Membean Rootcasts

The Latin root word *man* means "hand." This root word is the word origin of a number of English vocabulary words, including [*manu*]script, [*manu*]facture, and [*mani*]cure. An easy way to remember that *man* means "hand" is through the word [*manu*]al, an adjective which describes a task done by "hand."

The English prefixes *bi-*, derived from Latin, and its Greek variant *di-* both mean "two." The Latin prefix is far more prevalent in common words, such as [*bi*]lingual, [*bi*]ceps, and [*bi*]ped; the more technical Greek *di-* appears in such words as [*di*]phthong and [*di*]lemma. You can remember *bi-* easily by thinking of [*bi*]cycle, which has "two" wheels, and *di-* by remembering that the "dioxide" of carbon [*di*]oxide means that there are "two" oxygen atoms in the molecule CO2.

The Greek root word *phon* means "sound." This word root is the word origin of a number of English vocabulary words, including micro[*phon*]e, [*phon*]e, and [*sax*]ophone. An easy way to remember that *phon* means "sound" is through the word sym[*phon*]y, which is many instruments making a "sound" together.

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The origin of the prefix *anti-* and its variant *ant-* is an ancient Greek word which meant "against" or "opposite." These prefixes appear in numerous English vocabulary words, such as [*anti*]freeze, [*anti*]dote, [*ant*]onym, and [*ant*]acid. An easy way to remember that the prefix *anti-* means "opposite" or "against" is through the word [*anti*]social, for an [*anti*]social person is the "opposite" of being social, or is "against" being so in her everyday conduct.

The Latin root word *her* and its variant *hes* both mean "stick." These roots are the word origin of various English vocabulary words, including ad[*her*]e and ad[*hes*]ive. When glue ad[*her*]es to paper, it "sticks" to it, for glue is an ad[*hes*]ive which causes things to "stick" together.

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The origin of the prefix *micro-* is an ancient Greek word which meant "small." This prefix appears in no "small" number of English vocabulary words; [*micro*]phone, [*micro*]wave, and [*micro*]manager are a few noteworthy examples. An easy way to remember that the prefix *micro-* means "small" is through the word [*micro*]scope, an instrument which allows the viewer to see "small" living things.

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The origin of the prefix *mega-* is an ancient Greek word which meant "large." This prefix appears in a somewhat "large" number of "large" English vocabulary words, such as [*mega*]phone, [*mega*]hit, and [*mega*]byte. An easy way to remember that the prefix *mega-* means "large" is through the word [*mega*]store, which is simply a store that is very "large" in floor area.

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The origin of the prefix *poly-* is from an ancient Greek word which meant "many." This prefix appears in, well, "many" English vocabulary words, such as [*poly*]syllabic, [*poly*]hedron, and [*Poly*]nesia. An easy way to remember that the prefix *poly-* means "many" is through the word [*poly*]gon, which is a geometric figure, such as a square or pentagon, that has "many" angles.

The Greek root word *path* can mean either "feeling" or "disease." This word root is the word origin of a number of English vocabulary words, including sym[*path*]y, a[*path*]y, [*path*]ological, and socio[*path*]. An easy way to remember these different meanings is that a sym[*path*]etic person "feels" pain with another, whereas a psycho[*path* does twisted things because he has a "diseased" mind.

The prefix *mono-* and its variant *mon-*, which both mean "one," are important prefixes in the English language. For instance, the prefix *mono-* gave rise to the words [*mono*]logue and [*mono*]tonous, whereas we find its variant *mon-* in words such as [*mon*]archy and [*mon*]k. A [*mon*]archy, for instance, is rule by "one," whereas a [*mono*]syllabic word only has "one" syllable.