Base words
A base word is the most basic form of a word. It holds the most meaning when prefixes
and suffixes are added. It is helpful to understand base and root words in order to spell
well. Becoming familiar with these words will give you a solid foundation for spelling.
Some people confuse root words with base words. The difference is that root words
cannot stand alone. A base word can stand alone but often has a prefix or suffix added
to it.
Below is a table of some common root
words, their meaning and an example.
Below is a table of some common base
words and how they can be changed by
using a prefix or suffix.
Root
Meaning
Example
Base
Prefix
Suffix
alter-
other
alternate
agree
disagree
agreement
anni-
year
anniversary
build
rebuild
building
aqua-
water
aquatic
courage encourage courageous
auto-
by oneself automatic
direct
redirect
directory
bio-
life
biology
happy
unhappy
happiness
-brev-
short
abbreviate
head
behead
header
-chrom- colour
monochrome
like
dislike
likely
-derm-
skin
dermatologist
order
preorder
ordered
dent-
tooth
dentist
play
replay
playful
equ-
equal
equate
print
misprint
printable
-ject
throw
eject
search
research
searching
-loc-
place
location
state
interstate
statement
min-
small
minimal
-port-
carry
portable
sequ-
follow
sequel
-son-
sound
unison
vit-
life
vitality
For a better understanding of root and base words use the internet to watch this video:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/topic/root-words