Root Word Dictionary

A dictionary of Greek and Latin roots
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EUGENE M. MCCARTHY, PHD

Root Word Dictionary is the most comprehensive online dictionary of word roots. It defines more biomedical roots than any other online source. Here, you'll find the meanings of all the Greek and Latin root words commonly used in constructing biological and medical terminology. The list is alphabetical, which lets you look roots up even if you're not sure about their exact spellings. In the index below, click on the first letter of the root you seek. You can also use the automated search engine, which scans the entire root dictionary.

GREEK ROOTS STARTING WITH: Search for Greek roots >>
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LATIN ROOTS STARTING WITH: Search for Latin roots >>
 A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U-Z  


How to look up a Greek or Latin root with a particular meaning:

  1. First, click here to access the automated root finder;
  2. Then, in the search box, enter the English meaning of the root you want to find;
  3. The root word you're looking for should show up in the results.

greek coin
More details about using the dictionary:

To understand how Greek and Latin roots word are used in constructing terminology:
  1. First, look a root word up in the dictionary;
  2. Then, look up similarly spelled prefixes and suffixes in the prefix and suffix dictionary, which gives examples to show how these roots function in word origins;
  3. Next, look up the meanings of the example terms given in the prefix and suffix dictionary (most of which are linked to their definitions in the biology dictionary on this site).

Latin and Greek Root Words

The Greek and Latin roots listed in Root Word Dictionary are words from which the prefixes and suffixes used in constructing biological terminology are frequently derived. Often, multiple prefixes and suffixes are based on a single root. In general, the components used in constructing scientific terminology and med terms are either of Latin or Greek derivation. In building these terms, scientists have traditionally avoided hybrid terms combining word parts derived from Latin roots with other parts derived from Greek roots (although this rule has not been as strictly followed in recent years).

Notice:

We've moved our root word finder to a separate web page. To search for Greek and Latin roots, please click here to access Root Word Dictionary's automated root finder at its new location.

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