Lesson 1: Latin Roots 1-10

Let's explore words rooted in love and the spirit, from friendly feelings to a calm mind!

Key Words

• After his first success as a romantic lead, the actor was cast only in amorous roles.
• Don't get upset over the minor setback. Accept it with equanimity.
• The 12-0 vote from the jury shows that they were unanimous.

This group combines two Latin roots. AM and AMOR mean "love," giving us words about affection and friendship like amiable and amorous. The root ANIM means "mind" or "spirit," which forms words describing mental states, from the hostility of animosity to the calmness of equanimity or the agreement of unanimity.

These words deal with limits and movement, from final conclusions to the constant flow of change.

Key Words

• A tour guide in Italy should be fluent in Italian.
• In the autumn, the town prepares for the influx of college students.
• Unlike a preliminary hearing, a final court verdict is considered definitive.

Words in this set come from two Latin roots. FIN means "end" or "limit," leading to words like finale (the end of a performance) and confine (to keep within limits). The roots FLU, FLUC, and FLUX mean "flow," which you can see in words like fluent (a flow of words) and fluctuate (to move up and down like a wave).

Time to learn about words related to creation, categories, and crowds!

Key Words

• Everyone in the congregation stood up to sing the opening prayer.
• If not resolved, the constant arguments are sure to engender lasting resentment.
• I was shy at my new school and kept to myself; I wasn't very gregarious.

This group centers on two Latin roots. GEN, GENER, and GENIT relate to "birth," "kind," or "class," forming words like engender (to create), genre (a category), and regenerate (to give new life to). The root GREG means "flock" or "group," which is the basis for words like congregation (a group of worshippers) and gregarious (sociable).

Get ready for words that stick together and words that describe sides!

Key Words

• A standard baseball diamond is shaped like a quadrilateral.
• When we were studying ancient Rome, our teacher assigned collateral reading on the Punic Wars.
• We believe in teamwork and do not adhere to the idea that one person should do all the work.

These words are built on two distinct Latin roots. HERE and HES mean "to stick," which forms the basis for words like adhere (to stick to something) and coherence (when ideas stick together logically). The root LATERAL means "side," which is used to build words describing shape or perspective, such as bilateral (two-sided) and unilateral (one-sided).

Let's brighten our minds with words about reading, writing, and light itself.

Key Words

• My new watch has a luminous dial so I can see the time in the dark.
• The teacher tried to elucidate the complex theory with a diagram, which helped us understand it.
• A crowd of fans gathered around the scientific luminary after her groundbreaking lecture.

This group combines words from two enlightening Latin roots. LITERA means "letter," giving us words related to reading and writing, such as literacy (the ability to read) and literal (word-for-word). The roots LUC and LUM mean "light," which forms words like lucid (clear, as if full of light), luminous (shining), and elucidate (to make clear).