In biology:
* The part of a plant that anchors it to the ground and absorbs water and nutrients. This is the most common meaning of "root."
* The origin or source of something, especially a lineage or ancestry. For example, "They traced their roots back to Ireland."
In mathematics:
* A number that, when multiplied by itself a certain number of times, equals a given number. For example, the square root of 9 is 3 because 3 * 3 = 9.
In language:
* The base form of a word. For example, the root of "unhappiness" is "happy."
* The underlying meaning or origin of a word. For example, the root of the word "democracy" is the Greek word "demos," meaning "people."
In computing:
* A directory in a file system that serves as a starting point for other directories. For example, the "C:" drive is the root directory of a Windows system.
In other contexts:
* The fundamental cause or basis of something. For example, "The root of the problem is lack of communication."
* A part of something that extends underground or into the ground. For example, "The roots of the tree were damaged during the storm."
To determine the specific meaning of "root," pay attention to the surrounding context and the topic being discussed.