🏛️Learn Latin Roots in English
Stop memorizing English words one at a time. Learn 20 Latin roots — dict, port, scribe, vid, and their cousins — so a single root unlocks ten or twenty words at once, then prove it by coining a brand-new English word from two roots and defining it.
Phase 1Why Half of English Wears a Latin Disguise
See why half of English is wearing a Latin disguise
Half of English is Latin in a Germanic costume
6 minHalf of English is Latin in a Germanic costume
A root is a meaning-atom, not a word
6 minA root is a meaning-atom, not a word
Twenty roots, hundreds of words — that's the deal
6 minTwenty roots, hundreds of words — that's the deal
A vivid image beats a definition every time
7 minA vivid image beats a definition every time
Phase 2One Root a Day, Five Words for Free
Drill one root per day with five derived words
Port carries everything — luggage, ideas, and exports
7 minPort carries everything — luggage, ideas, and exports
Dict says, declares, and predicts — out loud
7 minDict says, declares, and predicts — out loud
Scribe writes — and 'scribe' shows up under every script
7 minScribe writes — and 'scribe' shows up under every script
Vid sees — from television to evidence to vision
7 minVid sees — from television to evidence to vision
Spect looks closely — and respect is looking back
7 minSpect looks closely — and respect is looking back
Phase 3Spotting Latin Roots in the Wild
Spot Latin roots in news, medicine, and law
Every news article is a Latin-root buffet
8 minEvery news article is a Latin-root buffet
Medical English is roots all the way down
8 minMedical English is roots all the way down
Legal English is mostly DICT and SCRIBE wearing wigs
8 minLegal English is mostly DICT and SCRIBE wearing wigs
Roots turn unfamiliar words into solvable puzzles
8 minRoots turn unfamiliar words into solvable puzzles
Phase 4Coin a New English Word From Two Roots
Coin a plausible new English word from two roots
Coin a plausible new English word — and defend it
20 minCoin a plausible new English word — and defend it
Frequently asked questions
- What are the most common Latin roots in English?
- This is covered in the “Learn Latin Roots in English” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Why does English have so many Latin words if it's a Germanic language?
- This is covered in the “Learn Latin Roots in English” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- How does learning Latin roots help me figure out unfamiliar English words?
- This is covered in the “Learn Latin Roots in English” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- What's the difference between a Latin root, a prefix, and a suffix?
- This is covered in the “Learn Latin Roots in English” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Can I really coin new English words from Latin roots, or is that cheating?
- This is covered in the “Learn Latin Roots in English” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
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