Meaning & use
root word
The most basic part of a word, from which other words are formed by adding prefixes or suffixes.
See it in a sentence
The root word 'act' appears in related words like reaction, actor, and interactive.
Learning common root words helps students guess the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary.
A note on using this word
A root word can often stand alone, unlike a bound root, which needs a prefix or suffix to form a real word.
Words with a similar meaning
rootbase word
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
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