Greek and Latin Word Roots Quiz

Grade 4 · English · Quiz

Show what you know about common Greek and Latin roots and how they build English word meanings.

Questions

  1. The Latin root 'rupt' means 'to break.' Which word means 'to break into a conversation'?

    1. Transport
    2. Interrupt
    3. Report
    4. Inscribe
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    Answer: Interrupt

    'Inter-' means between, and 'rupt' means to break, so 'interrupt' means to break into the middle of something.

  2. Which word contains the Greek root 'photo' meaning 'light'?

    1. Telephone
    2. Photograph
    3. Biography
    4. Geology
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    Answer: Photograph

    'Photograph' contains 'photo' (light) and 'graph' (write) — it literally means 'writing with light.'

  3. The Greek root 'tele' means ___ away.

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    Answer: far

    The Greek root 'tele' means far away and appears in words like telephone and television.

  4. If 'dict' means 'to say or tell,' what does 'predict' mean?

    1. To write before
    2. To carry away
    3. To tell what will happen before it does
    4. To break apart
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    Answer: To tell what will happen before it does

    'Pre-' means before, and 'dict' means to say, so 'predict' means to say what will happen before it occurs.

  5. The word 'bicycle' contains the Greek root 'bio' meaning life.

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    Answer: False

    'Bicycle' contains the Latin root 'bi' (two) and Greek 'cycle' (circle/wheel) — not 'bio' which means life.

  6. The word 'geology' comes from the Greek roots 'geo' (earth) and 'logy' (study of). What does geology mean?

    1. The study of life on earth
    2. The study of the earth and its rocks
    3. The study of writing systems
    4. The study of light and color
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    Answer: The study of the earth and its rocks

    'Geo' means earth and 'logy' means the study of, so geology is the study of the earth and its materials.

  7. Which pair of words BOTH contain the Latin root 'port' meaning 'to carry'?

    1. Portrait and portion
    2. Import and portable
    3. Report and rupture
    4. Portal and dictate
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    Answer: Import and portable

    Both 'import' (carry in) and 'portable' (able to be carried) come from the Latin root 'port' meaning to carry.

  8. Greek roots are especially common in science and math vocabulary.

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    Answer: True

    Many science terms like biology, geology, telescope, and thermometer come from Greek roots.

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