Word part · Latin root
Jud root words: meaning and 13 examples
In short
The Latin root jud (from Latin) means "judge". It is also spelled judg, judge and judic. Words with it include judges, judged, judging, judgment, judgments and judicial. The spelling grows a letter or two before suffixes: judge, judgment, judicial.
- Part
- jud
- Meaning
- judge
- Origin
- Latin
- Also spelled
- judg, judge, judic, judici
- Words listed
- 13
The spelling grows a letter or two before suffixes: judge, judgment, judicial. Every word has someone deciding what is fair.
Words with the Latin root jud
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 |
|---|---|---|
| judges | judge (root or base)+s (suffix)→judges | people who decide cases in a court, or who pick the winners |
| judged | judge (root or base)+ed (suffix)→judgeddrop the e | decided what was fair or who was best |
| judging | judge (root or base)+ing (suffix)→judgingdrop the e | deciding what is fair or best, now |
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| judgment | judg (root or base)+ment (suffix)→judgment | a decision about what is right or fair |
| judgments | judg (root or base)+ment (suffix)+s (suffix)→judgments | more than one judgment |
| judicial | judici (root or base)+al (suffix)→judicial | having to do with judges and courts |
| judicious | judici (root or base)+ous (suffix)→judicious | showing good sense when you decide |
| misjudge | mis (prefix)+judge (root or base)→misjudge | decide wrongly about someone or something |
| misjudged | mis (prefix)+judge (root or base)+ed (suffix)→misjudgeddrop the e | decided wrongly |
| prejudge | pre (prefix)+judge (root or base)→prejudge | decide before you know the facts |
More words: prejudice
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
More words: prejudiced, judiciary
Where does jud 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:
- judges, judged, judging, judgment, judgments, judicial, judicious
- At the end:
- misjudge, misjudged, prejudge
How do you teach the root jud?
Most students know what a judge does, so begin there. A judge decides. Then show judgment and ask what a judgment is: the decision itself. Put prejudge on the board and cover the pre. Once a student says "judge before," ask whether that is fair. That talk pays off when prejudice turns up in a social studies text, because the student already has the idea of deciding before knowing.
A quick routine
Say, "Jud means judge. Each word I show you has someone deciding something." Show judged, misjudge, judicial and judicious one at a time. The student reads the word, points to jud, and tells who is deciding and how: wrongly, early, in a court, with good sense. Finish with a quick spelling check of judgment, and point out that American spelling drops the e of judge before ment.
What do students mix up with jud?
The tricky part is spelling, not meaning. Students write judgement with an e because they hear judge. Both spellings exist, but schools in the US usually expect judgment, so teach it as the one exception to keeping the e before a consonant suffix. Also watch for students who mix up judicial (about courts) and judicious (wise).
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 jud mean?
Jud means "judge". It is a Latin root, also spelled judg, judge, judic and judici. The spelling grows a letter or two before suffixes: judge, judgment, judicial. Every word has someone deciding what is fair.
What are some words with the root jud?
Start with judges, judged and judging. Then move to judgment, judgments, prejudiced and judiciary. This page lists 13 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
Why is judgment spelled without an e?
In American English the e of judge usually drops before ment. British writers often keep it as judgement. Both are correct, but most US schools and dictionaries list judgment first.
Related word parts
- juslaw, or what is right
- dictsay, or tell
- pre-before
- mis-wrongly, or badly
- -mentthe act or result of
- -alhaving to do with
Terms on this page: morpheme, root, prefix, suffix, base word, word sum, morphology.
Teach word parts with ready lessons
Literacy Trail has word parts lessons with words to read, build, split and spell, and full-screen players for the student. Every plan starts with a 15-day free trial.