Question

Difficulty: MediumWord Formation: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

Match each classical root on the left with its precise morphological meaning on the right.

  • luc- / lum-light or clarity
  • somn-sleep or slumber
  • tac- / tacit-silent or unspoken
  • plac-please, soothe, or calm

Answer

The correct pairings match 'luc- / lum-' with 'light or clarity', 'somn-' with 'sleep or slumber', 'tac- / tacit-' with 'silent or unspoken', and 'plac-' with 'please, soothe, or calm'.
Each root word correctly maps to its authentic Latin etymological meaning: 'luc-/lum-' denotes light or clarity, 'somn-' denotes sleep, 'tac-/tacit-' denotes silence, and 'plac-' denotes pleasing or soothing.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the classical root 'luc- / lum-'
Connect with English words such as 'lucid' and 'illuminate'.
The core Latin root 'lux/lucis' denotes light and mental clarity.
2
Analyze the classical root 'somn-'
Connect with English words such as 'insomnia' and 'somnolent'.
The Latin root 'somnus' translates directly to sleep.
3
Analyze the classical root 'tac- / tacit-'
Connect with English words such as 'tacit' and 'taciturn'.
The Latin verb 'tacere' signifies being quiet or unspoken.
4
Analyze the classical root 'plac-'
Connect with English words such as 'placate', 'placid', and 'implacable'.
The Latin root 'placare' signifies appeasing, soothing, or calming.

Key Concept

Root Word Etymology and Morphological Meaning in Lexis
Rate this question