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Minor Roots: BULL-

Aug 19, 2023

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