| Root | Meaning in English | Origin language | Etymology (root origin) | English examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tac-, -tic- | be silent | Latin | tacere , tacitus | reticent, reticence, tacit, taciturn |
| tach- | swift | Greek | ταχύς (takhús), τάχος (tákhos) | tachometer, tachycardia, tachyrhythmia, tachytelic |
| taeni- | ribbon | Greek | τείνειν (teínein), ταινία (tainía), ταινίδιον (tainídion) | diplotene, leptotene, pachytene, taenia, taenidia, taenidium, taeniodont, Taeniolabis, zygotene |
| tag-, tax- (ΤΑΓ) [1] | arrange, order | Greek | τάσσειν (tássein), τακτός (taktós), τακτικός (taktikós), τάξις (táxis), τάγμα (tágma) | ataxia, chemotaxis, epitaxis, eutaxy, hypotaxis, magnetotaxis, metasyntactic, parataxis, phonotactic, phonotactics, phototaxis, rheotaxis, syntactic, syntagma, syntagmatic, syntax, tactic, tagma, taxis, taxonomy, thermotaxis |
| tal- | ankle | Latin | talus | talus |
| tang-, -ting-, tact-, tag- | touch | Latin | tangere (past participle tactus ) | attain, contact, contagious, contingent, contingency, contiguous, intact, tactile, tangent, tangible |
| tapet- | carpet | Latin | tapete , tapetis | tapestry, tapetum, tapis |
| tarac- (ΤΑΡΑΧ) [2] | stir | Greek | ταράσσειν (tarássein), ταρακτός, ταρακτικός, τάραγμα, θράσσω | ataractic, ataraxia |
| tard- | slow | Latin | tardus | retard, tardigrade, tardy |
| tars- | ankle | Greek | ταρσός (tarsós, "a flat basket") | metatarsus, tarsal, tarsoclasis, tarsometatarsus, tarsus |
| taur- | bull | Greek | ταῦρος (taûros) | Minotaur, taurobolium, taurocholic, tauromachy |
| taur- | bull | Latin | taurus | Taurus |
| tec- (ΤΑΚ) [3] | melt | Greek | τήκειν | eutectic, eutectoid |
| tec-, toc- (ΤΕΚ) [4] | childbirth | Greek | τίκτειν , τόκος (tókos) | ditokous, dystocia, embiotocid, monotocous, teknonymous, teknonymy, tokophobia |
| techn- (ΤΕΚ) [5] | art, skill | Greek | τίκτειν (tíktein), τέχνη (tékhnē), τέκτων, τέκτονος (téktōn, téktonos), τεκτονικός (tektonikós) | architect, polytechnic, techne, technique, technocracy, technocrat, technogaianism, technology, technophilia, technophobia, tectonic |
| tecn-(ΤΕΚ) [6] | child | Greek | τίκτω, τέκνον, τέκνου (téknon, téknou) | teknonymous, teknonymy |
| teg-, tect- | cover | Latin | tegere , tectus | contection, detect, detectable, detection, detective, detector, integument, integumentary, obtect, pretectal, pretectum, protect, protection, protective, protector, protectorate, protectory, protectress, protectrix, protégé, protégée, tectrix, tectum, tegmen, tegmental, tegula, tegular, tegument, tile, tog, toga, togate, togavirus, toggery |
| tele- | far, end | Greek | τῆλε (têle) | telegram, telegraph, telemetry, telepathy, telephone, telescope, television |
| tele- | complete | Greek | τέλος, τέλεος (télos, téleos), τέλεσις (télesis) | atelectasis, ateleiosis, atelophobia, teleology, telesis, toll |
| tem-, tom- [7] (ΤΕΜ [8] ) | cut | Greek | τέμνειν (témnein), τομός (tomós), τόμος (tómos), τομή (tomḗ), τμῆσις (tmêsis) | acrotomophilia, anatomy, apotemnophilia, atom, atomic, autotomy, diatom, dichotomous, dichotomy, ectomy, entomology, entomomancy, entomophagous, entomophilous, epitome, monatomic, pentatomic, polyatomic, polytomy, Temnospondyli, tmesis, tome, tomogram, tomography, trichotomous, trichotomy |
| temn-, tempt- | – | Latin | temnere | contemn, contemnible, contempt, contemptible, contumacious, contumacy, contumelious, contumely |
| tempor- | time | Latin | tempus , temporis | contemporaneous, contemporary, extemporaneous, tempo, temporal, temporary |
| ten-, ton- [9] (ΤΑΝ [10] ) | stretch | Greek | τείνειν (teínein), τεινόμενον, τανύειν (tanúein), τετανός (tetanós), τόνος (tónos), τονικός (tonikós), τονή (tonḗ), τάσις (tásis), ταινία | anhemitonic, atelectasis, atonic, atritonic, barytone, catatonia, catatoniac, catatonic, decatonic, diatonic, ditone, dodecatonic, dystonia, ectasia, enneatonic, entasia, entasis, epitasis, hemitonia, hemitonic, heptatonic, hexatonic, hyperisotonic, hypertonia, hypertonic, hypotenuse, hypotonia, hypotonic, isotonic, microtone, monotone, monotonic, monotonous, monotony, neoteny, octatonic, oxytone, paroxytone, pentatonic, peritoneum, polytonic, proparoxytone, protasis, pyelectasis, syntonic, tetanolysin, tetanospasmin, tetanus, tetany, tetratonic, tone, tonic, tonoplast, tritonic, tune |
| ten-, -tin-, tent-, tain-, tinu- | hold, keep | Latin | tenere , tentus | abstain, abstention, abstinence, abstinent, appertain, appertinent, appurtenance, appurtenant, contain, containment, content, contentive, contentment, continence, continent, continental, continual, continuance, continuant, continuation, continuative, continue, continuity, continuous, continuum, contratenor, countenance, detain, detainder, detainee, detainer, detainment, detention, detinue, discontent, discontentment, discontinuance, discontinuation, discontinue, discontinuity, discontinuous, entertain, entertainment, equicontinuity, equicontinuous, impertinence, impertinent, incontinence, incontinent, intenible, intercontinental, irretentive, lieutenant, maintain, maintenance, malcontent, obtain, obtainment, obtention, pertain, pertinacious, pertinacity, pertinence, pertinent, purtenance, reobtain, retain, retainer, retainment, retention, retentive, retinue, se-tenant, sustenance, sustentacular, sustentaculum, sustentation, sustention, tenable, tenace, tenacious, tenacity, tenancy, tenant, tenet, tenor, tenure, tenurial, tenuto, transcontinental |
| tend-, tens- | stretch, strain | Latin | tendere (past participle tensus) | ambitendency, attempt, attend, attendee, attent, attention, attentive, coextend, coextension, coextensive, contend, contention, contentious, detent, détente, distend, distension, distent, distention, entendre, entente, extend, extensible, extension, extensional, extensionality, extensive, extensivity, extensor, extent, inattention, inattentive, inextensible, intend, intense, intensification, intension, intensional, intensity, intensive, intent, obtend, obtension, ostensible, ostension, ostensive, ostensory, ostent, ostentation, ostentatious, portend, portension, portent, portentous, pretend, pretense, pretension, subtend, subtense, superintend, superintendency, superintendent, tempt, temptation, tend, tendency, tendential, tendentious, tender, tense, tensible, tensile, tensility, tension, tensure, tent, tentacle, tentacular, tentage, tentation, tentative, tentiginous, tentorium |
| tenu- | slender, thin | Latin | tenuare "make thin", from tenuis "thin" | attenuate, extenuate, tenuous |
| tep- | be warm | Latin | tepere | subtepid, tepefaction, tepid, tepidarium, tepidity, tepor |
| ter-, trit- | rub, wear | Latin | terere , tritus | attrition, contrite, contrition, detriment, detrimental, detrital, detrition, detritivore, detritivorous, detritus, retriment, tribulation, trite, triturate, trituration, triture |
| tere- | guard | Greek | τηρεῖν (tēreîn), τήρησις (tḗrēsis) | synteresis |
| teret- | rounded | Latin | teres , teretis | subterete, teretial |
| terg-, ters- | wipe | Latin | tergere , tersus | absterge, abstergent, abstersion, abstersive, deterge, detergency, detergent, terse |
| termin- | boundary, limit, end | Latin | terminus | determine, interminable, terminal, termination |
| tern- | three each | Latin | terni | ternary, ternion |
| terr- | earth | Latin | terra | inter, subterranean, terrace, terracotta, terrain, terrarium, terrestrial, territory |
| terti- | third | Latin | tertius | tertian, tertiary |
| test- | witness | Latin | testis | attest, contest, detest, protest, testament, testify, testimony |
| tetart- [11] | fourth | Greek | τέταρτος (tétartos) | tetartanopsia, tetartohedric |
| tetr- | four | Greek | τέτϝαρες, τέσσαρες, τεσσάρων (téssares, tessárōn) | diatessaron, tetragon, tetrahedron, tetralogy, tetrameter, tetraphobia, tetrapod, tetrode |
| teuch- | make | Greek | τεύχειν (teúkhein), τυγχάνω, τευκτός, τευκτικός, τεῦξις (teûxis), τεῦγμα (teûgma), τεῦχος, τεύχεος (teûkhos, teúkheos), τύχη (túkhē), τυκτός (tuktós) | Heptateuch, octateuch, Pentateuch |
| tex-, text- | weave | Latin | texere , textus | context, subtle, pretext, text, textile, texture |
| thalam- | chamber, bed | Greek | θάλαμος (thálamos) | epithalamion, hypothalamus, prothalamion, thalamotomy, thalamus |
| thalass- | sea | Greek | θάλασσα (thálassa) | Panthalassa, thalassemia, thalassic, thalassophobia |
| than- (ΘΑΝ) [12] [13] | death | Greek | θνήσκειν , θάνατος (thánatos) | euthanasia, thanatocoenosis, thanatoid, thanatology, thanatophobia, thanatophoric, thanatopsis |
| thaumat- | miracle | Greek | θαυματ (thaumat) | thaumatology, thaumaturge, thaumaturgy |
| the-, thus- | god | Greek | θεός (theós) | atheism, atheistic, ditheism, enthusiasm, monotheism, Pantheon, polytheism, Thea, theobromine, theocracy, theodicy, Theodore, theogony, theology, theophobia, Timothy, tritheism |
| the- (ΘΕ) [14] | put | Greek | τιθέναι (tithénai), θετός (thetós), θετικός (thetikós), θέσις (thésis), θέμα (théma), θήκη (thḗkē) | anathema, anathematic, antithesis, antithetic, apothecium, athematic, Bibliotheca, bodega, boutique, deem, doom, enthesis, enthetic, epenthesis, epenthetic, epitheca, epithet, hypothec, hypothesis, monothematic, nomothetic, oligosynthetic, parenthesis, parenthetic, polysynthetic, prosthesis, prosthetic, prothesis, prothetic, pseudothecium, synthesis, synthetic, theca, thecium, thematic, theme, Themis, thesaurus, thesis, treasure |
| thea- | view | Greek | θεᾶσθαι (theâsthai), θέατρον (théatron) | amphitheatre, metatheatre, theatre, theatric |
| thel- | nipple | Greek | θηλή (thēlḗ) | athelia, endothelium, epithelium, mesothelioma, mesothelium, thelium, thelial |
| theori- | speculation | Greek | θεωρητικός (theōrētikós), θεώρημα (theṓrēma), θεωρία (theōría) | theorem, theoretic, theorist, theorize, theory |
| ther- | beast, animal | Greek | θήρ, θηρός (thḗr, thērós) | therapsid, therianthropy, theroid, theropod, theropsid |
| therap- | serve | Greek | θεράπων (therápōn), θεραπεύειν (therapeúein), θεραπευτός, θεραπευτικός (therapeutikós), θεραπεία (therapeía) | therapeutic, therapist, therapy |
| therm- | heat, warm | Greek | θέρεσθαι (théresthai), θέρμη (thérmē), θερμός (thermós) | thermal, athermancy, diathermancy, ectotherm, endotherm, endothermic, exothermic, geothermic, homeothermy, hyperthermia, hypothermia, isotherm, poikilotherm, thermobaric, thermochromism, thermodynamic, thermolysis, thermometer, thermophilic, thermophobia, thermoplastic, thermoplegia, thermos, thermosphere, thermostat, thermostatic |
| thig-(ΘΙΓ) [15] | touch | Greek | θιγγάνειν (thingánein), θίξις (thíxis), θίγημα (thígēma) | antithixotropic, thigmonasty, thigmotaxis, thixotropic, thixotropy |
| thorac- | chest | Greek | θώραξ, θώρακος (thṓrax, thṓrakos) | hemothorax, pneumothorax, thoracic, thorax |
| thym- | mood | Greek | θυμός (thumós) | cyclothymia, dysthymia, euthymia, hyperthymia |
| thyr- | door | Greek | θύρα (thúra) | thyratron |
| thyre- | large shield | Greek | θυρεός (thureós) | Thyreophora, thyroid, thyrotropin, thyroxine |
| tim- | be afraid | Latin | timere | timid, timorous |
| ting-, tinct- (TING) [16] | dye, moisten | Latin | tingere , tinctus | aquatint, distain, mezzotint, tinct, tinctorial, tincture, tinge, tingent, tint |
| tom- | cut | Greek | τομή (tomḗ), τόμος (tómos) | anatomy, appendectomy, atom, dichotomy, ectomy, embolectomy, tome, tonsillectomy, vasectomy |
| ton- (ΤΑΝ) [17] | stretch | Greek | τείνειν (teínein), τόνος (tónos), τονικός (tonikós) | isotonic, monotone, tone |
| top- [18] | place, location | Greek | τόπος (tópos) | atopic, atopy, dystopia, ectopia, ectopic, entopic, epitope, eutopia, isotope, nomotopic, polytope, topiary, topic, topography, topology, toponomastics, toponym, toponymy, topos, utopia, zonotope |
| torn- [19] | turn, rotate | Latin from Greek | tornare < τόρνος (tórnos) | tornado, tournament, turn |
| torpe- | be numb | Latin | torpere | torpent, torpid, torpor |
| torqu-, tort- | twist | Latin | torquere , tortus | contort, distort, extort, extortion, retort, torque, torsion, tortuous, torture |
| tot- | all, whole | Latin | totus | subtotal, total, totality |
| tox- [20] | arrow, bow, poison | Greek | τόξον (tóxon) | anatoxin, antitoxin, autotoxin, exotoxin, intoxicate, neurotoxin, psychotoxic, toxic, toxin, toxoid, toxology, toxoplasmosis |
| trab- | beam | Latin | trabs , trabis | trabeculae |
| trach- [21] | rough | Greek | τραχύς (trakhús) | trachea, tracheids, tracheitis, tracheophyte, tracheostomy, tracheotomy, trachoma |
| trag- [22] | he-goat | Greek | τράγος (trágos) | tragedy, tragic, tragus |
| trah-, tract- | draw, pull | Latin | tractare , frequentative of trahere , tractus | abstract, attract, contract, detract, retract, subtract, subtrahend, tractable, traction, tractor |
| trans-, tra-, tran- | across | Latin | trans | intransigent, tradition, transact, transcend, transient, transitory, transparent, transport |
| trapez- [23] | four-legged, table | Greek | τράπεζα (trápeza), τραπέζιον, (trapézion) | trapeze, trapezium, trapezius, trapezohedron, trapezoid |
| traum- [24] | wound | Greek | τραῦμα, τραῦματος (traûma, traûmatos) | trauma, traumatic, traumatize, traumatophobia |
| trecent- | three hundred | Latin | trecenti | trecentennial, trecentillion |
| trech-, troch- [25] | run, wheel | Greek | τρέχειν (trékhein), τρεχόμενον, τρόχος (tróchos), τροχός, τροχοῦ (trochós), τρόχωσις, τροχαῖος (trochaîos), τροχαϊκός (trochaïkós), τροχοειδής | ditrochee, epitrochoid, hypotrochoid, trochaic, trochanter, trochee, trochelminth, trochlea, trochophore, trochoid |
| tredec- | thirteen | Latin | tredecim | tredecimal |
| treiskaidek- | thirteen | Greek | τρεισκαίδεκα (treiskaídeka) | triskaidekaphobia, triskaidecagon |
| trem- | tremble | Latin | tremere | tremor |
| trema- | hole | Greek | τετραίνω, τρῆμα (trêma) | monotrematous, monotreme, trema, tréma, trematode |
| trep-, trop- [26] | turn | Greek | τρέπειν (trépein), τρέψις (trépsis), τρόπος, τρόπου (trópos), τροπή, τροπῆς (tropḗ), τροπικός (tropikós) | allotrope, anisotropy, Atropos, ectropion, entropic, entropion, entropy, heliotropism, isentropic, isotrope, isotropic, isotropy, pleiotropic, pleiotropy, polytrope, protrepsis, protreptic, psychotropic, treponeme, treponematosis, treponemiasis, trope, tropic, tropism, tropopause, troposphere, trove |
| treph-, troph- [27] | feed, grow | Greek | τρέφειν (tréphein), τροφός (trophós), τροφή (trophḗ), θρέμμα | amyotrophic, atrophy, autotroph, auxotrophy, chemolithoautotroph, dystrophy, hemidystrophy, heterotroph, hypertrophy, lithoautotroph, lithotroph, mixotroph, organotroph, phagotrophy, photoheterotroph, phototroph, phototrophic, phototrophy, pogonotrophy, poliodystrophy, prototrophy, trophectoderm, trophic, trophobiosis, trophobiotic, trophoblast, trophoblastic, trophozoite |
| trepid- | tremble | Latin | trepidare "to tremble, hurry", from trepidus "alarmed, scared" | intrepid, trepid, trepidation |
| tri- [28] | three | Greek | τρεῖς , τρία (tría), τριάς | atritonic, triad, triadic, Triassic, tricycle, trigon , triode, tripod, trisyllabic, tritonic |
| tri- | three | Latin | trēs | triangle, triumvirate, trivia |
| trib-, tript- [29] | rub | Greek | τρίβειν (tríbein), τριπτός, τρῖψις | diatribe, tribochromism, tribology, trypsin, tryptic |
| tribu- | pay | Latin | tribuere "to pay", from tribus | attribute, contribute,distribute, retribution, tribe, tribulation, tribunal, tribune, tributary, tribute |
| tricen- | thirty each | Latin | triceni | tricenary |
| tricesim-, trigesim- | thirtieth | Latin | tricesimus | trigesimal |
| trich- | hair | Greek | θρίξ , τριχός (trikhós) | peritrichous, trichopathophobia, Trichoptera |
| trin- | three each | Latin | trini | trinary, trine, trinity |
| trit- [30] | third | Greek | τρίτος (trítos) | tritagonist, tritanomaly, tritanopia, trite, tritium |
| tritic- | wheat | Latin | triticum | triticale |
| troch- | wheel | Greek | τροχός (trokhós) | trochlea |
| trop- | turn | Greek | τρόπος (tropos) | contrive, heliotropism, isotrope, psychotropic, retrieve, trope, tropic, tropism, troposphere, troubadour, trove |
| troph- | feed, grow | Greek | τροφή , τροφός (trophós) | dystrophy, pogonotrophy, trophic |
| truc- | fierce | Latin | trux , trucis | truculence, truculency, truculent |
| trud-, trus- | thrust | Latin | trudere , trusus | abstrude, abstruse, abstrusion, abstrusity, detrude, detrusion, detrusor, extrude, extrusible, extrusion, extrusive, inobtrusive, intrude, intrusion, intrusive, nonintrusive, obtrude, obtrusion, obtrusive, protrude, protrudent, protrusile, protrusion, protrusive, retrude, retruse, retrusion, retrusive |
| trunc- | cut off | Latin | truncare "to maim, mutilate", from truncus "mutilated, cut off" | detruncate, detruncation, entrench, entrenchment, intrench, intrenchment, obtruncate, obtruncation, omnitruncation, retrench, retrenchment, tranche, tranchet, trench, trenchancy, trenchant, truncate, truncation, truncheon, trunk, trunnion |
| tryp- [31] | bore | Greek | τρυπᾶν (trupân), τρύπανον (trúpanon) | trepan, trypanophobia, trypanosome |
| tum- | be swollen | Latin | tumere | detumescence, detumescent, intumescence, tumefacient, tumefaction, tumesce, tumescence, tumescent, tumid, tumidity, tumor, tumorous, tumular, tumulose, tumulous, tumult, tumultuary, tumultuous, tumulus |
| turb- | disturb | Latin | turba | disturb, disturbance, nonperturbative, perturb, perturbance, perturbation, perturbative, trouble, troublous, turbid, turbidity, turbinate, turbine, turbulence, turbulent |
| tuss- | cough | Latin | tussis , tussire | pertussis, tussive |
| tymb- [32] | mound | Greek | τύμβος (túmbos), τυμβεύω, τύμβευμα | entomb, tomb |
| tympan- | drum | Greek | τύμπανον (túmpanon) | timbre, timpanist, tympani, tympanum |
| typ- [33] (ΤΥΠ [34] ) | stamp, model | Greek | τύπτειν (túptein), τύπος (túpos), τυπικός (tupikós), τύμπανον (túmpanon) | allotype, archetype, ecotype, ectype, epitype, ergatotype, heterotype, heterotypic, holotype, homeotypic, homotype, homotypic, isosyntype, isotype, lectotype, logotype, monotypic, neotype, paralectotype, paratype, phenotype, prototype, schizotypic, syntype, type, typography, typology |
| typh- [35] | smoke | Greek | τύφειν (túphein), τῦφος (tûphos), τυφώδης | typhoid, typhous, typhus |
| tyrann- [36] | terrible, tyrant | Greek | τύραννος (túrannos) | tyrannize, tyrannosaurus, tyranny, tyrant |