Word part · Latin root
Pos root words: meaning and 23 examples
In short
The Latin root pos (from Latin) means "put, or place". It is also spelled pose, posit and pon. Words with it include position, positions, positive, positively, deposit and deposits.
- Part
- pos
- Meaning
- put, or place
- Origin
- Latin
- Also spelled
- pose, posit, pon, pone
- Words listed
- 23
Spelled pose in action words (compose, suppose), posit before -ion and -ive (position, positive), and pon or pone in a few words (component, postpone).
Words with the Latin root pos
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 |
|---|---|---|
| compose | com (prefix)+pose (root or base)→composethe prefix changes to match | put parts together to make music or writing |
| propose | pro (prefix)+pose (root or base)→propose | put an idea forward |
| expose | ex (prefix)+pose (root or base)→expose | put out in the open where it can be seen |
| impose | im (prefix)+pose (root or base)→imposethe prefix changes to match | put a rule or job on someone |
| suppose | sup (prefix)+pose (root or base)→supposethe prefix changes to match | put an idea under your thinking; guess |
| dispose | dis (prefix)+pose (root or base)→dispose | put away or get rid of |
| postpone | post (prefix)+pone (root or base)→postpone | put off until after; move to a later time |
More words: purpose
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| position | posit (root or base)+ion (suffix)→position | the place where something is put |
| positions | posit (root or base)+ion (suffix)+s (suffix)→positions | more than one place or post |
| positive | posit (root or base)+ive (suffix)→positive | sure, or placed on the plus side |
| deposit | de (prefix)+posit (root or base)→deposit | put something down or put money in a bank |
| composer | com (prefix)+pose (root or base)+er (suffix)→composerthe prefix changes to match, then drop the e | a person who puts music together |
| composition | com (prefix)+posit (root or base)+ion (suffix)→compositionthe prefix changes to match | a piece of writing or music put together from parts |
| proposal | pro (prefix)+pose (root or base)+al (suffix)→proposaldrop the e | an idea or plan put forward |
| disposal | dis (prefix)+pose (root or base)+al (suffix)→disposaldrop the e | getting rid of something |
| component | com (prefix)+pon (root or base)+ent (suffix)→componentthe prefix changes to match | one part put together with others |
| components | com (prefix)+pon (root or base)+ent (suffix)+s (suffix)→componentsthe prefix changes to match | parts put together to make a whole |
| exponent | ex (prefix)+pon (root or base)+ent (suffix)→exponent | the small raised number that tells how many times to multiply |
More words: opponent, opponents
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| positively | posit (root or base)+ive (suffix)+ly (suffix)→positively | in a sure or hopeful way |
| deposits | de (prefix)+posit (root or base)+s (suffix)→deposits | puts down or puts in (one person, now) |
Where does pos 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:
- position, positions, positive, positively
- In the middle:
- composer, composition, proposal, disposal, component, components, exponent
- At the end:
- deposit, deposits, compose, propose, expose, impose, suppose, dispose, postpone
How do you teach the root pos?
Pos means put or place, and it is one of the biggest roots in school words. Start with position: the place where something is put. Then show compose, propose, expose and suppose in a column. Each one puts something somewhere: parts together, an idea forward, a thing out in the open. Teach the spellings as a set. Pose shows up in action words, posit before -ion and -ive, and pon in a few others.
A quick routine
Say, "Pos means put." Write com + pose, ex + pose and pro + pose. For each, the student reads the word and finishes "It means put..." (together, out, forward). Then change compose to composition and ask what happened to the root. The student should spot posit. End with a quick sort: give four words and have the student group them by spelling.
What do students mix up with pos?
Opponent and purpose belong to this family too, though their prefixes are harder to see. Positive is the strange one: it first meant "placed" or "settled," then sure, then plus. Students also confuse pose the root with the word pose, as in posing for a photo. That word is related, since you place yourself, so it's a friendly link.
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 pos mean?
Pos means "put, or place". It is a Latin root, also spelled pose, posit, pon and pone. Spelled pose in action words (compose, suppose), posit before -ion and -ive (position, positive), and pon or pone in a few words (component, postpone).
What are some words with the root pos?
Start with compose, propose, expose and impose. Then move to position, positions, positively and deposits. This page lists 23 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
How can position and postpone be from the same root?
The root shows up as posit in position and pone in postpone, but the meaning is the same: put. A position is where something is put, and to postpone is to put something after, to a later time.
Related word parts
- con-with, or together
- pro-forward, or for
- ex-out
- post-after
- jectthrow
- mitsend
- -anta person who does something, or doing
- -tionthe act of, or the result of
Terms on this page: morpheme, root, prefix, suffix, base word, word sum, morphology.
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