Understand word origins and build vocabulary skills
Each vocabulary word is broken down into its component parts: prefix, root, and suffix. Understanding these parts helps you decode unfamiliar words and remember meanings. Click on any word to see its full etymology and breakdown.
"Account" comes from Old French aconter meaning "to count, reckon," from Latin computare meaning "to count" (from com- meaning "with" + putare meaning "to reckon"). The phrase means to give a satisfactory explanation.