Learn new words and ideas: Building Vocabulary via word roots and origins

                 The Best way to learn and retain maximum words is to run into as many ideas as possible. Learning Through Ideas not only increase your vocabulary but also knowledge. It will make you smart.  Super smart people generally have the super vocabulary. Many types of research have been conducted to find out the correlation between the size of vocabulary and success in career. Senior executives have disproportionately large vocabulary in comparison to lower executives’ vocabulary. It is found, Higher the position in office hierarchy larger the vocabulary. Also, wealthy men found possessing a large vocabulary.  And one explanation out of many for this can be that larger vocabulary implies more ideas. So a person, who reads a medical book, will add new medical terms in his vocabulary. So read books on various topics, watch movies, learn new skills etc.

             I will give you in upcoming paragraph some ideas and words related to those ideas. Try to learn words in context.

1) Ben/Bon-Good:

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, formed from male(Bad, evil) + Volent.

The 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 the desired state, to intensify the state).

2) Mal-Bad / Ill / Evil :

Mal is a Latin root. This word signifies many negative things. One way to remember words is categorizing them into negative and positive, by doing this you will double the chances of guessing the right meaning of the word.

Malaria is a disease of air (Thought to be ancient times). It is formed from mal-bad and aria-air.

Malefactor is to do something bad or evil. It is formed from mal-bad and fac-“to do”.

Malicious is something intentionally harmful. Mal-bad and ious-‘having qualities of’ make malicious.

Malformed is a misshapen body. It is formed from Mal-bad and formed-shape. We use it denote malformed jaw, body etc.

Malcontent is someone dissatisfied. It is made up of mal-bad and content-satisfied. Content has its origin in French word contenter having meaning satisfied.

Maltreat is “to treat someone badly’. It is formed from Mal-bad and treat-behave.

3)          Mega-Big/ Large:

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

Megahit is something highly successful especially some show or product. It is formed from Mega-large and hit-struck.

Megalith is a large stone. Here lith stands for stone.

Megaphone is a device used to amplify sounds. Here, Mega and phon mean large and sound respectively.

Megalopolis is an extensive metropolitan area. Here, Mega and polis mean large and city respectively.

* Megalopolis is also called megapolis.

Megastructure is a large building. It combines mega-large and structure.

4) Syn / sym – Together ( It’s a Greek word)

Symphony is more than two instruments making a sound together. Sym and phon mean together and sounds respectively.

A synonym is words having the same meaning. Here, syn means together and nym means name.

Symmetry means exact correspondence between different things. Here metry stand for the measure.

Symbiosis is living together. It is made up from sym-together and bio-life.

Synchronize is something happening at the same time. Here chron means time.

Synergy is working together in harmony. It’s origin is in Greek word Synergos meaning working together.

The syllogism is thinking where conclusions are gotten from two premises. Here logi means study.

5)            Logy - Study, Science:

Biology is the life story of some individual. It is formed from Bio(life)  + Logy(theory, science).

Anthropology is a study of a human. It is made from anthro( Human) + logy( Science).

Geology is a study of the earth. It is formed from geo-earth and logy-study.

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

Theology is a study of gods and religions. Here word theo means god.

Ethnology is a study of race and culture. Here word Ethno means race.

Gynecology is a branch of medicine that deals with diseases of females. Gyne is something pertaining to women. Its origin is in Greek word Gynaikos literally meaning woman.

Neurology is the branch of the medicine that deals with the nervous and sensory system. Here neur means nerves or nervous system.

Chromatology is a scientific study of colors. Here chrom means color.

Demonology is the study of demons and their beliefs. The demon has its origin in Greek word Daimon implying lesser god or spirit. Word daimon is made of dai-to divide and mon- source.

Sociology is the study of human society. Here, Socio has its origin in Latin word socius meaning fellow or companion.

6) Phil -love

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

Philosopher involved in philosophy. Here,er means an action or a person involved in the action.

A philanthropist is a person who works for the welfare of others. Here anthrop means  human.

A Bibliophile is a person who loves books. Here biblio means books.

A philanderer is a person who readily enters into sexual relationships with women. It is made up from Phil-love, andr-man and er-who does the action.

7) Sophy – Knowledge, skill

Theosophy is a philosophy that a learning of God might be accomplished through profound delight, coordinated instinct, or exceptional individual relations.  Here, theo and sophy mean god and wisdom, respectively.

Cosmosophy is knowledge of the universe. Cosmo has it’s origin in Greek word Kosmos meaning universe.

Chirosophy is a study of palm a.k.a.  palmistry. In chirosophy, chiro stands for a hand. Chiro has it’s origin in greek word Kheir meaning hand.

8) Agog – to lead

Pedagogy is a method of teaching. It is formed form pais(child,boy) + agogus(leader).

A synagogue is a Jewish religious congregation. In synagogue, they worship together and get religious instructions.  Here syn means “together” and agogue means “to lead”.

A demagogue is a political leader, who gains power by arousing the emotions of the people. It is formed from demos(people) + agog(leading).

9) Auto –Self:

Autobiography is an account of a person’s life written by that person. It is formed from Auto( self) + Bio + Graph (write).

An automobile is a four wheel vehicle with an internal engine or motor. It does not need any external pulling or mechanical exertion. Here auto means self and mobile meaning moving.

10) Graph –To write:

Geography Is study of the earth. It is made up of words geo-earth and graphy-to write.

Calligraphy is decorative and stylish handwriting. Calli means beautiful.

Telegraph is a framework for transmitting messages from a distance using wires. Stem tele means far.

The cinematography is the art of making movies. Here cinema means movie or motion picture. Cinema has it’s origin in Greek Kinemat-movement. Basically, Motion picture is a movement of pictures.

Photography is the practice of taking and preparing photos. Photo means light and graphy-to write, so photography is light writing.

Biography is a book about someone’s life written by someone else. Here bio stands for life.

The bibliography is a list of books referred to in a written work. Here biblio means books.

Autograph is a signature written by a celebrity for a fan. Auto-self and graph-written combine to form autograph-self written.

11) Matri/ Mater –mother:

The matriarch is the mother and ruler of a family or tribe. It is formed from matri(mother) + arch(ruler).

Maternal is something relating to the mother. Here suffix al means having characteristics of.

Maternity is motherhood. Suffix ity implies “condition of being”.

12) Patri/ Pater-father :

Paternal (Pater – father + al – having characteristics of) is something fatherly.

Patriarch is the male head of a group or family. Root Arch means ruler. It’s origin is in Greek word Archos implying chief or king.

Patrician is a nobleman. Here word suffix cian means “having the skill of”. Cian is also used as an in many words.

Patrilineal is descent through the male line.

13) Frater-Brother:

Fratricide is the killing of one’s brother. It is formed from frater(brother) + cide(kill).

Confraternity is a religious brotherhood. Here con means “with”.

14) Soror-sister:

Sorority is a society of female students in a college. It is formed from soror(sister) + ity(state of).

15) Uxor-Wife:

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

Uxorial is something relating to wife. Here suffix al means “relating to”.

16) Nomy- Arrangement:

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

The economy is the state of a region in terms of production and consumption. Eco means surroundings or environment.

17) Eco-Surroundings:

Ecology deals with the interaction between organisms and their surroundings.

18) Spect/ spic- see:

A spectator is a person who watches at an event. Here “or” means “a person who”. Many places “ar” is used instead of “or”.

An inspector is an official who inspects. Here “or” means “a person who”.

Inspect is to look at something to survey its condition or to find any inadequacies. Here we combine In-“in” with spect-“to see” to form word inspect.

19) Inter-Between (Inter is a prefix):

The Internet is a worldwide network of computers that interacts among themselves. Here net is a short form of network.

Interest is state of wanting more. Here suffix est stands for “the most”.

20) Acy-State (Acy is a suffix):

Accuracy is state of being precise. It’s origin is in Latin roots “ad curare” which means “to take care”.

So accuracy is state of taking care.

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 and skills.