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Difficulty: MediumGreek Roots

Under the microscope, the newly discovered mineral specimen appeared completely amorphous. What does the word amorphous most nearly mean?

  1. A
    Displaying multiple vivid colors
  2. B
    Having a rigid, well-defined structure
  3. Lacking a clear or definite shapeAnswer
  4. D
    Inducing sleep or unconsciousness

Answer

Lacking a clear or definite shape
The word 'amorphous' is derived from the Greek prefix 'a-' (meaning 'without' or 'lacking') and the Greek root 'morph' (meaning 'form' or 'shape'). Combined with the adjective suffix '-ous', it describes something that lacks a definite form, structure, or shape.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the prefix and root components of the target word 'amorphous'.
The word is composed of the prefix 'a-' (meaning 'without' or 'lacking') and the Greek root 'morph' (meaning 'form' or 'shape').
Deconstructing compound words into Greek morphemes reveals their core definition.
2
Synthesize the morpheme definitions and apply them to the context.
A specimen described as 'a-' + 'morph' + '-ous' literally means 'having no shape' or 'unstructured'.
Connecting the literal morphological meaning to the sentence context confirms the correct synonym.

Key Concept

Greek Morphemes: 'a-' (without/not) and 'morph' (form/shape)
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Greek Roots

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