Greek and Latin Roots — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. If "terr" means "earth" or "land," what does the word "terrain" most likely describe?
A) A type of water animal
B) An area of land or ground
C) A loud sound
D) A way of writing
Since "terr" means earth or land, terrain describes an area of land or ground. You can also see this root in words like territory (an area of land) and terrace (a flat area of earth).
2. The word "magnificent" contains "magn" (great) and means something that is:
A) Very small and quiet
B) Broken into pieces
C) Impressively great or beautiful
D) Hard to carry
The root "magn" means great or large, so magnificent describes something impressively great or beautiful. A magnificent sunset or building is one that fills you with awe because of its greatness.
3. Which word contains a root meaning "shape"?
A) Rupture
B) Uniform
C) Audible
D) Extract
"Uniform" contains the root "form" meaning shape. "Uni-" means one, so a uniform gives everyone the same shape or appearance, creating one shared look.
4. A student sees the word "minimize" for the first time. If "min" means "small," it most likely means:
A) To make something as large as possible
B) To throw something far away
C) To make something as small as possible
D) To break something in half
The root "min" means small, so minimize means to make something as small as possible. You can also see this root in words like miniature (a very small copy) and minimum (the smallest amount).
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The root "terr" means earth, so a territory is an area of land that belongs to someone.
"Territory" contains the root "terr" meaning earth or land. A territory is an area of land that a person, group, or animal claims and controls as their own.
2. The root "magn" means great, so to magnify means to make something look bigger .
"Magnify" comes from "magn" meaning great or large. A magnifying glass makes objects appear bigger by enlarging the image you see through the lens.
3. A uniform gives everyone the same look or appearance, because "form" means shape.
"Uniform" combines "uni-" (one) with "form" (shape). When everyone wears a uniform, they all share the same look or appearance, creating one unified shape.
4. The root "min" means small, so a miniature is a very small version of something.
"Miniature" comes from the root "min" meaning small. A miniature is a tiny version of something larger, like a miniature train set or a miniature golf course.
5. When you know Greek and Latin roots, you can figure out the meaning of many English words.
Knowing Greek and Latin roots gives you a powerful tool for figuring out unfamiliar words. Since thousands of English words are built from these roots, recognizing them helps you unlock the meaning of words you have never seen before.