1. Typically the part of a plant that thrives underground: When Joe planted the new rose bush, he put fertilizer around the root so it would grow better.
2. The part of the tooth that extends into the bone socket in the mandible: The dentist had to drill in order to remove the infected root in Jane's jaw because she was in a lot of pain.
3. The basics or essential core of a situation: Sometimes they say that money is the root of all evil, but Greg doesn’t accept that as always being the truth.

The full quotation suggests that an excessive "love" of money is the "root of evil" not necessarily "money" itself: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (From 1 Timothy 6:10 in the King James Bible).

4. A word origin from which other words are formed: Many expressions have been integrated into English from one Latin root after another resulting in thousands of Latin and Greek roots that provide us with tens of thousands of vocabulary terms that are utilized in multitudes of academic, technical, medical, scientific, and other areas.

1. A designated course of travel: Jack and Jill planned their route carefully before starting their trip.
2. A territory to be serviced: The newspaper carrier had an extensive route for delivering the papers in the morning.

To direct someone in a specific direction: The traffic control officer will route the tourists the quickest way to the market place.

Referring to how someone is in transit: Sally used her "cell phone" to call her mother to let her know she was en route to her home.

A retreat that is out of control following a defeat: From the hillside, the spectators watched the rout of the army after the battle.