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NSHS English Department | Vocabulary Stems Curriculum
Lists for 9 Grade
Lists for 10 Grade
Lists for 11 Grade
1-6 (60 stems)
7-12 (90 stems)
13-18 (120 stems)
th
th
th
List 1
Stem
Definition
Sample Words
anti
against
anti-aircraft, antibody, anticlimax, antithesis, antihero, antagonist
circum
around
circumnavigate, circumspect, circumvent, circumlocution, circumcise, circus
equi
equal
equitable, equilateral, equivocate, equinox, equation, equilibrium
extra
beyond
intra
within
extraterrestrial, extraordinary, extravagant, extrovert, extraneous, extrapolate,
extradite
intracellular, intravenous, intrastate, intramural
intro
into
introduce, introspective, introvert
mis
bad
misfit, mistake, misfortune, misfire, misery, miser, misdeed, misguided
neo
new
neologism, neophyte, neon, neoclassic, neonatal
scrib
write
scribble, inscribe, scribe, describe, conscription, transcribe, ascribe
sym /
syn
together
sympathy, symbol, symphony, synchronize, synonym, synopsis, syntax
Stem
Definition
Sample Words
anthropo
man
audi
auto
bell
biblio
cap
cede
cide
cise
port
hear
self
war
book
take
go
kill
cut
carry
anthropology, anthropomorphic, anthropomorphize, anthropoid, lycanthrope,
misanthrope
audio, audiophile, audience, audition, auditory, audit
autobiography, automobile, autograph, automatic, automaton, autocracy
bellicose, belligerent, bellow, rebel, casus belli
bibliography, bibliophile, bible, bibliomania, bibliophobia
capture, captive, captor, captious, captivate, captivity, caption, capsule
recede, precede, antecedent, proceed, secede, concede, intercede, succeed
herbicide, homicide, matricide, suicide, regicide, genocide, fratricide
excise, incisors, incision, circumcise, incisive, precise, concise, decisive
transport, import, report, porter, deport, important, portly, comportment
List 2
List 3
Stem
Definition
Sample Words
duct
lead
conduct, induct, product, reduction, deduction, reproduction
fer
carry
transfer, infer, refer, defer, ferry, conifer, Lucifer, aquifer
homo
same
homosexuality, homogenize, homonym, homophone, homologous
hyper
over
hyperactive, hyperventilate, hyperbole, hypertension
hypo
under
hypodermic, hypocrite, hypotenuse, hypothermia, hypothesis, hypochondria
miss
send
pan
all
dismiss, remiss, missile, admission, missionary, emission, intermission,
promissory
panorama, panoply, pandemic, pantheism, pantheon, pan American
pend
hang
pending, pendulum, pendant, impending, depend, pendulous, suspend
photo
light
photograph, photometer, photon, photogenic, photosynthesis
spec
look
spectacles, spectator, specious, respect, inspect, circumspect, retrospective,
speculate, prospect
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List 4
Stem
Definition
Sample Words
bene
dox
matri
micro
mono
phon
pseudo
tele
vid
viv
good
opinion
mother
small
one
sound
false
far
look
life
benefit, benevolent, beneficial, benediction, benefactor, benign
orthodox, heterodox, doxology, doctrine, indoctrinate, paradox, doctrinaire
matricide, matron, matriarch, matriarchy, matrimony, metropolis, matrilineal
microscope, microwave, microphone, microcosm, microbe, microeconomics
monotonous, monocular, monogamous, monolithic, monotone
symphony, telephone, phonetic, phonograph, euphony, cacophony, phonics
pseudonym, pseudopod, pseudomorphic, pseudoscience
telescope, telephone, telekinesis, telepathy, teleology, television
video, invidious, evidence, evident, provide
vivid, vivisection, vivacious, convivial, bon vivant, viva, revive
List 5 (Romeo and Juliet 1)
Stem
Definition
Sample Words
ambul
carn
co/com/
con
corp
dom
gress
walk
flesh
together
jur
post
swear
after
pot
voc
drink
voice
amble, ambulatory, somnambulism, ambulance, perambulate
carrion, carnivorous, incarnate, reincarnated, carnival, carnation, carnage
conjure, reconcile, combination, common, contract, confederate, conjunction,
cooperate, coordinating, coauthor
incorporate, corps, corpulent, corporation, corporeal, corporal, corpse, corpuscle
predominant, dominate, dominion, domineering, subdominant, domain
transgression, congress, egress, digress, aggression, regress, progress,
ingress
perjury, abjure, adjure, perjure, jury, jurisdiction, jurisprudence, jurist
posterity, postgraduate, posthumous, postscript, posterior, post meridiem,
postpone
potion, potable, potation, compote, symposium
invocation, vociferously, vocal, sotto voce, vocabulary, convocation, equivocate,
provocative, provoke, invoke, revoke
body
rule
step
List 6 (Romeo and Juliet 2)
Stem
Definition
Sample Words
ab
ami
apt
de
away
love
fit
down
dis
ex
away
out
inter
between
mal
pre
bad
before
val
worth
absolve, abnormal, abjure, absent, abroad, abrogate, abrupt, abdicate
amorous, amatory, amateur, amiable, amigo, amity, paramour
apt, adapt, aptitude, maladapted, adaptation, aptly, aptness
denote, deposit, descent, despicable, denounce, deduct, demolish, decrepit,
deplete
dismal, distract, distort, dispute, dissonant, disperse, dismiss, dissuade, disprove
exile, inexorable, exit, except, excise, exculpate, exorbitant, expunge, expound,
expose, exhume, expire, export, exude, expel
intercession, international, interdepartmental, intermission, interject, interlude,
interstate, internet, interpolate
malevolent, malcontent, malicious, malign, malady, malapropism
predicament, prelude, preposition, premonition, premature, predict, predecessor,
predispose
validity, valor, valiant, valid, equivalent, devaluate, evaluate, ambivalent
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NSHS English Department | Vocabulary Stems | Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefixes
Stem
polyreultrauni-
Definition
many
again
beyond
one
Suffixes
Stem Definition
-a
plural
-ar
relating to
-be
life
ard
always
ate
cause
cle
small
cracy
government
ess
female
fy
make
i
plural
ician
specialist
ics
art
ine
nature of
ish
like
ism
doctrine
ist
one who
itis
inflammation
ize
make
lent
full of
less
without
logy
science
lys
break down
mania madness
mony condition
ness
quality
nomy law
oid
appearance
osis
condition
ous
full of
sis
condition
tion
act or state
tude
state of
Sample Words
polytechnic, polygamy, polychrome
return, review, retouch, reiterate, retail, revive, regenerate, regurgitate
ultramarine, ultraconservative, ultraviolet
unicycle, universe, united, union, uniform, unison, unique, unicorn
Sample Words
data, phenomena, bacteria, phyla, effluvia, trivia
pulsar, stellar, lunar, solar, secular, columnar, linear, circular
microbe, aerobe, anaerobe
drunkard, coward, braggart, laggard, dullard, sluggard
domesticate, implicate, create, procreate, insinuate, placate, dominate
molecule, corpuscle, follicle, minuscule, ventricle, particle, vesicle
autocracy, democracy, aristocracy, plutocracy, meritocracy
lioness, empress, princess, baroness, seamstress, governess
fortify, rectify, horrify, solidify, reify, transmogrify, sanctify, pacify
bacilli, fungi, nuclei, alumni, magi, octopi, Gemini, homunculi, literati
technician, musician, beautician, physician, statistician, clinician
politics, economics, aesthetics, graphics, ethics, calisthenics
porcine, crystalline, saturnine, canine, ursine, vulpine, bovine
squeamish, greenish, smallish, outlandish, snobbish, ghoulish, mannish
Marxism, capitalism, Imagism, Cubism, nihilism, pluralism, tribalism
artist, somnambulist, anthropologist, solipsist, centrist, atheist, sophist
appendicitis, tonsillitis, bursitis, arthritis, gastroenteritis, colitis
victimize, harmonize, temporize, mobilize, fossilize, polarize, bowdlerize
corpulent, virulent, turbulent, excellent, succulent, insolent, indolent
fruitless, hopeless, motherless, bootless, pointless, hapless, feckless
biology, anthropology, geology, entomology, philology, mythology
hemolysis, electrolysis, electrolyte, analysis, dialysis, lysis
kleptomania, egomania, pyromania, dipsomania, megalomania
matrimony, acrimony, harmony, ceremony, simony, parsimony
softness, politeness, kindness, darkness, vagueness
astronomy, economy, Deuteronomy, taxonomy, heteronomy, nomothetic
android, anthropoid, asteroid, adenoid, xyloid, haploid
neurosis, psychosis, ichthyosis, erythroblastosis, thrombosis, meiosis
luminous, glorious, loquacious, vivacious, garrulous, anomalous, zealous
arteriosclerosis, osmosis, mitosis, meiosis, catharsis, symbiosis
completion, reaction, devastation, production, creation, transition
pulchritude, multitude, solitude, turpitude, rectitude, aptitude, similitude