More advanced roots unlock many academic words. Voc means voice or call (vocal, advocate), cred means believe (credible, incredible), rupt means break (erupt, interrupt), poly means many (polygon), and mono means one (monologue).
Combine these with prefixes you know: in- (not) + cred (believe) + -ible (able to be) = incredible, unable to be believed.
Roots can also help with spelling: interrupt has two r's because it is inter + rupt.
When you meet a new word in science or history, look for a root you already know before reaching for a dictionary.
Worked example
Use roots to explain “disrupt”.
- Dis- can mean apart.
- Rupt means break.
Answer:to break apart or interrupt something
Key words
- root
- the core of a word
- prefix
- letters at the start of a word
- academic word
- a word used in formal subjects
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.8.4b