Simple teaching : roots, prefixes and suffixes

Roots

Meaning

Word

alter

other

alternate, alter ego

ami, amic-

love

amiable, amicable

amphi

both ends or all sides

amphibian

ann, enni

year

anniversary, annual, biennial, perennial

anthrop

human, man

anthropology, anthropomorphic, misanthrope

aqua, aque

water

aquatic, aquarium, aqueduct

arch

chief, leader, ruler

archangel, monarch, archaic, archenemy

arthro

joint

arthritis

aud

sound

auditorium, audible, audiologist, audiotape

bell

war

belligerent, bellicose

biblio

book

bibliography, bibliophile

bio-

life

biography, autobiography, biology, antibiotic

brev

short

brief, abbreviate

cap

take, seize

capture, captivate, capacity

carn

meat

carnivorous, chili con carne

ced

yield, go

recede, secede, proceed, intercede, concession

chrom-

color

chromatic, monochrome, polychrome

chron-

time

chronicle, chronology, chronometer, synchronize

cogn

know

recognize, cognitive, incognito

cord/chord

cord

harpsichord

corp

body

corpus, corpse, corporal

crac, crat

rule, ruler

autocrat, democracy, bureaucrat, democracy

cred

believe

credible, credulous, credibility, credit, credo

cruc

cross

crucifix, crucial

crusta

shell

crustacean

crypt

hidden

cryptogram, cryptology, cryptic

culp

guilt

culpable, culprit

dei

god

deity, deify

demo-

people

demography, democracy, epidemic

dent

tooth

dentist, dentifrice, dentin

derm-

skin

dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic

dic

speak, say

dictate, predict, diction, indict

dox

belief, opinion

orthodoxy, paradox, heterodoxy

duc, duct

lead

induce, deduce, seduction, conduct, abduct

duo

two

duo

dynam-

power

dynamo, hydrodynamics

ego

self

egotist, egomania

equ

equal

equal, equity, equanimity, equate, equidistant

fac

make, do

manufacture, factory, benefactor

fil

threadlike

filament

frater

brother

fraternal, fraternize

gam-

marriage

monogamy, polygamy, bigamy

geo-

earth

geopolitical, geology, geography, geothermal

glyph

vertical groove

Hieroglyphics—Egyptian “sky writing”

grad, gress

step

gradual, progression, transgression

graph-

writing, printing

graphology, biography, telegraph, geography

gym

naked

gymnasium

gyn-

woman

gynecologist, androgynous

hemo, hema, hem

blood

hemophilia, hematology, hemoglobin

holo

whole, entire

holograph

hydro, hydr

water

dehydrate, hydraulics, hydroelectric, hydroplane

iso

equal, identical

isolate

ject

throw

inject, reject, subject, projection

jud

judge

judicial, judge, adjudicate

leg, lect

read, choose

legible, lectern, lecturer, election

liter

letter

literature, illiterate, literal

loc

place

local, location

log

word

monologue, epilogue

luc

light

lucid, elucidate

magn

large

magnify, magnate, magnificent

man

hand

manufacture, manual, manuscript

mar

sea

marine, mariner

mater

mother

maternal, maternity, matriarchy, matricide

mere

part, segment

mere

meta, met

behind, between

metacognition—behind the thinking

metri, meter-

measure

geometric, thermometer, odometer

min

small

minority, minuscule, minute

mit, miss

send

permit, submission, mission, emit,

mob, mot, mov

move

mobile, automobile, motion, promote, movie

mon

warn

premonition, admonition

mor, mort

death

mortal, mortician, immortality

morph

form, structure

metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology

mut

change

mutant, mutability, mutate

neuro

nerve

neurology, neurosis, neurobiology

nomen /nomin

name

nominal, nominate, nomenclature

nov

new

novel, renovate, innovation, novella

nym, onym

word, name

synonym, acronym, anonymous, pseudonym

odonto

tooth

orthodontist—one who straightens teeth

ortho-

straight, correct

orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic

pac

peace

pacify, Pacific Ocean, pacifist

pater

father

paternal, paternity, patricide, patrilineal, patriotic

path

feeling, suffering

sympathy, apathy, empathy, telepathy, pathology

ped, pod

foot

pedal, pedometer, centipede, gastropod

pel, puls

push

pulsate, repulsive, impulse, compel, propel

pend

hang, weigh

pendulum, pendant, suspend, pending

phon-, phono-

sound, voice

telephone, euphony, cacophony, phonograph

plan

flat

planar, plantation, plane

pneum

lung

pneumatic

pod

feet

podiatrist

port

carry

portable, transport, portage, report,

pot

power

potent, omnipotent, potentate

psych-

soul, spirit, mind

psychology, psychic, psychobiography

pugna

fight

pugnacious, pugilist

quer, quis

ask

query, inquisition,

scent, scend

climb

ascend, ascent

schizo, schiz

division, split

schizophrenic

sci

know

scientific

sciss

cut

scissors

scrib, script

write

manuscript, scribe, proscribe, scripture

sec, sect

cut

dissect, section

sed, sess

sit

sedentary, session

sens, sent

feel, be aware

sensible, sentient

sequ, secu

follow

sequence, sequel, consecutive

serv

serve, protect

service

simil

same

similar, assimilate, simile, facsimile (fax)

siphon

tube

siphon

sol

sun

solar

son

sound

sonar, resonate, unison

soph

wisdom, knowledge

philosophy, sophisticated, sophomore (wise fool)

spec, spic

look, see

spectacles, spectator, inauspicious, prospect   

spir

coil

spiral

spir

breathe

inspire, respiration, conspire, perspiration

spond, spons

promise, answer for

respond, responsible

spont

by one's own force

spontaneous

stat

stay, position

station

tang, tact

touch

tactile, tangible

temp

time

temporary, temporize

ten, tent

hold

tentative, tenable, tenuous

terr

earth

subterranean, terrain, terrestrial, disinter

theo

god, deity

theology, polytheism, atheist, monotheism

therm-

heat

thermal, thermos, thermometer

trophy

nutrition, food

atrophy—without nutrition

uro

urine

urologist

vac

empty

vacation, vacuum, vacuous, vacant

ven, vent

come, go

intervene, convene, contravene

ver

truth

veracity, verify, verity

vert

turn

introvert, irreversible, vertigo

vit

life

vital, revitalize, vitamin

voc

call

revoke, invocation, vocal, evocative, convocation

zoo

animal

zoo, zoology, zoolatry

Prefix

Meaning

Examples

a-, an-

not, without

amoral, anesthetic, apolitical, asocial

ab-

away from

abduction, abstain, abnormal

ad-

to, toward

adjoin, adjacent (lying near to)

ambi-

both

ambidextrous, ambivalent

ana-

up, back, again

analogy, anatomy, anagram

anti-

against

antipathy, antiwar, antisocial

apo-

from, away from

apology, apologize

auto-

self

autobiography, automobile, autocracy, automaton

bene-

good

benediction benevolent benefactor

cata-, cat-

down, against

catastrophe--a turning down

centro, centri-

around, center

concentric, centrifugal

circum-

around

circumlocution circumference, circumvent

com-

with, together

communal, community

con-

with, together

connect, confide conspire

contra-

against

contradict, contravene

de-

down, away

descend, deject (cast down)

dia-, di-

through, across

diameter, division

dis-

apart, not

disengage, discord, discomfort

dys-

ill, difficult, bad

dysfunctional, dysentery

e-

out of, from

elect (choose out of), eject (throw out)

ecto-

on the outside

ectoderm--outer skin

en-, em-

in

empathy--feeling in

endo-

within, inside

endoscope--instrument for observing inside

epi-

upon

epitaph epidermis, epicenter

eso-

inward, within

esoteric--more inward, esophagus

eu-

well, good

euthanasia--good death

ex-

out of, from

exhume, exhale, exodus

hetero-

other, different

heterosexual, heterodoxy, heterodox heterogeneous

homo-

same

homosexual, homogeneous, homogenized

hyper-

over

hypertension, hypersensitive, hyperactivity

hypo-

under

hypotension, hypodermic

il-

not

illegitimate, illicit, illegal, illegible

im-

not

imperfect, impolite, impossible

im-

into

imbibe (drink in, take in)

in-

not

indiscreet, invisible

in-

into

incorporate (take into the body)

inter-

between

intervene (come between), interstate

intra-

within

intrastate, intramural

ir-

not

irregular, irrational, irredeemable

macro-

large

macrocosm, macroeconomics

mal, male-

bad, evil

malediction malevolent, malnutrition

meta-

beyond

metaphysical

micro-

small

microscope, microcosm, microeconomics

mono-

one, single

monologue, monotheism, monarchy, monogamy

neo-

new, recent

neologism, neo-liberal, neonatology. neolithic

ob-

against

object, obstruct (build against)

palin-, pali-

back, again

palindrome

pan-

all, every

pantheism, Pan-Hellenic, panorama, pandemic

para-

false

paramilitary, paralegal, parachute

per-

through

percolate (flow through) perforate (punch through)

peri-

around

perimeter, periscope

phil-, philo-

like, lover of

philosophy, Francophile, bibliophile, philanthropy

poly-

many, several

polygon, polygamy, polytechnic, polytheism

post-

after

postgraduate, posthumous postpone

pre-

before

precede, predict (tell before)

pro-

for, forward

promote, project

pros-

toward, in front

prospect—view in front, something coming up

proto-

first

prototype, protoplasm, protobiology

pseudo

false

pseudonym, pseudoscience

re-

again, back

repeat, recede, regress (step back)

retro-

back

retrogression, retroactive

se-

away from

seduce (lead away), secede

sub-

under

submarine, subject, subhuman subterranean

sur-, super-

over, above

superhuman, superego, superintend, surpass

syn-, sym-, syl-, sys-

with, together

symphony, synonym, system, syllable

tele-

distant, far off

telephone, telepathy, television, telegram

trans-

across

transient, Transatlantic, transport (carry across)

Suffix

Definition

Example

-agog, -agogue

leader

demagogue, pedagogue

-cide

kill(ing)

patricide, infanticide, herbicide. suicide

-ectomy

cutting

appendectomy, splenectomy

-ia, -y

act, state

amnesia, mania, democracy, anarchy

-ic, -tic, -ical, -ac

having to do with

anthropomorphic, dramatic, biblical, cardiac

-ics

things having to do with

optics, physics

-isk, -iscus

small

asterisk--a little star

-ism

the belief in

pacifism, terrorism, socialism, communism

-ist

one who believes in

pacifist, terrorist, socialist, communist

-ite

one connected with

meteorite, polite, cosmopolite

-logy

study field of

biology, geology, etymology, cardiology

-oid

resembling, like-shaped

asteroid, spheroid

-or, -er

one who takes part in

doctor, actor, teacher, driver

-phobia

exaggerated fear

photophobia, claustrophobia, agoraphobia

-sis

act, state, condition of

analysis