Every Hebrew root generates a family of words: verb forms, nouns, adjectives, names, places. Once you recognize the root inside a word you've never seen, you already know something about its meaning.

The construct state (סְמִיכוּת / Smichut) links two nouns: the first is in its "construct" form (often shortened), and the second defines it. Beit (house of) + Lechem (bread) = Bethlehem. Ruach (spirit of) + Elohim (God) = Spirit of God.