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Definition of Root in English :

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Root meaning in English

Meaning of Root in English

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Root

see synonyms of root

Noun

1. 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

2. beginning, origin, root, rootage, source

the place where something begins, where it springs into being

Example Sentences:
'the Italian beginning of the Renaissance'
'Jupiter was the origin of the radiation'
'Pittsburgh is the source of the Ohio River'
'communism's Russian root'

3. base, radical, root, root word, stem, theme

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

Example Sentences:
'thematic vowels are part of the stem'

4. root

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

5. root, solution

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

6. ancestor, antecedent, ascendant, ascendent, root

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

7. etymon, root

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

8. root, tooth root

the part of a tooth that is embedded in the jaw and serves as support

Verb

9. root

take root and begin to grow

Example Sentences:
'this plant roots quickly'

10. root

come into existence, originate

Example Sentences:
'The problem roots in her depression'

11. root

plant by the roots

12. root, rootle, rout

dig with the snout

Example Sentences:
'the pig was rooting for truffles'

13. root, settle, settle down, steady down, take root

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

Example Sentences:
'He finally settled down'

14. root

cause to take roots

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.

Root

see synonyms of root
noun
1. 
a. 
the organ of a higher plant that anchors the rest of the plant in the ground, absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil, and does not bear leaves or buds
b. 
(loosely) any of the branches of such an organ
2. 
any plant part, such as a rhizome or tuber, that is similar to a root in structure, function, or appearance
3. 
a. 
the essential, fundamental, or primary part or nature of something
your analysis strikes at the root of the problem
b. 
(as modifier)
the root cause of the problem
4. anatomy
the embedded portion of a tooth, nail, hair, etc
5. 
origin or derivation, esp as a source of growth, vitality, or existence
6. (plural)
a person's sense of belonging in a community, place, etc, esp the one in which he was born or brought up
7. 
an ancestor or antecedent
8. Bible
a descendant
9. 
the form of a word that remains after removal of all affixes; a morpheme with lexical meaning that is not further subdivisible into other morphemes with lexical meaning
Compare stem (sense 9)
10. mathematics
a number or quantity that when multiplied by itself a certain number of times equals a given number or quantity
3 is a cube root of 27
11. Also called: solution mathematics
a number that when substituted for the variable satisfies a given equation
2 is a root of x3 – 2x – 4 = 0
12. music
(in harmony) the note forming the foundation of a chord
13. Australian and New Zealand vulgar, slang
an act of sexual intercourse
14.  root and branch
verb
15. Also: take root (intransitive)
to put forth or establish a root and begin to grow
16. Also: take root (intransitive)
to become established, embedded, or effective
17. (transitive)
to fix or embed with or as if with a root or roots
18. Australian and New Zealand vulgar, slang
to have sexual intercourse (with)
verb (intransitive)
1. 
(of a pig) to burrow in or dig up the earth in search of food, using the snout
2. (foll by about, around, in, etc) informal
to search vigorously but unsystematically
verb
(intransitive; usually foll by for) informal
to give support to (a contestant, team, etc), as by cheering

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Root

see synonyms of root
Elihu1845-1937; U.S. statesman: secretary of state (1905-09)
noun
1. 
the part of a plant, usually below the ground, that lacks nodes, shoots, and leaves, holds the plant in position, draws water and nourishment from the soil, and stores food
2.  Loosely
any underground part of a plant, as a rhizome
3. 
the attached or embedded part of a bodily structure, as of the teeth, hair, nails, or tongue
4. 
the source, origin, or cause of an action, quality, condition, etc.
5. 
a person or family that has many descendants; ancestor
6.  [pl.]
the close ties one has with some place or people as through birth, upbringing, long and sympathetic association, etc.
7. 
a lower or supporting part; base
8. 
an essential or basic part; core
the root of the matter
9.  Ancient Mathematics
a. 
a quantity that, multiplied by itself a specified number of times, produces a given quantity
4 is the square root (4 × 4) of 16 and the cube root (4 × 4 × 4) of 64
b. 
a number that, when substituted for the unknown quantity in an equation, will satisfy the equation
10.  Music
the basic tone of a chord, on which the chord is constructed; often, the fundamental
11.  Linguistics
the fundamental element of a word or form, exclusive of all affixes and inflectional phonetic changes
verb intransitive
12. 
to begin to grow by putting out roots
13. 
to become fixed, settled, etc.
verb transitive
14. 
to fix the roots of in the ground
15. 
to establish; settle
verb transitive
1. 
to dig or turn (up or out) with or as with the snout
verb intransitive
2. 
to dig in the ground, as with the snout
3. 
to search about; rummage
to root through the litter
4.  Informal
to work hard; drudge
to root for a living
5.  US, Informal
a. 
to encourage a contestant or team by applauding and cheering
b. 
to lend moral support to one seeking success, recovery, etc.
; usually with for

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Root

see synonyms of root
n.
1.
a. The usually underground portion of a plant that lacks buds, leaves, or nodes and serves as support, draws minerals and water from the surrounding soil, and sometimes stores food.
b. Any of various other underground plant parts, especially an underground stem such as a rhizome, corm, or tuber.
2.
a. The embedded part of an organ or structure such as a hair, tooth, or nerve, that serves as a base or support.
b. The bottom or supporting part of something: We snipped the wires at the roots.
3. The essential part or element; the basic core: I finally got to the root of the problem.
4. A primary source; an origin. See Synonyms at origin.
5. A progenitor or ancestor from which a person or family is descended.
6.
a. often roots The condition of being settled and of belonging to a particular place or society: Our roots in this town go back a long way.
b. roots The state of having or establishing an indigenous relationship with or a personal affinity for a particular culture, society, or environment: music with unmistakable African roots.
7. Linguistics
a. The element that carries the main component of meaning in a word and provides the basis from which a word is derived by adding affixes or inflectional endings or by phonetic change.
b. Such an element reconstructed for a protolanguage. Also called radical.
8. Mathematics
a. A number that when multiplied by itself an indicated number of times forms a product equal to a specified number. For example, a fourth root of 4 is √2. Also called nth root.
b. A number that reduces a polynomial equation in one variable to an identity when it is substituted for the variable.
c. A number at which a polynomial has the value zero.
9. Music
a. The note from which a chord is built.
b. Such a note occurring as the lowest note of a triad or other chord.
v. root·ed, root·ing, roots
v.intr.
1. To grow roots or a root: Carrot tops will root in water.
2. To become firmly established or settled: The idea of tolerance has rooted in our culture.
v.tr.
1. To plant and fix the roots of (a plant) in soil or the ground.
2. To establish or settle firmly: Our love of the ocean has rooted us here.
3. To be the source or origin of: "Much of [the team's] success was rooted in the bullpen" (Dan Shaughnessy).
4.
a. To dig or pull out by the roots. Often used with up or out: We rooted out the tree stumps with a tractor.
b. To remove or get rid of. Often used with out: "declared that waste and fraud will be vigorously rooted out of Government" (New York Times).
v. root·ed, root·ing, roots
v.tr.
1. To turn up by digging with the snout or nose: hogs that rooted up acorns.
2. To cause to appear or be known. Used with out: an investigation that rooted out the source of the problem.
v.intr.
1. To turn over the earth with the snout or nose.
2. To search or rummage for something: rooted around for a pencil in his cluttered office.
intr.v. root·ed, root·ing, roots
1. To give audible encouragement or applause to a contestant or team; cheer. See Synonyms at applaud.
2. To give moral support to someone; hope for a favorable outcome for someone: We'll be rooting for you when you take the exam.
American lawyer and public official who served as US secretary of war (1899-1904), secretary of state (1905-1909), and senator from New York (1909-1915). He won the 1912 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in international law.

The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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