Word Roots Puzzle

A word-root puzzle, not flashcards. No ads, no login. Build vocabulary across ESL, university prep, medical terms, and TOEIC, with 12-language hints. Try 20 puzzles free.

What if learning vocabulary felt more like solving a puzzle, and less like memorizing a list?

Word Roots Puzzle is a no-flashcard vocabulary game where you build words from roots, prefixes, and suffixes. You don't need to know the word before you start.

Break it apart. Follow the clues. Have that little "aha!" moment when it clicks.

English words often share the same roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Once you notice those patterns, unfamiliar words can feel a lot less unfamiliar.

HOW TO PLAY

You're given a meaning, and your job is to build the word by putting its parts in the right order.

Need a clue? Tap Show Meanings to see what each part means.

Get it right and the word opens up, showing how the pieces connect to the whole word.

In purchased volumes, get every word right twice to graduate. In the Free Sampler, once is enough. After graduating, you can reset and play again anytime.

YOUR CERTIFICATE KEEPS THE WORDS

When you graduate from a volume, you get a certificate that keeps every word you built, along with its word parts and meaning.

So the words don't disappear when you finish. You can come back and review them anytime.

SOMETIMES THE PARTS DON'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY

Not every word means exactly what you'd expect if you simply combined its parts. Meanings change over time, and some words move far from where they started.

That's why each puzzle includes a short explanation connecting the word parts to the way the word is used today.

Etymology isn't a perfect formula, but it can give you an image, structure, or pattern that makes a new word easier to approach.

WORD-PART HINTS IN 12 LANGUAGES

French, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, or Vietnamese.

Translations stay close to dictionary meanings, with learner-friendly wording where helpful.

CHOOSE YOUR TRACK

560 words across 14 volumes, plus a free 20-word sampler.

ESL ESSENTIALS — 40 words × 3 volumes B1–B2 vocabulary for stronger everyday English.

UNIVERSITY PREP — 40 words × 3 volumes C1–C2 academic vocabulary, including language used in SAT, TOEFL, IELTS, and higher-level English study.

MEDICAL TERMS — 40 words × 5 volumes Greek- and Latin-based terms used in anatomy, symptoms, conditions, procedures, and other areas of healthcare.

These three tracks mix easier and harder words rather than getting progressively more difficult.

TOEIC — 40 words × 3 volumes A2–C1 business and workplace vocabulary. This track gets harder from one volume to the next and is designed mainly for learners aiming for scores around 600–900.

Some words also appear in other tracks because business, general, and academic English naturally overlap.

I ALSO WANTED IT TO BE DEPENDABLE

I want the puzzles to be fun, but I also want the information behind them to be solid.

Word Roots Puzzle follows American English for spelling, definitions, usage, and word-part analysis, and every word part, meaning, and explanation is cross-checked before it goes in.

JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO STUDY

Flashcards work really well for some people. They just don't work for everyone.

If memorizing lists leaves you frustrated, this gives you another way in. The idea is to notice recurring patterns, so when you meet an unfamiliar word, you have something to work with.

NO SUBSCRIPTION

Every pack is a one-time purchase. No recurring fees. No ads. No account or login required. Your progress stays on your device.

START FREE

Not sure it's for you? Try the free 20-word Sampler and see how the puzzles feel before buying anything.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK

Word Roots Puzzle is independently made, so feedback from learners really does help me decide what to improve next. If you enjoy the app, I'd really appreciate a review.

Word Roots Puzzle by Verbal Structure