root
UK: ruːt | US: ruːt
n. the underground part of a plant that absorbs water and nutrients
n. the origin or basis of something
v. to establish deeply or firmly
v. (computing) to gain administrative access to a system
The word "root" traces back to Old English rōt, derived from Old Norse rót, both meaning the underground part of a plant. Its Proto-Germanic ancestor wrōts likely shares a common Indo-European root with Latin radix (source of "radical") and Greek rhiza (as in "rhizome"). The semantic expansion to "origin" or "base" reflects the metaphorical connection between a plant's foundation and abstract beginnings.
The tree's roots spread wide beneath the soil.
Her love for music has its roots in childhood.
They rooted the seedlings in fertile ground.
He rooted through the files to find the document.
(Computing) She rooted her phone to install custom software.