ill- root words — words with the ill- root

The root ill- comes from French ille, meaning diminutive. 1 words in Dendril are built from it, including pointillistic. Dendril shows them on a free interactive word map — no signup, no ads.

Words that use the ill- root

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

What does ill- mean?

The ill- root means diminutive, from French ille. Recognizing it helps you decode and remember the many English words built on this root.