Word Roots: A

a-: not, without

• apathy, atheist, atom, atomic, asymmetry
• amnesia = a + mnesia = loss of memory
• amnesty = pardon
• abyss, abyssal
• abysmal = very bad
• agnostic = a + gnost (know) + ic
• a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.
• aphasia = a + phasia 
• loss of ability to understand or express speech, caused by brain damage.
• atrophy
  1. (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution.
  “without exercise, the muscles will atrophy”
• amorphous = a + morphous

a-: away, from

• avert
• aversion: a strong dislike
• avocation = a + vocat (called, called upon)  + ion 
• amenable = a + men (threat  + n +able
• amanuensis = a + man (hand) + uensis (manuscript)
• amentia = a + men (mind) + tia

a-: to, towards, at

• abandon
• abut = a + but (strike, push)
  
  (of an area of land or a building) be next to or have a common boundary with.

  “gardens abutting Prescott Street”
  • touch or lean on.

    “masonry may crumble where a roof abuts it”
• awry = a + wry [1, 2]

  1. using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor.

  2. (of a person’s face or features) twisted into an expression of disgust, disappointment, or annoyance.
• adroit
• abridge
• abet = a + bet
• aficionado
• tantamount = tant + a + amount 
• ameliorate = a + melior (better) + ate
• abeyance: suspension
• abase = a + bas (low, short) + e
• abate = a + bat (beat, pound) + e
• aspirate = a + spir (breathe) + ate: breath in 
• aspersion = a + spers (scatter, besprinkle) + ion
• amalgamate = a + malgamate = unite, combine
• aplomb = a + plomb
  
  self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.
  “Diana passed the test with aplomb“
• aver = a + ver (verus – truth)
• apropos = a + propos: with regard to
• astringent = a + stringent: contracting
• acolyte
  
  a person assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession.
  • an assistant or follower.

    “she runs the department through a small group of acolytes”

     

 archetype, archbishop, archeology, monarch

• acne
• acute
• acid
• acidulous = acid + ulous
• acupuncture
• acumen
  
  the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain.
  “business acumen”
• acme:
  
  the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful.
  “physics is the acme of scientific knowledge”
• acuity
  
  sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing.
  “intellectual acuity”

• acumen
• acupuncture, acupuncturist
• acupressure
• acute, acutely, acuteness

• acrid: strong bitter smell
• acrimonious: filled with bitter words 
• acrimoniously
• acrimony

• acerbic: critical
• acerbity
• exacerbate: to make worse
• exacerbation

• acrobat: an entertainer at a circus
• acrobatic, acrobatically, acrobatics
• acrophobia
• acropolis: a castle on top of a hill

am: love [ox + water / making love]

• Amor (to love) =  Cupid (to desire)  with two arrows; Amy, Amanda
• amour = am + our [N.]  (have an amour with sb.) 
• amorous, amorously
• amity, amicable, amiable, inimical
• Amen
• amenity = am + en (sth made of) + ity (sth that people love to have = desirable feature)
• amateur = am + at + eur (people who like sth as pastime.)
• enamor = en (to make) + am + or ( n.) = in + love = to be filled with love for
• enamored: in love with
• amatory: amatory relationship
• paramour = para (beside) + am + our (person)

ambul: walk, move

• Ambulance, Ambulatory,
• amble
• ambulant: able to walk
• perambulate
• somnambulate 
• preamble

amb-: both, around/surrounding 

• ambit, ambition
• ambassador
• ambidexterity = ambi + dexter + ity: ability to use both hands equally well
• ambiguous
• ambivalent: showing both and bad feelings
• ambience: the atmosphere of a place

ampl (large)

amplify, laser, 

• act
• activate, 
• deactivate
• Activity
• active
• actor, actress
• actual
• react
• reactive
• reaction
• reactionary
• redact: formulate in a particular style or language
• exact
• counteract
• inaction
• enact: order by virtue of superior authority
• radioactive
•  

, interaction, agent

• aggregate
• aggravate
• aggravation
• aggrandize: to increase your importance or power
• aggrandizement
• aggressive
• agglomerate: to collect things and form them into a mass or group

• agent
• agency
• agenda
• agendum
• agitation
• agitate
• agitator
• agile
• agility
• coagulate: if liquid coagulates, it becomes thick and solid.
•  

• Animate,
• animus
• unanimous,
• magnanimity = kindness, generosity 
• animateur = anim + ateur = a person who promotes social activities
• animism = the belief that natural objects have a living soul
• animosity = strong feeling of opposition
• equanimity = equ + anim + ity = calm state of mind
• pusillanimous lack of courage
• animadvert = anim + advert (relating to speaking or writing)
• reanimate

• anonymous
• anonymity
• anecdote
  a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.
  “told anecdotes about his job”

  • an account regarded as unreliable or hearsay.

    “his wife’s death has long been the subject of rumor and anecdote”
  • the depiction of a minor narrative incident in a painting.

    “the use of inversions of hierarchy, anecdote, and paradox by Magritte, Dali, and others”
• anomaly
• anomalous
• anarchy = an + archy 
• anarchical
• anodyne: painkiller
• anemic
• anemia = an + emia
• analgesic: painkilling
• anorexia = an + orex
• anorexic

• annex
• annexation
• annihilate
• annulment
• annul = an + nul 
• annotate = an + notate (note)

• nonpartisan = non + partis + an
• bipartisan
• urban = urb + an
• subterranean = sub + terrane + an 
• metropolitan
• cosmopolitan
• pedestrian = ped + estri + an
• antediluvian = ante (before) + diluv (deluge: flood) + i + an 
• veteran
• pagan
  a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.
  “a Muslim majority had to live in close proximity to large communities of Christians and pagans”
• empyrean
  relating to heaven or the sky.
  “the empyrean domain where human will and God’s will became as one”
• gargantuan
  enormous.
  “a gargantuan appetite”
• epicurean: Epicurus (hedonist)
• protean = prot (first) + e + an: ever changing
• sylvan: wooded
• Machiavellian: cunning

anthropology,

misanthrope,

philanthropy

aptitude, adapt

audible, audience, audition, auditorium, auditory, audiovisual, audio, audi-phone, 

auditor

• audit: examine carefully for accuracy with the intent of verification

automatic, automobile, autonomy, autocrat, autography, autobiography

• arbiter
• arbitrator
• arbitrate
• arbitration
• arbitrament
• arbitrary, arbitrarily, arbitrariness
• based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
  “his mealtimes were entirely arbitrary”

• demagogue = dem (people) + agog (lead) + ue – a political leader who uses emotion-based arguments
• demagogic
• demagogy
• demagoguery
• pedagogue = ped + agog + ue = an overconfident person who likes to educate others
• pedagogic
• pedagogy
• synagogue: a building fro religious teaching or worship related to jews. 

• agon
• agony
• agonize, agonized, agonizing, agonizingly
• antagonist: strong opponent in an argument, competition
• protagonist: main character in a competition, play, movie. 

• analgesia = an + alg +e + sia = the loss of ability to feel pain 
• analgesic
• nostalgia = nost + alg + ia
• nostalgic
• nostalgically
• neuralgia = neur + alg + ia = a pain caused by a nerve

• alias = a false name of somebody
• alibi = an excuse for that something that you have not done properly
• alien: 
• alienate
• alienable 

• alter
• alterable
• alternate
• altruism
• altercation: noisy argument

• apology: request for forgiveness
• apothegm: a saying. 
• apotheosis: the idealization of something or someone, the perfect instance of something
• apologia:
  a formal written defense of one’s opinions or conduct.
  “an apologia for book banning”
• apologist: one who defends a controversial idea
• apothecary: the Pharmacist is a healthcare professional who practices in pharmacy and Apothecary is a historical name for a medical professional now called a pharmacis
• apogee: the point in its orbit at which the moon is farthest away from Earth, or any apex. 
• apostle: one who is a follower of another figure and typically spreads that figure’s message. “person sent forth”
• apocope
• apoplexy
  unconsciousness or incapacity resulting from a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke.
  • INFORMAL

    incapacity or speechlessness caused by extreme anger.

    “the decision has aroused apoplexy among environmentalists”
• apoplectic
• apostate
• apostasy
• apostrophe
• apocalypse = apo + calypse: great depression = the end times, or any catastrophe
• 1.the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation.

  “the bell’s ringing is supposed to usher in the Apocalypse”

  • (especially in the Vulgate Bible) the book of Revelation.

    singular proper noun: Apocalypse
• 2.an event involving destruction or damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale.

  “a stock market apocalypse”

   

• arbor
• arborvitae
• arborist
• arboreal: living in trees
• arborous: having many trees
• arboretum: 
• arboreta
• arboriculture
• arboriculturist

• armament: bombs, tanks, missiles, and other large weapons
• armada: a large group of armed boats or ships
• armadillo
• armistice = arm + i + stice = ceasefire, truce
• disarmament

• avian
• aviation
• aviator
• aviatrix: a female pilot 
• aviary: