root

(botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground

the place where something begins, where it springs into being

“the Italian beginning of the Renaissance”

“Jupiter was the origin of the radiation”

“Pittsburgh is the source of the Ohio River”

“communism's Russian root”

(linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed

“thematic vowels are part of the stem”

a number that, when multiplied by itself some number of times, equals a given number

the set of values that give a true statement when substituted into an equation

someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)

take root and begin to grow

“this plant roots quickly”

come into existence, originate

“The problem roots in her depression”

cheer for

“She roots for the Broncos”

plant by the roots

dig with the snout

“the pig was rooting for truffles”

become settled or established and stable in one's residence or life style

“He finally settled down”