# root

/ˈɹut/ (US) · /ɹˈuːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/root
Updated: 2026-04-30

## Senses

### 1. part of a plant

noun · CEFR A2

the part of a plant that grows under the ground to find water and keep the plant in place.

For teachers: the subterranean organ of a vascular plant that functions in anchorage and nutrient absorption.

- The tree has very deep roots that help it survive during dry summers.
- The invasive species developed an extensive root system that eventually compromised the structural integrity of the nearby stone wall.

### 2. origin or cause

noun · CEFR B1

the basic cause or origin of something.

For teachers: the fundamental source, origin, or primary cause of a situation or condition.

- Money was at the root of all their family arguments.
- The investigation sought to uncover the root of the systemic corruption that had plagued the department for decades.

### 3. family origins

noun · CEFR B2

your family's history or the place where you come from.

For teachers: a person's familial, cultural, or ancestral origins.

- She moved back to Italy to rediscover her family roots.
- Despite living abroad for thirty years, he maintained a strong connection to his Irish roots through music and literature.

### 4. computing/admin

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the most powerful user account on a computer system, or the top folder.

For teachers: the superuser account on Unix-like systems with full administrative privileges; also the top-level directory in a hierarchy.

- You need root access to install this specific software on the server.
- The system administrator logged in as root to modify the core configuration files that were restricted to standard users.

### 5. linguistics

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Academic

the basic part of a word that carries the main meaning.

For teachers: the primary lexical unit of a word which carries the most significant semantic content and cannot be reduced further.

- The English word 'friendship' comes from the root word 'friend'.
- Etymologists traced the root of the verb back to a Proto-Indo-European term meaning to shine.

### 6. to cheer for

verb · CEFR B1 · American English · Informal

to show support for a team or person and hope they win.

For teachers: to express vocal support or encouragement for a contestant or team.

- I always root for the local team, even when they are losing.
- The entire city was rooting for the underdog to pull off an upset in the championship final.

Usage: usually takes the preposition 'for'

### 7. to search through

verb · CEFR B2

to look for something by moving things around or digging.

For teachers: to rummage or search through items, often by moving them aside in a disorganized way.

- She was rooting through her bag looking for her car keys.
- He spent the afternoon rooting around in the attic, hoping to find the old photo albums his mother had mentioned.

Usage: often used with 'around' or 'through'

## Examples

- The tree has very deep roots.
- The therapist helped him find the root of his anxiety by discussing his childhood experiences.
- While the visible symptoms of the economic crisis were clear, the root of the problem lay in decades of unregulated lending and systemic corruption within the banking sector.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.