In this Grade 8 vocabulary lesson from Vocabulary from Latin and Greek Roots, Level XI, students study five Latin roots related to color — VERD/VIRID (green), CAND (white/pure), PALL (pale), LIVID (bluish-black), and NIGR (black) — and learn words such as verdant, candor, pallor, incandescent, and denigrate. Students explore how color symbolism in ancient Rome shaped modern English, including the origins of words like candidate and appall. Practice exercises reinforce understanding of each term's meaning, connotations, and correct usage in context.
Section 1
Root: VERD, VIRID — green
Let's explore a group of words that bring lush, green imagery to life, all from the Latin root VIRIDUS, meaning "green."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| verdure (n.) | Greenery; fresh and ripe vegetation |
| verdant (adj.) | Green; lush with vegetation |
| viridity (n.) | Lack of experience; innocence |
Section 2
Root: CAND — white, pure, to glow
This bright group of words comes from the Latin roots CANDIDUS, meaning "white, pure," and CANDERE, "to glow or burn."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| candid (adj.) | Open and sincere |
| candor (n.) | Frankness or sincerity of expression; openness |
| incandescent (adj.) | Shining brilliantly |
Section 3
Root: PALL — to be pale
These words describe paleness and the shock that can cause it, all from the Latin root PALLERE, meaning "to be pale."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| pallor (n.) | Extreme or unnatural paleness |
| pallid (adj.) | Lacking color; dull |
| appall (v.) | To fill with horror or disapproval |
Section 4
Root: LIVID — bluish-black
This next word describes a powerful emotion with a colorful origin, coming from the Latin LIVIDUS, meaning "bluish-black."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| livid (adj.) | Enraged; furious |
Section 5
Root: NIGR — black
This final word deals with darkening a reputation, derived from the Latin root NIGER, meaning "black."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| denigrate (v.) | To attack the character of; to mock |
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Section 1
Root: VERD, VIRID — green
Let's explore a group of words that bring lush, green imagery to life, all from the Latin root VIRIDUS, meaning "green."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| verdure (n.) | Greenery; fresh and ripe vegetation |
| verdant (adj.) | Green; lush with vegetation |
| viridity (n.) | Lack of experience; innocence |
Section 2
Root: CAND — white, pure, to glow
This bright group of words comes from the Latin roots CANDIDUS, meaning "white, pure," and CANDERE, "to glow or burn."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| candid (adj.) | Open and sincere |
| candor (n.) | Frankness or sincerity of expression; openness |
| incandescent (adj.) | Shining brilliantly |
Section 3
Root: PALL — to be pale
These words describe paleness and the shock that can cause it, all from the Latin root PALLERE, meaning "to be pale."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| pallor (n.) | Extreme or unnatural paleness |
| pallid (adj.) | Lacking color; dull |
| appall (v.) | To fill with horror or disapproval |
Section 4
Root: LIVID — bluish-black
This next word describes a powerful emotion with a colorful origin, coming from the Latin LIVIDUS, meaning "bluish-black."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| livid (adj.) | Enraged; furious |
Section 5
Root: NIGR — black
This final word deals with darkening a reputation, derived from the Latin root NIGER, meaning "black."
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| denigrate (v.) | To attack the character of; to mock |
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