0One prominent trait that I have noticed in almost all students who are appearing for a competitive exam like CAT, CET, GMAT is the fear of fancy words i.e. Vocabulary.
MYTH: I need to memorise the meanings of as many words as possible.
TRUTH: Get to the ROOT!
The English Language, like most things, is not original. It has evolved over millions of years from the languages of all the tribes that settled in England and all the nations that England colonised. Thus, most English words can be grouped into families with one parent root. The word root usually lies in Greek or Latin. Knowing the meaning of the word root helps you guess the meanings of hundreds of thousands of English words. Cool, ain't it?
Come on, let me illustrate with a bunch of examples:
Latin Root Word: Cide
Meaning in Latin: cut/kill
Words in English and their meanings: 1) Homicide - murder ; 2) pesticide - chemical used to kill pests
Okay, let's make it a little tougher.
Latin Root Word: loqu
Meaning in Latin: speak
Words in English and their meanings: 1) Eloquent - speaking beautifully and forcefully ; 2) loquacious - very talkative ; elocution - art of public speaking
Alright, now check this English word out:
ORTHODONTIST
Let's break it up - ORTHO - DONT - IST
| Greek Root Word: ortho Meaning in Greek: straight
| Greek Root Word: dont Meaning in Greek: teeth | Greek Root Word: ist Meaning in Greek: person who does a specified action |
Thus, an orthodontist is a doctor who straightens teeth.
Unleash the magic of WORD ROOTS to nail any English Exam!!
