CP Biology—Pratt
Prefix , Suffix & Root List
Prefix, Suffix,
Root
Meaning
Examples
a, an *
not, without
abiotic, anaerobic, anemia, anonymous, apathy,
ab *
away from
abnormal, absent, abduction, abstemious
alba (leuk) *
white
linea alba, leucoplast,
ambul
to walk
ambulatory, amble, ambulance,
ante
before
anteroom, antebellum, antedate antecedent,
anti, ant *
against, opposite
anti-inflammatory, antigen, antisocial, antiseptic,
antithesis, antibody, antibiotic
arterio *
to do with arteries
artery, arteriosclerosis
aqua
water
aqueous solution, aquamarine, aquatic
asis
condition, or state of
homeostasis,
audi
to hear
auditory, audible, auditorium, audiovisual, audition
auto
self
autotrophic, automatic, autograph, autoimmune
be
thoroughly
bedecked, besmirch, besprinkled
bi, di *
two, twice
binomial, binary fission, bicycle, dissect, dicot, dihybrid
bio *
life,
biology, biotic, biosphere
calor *
heat
calorie, caloric
cardi *
heart
cardiac arrest, cardiologist
cent
hundred
centipede, century, centimeter
centi (centri) *
One-hundredth
centimeter
centro *
center
centrifuge
cephal *
head
cephalothorax, encephalitis
chemo *
chemicals
chemistry, chemotheropy
chron
time
chronology, chronic, chronicle chronometer,
anachronism
chromo *
color
chromatography, chromatogram
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CP Biology—Pratt
cid, cis
to kill, to cut
incision, excision, circumcision,
circum
around
circumference, circumorbital, , circulatory
co
together
covalent, codominant, collaborate, co captain
con, com
with, together
convene, compress, contemporary, converge, compact,
conjoin, combine
contra, counter
against, opposite
contradict, counteract, contravene, contrary,
counterspy, contrapuntal
cyto
cell
cytoplasm, cytoskeleton,
cycl
circle, wheel
bicycle, cyclical, cycle,
de
from, down, away
detach, deploy, deodorize, devoid, deflate, degenerate,
deca (dec) *
ten
decade, decagram
deci
one-tenth
decimal, decimeter,
demo
people
democracy, demagogue, epidemic
dent, dont
teeth
dentist, orthodontist, peridontist
derm
skin
epidermis, dermatologist
dia
through, across, between
diameter, diagonal, dialogue dialect, dialectic, diagnosis,
diachronic
dict
speak
predict, verdict, malediction, dictionary, dictate,
dictum, diction, indict
dissect *
cut
dissection,
dis, dys, dif
away, not, negative
dismiss, differ, disallow, disperse, dissuade, disconnect,
dysfunction, disproportion, disrespect, distemper,
distaste, disarray, dyslexia
duc, duct
to lead, pull
produce, abduct, product, transducer, viaduct,
aqueduct, induct, deduct, reduce, induce
dyn, dyna
power
dynamic, dynamometer, dynamite, dynamo, dynasty
ecto *
outside, external
ectomorph, ectoderm, ectoplasm, ectopic, ectothermal
ectomy
removal of
appendectomy, tonsilectomy
electro*
relating to electricity
electromagnetic, electrodes
endo *
inside, withing
endotoxin, endoscope, endogenous
epi *
above, on top of
epidermis, epicenter
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CP Biology—Pratt
equi
equal
equilibrium, equinox, equation, equator
e, ex
out, away, from
emit, expulsion, exhale, exit, express, exclusive,
enervate, exceed, explosion
exo *
without, outside, outer
exoskeleton,
form
shape
bioform
flu, flux
flow
effluence, influence, effluvium, fluctuate, confluence,
reflux, influx
flect, flex
to bend
flexible, reflection, deflect, circumflex
fuge *
something that drives away
centrifuge
Genic *
produced from, producing
Carcinogenic, genetic
giga
billion
gigabyte
graph, gram *
Write or draw
polygraph, grammar, biography, graphite, telegram,
autograph, lithograph, historiography, graphic
hema
blood
hematologist, hematoma, hemoglobin
hemi *
half
hemisphere
hetero
other
heterotroph, heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodyne
hexa *
six
hexagon, hexameter
homo *
same
homozygous, homonym, homophone
hydra, hydro *
relating to water
hydrophobic, hydrocraft
hyper *
over, above
Hypertonic, hyperactive, hypertensive, hyperbolic,
hypersensitive, hyperventilate,
hypo *
below, less than
hypotonic, hypotension, hypodermic, hypoglycemia,
hypoallergenic
infra
beneath
infrared, infrastructure
inter, intro *
between
international, intercept, intermission, interoffice,
internal, intermittent, introduce
intra *
within, into
intranet, intracranial, intravenous
iso
same, like
isotonic, isometric, isotope
itis *
inflammation
tonsillitis, appendicitis, bronchitis
kilo (mil) *
one thousand
kilogram, kilometer, millennium
lyse, lysis *
to destroy, burst
plasmolysis, lysosome, cytolysis
3
CP Biology—Pratt
logy, ology *
study of
biology, physiology, cardiology, oncology
macro *
large, enlarged,
macroscopic. macronucleus
magni *
great
magnitude
maniple *
hands
manipulate
mega *
one million
megaphone, megalomaniac, megabyte, megalopolis
meso
middle
mesomorph, mesoamerica, mesosphere
meta
beyond, change
metamorphosis, metabolism, metainformation
meter *
measure
perimeter, micrometer, ammeter, multimeter, altimeter
micro *
small
microscope, microfiche, micrometer, micrograph
milli *
thousandth
millimeter
mis
bad, badly
misinform, misinterpret, , misnomer, mistake,
mit, miss
to send
transmit, permit, missile, missionary, remit, admit,
missive, mission
mono *
one
monomer, monogamous,
morph *
shape
polymorphic, morpheme, amorphous
multi
many
multitude, multipartite, multiply, multipurpose
nano
billionth
nanosecond
neo
new
neologism, neonate, neoclassic, neophyte
neuro *
nerve
neuron, neurosurgeon
non
not
nonferrous, nonabrasive, nondescript
octo (oct) *
eight
octagon, octopus,
oculo, opti *
relating to vision or eyes
optometrist, ocular lens, binoculars
omni
all
omnipotent, omnivorous, omniscient
ose
full of, (suffix for sugar)
dextrose, sucrose, glucose
osis *
condition, state
halitosis
osteo
bone
osteoporosis, osteosarcoma
ortho *
straight
orthoptera, orthopedics, orthodontist,
para
beside
paramedic, paraphrase, parachute
pathy
abnormality, disease
psychopathy,
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CP Biology—Pratt
penta *
five
pentagon
per
through, intensive
permit, perspire, perforate, persuade
peri
around
periscope, perimeter, perigee, periodontal
phil *
love, an affinity/liking for
hydrophilic
phobe *
abnormal fear of, dread
hydrophobic, claustrophobic, arachnophobia
phon
sound
telephone, phonics, homophone, microphone
phoresis *
transmission, carrying
electrophoresis
photo *
light
photograph, photosynthesis, photon
plasm *
fluid substance
cytoplasm, nucleoplasm
platy *
flat, broad
platypus, platyhementhes
pico
trillionth
picofarad, picocurie
pod
foot
pseudopod, gastropod,
poly *
many
polymer, polygon, polymorphous
por
opening, hole
pore, porous, osteoporosis
port
to carry
porter, portable, report, transportation, deport,
import, export
post
after
postpardum, post-operative
pre
before
prefix, preliminary
pseudo
false
pseuodopod,
quad, quat, quadri*
four
quadrilateral, quadruplets
quint
five
quintuplets, quintet
re
back, again
report, realign, retract, revise, regain
retro
backwards
retrorocket, retrospect, retrogression, retroactive
sanct
holy
sanctify, sanctuary, sanction, sanctimonious,
sclero *
hard
arteriosclerosis
scope *
an for seeing or observing
microscope
scrib, script *
to write
inscription, prescribe, conscript, scribble, transcribe
sect, sec
cut
intersect, transect, dissect, secant, section
semi
half
semifinal, semiconscious, semimonthly, semicircle
5
CP Biology—Pratt
sept
seven
septuplet, septennial
spect
to look
inspect, spectator, circumspect, prospect, spectacle
sub
under, below
submerge, submarine, substandard, subnormal, subvert
super, supra
above
superior, suprarenal, superscript, supernatural,
supercede
syn (synthesis) *
to put together, together
photosynthesis, dehydration synthesis, synchronous,
syndicate
tele
distance, from afar
television, telephone, telegraph, telemetry
theo, the
god
theology, theist, polytheist
therm, thermo
heat
thermal, thermometer, thermocouple, thermodynamic,
thermoelectric
tox *
poison
toxic, toxoplasmosis
tract
to drag, draw
attract, tractor, traction, extract, retract, protract,
detract, subtract, contract, intractable
trans *
across
transoceanic, transmit, transport, transducer
tri *
three
triangle,
trophy *
relating to nutrition, food,
health, growth
atrophy
un
not
uncooked, unharmed, unintended
uni *
one
unicellular,
ultra *
beyond, on the further side
of, excessive, extreme
ultraviolet
veh, vect
to carry
vector, vehicle, convection, vehement
vert, vers
to turn
convert, revert, advertise, versatile, vertigo, invert,
reversion, extravert, introvert
vita
life
vital, vitality, vitamins, revitalize
zoo *
relating to animals
zoology, zoological
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