Lesson 44: CORP / CORPOR
The Root
CORP and CORPOR come from Latin corpus, meaning "body."
When you see these roots in a word, think about bodies—physical forms, groups unified as a single body, or bodily remains.
Word List
| Word | Parts | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| corpse | CORPS (body) + -E | a dead body |
| corps | CORPS (body) + -E | a military unit; a group organized for common purpose |
| corporation | CORPOR (body) + -ATION (act or state of) | a business organized as a single legal body |
| incorporate | IN- (into) + CORPOR (body) + -ATE | to include as part of a whole; to form a corporation |
| corporeal | CORPOR (body) + -EAL (relating to) | having a physical body; tangible |
| corporal | CORPOR (body) + -AL (relating to) | relating to the body; a military rank |
| corpulent | CORPUL- (body) + -ENT (characterized by) | having a large body; obese |
| corporate | IN- (into) + CORPOR (body) + -ATE | relating to a corporation or business entity |
| corpus | CORPUS (body) | a body of work or writings; a body of evidence |
| corpuscle | CORPUS (body) | a tiny body; a blood cell |
| habeas corpus | CORPUS (body) | "you shall have the body"—the right to appear in court |
| esprit de corps | CORPS (body) | the spirit of the body; group morale and unity |
Practice 1: Multiple Choice
Choose the word that best completes each sentence.
- The forensic team examined the __________ for evidence.
a) corporation
b) corpse
c) corps
d) corpus
- She joined the Peace __________ after graduating from college.
a) Corps
b) Corpse
c) Corpus
d) Corporation
- The company decided to __________ in Delaware for tax advantages.
a) corpuscle
b) incorporate
c) corpulent
d) corpus
- Most schools have banned __________ punishment.
a) corporate
b) corporeal
c) corporal
d) corpulent
- The philosopher questioned whether the soul was __________ or immaterial.
a) corpulent
b) corporate
c) corporeal
d) incorporated
- Red blood __________ carry oxygen throughout the body.
a) corpses
b) corpuses
c) corpuscles
d) corporations
- The __________ headquarters is located in New York City.
a) corporal
b) corpulent
c) corporeal
d) corporate
- __________ protects citizens from being held without charge.
a) Esprit de corps
b) Habeas corpus
c) Corpus
d) Corporal
- The team's __________ kept morale high during difficult times.
a) corporation
b) corpus
c) esprit de corps
d) corporal
- Scholars have analyzed Shakespeare's entire __________.
a) corpse
b) corpuscle
c) corporation
d) corpus
- Despite his __________ frame, he moved with surprising grace.
a) corporate
b) corpulent
c) corporeal
d) incorporeal
- Please __________ the new data into your final report.
a) corpus
b) corpse
c) incorporate
d) corpulent
Practice 2: Fill in the Blank
Use each word from the word bank exactly once.
Word Bank: corpse, corps, corporation, incorporate, corporeal, corporal, corpulent, corporate, corpus, corpuscle, habeas corpus, esprit de corps
The detective arrived to find the __________ in the living room.
The Marine __________ has a long and proud history.
Apple is a multinational __________ with offices worldwide.
The lawyer demanded __________ for her illegally detained client.
White blood __________ help fight infections.
Medieval philosophers debated the __________ nature of angels.
The __________ structure of the company limited individual liability.
The team's __________ was evident in their commitment to each other.
The literary __________ of Jane Austen includes six complete novels.
Many countries have banned __________ punishment in schools.
The chef was a __________ man who clearly enjoyed his own cooking.
The new research findings should __________ seamlessly into your thesis.
Practice 3: Reading Passage
When the Founders wrote the Constitution, they knew that protecting the body—both individual and collective—was essential. Habeas corpus, the right to have one's body brought before a court, became a fundamental protection against tyranny.
But the word "body" reaches far beyond individual rights. The corporation emerged as a legal concept allowing groups of people to act as a single body, with rights and responsibilities. Today, corporations dominate the economy, their corporate structures enabling projects no individual could accomplish alone.
Language preserves these connections. A military corps is a body of soldiers. A corpse is a body that once held life. A corpus of writings represents the total body of an author's work. Even tiny corpuscles—blood cells—are named for being small bodies within the larger body.
Some philosophers distinguish between corporeal and incorporeal existence. Do we have souls that transcend our corpulent or thin frames? Is there something beyond the physical?
The esprit de corps that unites a team reminds us that bodies can merge into something greater. We incorporate new members into existing groups. We experience corporal sensations and corporate pressures.
In every case, the root remains: body. We are all bodies navigating a world of bodies—individual and collective, living and dead, physical and legal.
Questions
- "Habeas corpus" protects:
a) Corporate profits
b) The right to appear in court; protection from unlawful detention
c) Military corps members
d) The author's corpus
- Corporations allow groups to act as:
a) Many separate individuals
b) A single legal body
c) A military corps
d) Dead bodies
- A "corpus" of writings refers to:
a) A single book
b) The complete body of an author's work
c) A corpse of literature
d) Corporate documents
- "Esprit de corps" refers to:
a) Individual spirit
b) Shared group spirit and loyalty
c) Corporeal form
d) Legal protection
- The passage asks whether existence can be:
a) Only corporeal
b) Both corporeal and incorporeal
c) Only corporate
d) Only corpulent
Answer Key
Practice 1: Multiple Choice
- b
- a
- b
- c
- c
- c
- d
- b
- c
- d
- b
- c
Practice 2: Fill in the Blank
- corpse
- Corps
- corporation
- habeas corpus
- corpuscles
- corporeal
- corporate
- esprit de corps
- corpus
- corporal
- corpulent
- incorporate
Reading Passage Questions
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b