Our next stop through classical root words is “B.” It’s a short list this time around! Again, these are all taken from Appendix C in Greek and Latin Roots: Keys to Building Vocabulary, with some small changes of my own in the “Example” column. You can see the “A” words here.
Remember, these are base words, or stems: these are the main “chunks” onto which affixes are added, rather than actual affixes.
| Base | Meaning | Example |
| barbar | savage; savagery | barbarian |
| bell(i), bellum | war | belligerent, antebellum |
| bi(o) | live, life | biography, biology |
| bibli(o) | book | bibliography |
| bol | throw | symbol |
| bon, bene | good, well | bonanza, benefit |
| bov | cow | bovine |
| brev | short | abbreviation |
| bys | bottom | abyss |