EQU comes from the Latin word aequus, meaning "equal." To equalize means to make things equal. Things that are equivalent have the same value, use, or meaning. All three sides of an equilateral triangle are of the same length. And an equation (for instance, 21 + 47 = 68) is a statement that two mathematical expressions are equal.

QUIS is derived from the Latin verb meaning "to seek or obtain." The roots quer, quir, and ques are derived from the same Latin verb and give us words such as inquiry and question.

PLE/PLEN comes from a Latin word meaning "to fill." It can be seen in the words plenty, meaning basically "filled," and complete, meaning "thoroughly filled."

METR/METER comes to us from Greek by way of Latin; in both languages it refers to "measure." A thermometer measures heat; a perimeter is the measure around something; and things that are isometric are equal in measure.

AUD from the Latin verb audire, is the root that has to do with hearing. What is audible can be heard. An audience is a group of listeners, sometimes seated in an auditorium. And audio today can be mean almost anything that has to do with sound.

SON is the Latin root meaning "sound." Sonata, meaning a piece for one or two instruments, was originally an Italian verb meaning "sounded" (when singers were involved, the Italians used a differnent verb). And sonorous means full, load, or rich in sound.

ERR from the Latin verb errare, means "to wander" or "to stray." The root is seen in the word error, meaning a wandering or straying from what is correct or true. Erratum (plural, errata) is Latin for mistake; so an errata page is a book page that lists mistakes found too late to correct before the book's publication.

CED comes from the Latin verb cedere, meaning "to proceed" or "to yield." Proceed itself employs the root, as does recede, and their related nouns processionand recession employ another form of the Latin verb.

Words from Mythology and History