Page 175 - DENG103_English - I

English–I

Notes City of Brotherly Love and that a philodendron loves shady spots). What, then, is philanthropy?
“Phil” is still love, and “anthropy” comes from the same Greek root that gives us anthropology,
which is the study (“logy,” we know, means study of any kind) of arthropods, humankind.
So a philanthropist must be someone who loves humans and does something about it—like
giving money to find a cure for cancer or to build a Writing Center for the local community
college. (And an anthropoid, while we’re at it, is an animal who walks like a human being.)
Learning the roots of our language can even be fun!
Some common Greek and Latin roots:

Root (source) Meaning English words
aster, astr (G) star astronomy, astrology
audi (L) to hear audible, auditorium
bene (L) good, well benefit, benevolent
bio (G) life biology, autobiography
dic, dict (L) to speak dictionary, dictator
fer (L) to carry transfer, referral
fix (L) to fasten fix, suffix, affix
eo (G) earth geography, geology
graph (G) to write graphic, photography
jur, just (L) law jury, justice
log, logue (G) word, thought, monolog(ue), astrology, biology,
speech neologism
luc (L) light lucid, translucent
manu (L) hand manual, manuscript
meter, metr (G) measure metric, thermometer
op, oper (L) work operation, operator
path (G) feeling pathetic, sympathy, empathy
ped (G) child paediatrics, paedophile
phil (G) love philosophy, Anglophile
phys (G) body, nature physical, physics
scrib, script (L) to write scribble, manuscript
tele (G) far off telephone, television
ter, terr (L) earth territory, extraterrestrial
vac (L) empty vacant, vacuum, evacuate
verb (L) word verbal, verbose
vid, vis (L) to see video, vision, television
Here’s a list of common prefixes with their meanings and some examples.

anti (= against)
antibodies, anti-social

auto (= self)
autonomous, autobiography, automobile

168 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY