What do the words hydrant, hydroplane, hydrology, and hydrotropic have in common?

A. A suffix
B. A base word
C. A root word
D. A free morpheme

C. A root word

The words hydrant, hydroplane, hydrology, and hydrotropic have the root word "hydro" in common.

To determine what the words hydrant, hydroplane, hydrology, and hydrotropic have in common, we need to analyze their components.

1. Hydrant: This word consists of the base word "hydr-" and the suffix "-ant."

2. Hydroplane: This word contains the base word "hydro-" and the suffix "-plane."

3. Hydrology: This word comprises the base word "hydro-" and the suffix "-logy."

4. Hydrotropic: This word consists of the base word "hydro-" and the suffix "-tropic."

By examining these words, it becomes apparent that they all share the base word "hydro-," which relates to water. Therefore, the correct answer is B. A base word.