NCEE/SAT Words

Roots of the Day: CON vs. DISCON- [CO-, COL-, COM-, COR-] = together, with, veryDIS- [DIF-, DI-] = apart, in different directions, not, very

Examples: convocation = an assembly, meeting (literally, “a calling together” from Latin vocāre = to call)cooperation = to work together (from Latin opus = a work)collaborate = to work together (from Latin laborāre = to work)commerce = exchange of ideas or goods (literally, “merchandise together” from Latin merx = merchandise)corroborate = make more certain (literally, “strengthen with” from Latin robur = strength)converge = to move towards a point (literally, “bend together” from Latin vergere = to bend) dissonance = different sounding (from Latin sonāre = to sound, resound)diffuse = to pour out (from Latin fundere = to pour)digress = to turn aside (literally, “to step in a different direction” from Latin gredī = to step)distrust = not to trustdiffident = lacking confidence (literally, “not trusting” from fidere = to trust)

Roots of the Day: SUPER vs. SUBSUPER- = above, over, more thanSUB- [SUC-, SUF-, SUG-, SUM, SUP-, SUR-, SUS-] = under, below, up from below

Examples: superb = splendid, specialsuperable = capable of being overcome (from Latin superāre = to overcome)superior = situated abovesuperlative = surpassing all others (literally, “carry over” from Latin fero, ferre, tuli, latus = to bring, carry)superconfident = overly confident subterranean = below the earth (from Latin terra = land)suffice = to be enough (literally, “to under do” from Latin facere = to do, make)suggest = to bring up, prompt (literally, “to carry up from below) from Latin gerere = to carry)

Roots of the Day: CONTRA vs. TRANSCONTRA- = againstTRANS- = across, through

Examplescontrarian = a person who always take the opposite or unpopular opinioncontradict = to deny the truth of (literally, “to speak against” from Latin dicere = to say, speak)contraband = forbidden goods (literally, “against a decree” from Latin banum = ban, decree) transfer = = to change from one form to another (literally, “to carry across” from Latin fero, ferre, tuli, latus = to carry)transcribe = to make a written copy (literally, “to write across” from Latin scribere = to write)transact = to carry through (literally, “to drive through” from Latin agere = to do, drive, act, etc.)transept = the shorter part of a cross-shaped church (literally, “across the partition” from Latin saeptum = fence, partition)

Roots of the Day: DE vs. PRODE- = from, down fromPRO- = forth, before, instead

Examples: dejected = to depressed (literally, “thrown down” from Latin iacere = to throw)despise = to hate, loath (literally, “to look down (at)” from Latin spectare = to look (at))desist = to cease (literally, “to stop from” from Latin sistere = to stop)despair = to lose hope from Latin (de)sperāre = to (lose) hope

project = to put forth (literally, “to throw forth” from Latin iacere = to throw)pronoun = a word used to rename a noun (literally, “in place of a noun” from Latin nomen = name, noun)protect = to defend (literally, “to cover before” from Latin tegere = to cover)

Root of the Day: RE vs. PER vs. OBRE- = again, back; anewPER- through, bad; veryOB- [O-, OC-, OF-, OP-] = against, towards, to; very

Examples: reticent = reluctant to speak (literally, “silent again” from Latin tacēre = to be silent)refract = to bend from a straight course (literally, “to bend back” from Latin frangere = to break)remit = to send money (literally, “to send back” from Latin mittere = to send)regress = to return (literally, “to step back” from Latin gredī = to step, move)recapitulate = to go over again (literally, “main part again” from Latin caput = head) perfidy = wickedness (literally, “bad faith” from Latin fidus = trust)perennial = through the year (from Latin annus = year) obviate = to remove (literally, “to be against the way of” from Latin via = road, way)obverse = the principal side of something (literally, “turned toward” from Latin vertere = to turn)occur = to be found or met with (literally, “to run against” from Latin currere = to run)oppose = to be against (literally, “to put against” from Latin ponere = road, way)offend = to do wrong (literally, “to strike against” from Latin fendere = to strike)