Which word shares a word root with remember?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The word “resemble” shares a word root with “remember.”
Both “remember” and “resemble” are derived from the Latin word “re-“ meaning “again” or “back,” and the Latin verb “memorari,” meaning “to call to mind” or “to be mindful of.” Although their meanings are different, both words retain a connection through the idea of recalling or recognizing something from memory.
Explanation of “Remember”:
The word “remember” is composed of the prefix “re-“, which means “again,” and the root “memor”, which comes from “memorare”, meaning “to recall” or “to be mindful.” The word “remember” thus means “to bring something back into the mind” or “to recall something from memory.” It implies the act of consciously retrieving information or experiences from the past.
Explanation of “Resemble”:
The word “resemble” also contains the prefix “re-“, meaning “again,” and “sembl”, derived from the Latin “similare”, meaning “to make like” or “to be similar.” While “resemble” means “to look like or be similar to,” the connection to “remember” is through the common Latin root, with both words involving the act of bringing something into awareness. In the case of “resemble,” it refers to recognizing likeness or similarity based on mental recall of past experiences or knowledge.
Thus, the shared root “memor” in “remember” (to call to mind) and “sembl” in “resemble” (to bring to mind a likeness) reflect the cognitive processes of mental recognition. Both involve some form of recalling or matching mental impressions, although their application differs: “remember” involves retrieving information from memory, while “resemble” deals with comparing something to previously known features to recognize likeness.
In conclusion, “resemble” shares a word root with “remember” through the Latin influences, with both words relating to processes of mental recognition and recall.