roots

/ ruːts /

adjective

1. (of popular music) going back to the origins of a style, esp in being genuine and unpretentious

   roots rock

Roots

1. (1976) A Pulitzer Prize –winning novel by the African-American author Alex Haley, later made into a popular television drama. It traces a black American man's heritage to Africa, where his ancestors had been captured and sold as slaves.

Other Word Forms

• rootsy adjective

Example Sentences

A strong opening weekend box office take for “Alien: Romulus” proves how eager we are to see Ridley Scott’s franchise return to its roots.

From Salon

Now I’m enjoying setting down roots and building a real home — not just a place where my pillow is.

From Los Angeles Times

This Palestinian bakery, with roots in Nablus, boasts an impressive array of sweets, including what might be the best kunafa in the United States.

From Salon

That disaster, along with the Palisades fire, displaced two distinct communities with deep roots in the music industry.

From Los Angeles Times

But before settling into art, Hurtado got her start with clothes — roots that she at first rejected yet returned to throughout her life.

From Los Angeles Times