERERE, meaning "to earn" or "to deserve."

Key Words

WordDefinition
meritorious (adj.)Deserving reward or praise
demerit (n.)A fault or flaw
meretricious (adj.)Seemingly true, but actually false

Example Usage

  • The firefighter's meritorious actions during the rescue earned her a city-wide honor.
  • His argument seemed compelling at first, but it was full of meretricious claims that fell apart under scrutiny.

Word Spark

  • meritorious: Like a student who worked all semester on a project and received the top prize at the science fair.
  • demerit: Think of getting a mark against your name in a logbook for being late to class.

Book overview

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Continue this chapter

Unit 19 ~ Unit 22

  1. Lesson 1

    Ch 7.1: Unit 19

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  2. Lesson 2Current

    Ch 7.2: Unit 20

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  3. Lesson 3

    Ch 7.3: Unit 21

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  4. Lesson 4

    Ch 7.4: Unit 22

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