/ English Dictionary

ROOT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The embedded part of a bodily structure such as a tooth, nail, or hair

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("root" is a kind of...):

anatomical structure; bodily structure; body structure; complex body part; structure (a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing and its construction and arrangement)

Meronyms (parts of "root"):

cement; cementum (a specialized bony substance covering the root of a tooth)

Holonyms ("root" is a part of...):

hair (a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss)

tooth (hard bonelike structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing or for attack and defense)

nail (horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed

Example:

thematic vowels are part of the stem

Synonyms:

base; radical; root; root word; stem; theme

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("root" is a kind of...):

descriptor; form; signifier; word form (the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something)

Domain category:

linguistics (the scientific study of language)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A simple form inferred as the common basis from which related words in several languages can be derived by linguistic processes

Synonyms:

etymon; root

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("root" is a kind of...):

descriptor; form; signifier; word form (the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The set of values that give a true statement when substituted into an equation

Synonyms:

root; solution

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("root" is a kind of...):

set ((mathematics) an abstract collection of numbers or symbols)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The place where something begins, where it springs into being

Example:

communism's Russian root

Synonyms:

beginning; origin; root; rootage; source

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("root" is a kind of...):

point (the precise location of something; a spatially limited location)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "root"):

derivation (the source or origin from which something derives (i.e. comes or issues))

spring (a point at which water issues forth)

fountainhead; head; headspring (the source of water from which a stream arises)

headwater (the source of a river)

wellhead; wellspring (the source of water for a well)

jumping-off place; point of departure (a place from which an enterprise or expedition is launched)

birthplace; cradle; place of origin; provenance; provenience (where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence)

home (place where something began and flourished)

point source (a concentrated source (especially of radiation or pollution) that is spatially constricted)

trail head; trailhead (the beginning of a trail)

Derivation:

root (come into existence, originate)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)

Synonyms:

ancestor; antecedent; ascendant; ascendent; root

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("root" is a kind of...):

relation; relative (a person related by blood or marriage)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "root"):

primogenitor; progenitor (an ancestor in the direct line)

foremother (a woman ancestor)

father; forefather; sire (the founder of a family)

forbear; forebear (a person from whom you are descended)

ancestress (a woman ancestor)

Sense 7

Meaning:

(botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("root" is a kind of...):

plant organ (a functional and structural unit of a plant or fungus)

Meronyms (parts of "root"):

root cap (thimble-shaped mass of cells covering and protecting the growing tip of a root)

root hair (thin hairlike outgrowth of an epidermal cell just behind the tip; absorbs nutrients from the soil)

bark (tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants)

Meronyms (substance of "root"):

parenchyma (the primary tissue of higher plants composed of thin-walled cells that remain capable of cell division even when mature; constitutes the greater part of leaves, roots, the pulp of fruits, and the pith of stems)

Domain category:

botany; phytology (the branch of biology that studies plants)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "root"):

prop root (a root that grows from and supports the stem above the ground in plants such as mangroves)

rootlet (small root or division of a root)

adventitious root (root growing in an unusual location e.g. from a stem)

taproot ((botany) main root of a plant growing straight downward from the stem)

pneumatophore (an air-filled root (submerged or exposed) that can function as a respiratory organ of a marsh or swamp plant)

parsnip (the whitish root of cultivated parsnip)

carrot (deep orange edible root of the cultivated carrot plant)

cassava; manioc (cassava root eaten as a staple food after drying and leaching; source of tapioca)

mandrake; mandrake root (the root of the mandrake plant; used medicinally or as a narcotic)

senega (dried root of two plants of the genus Polygala containing an irritating saponin)

licorice root (root of licorice used in flavoring e.g. candy and liqueurs and medicines)

sarsaparilla root (dried root of any of various plants of the genus Smilax used as a flavoring agent)

orris; orrisroot (fragrant rootstock of various irises especially Florentine iris; used in perfumes and medicines)

briarroot (hard woody root of the briar Erica arborea)

Hottentot's bread; Hottentot bread (thick edible rootstock of elephant's-foot)

oyster plant; salsify (edible root of the salsify plant)

chicory; chicory root (the dried root of the chicory plant: used as a coffee substitute)

radish (pungent edible root of any of various cultivated radish plants)

horseradish; horseradish root (the root of the horseradish plant; it is grated or ground and used for seasoning)

ginseng (aromatic root of ginseng plants)

cocoyam; dasheen; eddo; taro (edible starchy tuberous root of taro plants)

calamus (the aromatic root of the sweet flag used medicinally)

Holonyms ("root" is a part of...):

root system; rootage (a developed system of roots)

Derivation:

root (take root and begin to grow)

root (plant by the roots)

rootlet (small root or division of a root)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A number that, when multiplied by itself some number of times, equals a given number

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("root" is a kind of...):

number (a concept of quantity involving zero and units)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "root"):

square root (a number that when multiplied by itself equals a given number)

cube root (a number that when multiplied three times equals a given number)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take root and begin to grow

Example:

this plant roots quickly

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "root" is one way to...):

grow (become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain)

Verb group:

root (cause to take roots)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

root ((botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground)

rooting (the process of putting forth roots and beginning to grow)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to take roots

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "root" is one way to...):

grow (cause to grow or develop)

Verb group:

root (take root and begin to grow)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

rooting (the process of putting forth roots and beginning to grow)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become settled or established and stable in one's residence or life style

Example:

He finally settled down

Synonyms:

root; settle; settle down; steady down; take root

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "root" is one way to...):

stabilise; stabilize (become stable or more stable)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "root"):

roost (settle down or stay, as if on a roost)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Dig with the snout

Example:

the pig was rooting for truffles

Synonyms:

root; rootle; rout

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "root" is one way to...):

cut into; delve; dig; turn over (turn up, loosen, or remove earth)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Plant by the roots

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "root" is one way to...):

plant; set (put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

root ((botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Cheer for

Example:

She roots for the Broncos

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "root" is one way to...):

back up; support (give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 7

Meaning:

Come into existence, originate

Example:

The problem roots in her depression

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "root" is one way to...):

become (come into existence)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

root; rootage (the place where something begins, where it springs into being)

Credits

 Context examples: 

But he had never taken root.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Creation of a visual window of the apex of the root that includes retrofilling the apical portion of the root canal.

(Apical Endodontic Surgery, NCI Thesaurus)

A plant whose seeds and root have been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems.

(Arctium lappa, NCI Dictionary)

But what is at the root of it?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Chandos will be glad to his very heart-roots when he sees you.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Around or surrounding a root, especially the root of a tooth.

(Periradicular, NCI Thesaurus)

The fibrous connective tissue surrounding the root of a tooth that separates it from and attaches it to the alveolar bone.

(Periodontium, NCI Thesaurus)

A type of medicine that uses roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or seeds of plants to improve health, prevent disease, and treat illness.

(Botanical Therapy, NCI Dictionary)

A substance obtained from the root of the plant has been used in some cultures to treat a number of medical problems.

(Black cohosh, NCI Dictionary)

An extract from the fruit is being studied as a treatment for cancer, and extracts from the fruit, leaves, or roots have been used in some cultures to treat other diseases.

(Morinda citrifolia, NCI Dictionary)

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