dir- root words — words with the dir- root

The root dir- comes from Latin dirus, meaning dreadful. 1 words in Dendril are built from it, including dire. Dendril shows them on a free interactive word map — no signup, no ads.

Words that use the dir- root

Explore words with dir- — words containing the dir- root and sharing its sense of "dreadful". Examples include dire. Click any word to see its own roots, definition, and related words.

What does dir- mean?

The dir- root means dreadful, from Latin dirus. Recognizing it helps you decode and remember the many English words built on this root.