Word part · Latin root
Flu root words: meaning and 12 examples
In short
The Latin root flu (from Latin) means "flow". It is also spelled flux. Words with it include fluent, fluently, influence, influenced, influences and influencing. A fluent reader's words flow.
- Part
- flu
- Meaning
- flow
- Origin
- Latin
- Also spelled
- flux
- Words listed
- 12
A fluent reader's words flow. In influx the root ends the word and is spelled flux.
Words with the Latin root flu
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
Start here: short, common words (about grades 3 and 4)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| fluent | flu (root or base)+ent (suffix)→fluent | flowing smoothly, as speech or reading can |
More words: fluid
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| influence | in (prefix)+flu (root or base)+ence (suffix)→influence | a power that flows into someone and changes them |
| influenced | in (prefix)+flu (root or base)+ence (suffix)+ed (suffix)→influenceddrop the e | changed by another person or thing |
| influx | in (prefix)+flux (root or base)→influx | a flow of many people or things coming in |
| superfluous | super (prefix)+flu (root or base)+ous (suffix)→superfluous | more than is needed; overflowing |
More words: flu, fluids
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| fluently | flu (root or base)+ent (suffix)+ly (suffix)→fluently | in a smooth, flowing way |
| influences | in (prefix)+flu (root or base)+ence (suffix)+s (suffix)→influences | more than one influence |
| influencing | in (prefix)+flu (root or base)+ence (suffix)+ing (suffix)→influencingdrop the e | changing someone or something, now |
More words: influential
Where does flu 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:
- fluent, fluently
- In the middle:
- influence, influenced, influences, influencing, superfluous
- At the end:
- influx
How do you teach the root flu?
Flu means flow. Fluid is the plainest example: a liquid that flows. Fluent is the one teachers care about. A fluent reader's words flow smoothly. Influence is a fun one to unpack. In means into, so an influence is something that flows into you and changes you. Even the illness is from this root: flu is short for influenza, once thought to flow down from the stars.
A quick routine
Pour a little water from cup to cup and say, "Flu means flow." Write fluid, fluent and influence. Ask, "What flows in each one?" Water flows in fluid, words flow in fluent, and ideas flow in influence. Then read a sentence choppily and smoothly and ask, "Which one was fluent?" Close by dictating influx and pointing out the flux spelling at the end.
What do students mix up with flu?
Lots of English words start with f, l, u and have nothing to do with flowing: fluff, flute, flung, flunk, flush. Ask whether flow fits the meaning. It works for fluid and fluent. It doesn't fit fluff. Some students also think the illness flu is unrelated; it's a fun surprise that it shares the root.
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 flu mean?
Flu means "flow". It is a Latin root, also spelled flux. A fluent reader's words flow. In influx the root ends the word and is spelled flux.
What are some words with the root flu?
Start with fluent and fluid. Then move to influence, influenced, fluently and influences. This page lists 12 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
Why is the flu called the flu?
Flu is short for influenza, an Italian word for influence. People once believed the stars sent the illness flowing down. The name stuck after the belief faded.
Related word parts
- in-in, or into
- -anta person who does something, or doing
- -ousfull of, or having
- -ancethe act of, or the state of
- super-above, over, or more than usual
Terms on this page: morpheme, root, prefix, suffix, base word, word sum, morphology.
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