ALL meanings of roots
root
R r - noun roots 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. 1
- noun roots a similar organ developed from some other part of a plant, as one of those by which ivy clings to its support. 1
- noun roots any underground part of a plant, as a rhizome. 1
- noun roots something resembling or suggesting the root of a plant in position or function: roots of wires and cables. 1
- noun roots the embedded or basal portion of a hair, tooth, nail, nerve, etc. 1
- noun roots the fundamental or essential part: the root of a matter. Synonyms: base, foundation, basic part, basic element. 1
- noun roots the source or origin of a thing: The love of money is the root of all evil. Synonyms: beginning, rise, fount, fountainhead, spring, wellspring; derivation, originator. 1
- noun roots a person or family as the source of offspring or descendants. Synonyms: parent, progenitor; ancestor(s), forebear(s), forefather. 1
- noun roots an offshoot or scion. 1
- noun roots 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. 1
- noun roots Computers. Also called root directory. the topmost directory of a hierarchical file system. the UNIX account, having the username “root,” that allows administrator privileges. 1
- noun roots 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.”. 1
- noun roots 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. 1
- noun roots 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. 1
- noun roots 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. 1
- noun roots Australian Informal. an act of sexual intercourse. 1
- noun roots Shipbuilding. the inner angle of an angle iron. 1
- verb with object roots to turn over with the snout (often followed by up). 1
- verb with object roots to unearth; bring to light (often followed by up). 1
- verb without object roots to encourage a team or contestant by cheering or applauding enthusiastically. Synonyms: cheer, cheer on, shout for, applaud, clap, boost, support. 1
- verb without object roots to lend moral support: The whole group will be rooting for him. Synonyms: back, second; champion, advocate, favor, espouse. 1
- idioms roots root and branch, utterly; entirely: to destroy something root and branch. 1
- idioms roots take root, to send out roots; begin to grow. to become fixed or established: The prejudices of parents usually take root in their children. 1
- adjective roots (of popular music) going back to the origins of a style, esp in being genuine and unpretentious 0