PREFIXES
GRADE
6TH
Prefixes-small but meaningful letter groups added before a base word or rootchange the meaning of a word. Knowing the meaning of these prefixes, together
with the meaning of common base words and Greek and Latin roots, will give
students the tools for unlocking the meanings of hundreds of words. ln addition to
teaching these prefixes directly, it is also a good idea to explain prefixes and their
meanings when students encounter them in new vocabulary words throughout the
year.
Taken from
lhe
Reading Teacher's Eook of Lists, Third Edition, 1993 by Prentice Hall.
MEANING EXAMPLES
aboard, afire, afoot, ashore, atop
on
,,r(. ,2. agto
agglomeration, aggrandize, aggravate, aggregate,
PREFIX
aggressive
as- to
4. cent- hundred
3.
5.
,6.
ascend, ascertain, aspect, aspire, assert
centigrade, century, cent, centimeter
contra- against
contraband, contraception, contradict, contrary,
contraindicated
dia-
diagnose, diagonal, dialogue, diameter
through
across
exa- quintillion exameter
8. hept- seven heptagon, heptameter
into immediate, immerse, immigrate, implant, import
C i^irregular, irreconcilable, irredeemable, irregular
10. irnot
7.
irresponsible
11. mega-
,6.
13.
^onmono-
large
megacycle, megalith, megalomania, megaphone,
megaton
one
monk, monarch, monocular, monogamy, monorail
non- not
nonchalant, nonconformist, nondescript
nonpartisan, nonsense
MEANING EXAMPLES
oncoming, ongoing, onrush, onshore, onward
on
14. onpentagon, pentathlon, Pentecost
15. pent- five
before preamble, precaution, prefix, prejudice
16. prequintuplet, quintessential, quintet
17. quint- five
sextet, sextant, sextuple
18. sex- six
19. tele- distant telephone, telescope, telegram, television
20. under- below underneath, undercover, underground, underpass
PREFIX
Suffixes
6th grade
Suffixes are letter groups that are added to the end of a base word or root. Suffixes
usually signify the part of speech and usually add meaning. ln this list, suffixes are
grouped by part of speech. Some suffixes are best understood, not as having a
particular meaning but as expressing grammar or syntax. These suffixes enable you to
express an idea in many different ways by using the variation of the key word that best
fits the sentence structure.
For example, in the sentences:
The boy is quiet.
The boy played quietly.
The boy's quiefness was undisturbed.
The word quiet was altered to fit the sentence structure. ln (1) it is used as an adjective;
in (2) the suffix -/y was added so that it could be used as an adverb; in (3) the suffixness was added so that it could be used as a noun.
Taken from The Reading Teache/s Book of Lists,Ihlrd Edition, 1993, Prentice Hall
SUFFIX
MEANING
plural
one who
EXAMPLES
1.
2.
3.
-a
--ant
-ation
action or
process
emancipation, narration,
computation
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
-ee
--ery,--ry
object or
action
payee, lessee, employee
-eur
-ina
-ist
-ling
+l
who
female
data, criteria, memoranda
servant, immigrant,assistant
trade or occupation surgery, archery, sorcery
one
one who
chauffeur, connoisseur
czarina, ballerina
practices biologist, capitalist, communist
small
alcohols
-phobia fear of
female
-trix
relating to
-al
inclined to
-ent
duckling, yearling, suckling
methanol, ethanol, glycol
claustrophobia, acrophobia
aviatrix, executrix
urban, American, Alaskan
competent, different
thoughtful, joyful
15.
-ful
full of
16.
-ine
relating to
childish, Scottish
17.
-ly
every
daily, weekly, monthly
18.
-ulent
full of
turbulent, corpulent
19.
-ways
manner
sideways, always,
20.
-ed, --d
past tense
talked, baked, raised
21.
-ize
to make
standard ize, popularize
GREEK AND LATIN ROOTS
6th Grade
Most modern English words originated in other languages. The study of word
origins, or etymology, is a fascinating subject. The Greek and Latin roots in this
list can form the basis for a vocabulary-building course. Roots are taught
successfully in families such as microscope, telescope, periscope, to illustrate
that scope means "see." ln the following list, Greek roots are indicated with "g"
and Latin roots with "1."
Taken from The Reading Teacher's Book of Lists, Ihrrd Edition, 1993, Prentice Hall
ROOT
1. act (l)
MEANING EXAMPLES
do
action, actor, react, transact, enact
2. amo, ami (l) love
amiable, amorous, amateur, amity
3. aqua (l)
water aquarium, aquatic, aqueous, aquamarine
4. belli (l)
war
bellicose, antebellum, belligerent, rebellion
glow, white candle, candidate, incandescent
5. cand (l)
go, yield process, recess, access, cessation
6. cess (l)
7. clud (l)
shut
include, conclude, exclude, preclude, seclude
8. cred (l)
believe credit, discredit, incredible, credulous
9. dic (l)
speak dictate, predict, contradict, verdict, diction
10. dox (g)
belief orthodox, unorthodox, heterodox
1 1. fig (l)
form
figure, figment, configuration, disfigure, effigy
12. frater (l)
brother fraternal, fraternity, fratricide
13. gnos (g)
know gnostic, agnostic, diagnostic, prognosis
gather gregarious, congregation, segregation,
14. greg (l)
15. imag (l)
likeness image, imagine, imaginative, imagery
justice, just, justify
16. jus (l)
law
17. lith (g)
stone lithograph, monolith, paleolithic, neolithic
18. lus (l)
19. mater (l)
(l)
21. mit (l)
22. mut (l)
20. mers
23. nun, noun (l)
24. ord (l)
(l)
26. photo (g)
27. pon (l)
28. put (l)
29. rid (l)
30. script (l)
31. sign (l)
32. spec (l)
33. sum (l)
34. ten (l)
35. tract (l)
36. vag (l)
37. vinc (l)
25. ped
play
mother
dip
send
change
declare
row
foot
light
place
think
laugh
write
mark
see
highest
stretch
pull, drag
wander
conquer
illusion, illusive
maternal, maternity
submerse, immerse
submit, remit, admit, transmit
mutation, immutable, mutual, commute
interchange
announce, pronounce, denounce, enunciate
order, ordinary, ordinal, extraordinary,
pedal, pedestrian, biped, pedestal
photograph, telephoto, photosynthesis
opponent, exponent, proponent, postpone
computer, reputation, deputy, disrepute
ridiculous, deride, ridicule, derisive
script, transcript, scripture
signature, signal, significant, insignia
inspect, suspect, respect, spectator, spectacle
summit, summary, sum, summons
tendon, tendency, tension, tent, tense
tractor, attract, subtract, traction
vagrant, vague, vagabond, vagary
convince, invincible