applewebsm.jpg Biology Vocabulary 1: Root Words applewebsm.jpg

The root of a word (the word's primary unit without prefixes or suffixes) can often give us an idea of what the word means, even if we are not sure of the word's definition.

For example, the word thermometer has the root therm, which means heat. A thermometer is an instrument that measures temperature (in other words, it measures heat).

Here are some examples of other words and their roots:

WORDROOT / MEANINGWORD DEFINITION
vacantvac / emptynot occupied, without content
bibliophilebiblio / booklover of books
zoologyzoo / animalthe study of animals

This exercise will test your knowledge of root words in biology.