Unlock hundreds more features
Save your Quiz to the Dashboard
View and Export Results
Use AI to Create Quizzes and Analyse Results

Sign inSign in with Facebook
Sign inSign in with Google

Test Your SAT Vocabulary: Root Word of Dem Quiz

Think you know root word for dem? Take the SAT root words challenge!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art style illustration featuring Latin root quiz elements and playful typography on sky blue background.

This quick quiz helps you practice the SAT root word dem and spot its meaning in context. You'll build speed with words like democracy and demography, check gaps before the exam, and grow your vocab with short, clear items. For extra warm‑up, try some prefixes and suffixes practice next.

What is the meaning of the root "dem" as used in words like "democracy" and "demographic"?
Land
People
Water
Rule
The root "dem" comes from the Greek word "demos," which means "people" or "population." It appears in English words dealing with groups of people. Recognizing this root can help you deduce meanings of unfamiliar words. For more information, see .
Which of the following words contains the root meaning "people"?
Pandemic
Demagogue
Epidermis
Academy
A "demagogue" is literally a "leader of the people" (from Greek *demos* "people" and *agogos* "leader"). The other options either use different roots or combine *dem* with other prefixes or suffixes that change its meaning. See for further details.
Which of these words does NOT contain the root "dem" meaning "people"?
Cardiogram
Pandemic
Demography
Democracy
The word "cardiogram" comes from the Greek *kardia* (heart) and *gramma* (record) and has nothing to do with the root *dem* meaning "people." The other three terms all derive from *demos*. For more, see .
The term "demography" best refers to the study of what?
Economic policies
Political systems
Population characteristics
Ancient languages
Demography is the statistical study of human populations, including their size, structure, and distribution. The term combines *demo-* (people) and *-graphy* (writing or study). You can learn more at .
In the word "pandemic," the prefix "pan-" means "all" and the root "dem" means what?
People
Time
Disease
Place
In "pandemic," *pan-* means "all" and *dem-* comes from Greek *demos* meaning "people." Thus, it refers to a disease prevalent among all people in an area. More information is available at .
What term describes an irrational fear of the common people or masses?
Hopophobia
Demophobia
Agoraphobia
Xenophobia
Demophobia combines Greek *demos* (people) and *-phobia* (fear) to denote a fear of crowds or the populace. Other phobias refer to different objects or groups. See for more.
What does the word "endemic" mean based on its roots?
Widespread across all regions
Regularly found among a particular group
Eradicated completely
Caused by people traveling
"Endemic" comes from Greek *en-* (in) + *demos* (people), meaning it is regularly found among a specific group or in a particular area. It does not imply worldwide spread. For details, visit .
Which best defines the adjective "demotic" in modern usage?
A type of medical diagnosis
Official governmental procedure
Relating to ordinary people or popular speech
An ancient mathematical method
"Demotic" derives from Greek *d?mokratikos* referring to the common people, and in modern English it means relating to everyday or colloquial speech. It originally described an Egyptian script. See .
What is the literal meaning of the word "demagogue" based on its Greek roots?
Study of the people
Fear of the people
Rule by the people
Leader of the people
"Demagogue" combines Greek *demos* (people) and *agogos* (leader), literally meaning "leader of the people." Over time it took on a negative connotation of manipulation. Read more at .
Which of the following words does NOT derive from the Greek root *demos* meaning "people"?
Democracy
Pandemic
Demography
Demon
The word "demon" comes from Greek *daim?n* meaning a divine spirit or lesser god, which is unrelated to *demos* (people). The others all stem from *demos*. More at .
Which suffix would you add to the root "dem" to form a word that means "writing about people"?
-meter
-logy
-graphy
-phobia
Adding *-graphy* (writing, description) to *dem-* yields "demography," the study or written description of populations. *-logy* means "study of" but is not specifically "writing." See .
The root "dem" in English words like "democracy" and "demagogue" ultimately comes from which ancient language?
Sanskrit
Greek
Hebrew
Latin
The English root *dem-* is borrowed from the Greek *demos*, meaning "people." It was adopted into Latin but originates in Greek. For more etymology, see .
Which of the following words appears similar to terms with the root "dem-" but actually derives from a different root meaning "house" or "home"?
Demographic
Domestic
Pandemic
Democratic
The word "domestic" comes from Latin *domus* (house) and is unrelated to Greek *demos* (people). Its spelling can mislead learners, but the origin is different. See for details.
The ancient Egyptian script known as "Demotic" derives its name from the Greek root meaning "people" or "popular." True or False?
True
False
The term "Demotic" was applied by modern scholars using Greek *demotikos* meaning "of the people," to describe the common script of ancient Egypt distinct from hieroglyphs. For more, see .
0
{"name":"What is the meaning of the root \"dem\" as used in words like \"democracy\" and \"demographic\"?", "url":"https://www.quiz-maker.com/QPREVIEW","txt":"What is the meaning of the root \"dem\" as used in words like \"democracy\" and \"demographic\"?, Which of the following words contains the root meaning \"people\"?, Which of these words does NOT contain the root \"dem\" meaning \"people\"?","img":"https://www.quiz-maker.com/3012/images/ogquiz.png"}

Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Words with the Root "dem/demo" -

    After the quiz, learners will recognize and list common English words containing the Latin root dem or demo, solidifying their awareness of vocabulary patterns.

  2. Interpret Word Meanings -

    Participants will analyze how the root dem contributes to overall word definitions, enabling them to infer meanings of unfamiliar terms using root word knowledge.

  3. Apply Root Knowledge to SAT Vocabulary -

    Students will apply their understanding of root words with dem to decode and remember challenging SAT root words, boosting their test readiness.

  4. Differentiate Root Variants -

    Engagers will distinguish between the root form dem and its variant demo, ensuring accurate comprehension of related words and their nuances.

  5. Enhance Retention through Interactive Practice -

    By completing the scored quiz, learners will reinforce long-term memory of root word of dem concepts through active recall and immediate feedback.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Understanding the Latin Root "dem" -

    The root dem or demo originates from the Greek word for "people," as noted by the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster. Spotting this root lets you immediately link words like democracy (people + rule) and demography (people + writing) on the SAT. Keeping this core meaning in mind turns daunting vocab into manageable clues.

  2. Breaking Down Key Terms -

    Analyzing words with the dem root by their prefixes and suffixes - e.g., demo-cracy (rule by people), pan-dem-ic (all + people + pertaining to) - mirrors techniques recommended by university vocab guides like those from Harvard Extension School. This morphological approach helps you infer accurate definitions even when you've never seen the term before. Practicing this breakdown cuts study time by revealing patterns across dozens of SAT root words.

  3. Mnemonic Magic -

    Create a catchy phrase: "DEMOcracy = DEar Many Opinions" to lock in the idea of government by the people. According to memory research published in the Journal of Educational Psychology, such vivid mnemonics can boost recall by up to 40%. Slide this trick into your flashcards and watch your retention soar with every review session.

  4. Contextual Clues in Practice -

    When you encounter a term like "demagogue" on an SAT passage, use context to confirm its meaning ("leader who appeals to common desires"). The College Board's official SAT study guide advises circling root-based words and checking nearby sentences for usage hints. This strategy sharpens your inference skills and reduces guesswork under timed conditions.

  5. Targeted Quiz Drills -

    Regularly test yourself with quizzes focusing on root words with dem, as seen on platforms like Quizlet and official Khan Academy exercises. Set a timer for three minutes and aim to define ten demo-terms - this replicates SAT pacing and builds confidence. Track your accuracy over time to pinpoint which words need extra brush-up before test day.

Powered by: Quiz Maker