ROOT CAUSE

A "root" is something at the bottom, e.g.,"Money is the root of all evil." A cause is something that makes and effect happen or intensifies it. Thus a root cause is a cause that is "root." In other words, a root cause is a cause that is at the bottom. A root cause is a cause that is not in turn caused by something more important to the situation.

There are many definitions of "root cause." Many of them confuse the property of "rootiness" with other properties such as tractability and control.