Word part · Greek root
Path root words: meaning and 13 examples
In short
The Greek root path (from Greek) means "feeling, or suffering". It is also spelled pathy. Words with it include sympathy, sympathies, telepathy, telepathic, telepathically and antipathy. Words that name a kind of feeling spell it pathy: sympathy, empathy.
- Part
- path
- Meaning
- feeling, or suffering
- Origin
- Greek
- Also spelled
- pathy
- Words listed
- 13
Words that name a kind of feeling spell it pathy: sympathy, empathy. It has nothing to do with a path you walk on.
Words with the Greek root path
The list runs from shorter, common words to longer ones. The bands are a rough guide built from syllable count and how common each word is in our word list, not a grade-level standard. Read each word, then its word sum.
Colors:prefixroot or basesuffix
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| sympathy | sym (prefix)+pathy (root or base)→sympathythe prefix changes to match | feeling sorry for someone who is having a hard time |
| sympathies | sym (prefix)+pathy (root or base)+es (suffix)→sympathiesthe prefix changes to match, then change y to i | feelings of being sorry for someone |
| sympathize | sym (prefix)+path (root or base)+ize (suffix)→sympathizethe prefix changes to match | feel sorry for someone and show it |
More words: empathy, apathy, pathetic
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| telepathy | tele (root or base)+pathy (root or base)→telepathy | knowing someone's thoughts or feelings from far away, in stories |
| telepathic | tele (root or base)+path (root or base)+ic (suffix)→telepathic | able to sense thoughts from far away, in stories |
| telepathically | tele (root or base)+path (root or base)+ic (suffix)+al (suffix)+ly (suffix)→telepathically | by sensing thoughts from far away, in stories |
| antipathy | anti (prefix)+pathy (root or base)→antipathy | a strong feeling against someone or something |
| pathology | path (root or base)+o (connector)+logy (root or base)→pathologyadd a connecting vowel | the study of what goes wrong in the body when it is sick |
More words: sympathetic, apathetic
Where does path sit in a word?
A root can come first, last or in the middle. Students who only look at the start of a word miss half of these.
- At the start:
- pathology
- In the middle:
- telepathic, telepathically, sympathize
- At the end:
- sympathy, sympathies, telepathy, antipathy
How do you teach the root path?
Teach this root through the three words students need most: sympathy, empathy and apathy. All three are about feeling. Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone. Empathy is feeling what they feel, as if you were in their place. Apathy is not feeling much at all. Put the three on a chart with a short example for each, and have the student match a scene from a class story to the right word.
A quick routine
Say, "Path means feeling. The part in front tells you what kind." Write sym (with), em (in) and a (without) beside pathy. The student builds sympathy, empathy and apathy and finishes "It means feeling..." for each. Then read telepathy and ask, "What does tele add?" The student answers "far away, so feeling from far away." Dictate empathy.
What do students mix up with path?
The path you walk on is an old English word, so footpath, pathway and warpath aren't in this family. Pathetic is, though students hear it only as an insult. It first meant stirring up strong feeling, especially pity. Ask the student to test each word: does feeling fit the meaning? If the word is about a trail or a route, it's the other path.
Some of these words change spelling where the parts join. The spelling rules pages cover dropping e, doubling and changing y to i. For the sounds inside these words, see the phonics word lists. Routines that fit: meanings of prefixes and suffixes, circle the parts, read the base and flexible routine for big words.
Questions people ask
What does the root path mean?
Path means "feeling, or suffering". It is a Greek root, also spelled pathy. Words that name a kind of feeling spell it pathy: sympathy, empathy. It has nothing to do with a path you walk on.
What are some words with the root path?
Start with sympathy, sympathies, sympathize and empathy. Then move to telepathy and telepathic. This page lists 13 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?
Sympathy means feeling sorry for someone from the outside. Empathy means imagining their feelings from the inside, as if you were them. Sym means with and em means in, which is a handy way to remember the difference.
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