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Learning Words by Their Roots
Learning Words by Their Roots
Prefixes
PREFIXES
Meaning
ab
ad
from
aberration
to
adequate
both
ambidextrous
without
anarchy
against
anticlimatic
before
antecedent
throughout
belie
two
bilateral
down
catacomb
around
circumference
together
confluence
against
contraindicate
down (negative)
debase
ten
decathlon
ten
decimal
two
dipole
through, between
dialectic
apart (negative)
disprove
two
duplication
abnonnal, impaired dysmenorreah
upon
epicenter
equal
equitable
out
extricate
beyond
extracurricular
in front of
foreword
half
hemisphere
excessive
hyperboleventilate
too little
hypothennia
not
inefficient
very
invite, inflammable
between
interloper
inside
introduce
one thousand
kilometer
changing
metaphysics
small
microcosm
one thousand
millisecond
bad, hate
misanthrope
one
monopoly
many
multiply
new
neophyte
nothing
nihilism
ambi
an, a
anti
ante
be
bi
cata
circum
com, cor
contra
de
deca
decem
di
dia
dis
du
dys
epi
equi
ex
extra
fore
hemi
hyper
hypo
in, ir
in, ir
inter
intro, intra
kilo
meta
micro
mili, milli
mis
mono
multi
neo
nil, nihil
Example
non
peri
poly
post
pre
prim
pro
quad
re
retro
semi
sub,suc, sup
super, supra
syn, sym, syl
trans
un
uni
not
nonentity
against
all
beside
throughout
around
many
after
before
first
forward
four
again
backward
half
under
above
together
across
not
one
obstinate
panoramic
paranormal
permeate
periscope
polygon
posterity
predecessor
primate
procession
quadruple
reiterate
retrograde
semiliterate
succumb
superannuated
synthesis
transgression
unkempt
unique
Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
Example
able, ible
capable of
state of
full of
to make
one who
making
belief
one who
to make
like
study of
full of
full of
state of
state of, act
credible
acy
ant
ate
er, or
fic
ism
ist
ize
oid
ology
ose
ous
tude
ure
ROOT LIST
celibacy
luxuriant
legitimate
censor
traffic
fascism
racist
victimize
steroid
geology
verbose
pious
gratitude
primogeniture
ANTE, ANT-before
antecedent, antediluvian, antebellum, antepenultimate, anterior, antiquity,
antiquated, anticipate
ANTHROP- human
anthropology, anthropomorphic, misanthrope, philanthropy
AUD- hear
audio, audience, audition, auditory, audible
AUTO- self
autobiography, autocrat, autonomous
BI- two
bicycle, bisect, bilateral, bilingual, biped
BIBLIO- book
Bible, bibliography, bibliophile
BIO- life
biography, biology, amphibious, symbiotic, macrobiotics
CARN- flesh
carnal, carnage, carnival, carnivorous, incarnate
CHROM-- color
chrome, chromatic, monochrome
CHRON- time
chronology, chronic, anachronism
CIDE- murder
suicide, homicide, regicide, patricide
CIRCUM- around
circumference, circumlocution, circumnavigate, circumscribe, circumspect,
circumvent
CONTRA- against
controversy, incontrovertible, contravene
CORP - body
corpse, corporeal, corpulence
DIA- across
diagonal, diatribe
DOL- pain
condolence, doleful, dolorous, indolent
EGO- self
ego, egoist, egocentric
ERR- wander
erratic, aberration, errant
FERV - boil
fervent, fervid, effervescent
FORE- before
FUS- pour
profuse, infusion, effusive, diffuse
GRAT - pleasing
grateful, gratitude, gratis, ingrate, congratulate, gratuitous, gratuity
HAP- by chance
happen, haphazard, hapless, mishap
HETERO- other
heterosexual, heterogeneous, heterodox
HOL- whole
holocaust, catholic, holistic
HOMO- same
homosexual, homogenize, homogeneous, homonym
HOMO- man
homo sapiens, homicide, bonhomie
HYDR- water
hydrant, hydrate, dehydration
JOUR- day
journal, adjourn, sojourn
JUD- judge
judge, judicious, prejudice, adjudicate
LAT - side
lateral, collateral, unilateral, bilateral, quadrilateral
LEV- light
elevate, levitate, levity, alleviate
LIBER- free
liberty, liberal, libertarian, libertine
LITER- letter
literate, alliteration, literal
LITH- stone
monolith, lithograph, megalith
MACRO- great
macrocosm, macrobiotics
MAL- bad
malady, maladroit, malevolent, malodorous
MAN- hand
manual, manuscript, emancipate, manifest
MAR- sea
submarine, marine, maritime
MEDI- middle
intermediary, medieval, mediate
MEGA- great
megaphone, megalomania, megalith
MICRO- small
microscope, microorganism, microcosm, microbe
MOLL- soft
mollify, emollient, mollusk
MONO- one
monologue, monotonous, monogamy, monolith, monochrome
MORPH- shape
amorphous, metamorphosis, morphology
MUT - change
mutate, mutability, immutable, commute
NEO- new
neoclassical, neophyte, neologism, neonate
NOY- new
novelty, innovation
NUMER- number
numeral, numerous, innumerable, enumerate
OB- against
obstruct, obdurate, obfuscate, obnoxious, obsequious, obstinate, obtrusive
OMNI- all
omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, omnivorous
ONER- burden
onerous, onus, exonerate
OPER- work
operate, cooperate, inoperable
PAC- peace
pacify, pacifist, pacific
PALP- feel
palpable, palpitation
PAN- all
panorama, panacea, panegyric, pandemic
PEC- money
pecuniary, impecunious
PEN- almost
peninsula, penultimate, penumbra
PERI- around
perimeter, periphery, peripatetic
PHIL- love
philosopher, philanderer, philanthropy, bibliophile, philology
PHOB- fear
phobia, claustrophobia, xenophobia
PHON- sound
phonograph, megaphone, euphony, phonetics, phonics
PORT- carry
portable, deportment, rapport
POT - drink
potion, potable
POT- power
potential, potent, impotent, potentate, omnipotence
PRE- before
precede, precipitate, preclude, precocious, precursor, predilection, predisposition,
preponderance,
prepossessing, prescient, prejudice, predict, premonition, preposition
PROTO- first
prototype, protagonist, protocol
PSEUDO- false
pseudoscientific, pseudonym
PYR- fire
pyre, pyrotechnics, pyromania
QUIE- quiet
disquiet, acquiesce, quiescent, requiem
RETRO- backward
retrospective, retroactive, retrograde
ROG- ask
interrogate, derogatory, abrogate, arrogant
RUPT - break
disrupt, interrupt, rupture
SEN- old
senior, senile, senescent
SOL- sun
solar, parasol, solarium, solstice
SOL- alone
solo, solitude, soliloquy
SOMN- sleep
insomnia, somnolent, somnambulist
SON- sound
sonic, consonance, dissonance, assonance, resonate
SOPH- wisdom
philosopher, sophistry, sophisticated, sophomoric
SPER- hope
prosper, prosperous, despair, desperate
SPIR- breathe
respire, inspire, spiritual, aspire, transpire
SUB- under
subconscious, subjugate, subliminal, subpoena, subsequent, subterranean, subvert
SUMM- highest
summit, summary, consummate
TERM-- end
terminal, terminate, interminable
TEST- witness
testify, attest, testimonial, testament, detest, protestation
THE- god
atheist, theology, theocracy
THERM- heat
thermometer, thermal, thermonuclear, hypothermia
TOP- place
topic, topography, utopia
TORT- twist
distort, extort, tortuous
TOX- poison
toxic, toxin, intoxication
TRACT - draw
tractor, intractable, protract
TURB- shake
disturb, turbulent, perturbation
UMBR- shadow
umbrella, umbrage, adumbrate, penumbra
URB-- city
urban, suburban, urbane
VAC-empty
vacant, evacuate, vacuous
VER- true
verify, verity, verisimilitude, veracious, aver, verdict
VERB- word
verbal, verbose, verbiage, verbatim
VOL- wish
voluntary, malevolent, benevolent, volition
VOR- eat
devour, carnivore, omnivorous, voracious