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root

[ root, root ]

/ rut, rʊt /

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noun

a part of the body of a plant that develops, typically, from the radicle and grows downward into the soil, anchoring the plant and absorbing nutriment and moisture.

a similar organ developed from some other part of a plant, as one of those by which ivy clings to its support.

any underground part of a plant, as a rhizome.

something resembling or suggesting the root of a plant in position or function: roots of wires and cables.

the embedded or basal portion of a hair, tooth, nail, nerve, etc.

the fundamental or essential part: the root of a matter.

the source or origin of a thing: The love of money is the root of all evil.

a person or family as the source of offspring or descendants.

an offshoot or scion.

Mathematics.

Also called nth root . a quantity that, when raised to the nth power (multiplied by itself n times), produces a given quantity: The number 2 is the square root of 4, the cube root of 8, and the fourth root of 16.
a value of the argument of a function for which the function takes the value zero.

Computers.

Also called root directory . the topmost directory of a hierarchical file system.
the UNIX account, having the username “root,” that allows administrator privileges.

Grammar.

a morpheme that underlies an inflectional or derivational paradigm, as dance, the root in danced, dancer, or ten-, the root of Latin tendere “to stretch.”
such a form reconstructed for a parent language, as *sed-, the hypothetical Proto-Indo-European root meaning “sit.”

roots,

a person's original or true home, environment, and culture: He's lived in New York for twenty years, but his roots are in France.
the personal relationships, affinity for a locale, habits, and the like, that make a country, region, city, or town one's true home: He lived in Tulsa for a few years, but never established any roots there.
personal identification with a culture, religion, etc., seen as promoting the development of the character or the stability of society as a whole.

Music.

the fundamental tone of a compound tone or of a series of harmonies.
the lowest tone of a chord when arranged as a series of thirds; the fundamental.

Machinery.

(in a screw or other threaded object) the narrow inner surface between threads.Compare crest (def. 18), flank (def. 7).
(in a gear) the narrow inner surface between teeth.

Australian Informal. an act of sexual intercourse.

Shipbuilding. the inner angle of an angle iron.

verb (used with object)

to fix by or as if by roots: We were rooted to the spot by surprise.

to implant or establish deeply: Good manners were rooted in him like a second nature.

to pull, tear, or dig up by the roots (often followed by up or out).

to extirpate; exterminate; remove completely (often followed by up or out): to root out crime.

Digital Technology.

to gain access to the operating system of (a smartphone, tablet, gaming console, etc.), as to alter system files or settings.Compare jailbreak (def. 3).
to install a rootkit on (a computer, electronic device, etc.).

verb (used without object)

to become fixed or established.

Digital Technology. to manipulate the operating system of a smartphone, tablet, etc.Compare jailbreak (def. 4).

OTHER WORDS FOR root

6 base, foundation, basic part, basic element.

7 beginning, rise, fount, fountainhead, spring, wellspring; derivation, originator.

8 parent, progenitor; ancestor(s), forebear(s), forefather.

21 eradicate, eliminate, wipe out, obliterate.

See synonyms for root on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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Idioms about root

root and branch, utterly; entirely: to destroy something root and branch.

take root,

to send out roots; begin to grow.
to become fixed or established: The prejudices of parents usually take root in their children.

Origin of root

First recorded before 1150; Middle English noun rote, roote, rowte, from late Old English rōt, from Old Norse rōt “root; cause, origin”; akin to Old English wyrt “plant, herb,” German Wurzel, Latin rādīx, Greek rhíza; the verb is derivative of the noun; see origin at radix,rhizome,wort²

OTHER WORDS FROM root

rootlike, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH root

root , rout, route

Other definitions for root (2 of 4)

root²

[ root, root ]

/ rut, rʊt /

verb (used without object)

to turn up the soil with the snout, as swine.

to poke, pry, or search, as if to find something: to root around in a drawer for loose coins.

verb (used with object)

to turn over with the snout (often followed by up).

to unearth; bring to light (often followed by up).

Origin of root

First recorded in 1530–40; variant of obsolete wroot (Middle English wroten, Old English wrōtan, akin to wrōt “a snout”)

Other definitions for root (3 of 4)

root³

[ root or, sometimes, root ]

/ rut or, sometimes, rʊt /

verb (used without object)

to encourage a team or contestant by cheering or applauding enthusiastically.

to lend moral support: The whole group will be rooting for him.

OTHER WORDS FOR root

1 cheer, cheer on, shout for, applaud, clap; boost, support.

2 back, second; champion, advocate, favor, espouse.

See synonyms for root on Thesaurus.com

Origin of root

An Americanism first recorded in 1885–90; perhaps variant of rout⁴

Other definitions for root (4 of 4)

Root

[ root ]

/ rut /

noun

El·i·hu

[el-uh-hyoo], /ˈɛl əˌhyu/, 1845–1937, U.S. lawyer and statesman: Nobel Peace Prize 1912.

John Well·born

[wel-bern], /ˈwɛl bərn/, 1851–91, U.S. architect.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use root in a sentence

Amid a national economic crisis, a movement sprang up that was both genuinely grass-roots and assisted by elite Republicans.
The Republican Party’s future: Being terrorized by its unhinged base|Paul Waldman|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Quartz’s membership product is unique because unlike a trade publisher rooted in a single industry, Quartz’s readers come to it to learn about the niche areas of focus, like climate tech and the podcast industry, as well as macro-trends.
‘A start-up again’: New Quartz owner Zach Seward’s plan for longevity includes revenue innovation and reader support|Kayleigh Barber|November 20, 2020|Digiday
Facebook also said in its update its artificial intelligence systems are getting significantly better at rooting out posts with hate speech, even as the content continues to proliferate on its social media sites.
Facebook says it labeled 180 million debunked posts ahead of the election|Rachel Lerman, Heather Kelly|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Populus tremuloides, the quaking aspen, grows in clonal colonies, which means each stem in a grove is genetically identical, connected by an immense underground root system called a rhizome.
On Sleeping in the Largest Organism on Earth|Leath Tonino|November 19, 2020|Outside Online

Because they have a dense network of roots that can survive both above and below the waterline, the mangroves reduce wave force and capture sediments.
Asia’s biggest climate migration|Konstantin Kakaes|November 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
But secretly rooting for the good Israelis and wishing them success is one thing.
The Inside Story of U.S. Meddling in Israel’s Elections|Aaron David Miller|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Before I was the underdog, slowly growing so people were rooting me on.
The Hot Designer Who Hates Fashion: VK Nagrani Triumphs His Own Way|Tom Teodorczuk|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even as a Democrat, I am rooting for the GOP to seize this slam-dunk opportunity.
To Make Their Victory Durable, the GOP Must Fix the Minimum Wage|Dmitri Mehlhorn|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And it all began with a young model rooting through Paris flea markets to find something that made her feel good.
Tatiana Sorokko Is the Queen of Vintage Couture|Anthony Haden-Guest|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the press, no matter what she did, they were never rooting for her.
Meet the PR Guru for the ‘Hot Convict,’ the Octomom, and Every Other D-List Trainwreck|Erin Cunningham|July 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He walked first to one side, and then the other, rooting in the dirt with his funny, rubbery nose.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard Barnum
Just as he was he got up out of his leaf-bed, and began rooting around in the ground for acorns.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard Barnum
I left them as they were, and busied myself with rooting out undeniable weeds and carting off the slash and rubbish.
The Idyl of Twin Fires|Walter Prichard Eaton
In between, the soil was all harrowed and upturned into great cusps as though many swine had been rooting there for mast.
The Glory of The Coming|Irvin S. Cobb
The pigs wandered over the hills rooting under the tender grass.
The Pioneers|Katharine Susannah Prichard

British Dictionary definitions for root (1 of 3)

root¹

/ (ruːt) /

noun

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
(loosely) any of the branches of such an organ

any plant part, such as a rhizome or tuber, that is similar to a root in structure, function, or appearance

the essential, fundamental, or primary part or nature of somethingyour analysis strikes at the root of the problem
(as modifier)the root cause of the problem

anatomy the embedded portion of a tooth, nail, hair, etc

origin or derivation, esp as a source of growth, vitality, or existence

(plural) a person's sense of belonging in a community, place, etc, esp the one in which he was born or brought up

an ancestor or antecedent

Bible a descendant

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 meaningCompare stem 1 (def. 9)

maths a number or quantity that when multiplied by itself a certain number of times equals a given number or quantity3 is a cube root of 27

Also called: solution maths a number that when substituted for the variable satisfies a given equation2 is a root of x³ – 2x – 4 = 0

music (in harmony) the note forming the foundation of a chord

Australian and NZ slang sexual intercourse

root and branch

(adverb) entirely; completely; utterly
(adjective) thorough; radical; complete

Related adjective: radical

verb

Also: take root (intr) to put forth or establish a root and begin to grow

Also: take root (intr) to become established, embedded, or effective

(tr) to fix or embed with or as if with a root or roots

Australian and NZ slang to have sexual intercourse (with)

Derived forms of root

rooter, nounrootlike, adjectiverooty, adjectiverootiness, noun

Word Origin for root

Old English rōt, from Old Norse; related to Old English wyrt wort

British Dictionary definitions for root (2 of 3)

root²

/ (ruːt) /

verb (intr)

(of a pig) to burrow in or dig up the earth in search of food, using the snout

(foll by about, around, in etc) informal to search vigorously but unsystematically

Derived forms of root

rooter, noun

Word Origin for root

C16: changed (through influence of root 1) from earlier wroot, from Old English wrōtan; related to Old English wrōt snout, Middle Dutch wrōte mole

British Dictionary definitions for root (3 of 3)

root³

verb

(intr usually foll by for) informal to give support to (a contestant, team, etc), as by cheering

Derived forms of root

rooter, noun

Word Origin for root

C19: perhaps a variant of Scottish rout to make a loud noise, from Old Norse rauta to roar

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for root

root

[ rōōt, rut ]

The embedded part of an organ or structure, such as a hair, tooth, or nerve, serving as a base or support.

A primary source; an origin; radix.

Scientific definitions for root

root

[ rōōt, rut ]

A plant part that usually grows underground, secures the plant in place, absorbs minerals and water, and stores food manufactured by leaves and other plant parts. Roots grow in a root system. Eudicots and magnoliids have a central, longer, and larger taproot with many narrower lateral roots branching off, while monocots have a mass of threadlike fibrous roots, which are roughly the same length and remain close to the surface of the soil. In vascular plants, roots usually consist of a central cylinder of vascular tissue, surrounded by the pericycle and endodermis, then a thick layer of cortex, and finally an outer epidermis or (in woody plants) periderm. Only finer roots (known as feeder roots) actively take up water and minerals, generally in the uppermost meter of soil. These roots absorb minerals primarily through small epidermal structures known as root hairs. In certain plants, adventitious roots grow out from the stem above ground as aerial roots or prop roots, bending down into the soil, to facilitate the exchange of gases or increase support. Certain plants (such as the carrot and beet) have fleshy storage roots with abundant parenchyma in their vascular tissues. See also fibrous root taproot.

Any of various other plant parts that grow underground, especially an underground stem such as a corm, rhizome, or tuber.

The part of a tooth that is embedded in the jaw and not covered by enamel.

Mathematics

A number that, when multiplied by itself a given number of times, produces a specified number. For example, since 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 = 16, 2 is a fourth root of 16.
A solution to an equation. For example, a root of the equation x2 - 4 = 0 is 2, since 22 - 4 = 0.

Cultural definitions for root (1 of 2)

root

In biology, the part of a plant that grows downward and holds the plant in place, absorbs water and minerals from the soil, and often stores food. The main root of a plant is called the primary root; others are called secondary roots. The hard tip is called the root cap, which protects the growing cells behind it. Root hairs increase the root's absorbing surface.

Cultural definitions for root (2 of 2)

root

The part of a tooth below the gum. The root anchors the tooth to the jawbone.

Other Idioms and Phrases with root

root

In addition to the idioms beginning with root

root and branch
rooted to the spot
root for
root of the matter
root out

also see:

put down roots
take root

root

OTHER WORDS FOR root

Idioms about root

Origin of root

OTHER WORDS FROM root

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH root

Other definitions for root (2 of 4)

Origin of root

Other definitions for root (3 of 4)

OTHER WORDS FOR root

Origin of root

Other definitions for root (4 of 4)

Words related to root

How to use root in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for root (1 of 3)

Derived forms of root

Word Origin for root

British Dictionary definitions for root (2 of 3)

Derived forms of root

Word Origin for root

British Dictionary definitions for root (3 of 3)

Derived forms of root

Word Origin for root

Medical definitions for root

Scientific definitions for root

Cultural definitions for root (1 of 2)

Cultural definitions for root (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with root