Wednesday WordPlay - October

This section covers certain roots which, by their use as prefixes, suffixes and syllables, make up the majority of English language words. Remembering these words will help you in figuring out the meanings of words including new ones you come across every day.

| -scend|

Meaning: to climb, to scale.

Origin: scandere (Latin) "to climb"

Example Words:

tran·scend: trans- "beyond" + scandere

conde·scend: com + "together" + de "down" + scandere

as·cend: ad- "to" + scandere "to climb."

More Words with same origin: descend, scale, scan, scansion.

| -mit, -mise|

Meaning: to put, send or release

Origin: mittere "let go, send."

mettre "put"

Example Words:

manu·mission: manus "hand" (here - "power of a master") + mittere

- to free from bondage (e.g slavery)

trans·mit: trans "across" + mittere

- to send accross

inter·mission: inter "between" + mittere

- a break or an interval

com·mit: com "together" + mittere

- to do something with intension of not reverting

de·mise: des "away" + mettre

- termination of existence, to dismiss, to go or put away

More Words with same origin: submit, admit, omit, permit, missive, demise, dismiss, message, emit, missile, premise , promise, mission

|-tain, ten-|

Meaning: to hold or to keep up

Origin: tenere, tenir "to hold"

Example Words:

main·tain: manus "hand" + tenere

- to practice habitually or keep in certain state.

con·tain: com- "together" + tenere

- to hold together, enclose

sus·tain: sub "up from below" + tenere

- hold up, endure

enter·tain: entre "among" + tenir

- or amuse (originally: to keep up, maintain)

More Words with same origin: pertain, retain, tenant, obtain, tenure, tenacity, tenable, tenement, detain, tenet, tenacity, tenacious

|-tone|

Meaning: refers to the right sound or pitch

Origin: “tonos”, “tonus”: a sound, tone, accent

Example Words:

cata·tonic: kata "down" + tonos

- stiff and not moving or reacting, as if dead. Condition found often in schizophrenics

mono·tony: monos "single, alone" + tonos

- wearisome uniformity or lack of variety

More Words with same origin: intone, tone, tenet