The Most Common Prefixes
Prefix
Meaning
Example
not, opposite of
again, back
not, opposite of
cause to
uncertain
reapply
indecisive
imbalance
irregular
illegible
discourage
enjoy
not, opposite of
in or into
nonfiction
inside
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
un
re
in
im
ir
il
dis
en
em
non
in
im
over
mis
sub
pre
inter
fore
de
trans
super
semi
anti
mid
under
ab
bi
extra
ultra
pro
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
co
ad
mal
auto
amphi
31.
32.
33.
34.
an
bene
com
con
meta
too much, above
bad or wrong, not
under, lower
before
between, among
before
opposite of, down
across
above, beyond
half
against
middle
Too little, below, less than
from or away
two
outside or beyond
extremely
before
forward
together
to
bad
self
both
around
not
good
with
35.
e
overgrown
misinform
subterranean
predetermined
international
foresee
descent
transatlantic
super
semicircle
antisocial
midyear
underfed
abnormal
bicycle
extraordinary
ultraconservative
prologue
proceed
coincide
adapt
malnourished
autobiography
amphibian
amphitheater
anonymous
benefactor
combine
confident
metamorphosis
metaphor
emigrate
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
✏✏
not, opposite of
change
out, away
Adapted from: The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists (2006) Edward b. Fry, Ph.D. and Jacqueline E. Kress, ED.D
The Most Common Suffixes
1.
2.
3.
Suffix
s, es
ed
ing
Meaning
plurals
past-tense verbs
Verb form/present participle
4.
ly
characteristic of resembling
every
5.
er, or
6.
ion, tion, ation, ition
person connected with
one who
act, process
7.
8.
ible, able
al, ial
9.
10.
11.
12.
y
ness
ity, ty
ment
13.
14.
ic
ous, eous, ious
15.
16.
en
er
17.
ive, ative, itive
18.
19.
20.
21.
24.
ful
less
est
ade
age
ant
ent
cle
let
dom
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
ship
ical
ify
ish
ist
30.
ism
22.
23.
can be done
having characteristics of
suitable for
characterized by
state of, condition of
state of
action or process
action or quality of
product or quality of
having characteristics of
possessing the equalities of
made of
comparative
a person who does something
to be able to, having a
particular quality
full of
without
comparative
action or process
one who
small
state or quality of
showing status
connected with
to produce a state or quality
like something or rather, quite
a state or process or one who
practices
doctrine of or state or quality of
Example
studies
wanted
playing
friendly
motherly
daily
donor
impostor
demonstration
action
likeable
promotional
reality
stubbornness
activity
government
amusement
instrument
comic
serious
porous
enliven
brighter
painter
Attentive
demonstrative
sorrowful
hopeless
biggest
blockade
marriage
assistant
resident
particle
booklet
boredom
freedom
friendship
mythical
simplify
childish
feminist
communism
The Most Common Root Words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Root
Meaning
Example
act
aud
cred
dic
graph
loc
man
mot
mob
mov
ped
pop
dem
port
sign
spec
spect
spic
tract
vid
volve
cede
ceed
cess
fin
finis
fac
fact
fect
fic
duc
duce
duct
form
do
hear
believe
to say or tell
write
place
hand
move
gen
genus
mob
mot
mov
put
race, kind, or species; birth
ten
tain
tin
tinu
vers
vert
to hold
action, react
audition, auditorium
credit, credulous
dictate, predict, verdict
autograph, paragraph
allocate, dislocate, location
manual, manufacture, manipulate
demote
mobile
countermove
pedal, pedestrian
population, populace
democrat, epidemic
transport, import, export, porter
significant, signal, signature
speculator
inspect
despicable
attract, detract, subtract, traction
evidence, video, provide, providence
evolve, revolution, involve
precede
exceed
process
affinity
finish
facility
faction
imperfection
officiate
ducal
induce
abduct
conform
transform
genocide
ingenuous
mobilize
emotion
movement
dispute
compute
contentment
retain
continue
foot
people
carry
mark
to see, watch or observe
pull, drag
see
roll
to go, yield, or surrender
end
to make or do
to lead
shape
to move
to think
to turn
adversary
divert