What Are Some Examples Of A Root Word?

In linguistics, a root word is the most important lexical unit of a word – this means that it carries the “core” meaning. In the English language, root words are usually Latin in origin.

How Do I Find Out What The Root Word Is?
The best way to start is by removing any prefixes and suffixes – these are the bits of words that go either side of the main root.

For example, in “impossible”, im- is a prefix and –ible is a suffix. The root word is poss which is Latin for “able to be.”

Common Examples of Root Words

• Demo, meaning “people.” Examples include “demographic” and “democracy.”
• Cardio, meaning “heart.” Examples include “cardiovascular” and “cardiology.”
• Script, meaning “write.” Examples include “manuscript” and “prescription.”
• Omni, meaning “all.” Examples include “omnipotent” and “omnivore.”

Hope that helps!