Minor Roots: BULL-
Saturdays are perfect days for pleasant surprises. Surprise—we’re talking about the minor root BULL- today!
Some major roots contribute to large chunks of the lexicon, while minor ones like BULL- constitute a small but nonetheless important set of words.
The root BULL- means to bubble or to boil:
ebullient (adj) - bubbly, lively, enthusiastic, or effervescent
BREAKDOWN: E- (out) + BULL- (bubble) + -ENT (inclined to)
ebullience is the state of being ebullient
You may recognize BULL- the base of the verb boil and two tasty words for food that involve bubbling or boiling:
bouillon (noun) - a broth or clear soup
bouillabaisse (noun) - a Mediterranean fish soup