Question

Difficulty: HardWord Formation: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

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

  • Root '-cred-' (e.g., incredulous, credence)To believe, trust, or confide
  • Root '-greg-' (e.g., aggregate, segregate)To flock, gather, or assemble
  • Root '-loqu-' / '-locut-' (e.g., loquacious, elocution)To speak, talk, or discourse
  • Root '-tang-' / '-tact-' (e.g., intangible, tactile)To touch, feel, or reach

Answer

Root '-cred-' matches 'To believe, trust, or confide'; Root '-greg-' matches 'To flock, gather, or assemble'; Root '-loqu-' / '-locut-' matches 'To speak, talk, or discourse'; Root '-tang-' / '-tact-' matches 'To touch, feel, or reach'.
Each classical root morpheme corresponds precisely to its Latin etymological sense: '-cred-' means belief/trust, '-greg-' means flock/assembly, '-loqu-/-locut-' means speech/talk, and '-tang-/-tact-' means touch.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the morphological meaning of the root '-cred-'.
Recognize that '-cred-' forms words related to belief and trust.
Derived from Latin 'credere', found in 'credibility' and 'incredulous'.
2
Analyze the morphological meaning of the root '-greg-'.
Recognize that '-greg-' forms words related to gathering into a flock or collection.
Derived from Latin 'grex', found in 'congregate' and 'gregarious'.
3
Analyze the morphological meaning of the roots '-loqu-' and '-locut-'.
Recognize that these roots form words associated with speech and talking.
Derived from Latin 'loqui', found in 'soliloquy' and 'interlocutor'.
4
Analyze the morphological meaning of the roots '-tang-' and '-tact-'.
Recognize that these roots form words associated with physical contact or touch.
Derived from Latin 'tangere', found in 'intact' and 'tangible'.

Key Concept

Etymological root morpheme derivation in English vocabulary
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