Adding cor- to Latin regere (to guide, keep straight) gives us corrigere (to correct). A corrigible criminal can thus be corrected or reformed and a corrigible child is receptive of correcting advice. A hardened criminal on the other hand might prove incorrigible and an incorrigible youngster is difficult to control or manage.
If we replace cor- with de- we get Latin derigere (to straighten, to guide) the past participle of which is directus – the root of direct and direction. A film director, thus, is someone who guides the making of the film. When a comment is directed at someone in particular it is guided towards them and when students are directed (or given a directive: instruction, command) to not go out of the hostel late at night, they are being guided not to venture out late.
High Frequency Words for GRE, GMAT, SAT, CAT & Other Admission Tests*:
Corrigible, Incorrigible*
Direct, Direction, Director, Directive*
