root¹ /root/

1. (ordinarily and popularly) the underground part of a plant, esp when edible
2. That part of a higher plant which never bears leaves or reproductive organs, ordinarily underground and descending, and serving to absorb salts in solution, but often above-ground, often arising from other parts, often serving other functions, though morphologically comparable (botany)
3. The source, cause, basis, foundation or occasion of anything, eg an ancestor, or an element from which words are derived
4. An embedded or basal part, as of a tooth, a hair, a dam
5. A growing plant with its root
6. The factor of a quantity which, taken so many times, produces that quantity (mathematics)
7. Any value of the unknown quantity for which an equation is true (mathematics)
8. The fundamental note on which a chord is built (music)
9. (in pl) one's ancestry, family origins
10. (in pl) one's ethnic or cultural origins
11. (in pl) a feeling of belonging in a town, community, etc
12. A sexual partner (Aust and NZ slang)

1. To fix the root
2. To be firmly established
3. To develop a root
4. To have sexual intercourse (Aust and NZ sl)

1. To plant in the earth
2. To implant deeply
3. To fix by the root (also figurative)
4. To have sexual intercourse with (Aust and NZ sl)
5. To uproot (usu with up)
6. To remove entirely by uprooting, clear away, eradicate, extirpate (usu with out)

rootˈage noun

1. The act of striking root
2. The state of being rooted
3. Roothold
4. A root system

rootˈed adjective

1. Having roots
2. Fixed by roots or as by roots
3. Firmly established

rootˈedly adverb

rootˈedness noun

rootˈer noun

rootˈless adjective

1. Having no roots
2. Belonging nowhere, having no home and so constantly shifting about

rootˈlessness noun

rootˈlet noun

rootˈlike adjective

roots adjective

1. Expressing or concerned with one's ethnic or cultural identity
2. Of or relating to roots music (see below)

rootˈsiness noun

rootˈsy adjective

(esp of music) reminiscent of or incorporating traditional or folk styles

rootˈy adjective (rootˈier; rootˈiest)

1. Abounding in, consisting of, or like roots
2. Rank

root-and-branchˈ adjective and adverb

1. Without leaving any part
2. Thorough(ly), complete(ly)

root ball noun

The spherical mass formed by the roots of a plant, with the surrounding soil

root beer noun

A drink made from roots of dandelion, sassafras, etc

rootˈbound adjective

1. Rooted to the ground (Milton)
2. Pot-bound

root canal noun

The narrow passage through which nerves and blood vessels enter the pulp cavity of a tooth

root cap noun

A sheath of cells at the tip of a root

root cause noun

Fundamental cause

root climber noun

A plant that climbs by means of roots, such as ivy

root crop noun

A crop of esculent roots

root directory noun (computing)

The highest level of directory in a directory structure

root eater noun

rootˈ-fallen adjective

Fallen, by roots giving way

rootˈ-fast adjective

Firmly rooted

root hair noun

A fine tubular outgrowth from a cell by which a young root absorbs water

rootˈhold noun

1. Maintenance of position by roots
2. A footing

root house noun

1. A summerhouse built of tree roots
2. A storehouse for potatoes, etc

rooting compound noun (botany)

A preparation, containing plant growth substances, in which a cutting is dipped to promote root growth

• morbidness
• morbidnesses
• morbiferous
• morbific
• morbilli
• morbilliform
• morbillivirus
• morbilliviruses
• morbillous
• morbus
• morbuses
• morbus gallicus
• morceau
• morceau de salon
• morceaux
• morcha
• morchas
• mordacious
• mordaciously
• mordacities
• mordacity
• mordancies
• mordancy
• mordant
• mordanted