Explore Latin Vocabulary: Roots, Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms, and Usage Examples

1. Latin Vocabulary 2 Roots, definitions, synonyms, antonyms, sentences, and related words

2. contradict • dict – • speak; proclaim officially • contradict – • v. to express the opposite of • v. contradicts, -ed, -ing n. contradiction adj. contradictory, contradictable adv. contradictorily • Synonyms: disagree (with), gainsay • Antonyms: agree (with), concur (with)

3. contradict • I hate to contradict you, but the Arctic is in the north, not the Antarctic. • It always makes me giggle to see contradictory information, but it infuriates my husband that two street signs could give opposite messages.

4. contradict related words: • abdicate, dedicate, dictate, diction, benediction, • dictionary, edict, indicate, predict, valedictorian, verdict, • dictum, indict, jurisdiction, vindicate

5. malicious • mal – • bad; ill; wrong • malicious – • adj. with deliberate ill will or intent to do harm to another • adv. maliciously n. maliciousness • Synonyms: catty, cruel, despiteful, malevolent, hateful, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vicious, virulent • Antonyms: benevolent, benign, benignant, loving

6. malicious • Joey maliciously poured paint and feathers over Sammy’s gorgeous, new car, but Joey had to pay for replacement chrome and a new paint job as part of him recompense. • Malicious malware is one of the main reasons we always purchase a protective antivirus program on our computers at home.

7. malicious Related words: • dismal • maladapted • malady • malaria • mal de mer • maladapted • maladjusted • maladroit • malady • malaise • malapropism • malaria • malcontent • maleficent • malevolent • malfeasance • malformation • malice • malpractice • malign • malignant • malinger • malfunction

8. omnipotent • omni – • all; every • omnipotent – • adj. having virtually unlimited authority or influence • n. omnipotence adv. omnipotently • Synonyms: all-powerful, almighty • Near Antonyms: helpless, impotent, powerless; hamstrung, handcuffed, hog-tied, weak; incapable, frail, incompetent, ineffective, ineffectual, feeble

9. omnipotent • It is hard to imagine being omnipotent because being all-powerful is a concept too enormous for most of us. • Every now and then everything is working out so well, that I have a momentary feeling of being omnipotent, but it only takes a second for that bubble to burst.

10. omnipotent Related words: • omnibus • omnidirectional • omnipresent • omniscient • omnivore • omnivorous

11. postdiluvian • post – • – after; behind • postdiluvian – • adj. taking place after the great flood • adj. postdiluvial

12. postdiluvian • The postdiluvian period is considered to be the time period since the Great Flood. • Many Biblical scholars and jokesters have wondered why mosquitoes found there way into postdiluvian times.

13. postdiluvian Related words: • postaxial, postdate, posterior, posterity, posthumous • postmeridian (pm), postmortem, postnasal, postpone • postscript (P.S.), postpartum, preposterous

14. preclude • pre – • before; in front of • preclude – • v. to make impossible by acting in advance • v. precludes, -ed, -ing n. preclusion adj. preclusive adv. preclusively • Synonyms: avert, forestall, head off, obviate, prevent, stave off • Near Antonyms: abet, aid, assist, facilitate, smooth, cultivate, foster, nurture, promote; allow, permit

15. preclude • The “No Parking” sign in front of the store precludes us from parking in the space, so we always have to park on a side street. • We thought that by inviting the youth group to our house that we could preclude our daughter Tiffany from being alone with the rowdy and unpredictable Sean.

16. preclude Related words: • preaxial • precede • precognition • predict • preliterate • prelude • prenatal • prenuptial • preposterous • prescient • preschool • prescribe • prevent

17. retroactive • retro – • backward; back • retroactive – • adj. applied to a time before the action is taken (like back pay) • adv. retroactively n. retroactivity

18. retroactive • Even though my qualifications did not arrive until November, my pay raise was retroactive to the beginning of the school year, and I had a nice December check with all of the make-up pay. • By applying the changes retroactively, Dr. Mulberry’s patients got a refund in the mail for all of their visits back to the beginning of the year.

19. retroactive Related words: • retrofit • retrograde • retrorocket • retrospective

20. subterranean • sub – • under; below; lower in rank • subterranean – • adj. existing beneath the earth’s surface • Synonyms: subsurface, belowground, underground • Antonyms: aboveground, surface

21. subterranean • Our plan for a subterranean home were put on hold after Alabama started experiencing severe earthquakes. • While I love the idea of a subterranean building, it would have to be very open, roomy, and well-lit to keep from feeling like the underground structure that it truly is.

22. subterranean Related words: • subaquatic • subarctic • subject • submarine • subscribe • subscript • subzero • subdivision • subdued • subduction zone • suffuse

23. superfluous • super – • above; over; greater • superfluous – • adj. beyond what is needed • adv. superfluously n. superfluousness • Synonyms: excess, extra, redundant, supererogatory, spare, supernumerary, surplus • Near Antonyms: deficient, inadequate, insufficient, meager, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, short, skimpy, sparse

24. superfluous • We decided to sell the superfluous snacks after the football game instead of sending them back for a refund. • After planning the entire event, I felt superfluous when Ben and Chrissy took over and handled all of the problems.

25. superfluous Related words: • superannuated, supernumerary, superior, superiority • superscript, superstition, supernatural, Superman, survive

26. translucent • trans – • through; over; across; beyond • translucent – • adj. allowing light to pass through, but diffusing it to cause blurring of images • n. translucence adv. translucently

27. translucent • The translucent glass between the booths in the restaurant provided light while also providing privacy for the patrons. • The difference between transparent and translucent is clear visibility through transparent objects and cloudy or filmy visibility through translucent objects.

28. translucent Related words: • intransigent • trajectory • transcend • transcribe • transmitter • transfer • transfix • transform • transgress • transient • translate • transpire • transplant

29. ultrasonic • ultra – • beyond; excessive • ultrasonic – • adj. sounds above the range of human hearing • adv. ultrasonically

30. ultrasonic • Although we kept blowing the ultrasonic whistle for our dog, he didn’t come back, but all the other dogs in the neighborhood started barking. • A bat echolocates by sending ultrasonic sounds from its mouth or nose and “sees” when those sounds bounce back to it.

31. ultrasonic Related words: • ultra light • ultraconservative • ultramarine • ultramicroscope • ultramicrotome • ultra red • ultrasound • ultraviolet

32. Root Review • retro – • back; backward; behind • sub – • below; beneath; lower in rank; under; nearly • super – • above; over; beyond • trans – • across; through; change; beyond • ultra – • beyond; excessive • dict – • speech, to speak; proclaim (declare officially); word • mal – • bad; evil; ill; wrong • omni – • all • post – • after; behind • pre – • before; in front of

33. Root Review • cide – • to kill • cred – • belief; believe • extra, extro – • outside of; beyond • inter – • between; among • magn, magna, magni – • great; large • ambi, amphi – • both; on both sides; around • ante – • before • bell – • war • bene, bon – • good; well • circum – • around; surrounding