Latin is the skeleton beneath the skin of English academic vocabulary. When scholars, lawyers, scientists, and philosophers adopted Latin words into English centuries ago, they imported not just individual words but entire word families — meaning that learning a single Latin root can unlock five, ten, or even twenty related English words simultaneously.
For GRE prep specifically, Latin-origin words dominate the verbal section. Estimates suggest that roughly 60% of all English words and 70–80% of advanced academic vocabulary trace their origins to Latin. This guide gives you a systematic tour of the most valuable Latin roots and the GRE words they generate, organized by thematic family for maximum retention.
The Most Important Latin Families for GRE Vocabulary
Family 1: Ferre (to carry, to bear)
This Latin verb spawns an extraordinary number of GRE-relevant words. Defer (to put off; to yield to another's judgment — from de- + ferre, to carry away), infer (to conclude from evidence — to carry meaning toward a conclusion), proffer (to offer something — to carry forward), vociferous (making a loud outcry — carrying the voice forcefully), and proliferate (to grow rapidly — to carry forward offspring).
The key insight: whenever you see the -fer- or -fer suffix, think "carrying" and adjust for the prefix.
Family 2: Facere (to do, to make)
This prolific root appears in dozens of GRE words. Beneficent (doing good — bene + facere), malefactor (one who does evil), efficacious (producing the desired effect), proficient (competent; skilled), surfeit (an excess — from sur- + facere, to overmake), and facsimile (an exact copy — make similar).
Family 3: Dicere (to say, to speak)
| Word | Latin Components | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Abdicate | ab- (away) + dicare (to proclaim) | To formally give up power or responsibility |
| Dictum | dictum (something said) | A formal pronouncement from an authority |
| Edict | e- (out) + dictum | An official order or proclamation |
| Indict | in- (against) + dictare | To formally accuse of a crime |
| Malediction | male- (badly) + dictio (speech) | A curse; an expression of ill wishes |
| Prediction | pre- (before) + dictio | A statement about the future |
| Verdict | vere (truly) + dictum | A decision made by a jury; a judgment |
Family 4: Tendere (to stretch, to reach toward)
This root generates a cluster of GRE words about extending or reaching: contend (to strive against; to assert), distend (to swell from internal pressure — to stretch apart), tendentious (promoting a particular cause — stretching toward a conclusion), extend, portend (to be a sign of a future event — to stretch before), and ostensible (apparently true but not necessarily so — stretching to appear).
Family 5: Cedere (to go, to yield)
Antecedent (something that comes before), concede (to yield; to admit defeat), precedent (an earlier event used as a guide for later ones), recede (to move back), secede (to formally withdraw from membership), and accession (the attainment of a position — going toward it) all trace to this root.
Key Latin Prefixes That Transform Word Meanings
Understanding prefixes multiplies your ability to decode unfamiliar words. The most important Latin prefixes for GRE vocabulary:
| Prefix | Meaning | GRE Examples |
|---|---|---|
| ab-/abs- | Away from, off | abjure (reject), absolve (free from blame), abstain (keep away from) |
| ad- | To, toward | admonish (warn toward), advocate (argue for), adhere (stick to) |
| circum- | Around | circumspect (look around), circumscribe (draw around), circumlocution (speaking around) |
| com-/con- | Together, with | concur (agree), coalesce (grow together), contrite (truly sorrowful — ground together) |
| de- | Down from; away | decry (shout down), deprecate (argue against), deride (laugh at) |
| dis- | Apart; not | dissemble (disguise), disparate (unlike), discrepancy (difference) |
| ex-/e- | Out of, from | excoriate (strip out — criticize), evince (bring out — demonstrate) |
| in-/im- | Into; not | inveterate (grown into — habitual), impugn (strike against) |
| per- | Through; thoroughly | perspicacious (see through), perfidious (thoroughly faithless), peremptory (thoroughly authoritative) |
| pro- | Before; forward | prolix (extending forward — wordy), propitious (appearing favorable), prescient (knowing before) |
| re- | Back; again | recant (sing back — take back), refute (pour back — disprove), remonstrate (show back — protest) |
| sub- | Under; secretly | subterfuge (fleeing under cover), surreptitious (seized secretly), suborn (bribe secretly) |
150 Latin-Origin GRE Words by Family
Rather than listing all 150 words in a single table, the most effective approach is to trace them through the families above. Here are additional key families:
Mittere/Missum (to send)
Emissary (one sent out as a messenger), intermittent (stopping and starting — sent between periods), remittance (money sent back), missive (a letter — something sent), commit (to send together — to pledge), promiscuous (sent forward indiscriminately — without discrimination).
Ponere/Positum (to place, to put)
Apposite (placed fittingly — appropriate to the situation), depose (place down from power), exposition (a placing out — a thorough explanation), imposition (placing something on someone), juxtapose (to place side by side), propound (to put forward for consideration).
Quaerere (to seek, to ask)
Inquisition (intense questioning), exquisite (sought out with care), requisite (required; needed), perquisite (something extra that you've sought out — a perk), query (a question).
For the Greek-origin counterpart to this guide, see our Greek origin words article. For an overview of all root-based vocabulary strategy, see the root words master guide.
FAQ
Why does knowing Latin help more than knowing Greek for the GRE?
Latin roots account for a larger share of everyday English vocabulary, so Latin knowledge has broader applicability across the entire language. However, Greek roots are essential for scientific and philosophical vocabulary on the GRE. Both are valuable; Latin tends to have slightly higher ROI for general test-taking.
Do I need to learn to read Latin to benefit from studying roots?
Absolutely not. You only need to memorize the core meanings of 40–50 roots and prefixes — not conjugate verbs or decline nouns. Latin for GRE purposes is purely about pattern recognition, not language learning.
How long does it take to learn all the major Latin root families?
The 20–30 most productive root families (covering the bulk of GRE vocabulary) can be learned in 2–3 weeks of focused study at 30 minutes per day. The marginal benefit of learning more than 50 roots diminishes significantly.
Can I use root knowledge on test day for words I've never seen?
Yes, as a fallback strategy. If you can identify a prefix and a root, you can construct an approximate meaning that is often sufficient to choose correctly. This works best when combined with strong contextual reasoning about what the sentence needs.
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