Glossary

root

Subject: 

  • English First Additional Language
  • English Home Language

(also called a stem) the basic element of a word. Some roots form a word alone; others need a prefix or suffix to form a word. It is useful to know the original root of a word. E.g. the Latin root prima is the basis of primary and prime. If you know that prime means first/best, then you can work out that primary means most important.