Building Vocabulary through Ideas

You will learn new words by learning new ideas. Words are representations of ideas, so more the ideas you know, the more words you will know. We will discuss ideas on themes so that you can relate different words with one another.

Benevolent is someone well-meaning and kind-hearted. It is made of roots Bene (well) + Vol (wish) + ent ( In state of). Opposite of benevolent is malevolent, an evil person or thing, which is formed from male(Bad, evil) + Volent.

Benefactor is someone who benefits others. It is formed from Bene+ fact(made). Malefactor is someone who harms others.

Benedict is a male name which means blessed. It is formed from Bene+ Dict(say). Benediction is blessing ( the act of saying the good name). It is made up of Bene(+ Dict(say) + ion(act).

A bounty is a gift; generosity. It is formed from Bon(Good, well) + ty (State of).

Bonify is to convert into good. It is formed from Bon + ify(To make something into desired state, to intensify the state).

Megalomania is the false belief that you are very powerful. It is formed from megalo( great, large) + Mania ( Obsessive desire, madness).

Biology is the life story of some individual. It is formed from Bio(life)  + Logy(theory, science). Autobiography is an account of a person’s life written by that person. It is formed from Auto( self) + Bio + Graph (write). Anthropology is a study of a human. It is made from anthro( Human) + logy( Science).

Philosophy is the investigation of crucial nature of learning, reality, and presence. It is formed from Phil(love) + sophy(wisdom).

Pedagogy is method of teaching. It is formed form pais(child,boy) + agogus(leader). A demagogue is a political leader, who gains power by arousing the emotions of the people. It is formed from demos(people) + agog(leading).

The matriarch is the mother and ruler of a family or tribe. It is formed from matri(mother) + arch(ruler). Paternal ( Pater – father + al – having characteristics of) is something fatherly.

Fratricide is the killing of one’s brother. It is formed from frater(brother) + cide(kill). Sorority is a society of female students in a college. It is formed from soror(sister) + ity(state of).

Uxorious is having great fondness from one’s wife. It is formed from uxor(wife) + ious(full of).

Geology (geo –earth) is a study of the earth. A person who studies geology is a geologist.

Astronomy is a scientific study of the universe. It is formed from words astron(star) + nomos(arranging).

Psychology is a study of human mind. It is formed from psych( Soul,mind) + ology(study of).

Similarly, you can understand the meaning of many words by breaking them apart in root words. I suggest you read newspapers, books, online articles, etc. Learn new things, get exposed to new ideas.