"Taproot" is a semi-common word. It's easy to understand, and easy to visualize.

Say that the taproot of something is another thing, often a place: "The taproot of zydeco music is Louisiana."
   
Or, say that the taproot of something is in some place: "The taproot of zydeco music is in Louisiana."

Or, say that something has taproots in something, or has taproots somewhere: "Zydeco music has taproots in Louisiana."

To stay true to the metaphor, you could say that something sinks or sends its taproots into some place or thing. "Zydeco music sent its taproots deep into Louisiana."

When you call something the taproot, your meaning can be quite positive, emphasizing the place where some wonderful idea took root, gained nourishment, and grew strong. But your meaning can also be quite negative, emphasizing the place where some terrible problem did the same thing.

"In his best work, Bradbury sinks a taproot right down into the deep, dark, Gothic core of America."
— Margaret Atwood, The Guardian, 8 June 2012

"The first families arrived in 1731, bringing recipes rich with spices, herbs and garlic that would become the taproot of Tex-Mex taste."
— Julia Moskin, New York Times, 26 January 2015

has this page helped you understand "taproot"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "taproot" without saying "mainspring" or "wellspring."

try it out:

On the subject of preventing crime, a politician observed in the Seattle Times, "When we tackle issues at the taproot, we set ourselves up for a better future."

Talk about what she means. Where is the taproot of crime? What does it mean to tackle it there instead of elsewhere?

And, do you think the word "taproot" here is a good pick, or would you have picked a different word, like, just "root"? Why or why not?

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is "That’s What They Said."

Consider a quote from The Office, and decide which of three given terms you can most easily connect it to. You can see my suggested answer by scrolling to the bottom of the issue. But yours doesn’t need to match mine. 

For example, if I give you this:

Kelly: "I talk a lot, so I've learned to just tune myself out." Abstemious, garrulous, or ominous?

Then you might answer, "Garrulous, because Kelly talks on and on."

Try this one today:

Angela: "Sometimes the clothes at Gap Kids are just too flashy. So I'm forced to go to the American Girl store and order clothes for large colonial dolls." Ironclad, mincing, or perusing?

review this word:

1. A near opposite of TAPROOTS could be

A. OFFSHOOTS.
B. INTIMIDATIONS.
C. LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE.

2. The folks at Taproot.com promise to "_____."

A. fulfill the dream of homeownership
B. empower journeys of personal discovery
C. find & fix the causes of human errors and equipment failures

Answers to the review questions: 1. A 2. C Suggested answer to the game question: I'd go with mincing, because Angela dresses in an annoyingly delicate way.

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.