Inding your way with poetry adjective

anx– ●see ang–

aph– ●see apo–

api– {bee}: apian, apiary, apiculture, apitoxin, apivorous ||  L apis : bee apiārius : beekeeper

ap(o)–, aph– {off, off from, away, away from}: aperitif, aperture, aphelion, apheresis, aphorism, apocalypse, apocryphal, apogee, Apollyon, apology, apoplexy, aposematic, apostasy, apostle, apostrophe, apothecary, apothegm, apotheosis ||  Gr apo : off, from

aps– {arch, to fasten}: apse, apsis, synapse, synapsis ||  L apsis : an arch Gr hapsis : a fastening haptein : to fasten

apt– {to fit, to make fit}: adapt, apt, aptitude ●attitude, inept ●more at copul– ||  L apere (pp. aptus) : to fit, to adapt Gr haptein : to fasten

aqu(a)– {water}: aqua, aquacade, Aqualung™, aquamarine, aquarium, Aquarius, aquatic, aquatint, aqueduct, aqueous, aquifer ●see also eau– ●Span. agua ||  L aqua : water

aquil– {eagle}: Aquila, aquilegia, aquiline ||  L aquila : eagle aquilīnus : of an eagle

arachn– {spider, arachnid}: Arachne, arachnid, arachnoid, arachnophobia ●Sp. araña ●Fr. araignée ●It. ragno ||  Gr arachnē : spider †

arbitr– {judge, to use one’s judgment, to decide}: arbiter, arbitrage, arbitrary, arbitration ||  L arbiter : a witness, a hearer, a judge ad– : to + baetere : to go (one who goes to a place, a witness, a judge); arbitrātus : choice, decision; arbitrārius : arbitrary, uncertain

arbor– {tree}: arbor (spindle, axle), arboraceous, arboreal, arboretum, arboriculture, arborvitae ●unrelated: arbor (shady bower) ||  L arbor : tree

arc–¹ {curve, bow}: arc, arcade, arch (structural), archer, archery ||  ME ark OFr arc L arcus : bow, arch, arched or curved thing

arc–² {enclosed, secret, hidden; a closed box, chest}: arcane, arcanum ●ark ||  L arca : chest, box arcēre : to enclose, to shut in; arcānus : shut, closed, hidden, secret

arch–¹ {beginning, earliest}: archaeology, archaic, archegonium, archetype, archive, menarche ●same as arch–² ||  ME arche– OE arce- L archi–, arch– Gr archos : first, ruler

arch–² {to be first, hence: to rule; ruler, chief}: anarchy, archangel, archbishop, archdiocese, archduke, archenemy, archfiend, archipelago, architect, diarchy, eparchy, gynarchy, hierarchy, matriarch, monarch, oligarchy, patriarch, symposiarch, tetrarch, triarchy ●same as arch–¹ ||  ME arche– OE arce– L archi–, arch– Gr archos : first, ruler

arct– {a bear, northern}: Antarctica, arctic, Arcturus ||  L Arctūrus Gr Arktouros : the star Arcturus, the brightest star in the constellation Boötes, in the northern sky arktos : bear + ouros : a guard, a watcher. Arcturus appears to be watching the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (Great Bear and Little Bear).

ard–¹ {to burn}: aguardiente, ardent, ardor ●arson ●unrelated: arduous ||  L ardens (gen ardentis), prp. of ardēre : to burn ardor : flame, burning

ard–² {[in Germanic names] hard, hardy, strong}: Bernard, Gerard, Leonard, Maynard, Reynard, Richard ||  OFr OHG hart : hard, strong

are– {open field}: area, areola ||  L ārea : a level or open space, esp. in a town dim. āreola : a little open space

aren– {sand, sandy place}: arena, arenaceous, arenicolous, arenite ||  L arēna, harēna : sand, sandy place, an arena in a Roman amphitheater covered with sand, the scene of contention or struggle

argent– {silver}: argent, argentiferous, Argentina, argentine, argentite ||  L argentum : silver

argill– {clay}: argillaceous, argillite ||  L argilla : clay Gr argos : white

ari– {air}: aria, ariose, arioso, malaria ●same as aer– ||  It aria L āēr : air

aristo– {best}: aristocracy, aristocrat, Aristophanes, Aristotle ||  Gr aristos : best

arithm– {number}: arithmetic, logarithm ●algorithm ||  Gr arithmein : to count arithmos : number

arium– {a place for}: aquarium, caldarium, cinerarium, Cognātarium, columbarium, herbarium, leprosarium, planetarium, sanitarium, solarium, terrarium ●same as torium–, tory– ||  L –ārium, neut. sing. of –ārius : a place for, or connected with

arm– {weapon}: alarm, arm, armada, armadillo, armament, armature, armed forces, armistice, armoire, armor, armorer, armory, army, disarm, firearm, gendarme ●unrelated: arm (body part) ||  L arma : implements, weapons, arms armare : to arm; armāmentārium : armory

art– {creative activity, art, skill, craft}: art, artifact, artifice, artificial, artisan, artist, artistry, artless, artwork, objet d’art ●same as ert– ||  L artis, gen of ars : profession, art, skill, knowledge, cunning

arthr– {joint}: anarthria, arthritis, arthroplasty, arthropod ●see also articl– ||  Gr arthron : joint IE *ar(ə)– : to fit together

articl– {joint}: article, articulate, articulated ●see also arthr– ||  L articulus, dim. of artus : joint IE *ar(ə)– : to fit together

artio– {even (number)}: artiodactyl ●compare perisso– ||  Gr artios : even

asc(o)– {bladder, bag}: aschelminth, ascites, asclepiadaceous, ascocarp, ascogonium, ascomycete, ascospore, ascus ||  Gr †askos : wineskin, bladder

ase– {suffix for types of enzymes}: carbohydrase, lipase, nuclease, protease, transcriptase ●there are many enzymes using this suffix ||  abstracted generic form

aspar– {asparagus}: asparagus, Aspartame™, aspartic acid ||  L Gr asparagos : asparagus

asper– {rough, to roughen}: ad astra per aspera, asper, asperity, exasperate ||  L asper : rough asperitās : roughness

asthen– {weakness}: ●see a– (not) + sthen– (strength)

astr– {star}: ad astra per aspera, aster, asterisk, asteroid, astral, astrogation, astrolabe, astrology, astronaut, astronomy, astrophysics, disaster ●Esther ||  Gr astron : star L astrum : star, constellation

ather– {grain, grainy matter}: atheroma, atherosclerosis ||  Gr athēr : awn, chaff

athl– {contest}: athlete, athletic, decathlon, pentathlon ||  Gr athlein : to contest for a prize athlos : a contest & athlon : a prize

atlant– ●see atlas–

atlas–, atlant– {Atlas}: Atlanta, Atlantean, atlantes, Atlantic, Atlantis, Atlas, atlas ||  Gr Atlas, a figure in Greek mythology who was compelled to bear the world on his shoulders. Atlantic Ocean Atlas Mountains in NW Africa Atlas. Atlas (book of maps) early atlases illustrated with a picture of Atlas bearing the earth.

atm– {air, vapor}: atmometer, atmosphere ||  Gr atmos : vapor

atom– {atom, extremely small, indivisible}: atom, atomic, atomicity, atomism, atomize ||  L atomus : incapable of division, atom Gr atomos : uncut, indivisible, atom a– : not + tomos : cut temnein : to cut

audi– {to hear}: audible, audience, audio, audit, audition, auditor, auditorium ●obedient, obey ||  L audire : to hear audientia : hearing, listening, attention; audītio : a hearing, a listening; audītor : hearer, listener; audītōrium : a place of audience, lecture room

aug– {to increase}: augend, augment, augur, augury, inaugurate ●auction ●same as aux– ●see also august–, author– ||  LL augēre (pp. auctum, prp. auxi) : to make grow, to increase, to enlarge, to enrich auctor : originator, author

august– {majestic, awe-inspiring}: august, August, Augusta, Augustine, Augustus Cæsar ●see also aug– ||  L augustus : majestic, dignified augēre : to increase, to enrich

aur–¹ {ear}: aural, auricle, auricular, binaural, monaural ||  L auris : ear, the hearing dim. auricula : the external ear, earlobe

aur–² {gold}: aureate, Aurelia, Aurelius, aureola, aureole, Aureomycin™, auric, auriferous, aurous, aurum ●same as or–⁴ ||  L aurum : gold Au, the chemical symbol for gold

auspic– {a term used in augury: to see omens in birds’ flight}: auspice, auspicial, auspicious ●auspex ●comb. of avi– + spic– ||  L auspicium : divination by means of birds auspex : one who observes birds for divination avis : bird + speciere : to observe, to look at

austr– {south}: aurora australis, Auster, austral, Australia, Australopithecus ●unrelated: Austria ●compare borea– ||  L auster : the south wind austrālis : southern

author– {to originate}: author, authoritarian, authoritative, authority, authorize ●see also aug– ||  ME autour OFr autor L auctor : one who gives increase, hence: originator, causer, doer augēre : to increase, to make grow

aut(o)– {within, self}: authentic, autistic, autobiography, autocrat, autogiro, autograph, automate, automatic, automation, automobile, automotive, autonomous, autopsy, autotomy ||  Gr autos : self

aux– {to assist, to add to}: auxesis, auxiliary, auxin, auxochrome ●same as aug– ||  L augēre (prp. auxi) : to make grow, to increase, to enlarge, to enrich, to furnish auxilium : help, assistance; auxiliārius : helping, auxiliary

av– {to desire}: avarice, avid, avidin ||  L avārus : desirous, covetous, greedy avāritia : avarice, cupidity; avidus : vehemently desiring, longing for

avi– {bird, to fly}: avian, aviary, aviation, aviator, aviatrix, avifauna, avionics, rara avis ●see also auspic– ||  L avis : bird aviārius : relating to birds; aviārium : aviary

ax– {pivot, hub, axis}: abaxial, adaxial, axilla, axial, axis, axle, axonometric, coaxial, preaxial ||  L axis : axle, axis

axi– {value, worth}: axiology, axiom, chronaxic ||  Gr axioun : to think worthy axios : worthy

axil– {armpit}: axil, axilla, axillary ||  L axilla : armpit

* Unattested, hypothesized

165 entries found.