A current runs through a river, and a cursor runs across a screen. cur (also curr and curs) means “run.” A sequel follows a story: sequ means “follow.” A pedal is pushed with your foot: ped means “foot.” A fugitive flees: fug means “flee.”
Key idea
cur, curr, curs = run. sequ, secut = follow. ped = foot. fug = flee.
These roots of movement show up in surprising places. A cursory glance runs over a page. A precursor runs ahead of what comes later. To expedite is to free the feet. A subterfuge is a trick for fleeing in secret.
The parts and their words
Words taken apart
| Word and meaning | Parts, and what they say |
|---|---|
| cursory hasty and not thorough | curs run + -ory → “running (over things quickly)” |
| precursor something that comes before and leads to another | pre- before + curs run + -or one who → “one who runs before” |
| recurrent happening again and again | re- again + curr run + -ent → “running again” |
| concur to agree | con- together + cur run → “run together” |
| obsequious too eager to please or obey | ob- toward + sequ follow + -ious → “following toward (too eagerly)” |
| subsequent coming after | sub- next + sequ follow + -ent → “following next” |
| expedite to speed up | ex- out + ped foot + -ite → “free the feet” |
| pedestrian ordinary and dull | ped foot + -estrian → “going on foot” |
| subterfuge trickery used to hide or escape something | subter secretly + fug flee + -e → “fleeing in secret” |
Worked example: A walking word
The critic called the movie’s plot pedestrian. Was that praise?
- Take it apart: ped (foot) + -estrian: going on foot, like a walker on a sidewalk.
- As an adjective, it pictures writing that plods along on foot instead of taking flight.
- So a pedestrian plot is ordinary and dull.
Answer: No: pedestrian means ordinary and dull.
Meet the words
Common mistake
Two different peds. Latin ped means foot (pedal, pedestrian, expedite). Greek ped means child: a pediatrician is a children’s doctor, not a foot doctor. And cursory has nothing to do with cursing: a cursory look runs quickly over things.