IXL | Use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words

Biology is the study of living things. The root bio means life. What does the root logy mean?

earth or rock

the study of something

light

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Learn with an example

question

The root geo means earth or rock. What does the word geography mean?

the branch of science concerned with the physical properties of waves of light

the branch of science concerned with the locations and natural features of places on Earth

the branch of science concerned with animals, plants, and other living organisms

key idea

A root is a part of a word that has a certain meaning. Words that share the same root often have similar meanings that are related to the meaning of the root. For example:

The root phon means sound.

A xylophone is a musical instrument with wooden bars that are hit by small hammers.

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings.

A telephone is a machine that can carry the sound of someone's voice over a long distance.

All of these meanings relate to the concept of sound.

You can use your knowledge of roots to figure out the meaning of words you haven't seen before. For example:

The root cyclo means circle or wheel.

The root meter means measure.

A cyclometer is a device that measures how many times a wheel turns.

solution

The word geography contains the root geo, which means earth or rock.

So, the word geography means the branch of science concerned with the locations and natural features of places on Earth.

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