I use etymonline for this kind of thing often. Our complex words are compositions of lots of forgotten meaning... I find it helps to retrace those steps. e.g.

I use etymonline for this kind of thing often. Our complex words are compositions of lots of forgotten meaning... I find it helps to retrace those steps. e.g. https://www.etymonline.com/word/system https://www.etymonline.com/word/system - see how it's about composition, not so much about ways of doing things.