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40 English Word Roots From Latin and Greek

How do you feel about shortcuts?

By learning short and simple pieces of English words, also known as word roots , you can unlock an understanding of thousands of words and boost your English vocabulary !

In this post, we’re going to share 40 English word roots from Latin and Greek to help you improve your comprehension of English by providing a shortcut to learning.

What is a Root?

Common english word roots from greek and latin, roots of greek origin, roots of latin origin, how to use roots to form and understand english words, top 10 suffixes you’ll see with roots, top 10 prefixes you’ll see with roots, and one more thing....

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First, we should talk about what “root” means.

A root is the basic unit of a word.

Linguists, scientists who study language, refer to the root as the base or foundation of a word. If you really think about it, the name “root” makes sense. A real, literal root is the base of a tree, connecting the tree to the ground. The root of a word connects that word to some meaning.

To learn about other parts of words and their relationships with roots, check out this informative page . 

If you aren’t sure that you want to memorize hundreds of roots, then memorize just these 40 roots . These are some of the most useful and common roots that you’ll learn!

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You’ll see these popping up everywhere in words you both know and don’t know. If you wouldn’t have had any idea what they meant before you had learned the roots, then you’ll see the value of learning roots. 

Now that you have a list of great roots to memorize, you’ll need a list of the most common prefixes and suffixes to go with it.

Prefixes and suffixes are two things that can be attached to roots to form words.

Suffixes can be attached at the ends of roots to change either the definition or the part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) of the word. So, suffixes can change verbs into nouns, nouns into adjectives and so on.

To create words you put a root together with either a suffix or prefix. Examples:

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photo ( root for light) + graph ( suffix for written) = photograph (light that is written)

re ( prefix for again) + flect ( root  for bend) = reflect (to bend again)

Now you might think these are funny ways to define the words “photograph” and “reflect.” This is because using Latin to define words means that you’re using very direct, literal translations.

However funny these translations might sound, there’s always a clue there that shows what the true meaning is in English.

Top Greek Suffixes 

Top Latin Suffixes 

Top Greek Prefixes

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Top Latin Prefixes

As you can see, learning roots, suffixes and prefixes is a quick shortcut to learn and understand words in English.

Immersing yourself in the language and seeing how it’s used by native speakers is a great way to learn vocabulary and see word roots. There are many great TV shows in English that you could watch, or you could even try a language-learning program like FluentU .

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

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So there you have it, folks.

You’ve got a great guide to English word roots and how to use them!

Get out there and see how much English you understand now.

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If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

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The best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.

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The Bookshelf

Exploring edtech and cognitive psychology.

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Essay Writing

Essay writing is a large part of college life and is an important skill for students to master as you move through your higher education. The root of the word essay is the Latin word exagium , which can be vaguely translated to ‘a weighing of one’s case’.

Essays are short, non-fiction compositions that outline an author’s perspective on a subject. Students may encounter essay assignments from as early as middle school with essay requirements becoming more rigorous as you advance into academia. Although essays can be formal as well as informal, academic essays are typically formal and revolve around topics relevant to your field of study.

Research and preparation are essential to producing a well-crafted essay. You must gather enough information about your subject to successfully decide upon a topic or proposition for your essay. By learning more about essays and the various types of essays, you will be better positioned to practice and master the art of essay writing.

What is an Essay?

Essays are designed to encourage students to develop and discuss your ideas regarding a certain topic. In writing the essay, you’re generally required to present credible information that supports your claims . On top of this, you are often expected to provide an analysis or comparison of multiple factors.

While there is no fixed structure for an essay, most essays contain three main sections .

• The introduction , which gives the reader a brief idea of the topic that is covered and often a thesis statement or main argument.
• The body, which includes in-depth information to support the basic premise and proof to persuade the reader to agree with the author’s point of view. Citations are essential here in establishing credible sources of academic information.
• The conclusion, which summarizes and reinforces the assertions of the essay.

Academic essays can be written in several different formats. Five paragraphs is the most frequent length for a basic essay. However, the minimum word count can vary depending on the academic level of the assignment.

Essay Types

The four most common types of essays are listed below.

• Narrative essays are essays where the author narrates a story from the first-person point of view. They aim to describe how a certain event unfolds chronologically and is often a highly subjective form of writing.
• Descriptive essays are essays where the author attempts to paint a picture and fully describe a subject using all five senses. The subject could be a place, a person, an event, or an object, and details are essential in writing a great descriptive essay.
• Expository essays are essays where the author presents facts that cover both (or more) sides of a topic in a balanced manner. They do so objectively and without bias to either side, using reliable sources .
• Persuasive essays are essays that are the opposite of expository essays. Authors present facts in an attempt to influence the reader to support your argument or point of view.

Essay writing is a skill that improves with practice. When faced with an essay writing assignment, you should start the writing process as soon as possible gain a thorough understanding of the subject, and craft an essay that is interesting and informative for the reader.

For additional resources, see the resources at the John S. Knight Institute For Writing in the Disciplines .

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The Etymology of Words and Their Surprising Histories

The Surprising Origins of Everyday Words

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The etymology of a word refers to its origin and historical development: that is, its earliest known use, its transmission from one language to another, and its changes in form and meaning . Etymology is also the term for the branch of linguistics that studies word histories.

What's the Difference Between a Definition and an Etymology?

A definition tells us what a word means and how it's used in our own time. An etymology tells us where a word came from (often, but not always, from another language) and what it used to mean.

For example, according to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language , the definition of the word disaster is "an occurrence causing widespread destruction and distress; a catastrophe" or "a grave misfortune." But the etymology of the word disaster takes us back to a time when people commonly blamed great misfortunes on the influence of the stars.

Disaster first appeared in English in the late 16th century, just in time for Shakespeare to use the word in the play King Lear . It arrived by way of the Old Italian word disastro , which meant "unfavorable to one's stars."

This older, astrological sense of disaster becomes easier to understand when we study its Latin root word , astrum , which also appears in our modern "star" word astronomy . With the negative Latin prefix dis- ("apart") added to astrum ("star"), the word (in Latin, Old Italian, and Middle French) conveyed the idea that a catastrophe could be traced to the "evil influence of a star or planet" (a definition that the dictionary tells us is now " obsolete ").

Is the Etymology of a Word Its True Definition?

Not at all, though people sometimes try to make this argument. The word etymology is derived from the Greek word etymon , which means "the true sense of a word." But in fact the original meaning of a word is often different from its contemporary definition.

The meanings of many words have changed over time, and older senses of a word may grow uncommon or disappear entirely from everyday use. Disaster , for instance, no longer means the "evil influence of a star or planet," just as consider no longer means "to observe the stars."

Let's look at another example. Our English word salary is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary  as "fixed compensation for services, paid to a person on a regular basis." Its etymology can be traced back 2,000 years to sal , the Latin word for salt. So what's the connection between salt and salary?

The Roman historian Pliny the Elder tells us that "in Rome, a soldier was paid in salt," which back then was widely used as a food preservative. Eventually, this salarium came to signify a stipend paid in any form, usually money. Even today the expression "worth your salt" indicates that you're working hard and earning your salary. However, this doesn't mean that salt is the true definition of salary .

Where Do Words Come From?

New words have entered (and continue to enter) the English language in many different ways. Here are some of the most common methods.

• Borrowing The majority of the words used in modern English have been borrowed from other languages. Although most of our vocabulary comes from Latin and Greek (often by way of other European languages), English has borrowed words from more than 300 different languages around the world. Here are just a few examples: futon (from the Japanese word for "bedclothes, bedding")
• hamster (Middle High German hamastra )
• kangaroo (Aboriginal language of Guugu Yimidhirr, gangurru , referring to a species of kangaroo)
• kink (Dutch, "twist in a rope")
• moccasin (Native American Indian, Virginia Algonquian, akin to Powhatan mäkäsn and Ojibwa makisin )
• molasses (Portuguese melaços , from Late Latin mellceum , from Latin mel , "honey")
• muscle (Latin musculus , "mouse")
• slogan (alteration of Scots slogorne , "battle cry")
• smorgasbord (Swedish, literally "bread and butter table")
• whiskey (Old Irish uisce , "water," and bethad , "of life")
• Clipping or Shortening Some new words are simply shortened forms of existing words, for instance indie from independent ; exam from examination ; flu from influenza , and fax from facsimile .
• Compounding A new word may also be created by combining two or more existing words: fire engine , for example, and babysitter .
• Blends A blend, also called a portmanteau word , is a word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two or more other words. Examples include moped , from mo(tor) + ped(al), and brunch , from br(eakfast) + (l)unch.
• Conversion or Functional Shift New words are often formed by changing an existing word from one part of speech to another. For example, innovations in technology have encouraged the transformation of the nouns network , Google , and  microwave  into verbs.
• Transfer of Proper Nouns Sometimes the names of people, places, and things become generalized vocabulary words. For instance, the noun maverick was derived from the name of an American cattleman, Samuel Augustus Maverick. The saxophone was named after Sax , the surname of a 19th-century Belgian family that made musical instruments.
• Neologisms or Creative Coinages Now and then, new products or processes inspire the creation of entirely new words. Such neologisms are usually short lived, never even making it into a dictionary. Nevertheless, some have endured, for example quark (coined by novelist James Joyce), galumph (Lewis Carroll), aspirin (originally a trademark ), grok (Robert A. Heinlein).
• Imitation of Sounds Words are also created by onomatopoeia, naming things by imitating the sounds that are associated with them: boo, bow-wow, tinkle, click .

Why Should We Care About Word Histories?

If a word's etymology is not the same as its definition, why should we care at all about word histories? Well, for one thing, understanding how words have developed can teach us a great deal about our cultural history. In addition, studying the histories of familiar words can help us deduce the meanings of unfamiliar words, thereby enriching our vocabularies. Finally, word stories are often both entertaining and thought provoking. In short, as any youngster can tell you, words are fun .

• Over 50 Greek and Latin Root Words
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• etymology (words)
• How Are New Words Created?
• How Neologisms Keep English Alive
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• Latin Words and Expressions in English
• What Is a Synonym? Definition and Examples
• What Are Nonce Words?
• "Grace" and "Gracia" Are Derived From the Same Root
• The Definition of Borrowing Language
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• The 3 Best Sites to Learn a New Word Every Day
• Learn About the Grammatical Term 'Logophile'

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Video transcript

70+ List of Latin Root Words: Use These to Improve Your Vocabulary

Are you looking for a handy way to expand your vocabulary and understanding of the English language? Our list of Latin root words is a perfect starting point.

Latin root words are everywhere in the English language. While English is not a Romantic language, like languages such as French, Italian, or Spanish, which were descended directly from Vulgar Latin, we can’t underestimate its influence on the development of modern-day English. 

Almost half of the English words in a dictionary today are derived from Latin . This shared ancestor is why you might understand some Spanish words, like “delicioso” or “diario” even if you’ve never studied the language before. 

After all, as Walt Whitman once said: “Viewed freely, the English language is the accretion and growth of every dialect, race, and range of time, and is both the free and compacted composition of all.” 

To help you understand where many common English words come from, we’ve compiled a list of Latin root words with example sentences. We’ve also shared strategies for understanding and remembering these words so you can expand your vocabulary. For more, check out our list of root words which includes vocabulary descended from Old English and Greek.

Latin Root Words Explained

Common latin root words and their meanings, application of latin root words in vocabulary building, list of latin root words printable, list of latin root words and example sentences.

Root words are a type of morpheme that can be used to create new words by adding a prefix or suffix. Think of them as the building blocks for our vocabulary. For example, when you add the suffix “less” to the word “use” it becomes “useless.” The meaning of these small words often comes from Latin but you will find some derived from Greek.

One of the main reasons it’s important to understand Latin root words is because it expands your vocabulary. Once you become familiar with the roots, can easily unpick unfamiliar words in a book. Take the word “terra” for example, if you already know it means “earth” then you can surmise what words like extraterrestrial mean. 

Many root words are bound morphemes, meaning they cannot be used as a standalone word. However, this isn’t a hard rule as you will also come across free morphenes. 

Let’s look at the root word “honor.” It makes perfect sense as a word by itself but becomes “honorary” when we add a suffix. “Ary,” however, is a bound morpheme because it isn’t a word by itself. 

Below are some commonly used Latin root words and words derived from them:

• Aqua (Water) – Aquarium, Aquamarine, Aquadrome
• Bi (Two) – Bilingual, Bicycle, Bisexual 
• Circ (Round) – Cicle, Circus, Circumference 
• Fin (End) – Final, Finite, Finale
• Mal (Bad) – Malignant, Malnourished, Malice

As mentioned earlier, once you become familiar with root words, you almost immediately expand your vocabulary as you can typically figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words based on the context and the prefix or suffix used. For example, if you know “mal” means bad and “nourished” pertains to food, you will understand that “malnourished” refers to poor nutrition. 

Since Latin roots are particularly common in medical, legal, and scientific jargon, even native English speakers who find their vocabulary confusing can benefit from learning them. 

One of the reasons for the prevalence of this ancient dialect is that Latin was historically the common language used in the scientific and medical fields in the Middle Ages as most educated people across Europe understood it. Although English is currently the dominant language, 98% of medical terms used by English speakers today are derived from Latin and Greek. 

Plus, the modern legal system is a descendant of the judicial process in Ancient Rome, where Latin was spoken. The language has endured out of tradition.

The best way to learn root words is to take it one at a time. Learn the meaning of one root and then make a list of as many words as possible that share a root. Then, compose several sentences using each word in the correct context. Once you’re familiar with the root and the common words it forms, move on to the next one. 

Below is a list of common Latin root words, their meanings, and an example sentence. Most of them are bound morphemes, but there are exceptions. Try to think of other words that share these roots. 

•  Act (To do) – Actor

The actor gave a convincing performance in the play.

• Aud (Hear) – Audio 

I need new headphones, the audio quality in mine is terrible. 

• Ambi (Both) – Ambidextrous 

Timmy is ambidextrous , he can write with his left and right hands. 

• Annu (Year) – Anniversary 

We’re going out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary .

• Bell (War) – Rebellion 

The rebellion broke out after decades of harsh rule.

• Bene (Good) – Beneficial 

Staying active is beneficial for heart health. 

• Brev (Short) – Brevity

For the sake of brevity , I will not repeat myself, so pay attention.

• Cand (Glow) – Candle 

A candle -lit dinner is so romantic. 

• Contra (Against) – Contradict 

He always contradicts everything I say. 

• Cred (Believe) – Credentials

You have more than enough credentials to get the job. 

• Deb (Owe) – Debt 

I need to earn more money to pay off my debt .

•  Decor (Ornament) – Decorations

It’s October, it’s too early to put up the Christmas decorations .

• Dem (Harm, Loss) – Condemn

We strongly condemn the vandalism. 

• Dict (Say) – Predict 

You can’t predict the future. 

• Ed (Eat) – Inedible

This undercooked chicken is inedible .

• Equ (Equal) – Equality

We support equality for all. 

• Err (To stray) – Error

The mistake was caused by human error .

• Fall (Trick) – Fallacious

His argument is fallacious .

• Fend (Strike) – Defend

You have every right to defend yourself from attack. 

• Fid (Trust) – Confidential 

Everything you tell me is confidential .

• Germ (Sprout) – Germinate 

Seeds need the perfect conditions to germinate .

• Glaci (Ice) – Glacier 

The glacier is beginning to melt. 

• Glob (Sphere) – Globe 

Can you point to your country on a globe ?

• Gust (Taste) – Disgusting 

The food was disgusting .

• Hab (Have) – Habit 

Biting your nails is a nasty habit .

• Honor (Esteem) – Honorary 

He received an honorary doctorate for his achievements. 

• Hort (Garden) – Horticulture

If you want to work in horticulture you can’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty. 

•  Hum (Ground, Low) – Humiliate 

How could you humiliate me in front of everyone we know?

•  Ign (Fire) – Ignited

The trip to the museum ignited an interest in history in Marcus. 

• Itiner (Journey) – Itinerary 

Go to bed early, we have a packed itinerary tomorrow. 

• Ject (Throw) – Trajectory 

The scientists are monitoring the trajectory of the meteor. 

•  Juven (Young) – Rejuvenated 

I felt rejuvenated after spending my weekend at the spa. 

• Labor (Work) – Collaborate

Group projects teach you how to collaborate with others.

• Legal (Law) – Illegal

It’s illegal to drive under the influence. 

• Loc (Place) – Location 

The job is on-site at our London location . 

• Lun (Moon) – Lunar 

We couldn’t see the lunar eclipse due to the cloud cover. 

• Maj (Greater) – Majesty 

Please bow, for His Majesty , the King.

• Mal (Bad) – Dismal 

The weather is dismal .

• Mar (Sea) – Submarine 

You can see all kinds of fish on the submarine voyage. 

• Mir (Wonder) – Miraculous 

The fireworks display was miraculous .

• Narr (Tell) – Narrator

The protagonist was an unreliable narrator .

• Noc (Harm) – Innocent 

He was found innocent of all charges. 

• Noct (Night) – Nocturnal 

Bats are nocturnal .

•  Nov (New) – Innovative 

She came up with an innovative solution to our problem. 

• Omni (All) – Omnipresent

These days, social media is omnipresent .

• Opt (Choose) – Option 

Quitting is not an option .

• Pac (Peace) – Pacifist 

He’s a pacifist , he won’t fight back. 

• Par (Equal) – Compare

It’s not fair to compare siblings.

• Pisc (Fish) – Pisces 

His Zodiac sign is Aries, he was born too late in March to be a Pisces .

• Priv (Separated, Restricted) – Privacy 

Reading my diary is a huge invasion of privacy .

• Quad (Four) – Quadruple 

The new attraction has quadrupled visitors at the zoo. 

• Qui (Rest) – Quit 

There’s no shame in having to quit something if it makes you unhappy. 

• Quot (How many) – Quota

If you keep slacking off, you’ll miss your quota.

• Ras (Scrape, Scratch) – Rash

Scratching your rash will make it worse. 

• Resid (Left behind) – Residue 

The snail left a sticky residue on the plants. 

• Rid (Laugh at) – Ridicule 

After the blunder, the celebrity became an object of ridicule .

• Rod (Gnaw) – Corrode 

The ocean will eventually corrode the cliffs away. 

• Salv (Save) – Salvage

There was nothing we could salvage after the house fire. 

• San (Healthy) – Unsanitary 

The restaurant was closed down because of unsanitary conditions. 

• Sculp (Carve) – Sculpture 

The new sculpture at the museum is so life-like. 

• Tang (Touch) – Tangible 

There is no tangible evidence of foul play. 

•  Temp (Time) – Temporary 

She’s a student, she only has time for temporary work. 

• Test (Witness) – Testify  

The witness has been called to testify .

• Tot (All) – Total

Dinner cost $100 in total.

• Umbra (Shade) – Umbrella

Don’t forget to bring an umbrella , it’s going to rain today. 

• Urb (City) – Suburbs

I prefer living in the suburbs , it’s much quieter than the city center. 

• Vac (Empty) – Evacuate 

Take note of the emergency exits, in case we need to evacuate .

• Val (Worth) – Evaluate

There’s too little information to properly evaluate the situation. 

• Vap (Steam) – Evaporate 

The puddle will evaporate when the sun comes out. 

• Vit (Life) – Vitamin

Ensuring the correct vitamins are in your diet will help you stay healthy.

If you liked this post, you might also be interested in our list of random words . They work great if you want to spice up your prose.

Aisling is an Irish journalist and content creator with a BA in Journalism & New Media. She has bylines in OK! Magazine, Metro, The Inquistr, and the Irish Examiner. She loves to read horror and YA. Find Aisling on LinkedIn .

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Welcome to the Latin Dictionary, the largest and most complete online Latin dictionary with a conjugator and a declension tool included. A very valuable resource for students and specialists. The Latin dictionary is available for free: do not hesitate to let us know about your comments and impressions.

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Getting to the Root of Word Study: Teaching Latin and Greek Word Roots in Elementary and Middle Grades

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The purpose of this study was to determine whether the manner in which students acquire word components (eg, ex = out and sect = to cut) affects their ability to infer the meanings of the resulting word composites (eg, exsect = to cut out). College students were randomly assigned to ...

Nurdan KAVAKLI

Knowing the origin of a language helps us to determine the historical background of that language. As language itself is such a system of a society that is continuously evolving as that aforementioned society learns and technologically develops along with its roots or origins. Like many other languages, English is also a language that has roots or origins in many different languages. In this sense, the English language, rooted as Anglo-Saxon, is known to derive most of its words from the Latin and Greek languages by whose modern cultures, it is assumed to be affected most. In this study, this derivation of words and the intrinsic difficulties probable to occur for English as a Foreign Language learners (hereafter EFLs) with a special interest upon the case of pluralization are scrutinized. That is why it is enlightened by the author of this paper within the scope of the historical background, the etymology of the English language within a linguistic perspective. As a result, the most common and confusing plural forms of Greek-originated English words, and some curing methods are defined.

Ahmed Hayyan

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• Latin Roots, Suffixes and Prefixes

Did you know that the English language is made up of many words derived from other languages? In fact, over 60% of English words are derived from Latin, French, and Greek. This article will explore Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes. Not sure what they are? No worries, we will look at a definition of each of these terms, along with some examples and English words that use them.

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Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Definition

It's important to be aware of what roots, prefixes, and suffixes are, as they all help to determine the meaning of words. If you haven't heard of these terms before, here are some definitions and examples:

Roots Definition

A root (also known as a base) refers to the core form of a word. It has a distinct meaning and can make sense on its own.

An example of a root word is 'child.' This word makes sense on its own and has its own definition. Nothing has been added to it.

A root carries most of a word's meaning. Once you learn the root of a word, you will be able to construct new words. For example, take the verb ' slow .' This is a root word. You can add 'ly' to the end to turn it into the adverb 'slowly.' The ending 'ly' is known as a suffix.

Here's a definition of suffix:

Suffix Definition

A suffix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word to create a new meaning. Suffixes can be added to a root word for a variety of reasons, such as:

1. To change tense

Take the root word ' paint ' (e.g., I paint a picture). To change this to the past tense, you would add the ' ed ' suffix, which changes it to ' painted .'

It is important to be aware that the grammar rules in English are not always consistent, and words are not always 'regular.' This means that the suffixes and prefixes added to words will not always be the same or follow the exact same pattern. For example, if you wanted to turn the verb ' run ' into the past tense, you would not add an ' ed ' suffix, as ' runned ' does not make grammatical sense. Instead, you would say ' ran .'

2. To express plurality (more than one of something)

Take the singular root word ' cup .' If you want to make it plural, you would add the suffix ' s ' at the end, which changes it to ' cups .' This shows there is more than one cup.

The addition of ' s/es ' suffixes to create a plural does not always work... Take ' sheep ' as an example - the plural of ' sheep ' is still ' sheep .'

3. To change the word class

Take the root word 'agree' (verb). To change this to an adjective, you would add the suffix 'able,' which changes it to 'agreeable' (adjective).

When ' able ' is used, sometimes letters from the root words get dropped. For example, adding ' able ' to the root ' adore ' does not make it ' adoreable ' - instead, it's ' adorable .'

Prefix Definition

A prefix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a root word to create a new meaning. Prefixes can be used for a couple of reasons, including:

1. To negate a word (make the meaning negative)

Take the root word 'legal.' To make this negative, you would add the prefix 'il', changing it to 'illegal.'

Other prefixes used to create a negative meaning are:

in- (e.g., incorrect )

im- (e.g., impossible )

ir- (e.g., irresponsible )

un- (e.g., unimpressed )

dis- (e.g., disapprove )

2. To show repetition

Adding the ' re ' prefix to the root ' do ' creates the word ' redo ', which means to do something again/more than once.

Sometimes, prefixes can be hyphenated so as to not be misread or mispronounced. This is often the case if the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the root word are the same. For example, the word ' re-enter ' is often written with a hyphen - otherwise, it may be pronounced as 'reen-ter.'

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Example

Let's look at some examples of roots, suffixes, and prefixes derived from Latin. Did you know these words came from Latin?

Latin Roots Examples

Latin suffixes examples, latin prefixes examples.

Did you know the 'pre' in the word 'prefix' is a Latin prefix itself? It derives from the Latin ' prae ', which means ' before/prior to .'

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Words

Now that you know some Latin roots, suffixes and prefixes, let's take a look at some English words that use them!

We'll begin with the Latin root words and the English words that use these roots:

Latin Roots and English Words

Latin suffixes and english words, latin prefixes and english words, the influence of latin on english.

Why does English have so many Latin words? One important term to discuss is...

Loanwords are words that have been taken from one language and integrated into the vocabulary of another. This is often done when two countries/cultures come into close contact, usually due to migration, trade, and/or war between countries.

During the Roman Empire, Latin was the lingua franca in most of Europe - a lingua franca is a common language used between countries that have different native languages. This means it was widely spoken and other European countries were often exposed to Latin vocabulary. Many English words were either directly taken from Latin, or new words were created using Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes.

Below is a pie chart of the languages with the most influence on English. This shows the percentage of words in the English language that derive from each of these languages:

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Review

So, what do we now know about Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes?

Here are a few key points:

A root is the core form of a word. It makes sense on its own.

A suffix is added to the end of a root word. This can be done to change the tense, express plurality, or change the word class.

A prefix is added to the beginning of a root word. This can be done to negate a word or show repetition.

If you are familiar with Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes, you can use them to help determine the meanings of unfamiliar English words.

For example:

The word ' indescribable ' is made up of:

• root: describe
• suffix: able

From this, we can tell that:

• The root word 'describe' means to give a detailed description or account of something.
• But the prefix 'in' is used to negate the word - in this case meaning 'not able to be described.'
• The suffix 'able' means that the word is an adjective, so is used to modify a noun.

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes - Key Takeaways

• A root refers to the base form of a word.
• Examples of Latin root words include 'audire', 'mens' and 'lingua'
• A suffix is a letter/group of letters added to the end of a root word, whereas a prefix is a letter/group of letters added to the beginning of a root word.
• Examples of Latin suffixes include 'able,' 'ify,' and 'ment'
• Examples of Latin prefixes include 'co,' 'dis,' and 're'

Flashcards inLatin Roots, Suffixes and Prefixes 15

What is a root word?

the core form of a word

A root word is also known as what?

True or false?

Root words don't make sense on their own.

What is a suffix?

a letter/group of letters added to the end of a root word to create a new meaning

What is a prefix?

a letter/group of letters added to the beginning of a root word to create a new meaning

The word 'prefix' contains a prefix itself. What is it?

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Frequently Asked Questions about Latin Roots, Suffixes and Prefixes

What is suffix and prefix with example?

A suffix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word -e.g. the 'able' in 'comfortable'

A prefix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a root word - e.g. the 'dis' in 'disinfect.'

What are the 10 examples of prefix and suffix?

Here are some examples of prefixes and suffixes:

inter - e.g. international

dis - e.g. discomfort

sub - e.g. subway

pre - e.g. preview

ation - e.g. information

ity - e.g. equality

ify - e.g. intensify

ment - e.g. amazement

What is a root word example?

An example of a root word is the word 'take.' The word makes sense on its own and cannot be reduced.

What is a prefix and a root word give an example?

A prefix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a root word to create a new meaning. An example is the 're' in the word 'replay.'

A root word is the core form of a word. It makes sense on its own. An example is the word 'play.'

What is a suffix example?

An example of a suffix is the 'ible' in the word 'responsible.'

Test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards

True or false?Root words don't make sense on their own.

Fill in the blank:Over ___ of English words are derived from Latin.

True or false?Suffixes can be used to change the tense of a word.

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Root Words – Definition, Types & List With Examples

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Root words are like the secret ingredients in a recipe for language. Just a few basic ingredients can create a variety of dishes, these words are the building blocks that make up countless other words. By getting to know them, we unlock a world of new words and meanings, much like discovering new flavors in cooking. Understanding them is crucial for students to enhance their vocabulary and grasp language rules effectively.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Root words in a nutshell
• 2 Definition: Root words
• 3 Examples of root words
• 4 Types of root words
• 5 Base words vs. root words
• 7 Benefits of learning root words

Root words in a nutshell

Root words are the simplest, most basic form of words in a language, serving as the foundation from which other words are built by adding affixes . They encapsulate the essential meaning of a word and are key to understanding and expanding your vocabulary.

Definition: Root words

Root words are the basic, core units of meaning in a language from which other words are formed, derived from Latin, Greek, and other languages. Roots are the base part of words from which other words grow, usually through the addition of prefixes (beginnings) and suffixes (endings). They carry the core meaning of the word and cannot be broken down any further. Additionally, they function as a type of morpheme (small part of a word) with a distinct meaning.

For example, in the word “unhappy,” “ happy ” is the root, which means a state of joy or contentment, and “un” is a prefix added to indicate the opposite. Roots can be standalone words or not stand on their own. Understanding these words can help you decipher unfamiliar words, with the same roots, also called word families, and enhance one’s grasp of the language.

Examples of root words

These examples of root words show the basis for many words in the English language, illustrating how understanding them can significantly expand your vocabulary and make sense of unfamiliar words.

Types of root words

Root words are primarily categorized based on their origin, with the most common types being those derived from Latin and Greek languages. These diverse roots highlight the complexity and richness of the language, demonstrating how it has evolved over centuries to incorporate and adapt words from across the globe. Here’s a closer look at these types:

Latin root words

Many English words derive from Latin, the language of Ancient Rome. Latin roots form the basis for numerous words, especially in academic, legal, and scientific terminology.

Example: “Scrib/Scrip”

The Latin root “scrib” means “write,” leading English words like “de scrib e,” or “manu scrip t.”

Common Latin roots

Common roots derived from Latin include the following:

To help you dive deeper into the world of Latin roots and see how they shape the English language, we’ve put together a handy list for you to download. This list shows Latin roots, their meanings, and sample words that are derived from them.

Greek root words

Greek roots have significantly influenced the English language, especially in the fields of science, medicine, philosophy, and arts. These roots words form the foundation of a multitude of English words, offering insights into their definitions .

Example: “Graph-”

The Greek root word “ graph -“ which means “write” or “drawing,” leading English words like “auto graph ,” or “ graph ite.”

Common Greek roots

Some common Greek roots are illustrated below:

Similar to the Latin root download list we offered earlier, we’ve also prepared a comprehensive guide focusing on Greek roots. This list shows common Greek roots with their meaning, along with derived words.

Hybrid roots

Some of these words are formed from a combination of roots from different languages, often Latin and Greek. These hybrid words are particularly common in scientific and technical vocabularies.

Example: “Television”

• Tele-: This prefix comes from the Greek and means “far.” It is commonly used in English to denote distance or operating over a distance, as seen in words like “ tele phone” (sound from far away).
• -vision: This part of the word comes from the Latin “visio,” meaning “sight.” It is derived from “videre,” the Latin verb “to see.” This root is found in many English words related to seeing, such as “ vis ual,” or “ vis it.”

Anglo Saxon roots

English, with its rich linguistic history, includes many words that are derived directly from Old English roots, forming the backbone of the everyday language. These root words are foundational and often denote basic concepts, objects, or actions.

Example: “Friend” 

A friend is a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of family relations. Other words derived from this root are “ friend ship,” or “ friend ly.”

Slavic roots

Though less common, Slavic roots have entered English through direct borrowing or via other European languages. These roots are often found in words related to specific cultural concepts, foods, or political terms.

Example: “Robota”

“Robot” comes from the Czech and Polish word “robota,” meaning forced labor, introduced into English through a play in the early 20th century. A derived word is, i.e., “ robot .”

Semitic roots

English has absorbed some Semitic roots, particularly from Hebrew and Arabic, through religious, scientific, and mathematical contexts.

Example: “Al-kuhl”

An example is “ alcohol ,” which comes from the Arabic “ al-kuhl ,” referring to a finely provided, and by extension, the essence or spirit of something.

Root words that can standalone

Root words that can stand alone as independent words are also known as free morphemes . These are complete words with distinct meanings, and can also serve as the base for creating more complex words through the addition of prefixes and suffixes.

Base words vs. root words

Root words and base words are oftentimes used interchangeably, even though they are not exactly the same. They function as the fundamental units of a word, to which prefixes and suffixes can be added to create new words. Root words stand on their own with clear meaning and are often used as the starting point for word information in English. Unlike root words, which may not always stand alone as coherent words in modern usage, base words are always standalone words with complete meanings.

Base word : “ play ”

With suffix : “ play ful”

With prefix : “re play ”

Here are some further examples of base words:

Affixes are elements added to the base of a word to modify its meaning or create a new word. They play a crucial role in the morphology of a language, which is the study of the form and structure of words. Affixes can be categorized into prefixes, suffixes, and infixes.

A prefix is a type of affix which is placed before the base form of a word to modify its meaning or create a new word. Prefixes can alter the meaning of the root word in various ways, such as by negating it, indicating repetition, or describing a relationship. Unlike suffixes, which can change the part of speech of a word, prefixes typically do not alter the word class but modify the word’s semantic meaning.

• Re- (again)
• Dis- (not, opposite of)
• Pre- (before)
• Mis- (wrongly)
• Over- (too much)

Common Latin prefixes

Latin prefixes are widespread in English and contribute to the richness of the language. Below, you’ll encounter some common Latin prefixes:

Common Greek prefixes

Greek prefixes, like their Latin counterparts, play a significant role in English, particularly in medical, technical, and scientific technology. Below, you will find some examples.

Another type of affix, the suffix, is a letter or a group of letters added to the end of a word to alter its meaning or form a new word. It oftentimes alters its grammatical function, such as changing a verb to a noun, a noun to an adjective , and so on. Further, they can indicate tense, part of speech , and plurality.

• Noun suffixes: -tion, -ment
•  Adjective suffixes: -able, -ful
•  Verb suffixes: -ize, -ate
•  Adverb suffixes: -ly

Common Latin suffixes

In the table below, we have put together some common Latin suffixes for you, since they play a crucial role in academic writing .

Common Greek suffixes

Greek suffixes, much like Latin ones, have had a profound impact on the English language, especially in the realms of science, astrology, or medicine.

An infix is inserted into the middle of a word and are relatively rare in English but are found in other languages with specific grammatical or phonological functions. This is not a part of formal English grammar but rather an example of informal, expressive language.

“abso- bloody -lutely”

Benefits of learning root words

Learning root words is not just about expanding vocabulary; it’s a tool for unlocking the richness of language, enhancing cognitive skills, and opening doors to greater academic, professional, and personal growth. These words could elevate the expression and composition of your thesis , academic paper, or dissertation .

Vocabulary expansion

Root words serve as the foundation for several other words and by understanding them, you can unlock the meaning of numerous derivatives. This knowledge increases your vocabulary without the need to memorize each word individually and helps to prevent repetition and redundancy  in your writing.

Critical thinking

Analyzing words to identify their roots actively encourages critical thinking and sharpens analytical skills. It transforms passive reading and listening into active linguistic investigation, fostering a more profound engagement with language.

Spelling & pronunciation

Learning the origin of words is crucial when it comes to spelling and pronunciation , particularly those that are complex or less familiar. Understanding the components of a word provides clues to its correct pronunciation and helps to avoid spelling mistakes .

What is the difference between a traditional and a modern root?

Traditional roots come from ancient languages like Latin and Greek, while modern roots are based on newer words and concepts.

What are examples of root words?

• Aqua – (Latin for “water”): Aqua rium, aqua plane
• Bio – (Greek for “life”): Bio logy, bio degradable
• Chron – (Greek for “time”): Chron ological, syn chron ize

Do all words have a root?

No, not all words possess a root. Many words are basic or original forms that do not derive from a root. This includes simple nouns , verbs , adjectives , and adverbs , that cannot be broken down any further into smaller meaningful units.

What are common Latin roots?

Common Latin roots include:

• Aqua- ( Auqa rium)
• Dict- (Pre dict )
• Vis- ( Vis ion)
• Port- (Re port )
• Scrib- (De scrib e)

What are common Greek roots?

Common Greek roots include the following:

• Anthropo- ( Anthropo logy)
• Bio- ( Bio logy)
• Geo- ( Geo logy)
• Phon- (Tele phon e)
• Photo- ( Photo graphy)

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Root Words – Definition and List of Root Words with Meanings

Have you ever encountered a new word and struggled to decipher its meaning? Well, understanding root words can be your secret weapon for unlocking the mysteries of vocabulary !

What are Root Words?

Root words are the fundamental building blocks of many English words . They carry the core meaning, and prefixes and suffixes (affixes) are often attached to them to create new words . Imagine them as the foundation upon which a whole family of words is built.

Why are Root Words Important?

Knowing root words offers a plethora of benefits:

• Vocabulary Expansion: By understanding the meaning of a root word, you can guess the meaning of unfamiliar words that share the same root.
• Stronger Reading Comprehension: Root words can help you connect seemingly unrelated words within a text, leading to a deeper understanding of the passage.
• Improved Spelling: Recognizing root words can solidify your grasp of spelling patterns, making you a more confident writer.

Root Words Examples ( Root Words List )

Here’s a list of 100+ root words, each with its meaning and examples of words derived from them.

aqua (water) – aquarium, aquatic, aquifer

astro (star) – astronaut, astronomy, astrophysics

bio (life) – biology, biography, biosphere

chron (time) – chronological, chronicle, synchronize

cred (believe) – incredible, credible, credit

dict (say) – dictionary, predict, contradict

duc/duct (lead) – conduct, induce, ductile

fer (carry) – transfer, ferry, refer

form (shape) – transform, reform, uniform

geo (earth) – geography, geology, geocentric

graph (write) – graphic, autograph, biography

hydr (water) – hydrate, hydraulic, dehydrate

ject (throw) – eject, inject, projection

log/logue (word) – dialogue, monologue, logic

manu (hand) – manual, manuscript, manufacture

meter/metr (measure) – thermometer, diameter, metric

mit/mis (send) – transmit, missile, emit

morph (shape) – metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology

narr (tell) – narrate, narrative, narrator

path (feeling) – empathy, sympathy, pathology

phon (sound) – telephone, phonograph, symphony

photo (light) – photograph, photosynthesis, photogenic

port (carry) – transport, portable, import

rupt (break) – rupture, interrupt, erupt

scribe/script (write) – describe, manuscript, inscribe

sect (cut) – section, dissect, intersection

spect (see) – inspect, spectacle, spectator

struct (build) – construct, structure, instruction

tele (far) – telephone, telescope, television

terr (earth) – terrain, territory, terrestrial

therm (heat) – thermometer, thermal, thermos

tract (drag, pull) – tractor, attract, subtract

vac (empty) – vacuum, vacant, evacuate

vid/vis (see) – video, vision, visible

volv/volut (roll) – revolve, revolution, evolution

biblio (book) – bibliography, bibliophile, bible

cardi (heart) – cardiac, cardiologist, cardiogram

carn (flesh) – carnivorous, incarnate, carnal

cede/ceed (go) – proceed, recede, exceed

cide (kill) – homicide, suicide, pesticide

clam/claim (shout) – exclaim, proclaim, clamor

clud/clus (close) – include, exclude, conclude

cosm (world, universe) – cosmic, cosmopolitan, microcosm

crat/cracy (rule) – democrat, aristocracy, bureaucracy

dem (people) – democracy, epidemic, demography

derm (skin) – dermatologist, epidermis, hypodermic

dom (home) – domestic, domain, domicile

dorm (sleep) – dormitory, dormant, dormancy

dyna (power) – dynamic, dynamite, dynasty

ego (self) – ego, egocentric, egotistical

fac (make, do) – factory, manufacture, benefactor

fin (end) – final, infinite, finish

flect/flex (bend) – reflect, flexible, deflect

fract/frag (break) – fracture, fragment, fragile

gen (birth, race) – generation, genetic, genesis

grat (pleasing) – grateful, gratitude, congratulate

grav (heavy) – gravity, grave, aggravate

hemi (half) – hemisphere, hemicycle, hemiplegia

homo (same) – homogeneous, homonym, homogenize

hypo (under) – hypodermic, hypothermia, hypothesis

iso (equal) – isosceles, isobar, isothermal

jur/jus (law) – jury, justice, jurisprudence

lab (work) – laboratory, elaborate, collaborate

liber (free) – liberty, liberate, liberal

lith (stone) – monolith, lithograph, megalith

luc/lum (light) – lucid, illuminate, translucent

magn (great) – magnify, magnificent, magnitude

mal (bad) – malicious, malevolent, malfunction

mar (sea) – marine, submarine, mariner

medi (middle) – medium, median, medieval

mega (large) – megaphone, megabyte, megastar

micro (small) – microscope, microbe, microcosm

min (small, less) – minimum, minor, minuscule

mono (one) – monopoly, monologue, monogamy

multi (many) – multiple, multimedia, multiply

neo (new) – neoclassical, neonate, neonatal

ocul (eye) – ocular, oculist, binocular

onym (name) – synonym, antonym, pseudonym

ortho (straight) – orthodontist, orthodox, orthopedic

pan (all) – panoramic, pandemic, pantheon

pater/patr (father) – paternal, patriot, patron

pend (hang) – pendulum, suspend, append

phil (love) – philosophy, philanthropy, bibliophile

phys (nature) – physical, physician, physics

psych (mind) – psychology, psychic, psychoanalysis

rupt (break) – disrupt, bankrupt, abrupt

san (health) – sanitary, sanity, sanitize

sci (know) – science, conscious, omniscient

soph (wisdom) – philosopher, sophisticated, sophomore

spir (breathe) – inspire, respiration, spirit

stell (star) – stellar, constellation, interstellar

tact/tang (touch) – contact, tangible, tactile

tempor (time) – temporary, contemporary, temporal

ten (hold) – tenacious, tenant, detention

urb (city) – urban, suburb, urbane

This is just a glimpse into the vast world of root words. By familiarizing yourself with more roots and their meanings, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a vocabulary whiz!

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Something that is nasc ent is just starting to develop and is expected to become stronger and bigger in time.

Renaissance

a period of history when the art of the classical period was reborn

the event of being born

the period of European history at the close of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world

rising again as to new life and vigor

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born, produced

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Ross Douthat

Harrison butker’s very american traditionalism.

By Ross Douthat

Opinion Columnist

Across almost two weeks of controversy over the commencement speech that Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gave at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan., one of the most useful pieces of commentary came from Kevin Tierney, writing in Catholic World Report. Tierney neither defended nor attacked Butker’s sweeping condemnation of modern secular culture and lukewarm forms of Catholic faith. Instead he identified the kicker’s worldview as part of a distinctive tendency that Tierney calls “DIY traditionalism” — a form of Catholic piety that offers a “radical emphasis on personal accountability, is inherently populist, and has little direct connection to Church authorities.”

A little context: Butker is a Latin Mass Catholic as well as Travis Kelce’s teammate. Benedictine College is a conservative Catholic college that featured prominently in a recent Associated Press report on the rightward turn in American Catholic piety and practice. The most controversial portion of the kicker’s graduation speech, the part that zipped from social media to “The View,” urged the college’s female graduates to ignore the “diabolical lies” that emphasize “promotions and titles” over “your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

But the speech did more than just champion “one of the most important titles of all: homemaker” while denouncing “degenerate cultural values” in society at large. Butker also delivered a sweeping condemnation of the church’s bishops, whom he cast as weak-kneed bureaucrats and denounced especially for suspending Masses and disappearing from the lives of the faithful during the pandemic. He criticized priests for being “overly familiar” with their parishioners — “because as my teammate’s girlfriend says, familiarity breeds contempt.”

He appeared to throw some shade, not just on the use of artificial contraception, but on the use of Natural Family Planning, the church’s approved method of fertility regulation. (“No matter how you spin it, there is nothing natural about Catholic birth control.”) He urged Catholics to prioritize the traditional Latin Mass over other aspects of Catholic life — “even if the parish isn’t beautiful, the priest isn’t great, or the community isn’t amazing.” And he argued that while ordinary Catholics shouldn’t all be amateur theologians, they also shouldn’t hesitate to go in search of teachings they aren’t getting from the current hierarchy: “We have so many great resources at our fingertips that it doesn’t take long to find traditional and timeless teachings that haven’t been ambiguously reworded for our times.”

Just a couple of weeks ago, writing about the future of the Catholic Church and that Associated Press story, I mentioned a journalistic tendency to collapse different kinds of right-leaning Catholicism together, instead of recognizing the ways in which a conservative American Catholic who prays the rosary, votes pro-life and admires Pope John Paul II differs from the typical adherent of the traditional Latin Mass.

When discerning national trends, that collapse of categories is somewhat forgivable; I do it myself in imagining a broad “neo-traditionalism” in American religion. But Butker’s speech is a good example of what the difference looks like and why it matters.

When you think about conservative Catholics, even in the present age of disillusionment, you are thinking about a category of believers that’s comfortable with hierarchy and authority, that wants to trust its priests and bishops, that may have doubts about the current pope but still probably views him favorably (as nearly two-thirds of Republican-voting American Catholics do), that maybe parish-shops a bit but does so within the local options, that gives generously to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal.

You’re thinking about a population that embraces old-school Catholic devotions like eucharistic adoration but in a way that’s largely integrated into post-Second Vatican Council liturgical life, with the Mass in English and just a few Latin flourishes here and there. And you’re thinking about a population that includes a lot of full-time mothers and home-schoolers, but also takes for granted the work-and-family juggle — with a figure like Amy Coney Barrett as much a model as any stay-at-home mom.

Traditionalism, by contrast, starts from a basic, primal form of alienation: A belief that in the 1960s the institutional church suppressed the “essential” form (Butker’s word) of the church’s liturgy, the form that represents how God himself wishes to be worshiped. This creates a relationship of mistrust that doesn’t exist for the conservative. After such knowledge, what forgiveness? How can you ever trust the pope or bishops fully if they made that kind of error?

As Tierney writes in his essay, the alienation from the institution also yields a practical difference in how this kind of Catholic culture works. Traditional Latin Mass adherents often cannot operate through the usual channels of Catholic life. They can’t just show up at a parish, participate in its programs, work with but also defer to the vision of its priest. Instead, the traditionalist laity often have to create a subculture that operates much more independently. Here’s Tierney’s description of a version of that process:

A TLM community takes root within a diocese, and it wants to spread the news about the TLM. Rather than just promote their own community, one individual takes a trip to a neighborhood parish and asks the priest if a single TLM could be celebrated there, as an act of solicitude for the flock. That priest does not even need to say the TLM, but it would be nice if they came to the social afterward. If the priest agrees, that individual then calls up a few local priests he knows who can come say the Mass. If someone needs to learn how, that individual is put in touch with lay associations/groups that train priests in saying the TLM. They then either provide the priest YouTube videos or do a private training session, many times absorbing the costs themselves. To advertise that Mass, a few key individuals in the location are contacted, and they send out an email or post on social media. They spread the word in their own communities. In addition to individuals in the area attending, those communities send “delegations” from their community to be present in order to answer questions and show people what they have found to work best at their community. Maybe, by this point, the parish priest has advertised it in his parish bulletin, yet that bulletin is likely not to be read widely, and most of the people in that community who are attending aren’t from that parish. Once that Mass takes place, this cycle is set up for another parish, and people who want to help out are identified, and the cycle begins anew.

Two points are worth making about this description. First, this kind of church-within-a church dynamic is exactly the justification offered by church authorities for their attempts to suppress or limit access to the traditional liturgy (attempts that include restrictions on advertising in parish bulletins!). The fear is that the traditional Mass creates a sect of believers that operates without normal ecclesiastical supervision, which then recruits from among the much larger population of conservative Catholics — through, say, a traditionalist commencement speech at a conservative college — and draws them into its alienated ranks.

Even Tierney, broadly sympathetic to the traditionalists, describes their movement as “dynamic but also chaotic,” with the potential to “go off the rails without a lot of corrective mechanisms in place.” If you don’t sympathize at all with the desire to maintain the old liturgy, if you regard traditionalism as entirely retrograde, you’ll see it the way many of Pope Francis’s allies do: as a dangerously divisive force within the church.

But then here is the second point, and the great irony: The kind of lay-led organizing described above, in which ordinary Catholics get together and create culture and community without priestly leadership or hierarchical direction, is exactly what Vatican II was supposed to usher in. And if you just gave a general description of the TLM movement it could easily code as “progressive” — with the assumption being that if a bunch of lay Catholics are getting together to do something that cuts across the lines of parishes and dioceses and that the hierarchy regards with disapproval, they must be seeking a more liberalized and modern church.

In reality, traditionalism itself has turned out to be one of the most successful movements of the entire post-Vatican II era, using one manifestation of the spirit of the age (disputatious, populist, anti-authority) to organize against a different manifestation (the renovation of the liturgy). It’s thrived with the advance of the internet, which has made community-building easier and enabled immediate documentary access to the pre-1960s Catholic patrimony traditionalists are eager to restore. And it’s proven to be a very American movement — coming to you in this case from the place where the heartland meets the celebrity culture of the N.F.L. (Nor is it a coincidence that the other center of traditionalism is France , another revolutionary nation where the national Catholic Church has always had a complex relationship with Rome.)

I think you can see in Butker’s judgmental zeal the obvious ways in which traditionalism can be self-limiting. But the idea that it simply represents a kind of atavism, a medieval relic unaccountably preserved, misunderstands the nature of its strength. No less than any progressive form of Catholicism, Butker and his movement are the fruits of a weakened hierarchy, a disillusioned-but-empowered laity and a democratic age.

As a postscript, this will be my last newsletter for at least several weeks because I will be taking paternity leave. Since I don’t know what I’ll be thinking about on the other side, here are a couple of quick book recommendations. If you’re interested in debates about women’s roles within Catholicism, my old friend Bronwen McShea has a book on Catholic women in history that’s well worth your time and which offers a somewhat wider lens on female religious possibilities than either Butker or his critics. (The introduction is written by the woman responsible for my own existence, I should note.) If you’re planning a radical summer vacation, some friends of friends have a new book out that treats world travel as a guide to human greatness . And if you just need something to read over Memorial Day weekend, I found a rare exception to my perpetual struggle to engage with contemporary fiction in Michael Crummey’s Newfoundland novel “ The Adversary .” Maybe I’ll write about it at some point; until then, I’ll just recommend it, and wish all my readers a lovely last few weeks of spring.

Samuel Hughes on how theory killed beauty .

Scott Alexander on the return of the demonic .

Burkhard Bilger interviews George Miller.

Janan Ganesh on the lessons of American growth .

Is American Christianity no longer in decline ?

Do psychedelics treat depression or atheism ?

Ross Douthat has been an Opinion columnist for The Times since 2009. He is the author, most recently, of “The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery.” @ DouthatNYT • Facebook