Definition Synonyms
Definition of roots - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun, plural
1.
botanypart of a plant that grows downward into the soil
- The roots of the tree spread deep and wide..
2.
ancestryfamily history or background
- She explored her roots to learn about her ancestors.
3.
beginningsstarting point or origin of something
- The roots of the tradition date back centuries.
4.
cultural belongingsense of belonging to a place or group
- He felt his roots were deeply connected to the community.
5.
beautyRare US grown-out hair at the scalpRare US
- She needs to dye her roots again.
Images of roots

part of a plant that grows downward into the soil 
grown-out hair at the scalp
Expressions with roots
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
connected to one's origin or background
She feels deeply connected to her roots in Italy.
start living in a place for a long time
After college, she put down roots in Chicago.
learn about one's family history or origins
She traveled to Italy to discover her roots and meet distant relatives.
originates from or is caused by something earlier
This tradition has its roots in ancient history.
leave a place where you have lived for a long time
After twenty years, they decided to pull up roots and relocate.
recall and honor your origins or heritage
Even after promotion, remember your roots and thank the people who helped you.
reconnect with fundamental principles or values
The company aims to return to roots to improve its culture.
completely removed or eradicated from the base
The invasive species was eliminated by the roots.
begin to grow roots in the soil
The seedlings will strike roots in a few days.
family origins in another country
She often talks about her immigrant roots and their influence on her life.
the origin or basis of something
Understanding the plant roots of this tradition is important.
the fundamental and extended parts of something
The theory covers the roots and branches of the subject.
research family history or ancestry
She decided to trace her roots to learn more about her ancestors.
music genre influenced by traditional styles
Roots music often features acoustic instruments and storytelling.
subgenre of reggae music emphasizing Rastafarian themes and social issues
Roots reggae often features lyrics about resistance and empowerment..
Origin of roots
Old English, rōt (root)
Terms with roots included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
music
genre of music with African American roots
wild boar
large, tusked forest mammal that roots for food
dance
lively Brazilian dance with African roots
plant removal
remove a plant from the ground including its roots
people identity
ancestral land linked to a group's culture, history or roots
geology
layer of earth with grass roots
beverages
carbonated drink made from roots and herbs
plant
grow roots into soil
plant
tropical plant with starchy roots
food
starchy powder from tropical roots used for cooking
plant
having deep roots in the ground
plant
grow roots and start to develop
gardening
remove by the roots
landscaping
cover the ground with grass or grass roots
african roots
having ancestors from Africa
church songs
modern Christian genre mixing gospel roots with current R&B sounds
tea
herbal drink made from roasted dandelion roots
beverage
herbal drink made from dandelion roots or leaves
plant
wither above ground, leaving roots alive
legal
country linked to a person by birth background or family roots
ancestry
place of origin or ancestral roots
agriculture
mineral absorbed by plant roots for nourishment
agriculture
plant grown for its edible roots
botany
structure of roots in a plant
Examples of roots in a sentence
She studied the roots under a microscope. He traced his roots back to Ireland. Understanding her roots helped her connect with her culture. The roots of jazz can be traced to African music. Understanding the roots of a problem helps in finding solutions. She discovered her roots during the family reunion.
His roots in the town go back generations. Her roots were showing after a month without dyeing. The stylist touched up her roots during the appointment.
View all translations of roots
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:racines, origines, ...
- German:Wurzeln, Herkunft, ...
- Italian:radici, origini, ...
- Spanish:raíces, orígenes, ...
- Portuguese:raízes, origens, ...
- Chinese:根, 根源, ...
- Japanese:根, 家系, ...
- Arabic:جِذْر, جُذُور, ...
- Hebrew:שׁוֹרָשִׁים, ...
- Russian:корни, происхождение, ...
- Ukrainian:коріння, корені, ...
- Hindi:जड़ें, वंश, ...
Definition of root - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
botanypart of a plant that absorbs nutrients
- The root of the tree spread wide underground.
2.
starting pointorigin or source of something
- The root of the problem was a lack of communication.
3.
mathematicsTECH. number that when multiplied by itself equals anotherTECH.
- The square root of 9 is 3.
4.
linguisticsTECH. base form of a word without affixesTECH.
- The root of 'running' is 'run'.
5.
anatomypart of a tooth or hair under the skin
- The dentist checked the root of the tooth for decay.
6.
culturesense of belonging or ancestry
- She felt a strong connection to her roots in Italy.
7.
technologyTECH. highest directory in a file systemTECH.
- The file was saved in the root directory.
8.
musicTECH. fundamental tone of a chordTECH.
- The root of the chord is C.
Verb
1.
supportintr. US cheer for a team or athleteintr. US
- Fans rooted for their team enthusiastically..
2.
settling inintr. become established firmlyintr.
- The tradition soon rooted in the village.
3.
hold tighttr. establish something firmlytr.
- Years of honesty rooted trust in the team.
4.
plantintr. grow roots and start to developintr.
- The cuttings will root in a few weeks.
5.
messy searchintr. UK search by moving things aroundintr. UK
- She rooted through her bag for the keys.
6.
animalintr. US dig with the snoutintr. US
- The pig rooted in the soil for food.
7.
technologytr./intr. TECH. gain privileged access to a systemtr./intr. TECH.
- He managed to root the phone.
Images of root

part of a plant that absorbs nutrients
Expressions with root
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
show strong sympathy or alignment with a side
She always roots for the underdog in any situation.
remove completely by pulling out from the ground
Farmers had to root up old trees to plant new crops.
grow roots into soil
The saplings will take root in a few weeks.
search for something in a casual way
She rooted about in her bag for the keys.
primary cause of all negative things
Some say money is the root of all evil.
points to the origin of a problem or situation
Poverty is often at the root of social issues.
in a way that uncovers the basic cause
The detective worked well to get to the root of the mystery.
search through things in a disorganized way
She rooted around in her bag for the keys.
cheer for someone or something
We root on the runners in the marathon.
remove or eliminate completely
The government aims to root out corruption.
search through items to find something specific
She rooted through her bag to find her keys.
most important part of a problem or situation
We need to find the root of the matter quickly.
begin to grow roots in the soil
The seedlings will strike root in a few days.
root of the ginger plant used in food or medicine
Ginger root is used in tea and cooking.
carbonated drink made from roots and herbs
I love drinking root beer on hot days.
primary reason for a problem or situation
The root cause of the failure was a faulty component.
underground stem of ginger plant used in cooking
She added root ginger to the stir-fry.
vegetable with an edible root or tuber
Carrots are a popular root vegetable.
sweet beverage of root beer with a scoop of ice cream
After dinner, we enjoyed a refreshing root beer float..
underground part of turmeric plant used in cooking
She added turmeric root to the curry for flavor.
dental procedure treating tooth pulp infection
She had root canal work to save her tooth.
identify and remove the cause of an infection
The team aimed to root out the infection in the hospital.
basic improvement in an organization or process
The company underwent a root reform to enhance efficiency.
celery grown for its thick edible root
Root celery is often used in soups and stews.
Origin of root
Old Norse, rot (root)
Examples of root in a sentence
Nutrients travel from the root to the leaves. The root of her anxiety was unknown. They traced the root of the tradition. The equation has two real roots. Find the positive root of 49. In 'unhappiness', the root is 'happy'.
Linguists study the root to understand word origins. The hair root was damaged by the treatment. An infection had reached the tooth root. He explored his roots through family stories. The festival celebrated the roots of the community. Access the root to modify system files. The root contains all the essential folders. Musicians often start with the root in compositions. Identifying the root helps in chord progression. They rooted for their favorite player during the match. We always root for the home team. Distrust can root quickly in small teams. The tradition rooted deeply over time. Years of practice rooted discipline in the team. Fear can root prejudice in a community. These seedlings will root faster in moist soil. The gardener hopes the new plants will root by spring. He rooted around the attic for old photos. The dog rooted in the garden for its bone. The boar rooted around the forest floor. Wild hogs rooted through the underbrush. They rooted the server to install custom software. She rooted her tablet to access more features.
View all translations of root
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:racine, encourager, ...
- German:Wurzel, anfeuern, ...
- Italian:radice, tifare, ...
- Spanish:raíz, apoyar, ...
- Portuguese:raiz, torcer, ...
- Chinese:根, 支持, ...
- Japanese:根, 応援する, ...
- Arabic:جَذْر, شَجَّعَ, ...
- Hebrew:שֹׁרֶשׁ, לְעוֹדֵד, ...
- Russian:корень, болеть, ...
- Ukrainian:корінь, підтримувати, ...
- Hindi:जड़, समर्थन करना, ...


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