Just like a ferry carries people across the water, so too does the Latin word root *fer* mean to 'carry.' Many dif[*fer*]ent words come from *fer*, including pre[*fer*], re[*fer*], and con[*fer*]ence. Perhaps the easiest way to help remember this root word is when you trans[*fer*] money, or 'carry' across funds from one bank account to another.