Word part · Latin root
Loc root words: meaning and 16 examples
In short
The Latin root loc (from Latin) means "place". It is also spelled locate. Words with it include local, locally, locality, location, locations and relocate. Locate drops its e before -ion and -ed: location, located.
- Part
- loc
- Meaning
- place
- Origin
- Latin
- Also spelled
- locate
- Words listed
- 16
Locate drops its e before -ion and -ed: location, located. Every word answers the question where.
Words with the Latin root loc
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 |
|---|---|---|
| local | loc (root or base)+al (suffix)→local | having to do with your own place or neighborhood |
More words: locate
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| locally | loc (root or base)+al (suffix)+ly (suffix)→locally | in or near your own place |
| location | locate (root or base)+ion (suffix)→locationdrop the e | the place where something is |
| locations | locate (root or base)+ion (suffix)+s (suffix)→locationsdrop the e | more than one location |
| located | locate (root or base)+ed (suffix)→locateddrop the e | found in a certain place |
More words: allocate, locale
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| locality | loc (root or base)+al (suffix)+ity (suffix)→locality | a place or area |
| relocate | re (prefix)+locate (root or base)→relocate | move to a new place |
| relocation | re (prefix)+locate (root or base)+ion (suffix)→relocationdrop the e | a move to a new place |
| dislocate | dis (prefix)+locate (root or base)→dislocate | push out of its usual place, like a bone |
| dislocation | dis (prefix)+locate (root or base)+ion (suffix)→dislocationdrop the e | being pushed out of place |
| relocated | re (prefix)+locate (root or base)+ed (suffix)→relocateddrop the e | moved to a new place |
More words: allocation, locomotive
Where does loc 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:
- local, locally, locality, location, locations, located
- In the middle:
- relocation, dislocation
- At the end:
- relocate, dislocate, relocated
How do you teach the root loc?
Local is the easy door in: your local library is the one in your own place. Then show locate, location and relocate in a column and ask the student what question all three answer. Where. A good next step is the dropped e. Locate loses its e before ion and ed, which explains why location has no e in the middle. Map work in social studies gives you plenty of real sentences to practice with.
A quick routine
Say, "Loc means place. Every word today tells about a place." Show local, locate, relocate, dislocate and locality. The student reads each word, splits it into parts with a finger, and answers: "Which place?" (your own place, a new place, out of place). Then dictate location and relocated. Ask the student to say the parts first and to tell you where the e went.
What do students mix up with loc?
Lock, locker and block share the letters but not the root; they are old English words about closing things up. Students also try to fit locomotive into place, but its loco means from a place, so it does belong, just with a different job. When a student is unsure, ask them to put the word place into the meaning. If it does not fit, it is a look-alike.
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 loc mean?
Loc means "place". It is a Latin root, also spelled locate. Locate drops its e before -ion and -ed: location, located. Every word answers the question where.
What are some words with the root loc?
Start with local and locate. Then move to locally, location, locality and relocate. This page lists 16 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
Is locomotive from the root loc?
Yes. Loco means from a place and motive means moving, so a locomotive is an engine that moves from place to place. It is a nice word for joining loc with the root mot.
Related word parts
- motmove
- re-again, or back
- dis-not, the opposite of, or apart
- -alhaving to do with
- -tionthe act of, or the result of
Terms on this page: morpheme, root, prefix, suffix, base word, word sum, morphology.
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