Words with the root ped
ped means “foot”, from Latinpes/pedis.
15 examples of the root “ped”
- pedal-allever operated by the foot
- pedestrian-estrianperson traveling on foot
- pedicure-curecare and treatment of feet
- pedometer-meterdevice measuring steps taken
- bipedbi-creature with two feet
- quadrupedquadru-animal with four feet
- centipedecenti-creature with hundred feet
- millipedemilli-creature with thousand feet
- expediteex-/-itefree the feet, speed up
- expeditionex-/-itionjourney undertaken on foot
- impedimentim-/-mentsomething that snares the feet
- impedeim-obstruct, catch the feet
- podiatrist-iatristphysician treating foot conditions
- antipodeananti-/-eanrelating to opposite feet on earth
- sesquipedaliansesqui-/-ianmeasuring a foot and a half long
How ped works
The Latin root 'ped-' (foot) appears as 'ped-' in most words but shifts to the Greek variant 'pod-' in words like 'podiatrist' and 'antipodean,' reflecting borrowing from Greek 'pous/podos.' The prefix 'im-' in 'impede' and 'impediment' is the assimilated form of 'in-' before the bilabial consonant 'p,' following standard Latin prefix assimilation rules.
Watch out: Words like 'pedagogue' and 'pedant' contain 'ped-' from Greek 'pais/paidos' (child), not foot, so they are false friends despite looking identical.
To see roots combine with other parts, try the word dissector and root builder, or test yourself in the vocabulary quiz.
Other Greek and Latin roots
- port · carry
- duct · lead
- scrib/script · write
- dict · say
- aud · hear
- vid/vis · see
- rupt · break
- mit/miss · send
- vert/vers · turn
- man/manu · hand
- spec/spect · look
- cap/cept · take
- pos/pon · place
- fac/fact · make
- voc/vok · voice
- terr · earth
- aqua · water
- luc/lum · light
- nov · new
- temp · time
- mort · death
- gram/graph · write
- log/logy · word
- phon · sound
- bio · life
- chron · time
- geo · earth
- path · feeling
- hydr · water
- scope · look at
- therm · heat
- psych · mind
- auto · self
- tele · far
- micro · small
Questions people ask
What does the root “ped” mean?
ped means “foot”. It comes from Latin (pes/pedis). The Latin root 'ped-' (foot) appears as 'ped-' in most words but shifts to the Greek variant 'pod-' in words like 'podiatrist' and 'antipodean,' reflecting borrowing from Greek 'pous/podos.' The prefix 'im-' in 'impede' and 'impediment' is the assimilated form of 'in-' before the bilabial consonant 'p,' following standard Latin prefix assimilation rules.
What are some examples of words with the root “ped”?
pedal, pedestrian, pedicure, pedometer, biped, quadruped, centipede, millipede. The full list of 15 examples, with what each one literally means, is above.
Which words look like they have the root “ped” but don’t?
Words like 'pedagogue' and 'pedant' contain 'ped-' from Greek 'pais/paidos' (child), not foot, so they are false friends despite looking identical.
What is a root word?
A root is the core of a word that carries its main meaning. Many English roots come from Latin or Greek and cannot stand alone, like port (“carry”) in transport and portable.