Roots/Affixes and Vocabulary Words
School Year 2010-2011
Avalon Middle School
The terms for each week have a common root or theme. The dates for each term and definition
are below. Each vocabulary word includes a student friendly definition.
8/23
8/24
8/25
8/26
8/27
APT, EPT – fit
adept - a highly skilled or well-trained individual
apt - just right; being to the point; having a tendency; quick to learn
aptitude - : ability to learn ; a natural ability
inept - not suited for the occasion; lacking in skill or ability
8/30
CRIT – judge or decide
hypercritical – too critical
criterion – a standard on which a judgment or decision may be based
critic - a person who makes or gives a judgment of the value, worth, beauty, or excellence
of something
critique – A critical review or commentary, especially one dealing with works of art or
literature. A critical discussion of a specified topic.
hematocrit – The percentage by volume of packed red blood cells in a given sample of
blood after centrifugation. A centrifuge used to determine the volume of
blood cells and plasma in a given sample of blood.
8/31
9/1
9/2
9/3
9/6
No School – no word
9/7
CUR – care for
curative – relating to or used in the cure of diseases
9/8
curator – a person in charge of a museum or zoo
9/9
manicure – care of the hands and fingernails
9/10 pedicure – care of the feet, toes, and toenails
procure – to get possession of; bring about; achieve
9/13
9/14
9/15
9/16
9/17
9/20
9/21
9/22
9/23
9/24
9/27
9/28
9/29
9/30
10/1
10/4
10/5
10/6
10/7
HABIT, HIBIT – have or hold
exhibition - an act or instance of exhibiting; a public showing
habitat - the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or
grows
habitual - done, followed, or used often or regularly
inhibit - to prevent or hold back from doing something
prohibit - to forbid by authority; to make impossible
MOR, MORT – death
immortal - living or lasting forever
morose - gloomy
mortician - undertaker
mortified - to embarrass greatly
postmortem - done or occurring after death
PEL, PULS – move or drive
compel - to cause to do something by the use of physical, moral, or mental pressure :
force
dispel - to drive away by or as if by scattering
expel - to drive or force out
impulse - a force that starts a body into motion; a sudden stirring up of the mind and spirit
to do something
repulsion - the force with which bodies, particles, or like forces repel one another; a
feeling of great dislike
SPHERE – ball or round
atmosphere - the whole mass of air surrounding the earth
biosphere - the part of the world in which life can exist
hemisphere - one of the halves of the earth as divided by the equator or by a meridian
spherical - relating to or having the form of a sphere or part of a sphere
10/8
stratosphere - an upper portion of the atmosphere above the troposphere where
temperature changes little and clouds rarely form
10/11 FAC, FEC, FIC – to make or do
benefactor - one who helps another especially by giving money.
10/12 confection - a fancy dish or sweet
10/13 facile - easily done, handled, or achieved
10/14 olfactory - of, relating to, or concerned with the sense of smell
10/15 proficient - very good at doing something especially through practice
10/18 ANIM – breath, soul, spirit
animated - to give life to : make alive; to give spirit and vigor to
10/19 animation - film made by photographing a series of positions of objects (as puppets)
10/20 animosity - feeling of dislike or hatred
10/21 inanimate - not having life
10/22 magnanimous - having or showing a noble and courageous spirit
10/25 Planning Day – NO WORD
10/26 CAD, CID, CAS – fall, fall down, drop
cadaver - dead body especially of a person, usually used in hospital teaching facilities
casualty - a serious or fatal accident
10/27 coincide - to occupy the same place in space or time
10/28 decadent - a falling off in quality or strength : a sinking to a lower state or level
10/29 recidivism - is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either
experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or
trained to extinguish that behavior.
11/1
11/2
11/3
11/4
11/5
CHRON – time
chronic - continuing or occurring again and again for a long time
chronicle - an account of events in the order of their happening
chronograph – a timepiece or watch with both timekeeping and stopwatch functions
chronological – arranged in or according to the order of time
synchronous – happening or existing at the same time
11/8
LAT – carry or bear
Collate – to group together for use
11/9
correlate – to relate items or information for the purpose of drawing conclusions
11/10 Elation – extreme joy
11/11 School Holiday – NO WORD
11/12 relativity – the idea that refers to the connections between items, people, things, or even
ideas
11/15
11/16
11/17
11/18
11/19
Words from Mythology
Achilles’ heel - Word History refers to any weak spot or point.
Herculean – of, relating to, or characteristic of Hercules: of great power, size, or difficulty
nemesis - one that punishes or avenges : a formidable and usually victorious rival or
opponent
Trojan Horse - something intended to undermine or destroy from within
Pandora’s box - source of many unforeseen troubles
11/29
SUB – under or beneath
subconscious - existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness
11/30 subjugate - to bring under control and rule as a subject
12/1 subliminal - not strong enough to produce a sensation or a mental awareness; existing or
functioning below the level of conscious awareness
12/2 substandard - varying from or falling short of a standard or norm
12/3 subversion - the act of overthrowing : the state of being overthrown
12/6
TEND, TENT – stretch or spread
tendon - a tough cord or band of dense white connective tissue that links a muscle to
12/7
12/8
12/9
12/10
some other part (as a bone)
contentions - an idea or point for which a person argues (as in a debate or argument)
distended - to stretch or bulge out in all directions
extend - to straighten out or stretch forth
ortend - to give a sign or warning of beforehand
12/13 VINC, VICT – conquer
convince - to make a person agree or believe by arguing or showing evidence
12/14 conviction - a strong belief or opinion
12/15 invincible - incapable of being defeated, overcome, or subdued
12/16 provincial - limited in outlook; or relating to a style (as in furniture) marked by simple
design and plain decoration
12/17 victimize - to make a victim of especially by cheating
1/3
1/4
1/5
1/6
1/7
1/10
ANTHROP – human being
anthropogenic – caused or produced by humans
anthropoid – Resembling a human, especially in shape or outward appearance
anthropology - the science of human beings and especially of their physical
characteristics, their origin, their environment and social relations, and their
culture
misanthropic - a dislike or hatred of all human beings
philanthropy - a spirit of goodwill toward all people especially when expressed in active
and generous efforts to help others : a charitable act or gift
1/11
1/12
1/13
1/14
CIS – cut or cut down
concise - being brief and to the point
decisive - marked by or showing decision
excise - to remove by cutting out
incisor - front tooth for cutting
precision - designed for very accurate measurement or operation
1/17
Holiday – NO WORD
1/18
TURB – confuse or agitate
disturbance – upset or disorder
perturbed - to disturb greatly especially in mind
turbid - clouded or discolored by sediment
Turbine - an engine whose central driving shaft is fitted with a series of blades spun
around by the pressure of a fluid (as water, steam, or air)
turbulent - causing or being in a state of unrest, violence, or disturbance
1/19
1/20
1/21
1/24
1/25
1/26
1/27
1/28
1/31
2/1
2/2
2/3
2/4
2/7
2/8
2/9
Planning Day – NO WORD
Week of 1/24 – 1/28 Celebrate Literacy Week
DOM – house, master
domestic - living near or about the places where human beings or tame
domain - a territory over which control is exercised
domicile - a place to live
domination - to have a commanding position or controlling power over
predominate - to go beyond others in number or quantity
FIG – shape, form, feign
configuration - arrangement of parts or the pattern produced by such arrangement
disfigure - to spoil the appearance of
effigy - a likeness especially of a person; especially : a crude figure meant to represent a
hated person
figment - something imagined or made up
figuratively - expressing one thing in terms normally used for another
LUD, LUS – sport, play, laugh
allude- to speak of or hint at without mentioning directly
collusion - secret agreement or cooperation for an illegal or dishonest purpose
interlude - an intervening period, space, or event
2/10
2/11
ludicrous - laughable because of being ridiculous
prelude - a short musical introduction; something that comes before and prepares for the
main or more important parts
2/14
2/15
2/16
2/17
2/18
PEND PENS – hang, weigh, or pay
appendage - something attached to a larger or more important thing
expend - to pay out
pensive - dreamily thoughtful; suggestive of sad thoughtfulness
propensity - a natural inclination or liking : BENT
stipend - a sum of money paid at regular times for services or expenses
2/21
Holiday – NO WORD
2/22
VERT, VERS – turn or turn around
avert - to turn away
diversion - the act or an instance of diverting or turning aside; something that relaxes,
amuses, or entertains
perverse - morally bad : CORRUPT stubborn in opposing what is right, reasonable, or
accepted
versatile - able to do many different kinds of things
vertigo - sensation in which a person or a person's surroundings seem to whirl dizzily; a
confused or bewildered state of mind
2/23
2/24
2/25
2/28
3/1
3/2
3/3
3/4
3/7
3/8
3/9
3/10
3/11
SEQU – follow
consequence - result
obsequious - ready or prompt to help or
sequel - an event that follows or comes afterward
sequester - to set apart
subsequent - following in time, order, or place
Animal Words
aquiline – of or resembling an eagle; curving like an eagle's beak
bovine – of, relating to, or resembling the bovines and especially the ox or cow; slowmoving or patient like an ox or cow
equestrian – of or relating to horses, horseback riding, or people who ride horses
ornithology – the branch of zoology concerned with the study of birds.
porcine – Relating to or resembling pigs
3/14 – 18
3/21
3/22
3/23
3/24
3/25
3/28
Spring Break – NO WORDS
CUB CUMB – lie down or recline
cubicle – small separate space (as for sleeping, studying, or working) usually having
removable partitions
incubate – to maintain (as bacteria or a chemically active system) under conditions good
for development or reaction
incumbent – lying or resting on something else; the holder of an office or position
recumbent – being in a state of rest
succumb – to yield to force or pressure
3/29
3/30
3/31
4/1
TANG, TACT – touch
tact – the ability to deal with others without offending them
tactile - of, relating to, or used in the sense of touch
intact - untouched especially by anything that harms : not damaged or lessened
tangible - capable of being touched
tangential - merely touching; slightly connected: tangential information
4/4
Planning Day
4/5
CENTR, CENTE – center
centrifugal – proceeding or acting in a direction away from a center or axis
eccentric – not of the usual or normal kind; not following a truly circular path
egocentric – overly concerned with oneself : SELF-CENTERED
epicenter – the part of the earth's surface directly above the starting point of an
4/6
4/7
4/8
earthquake
ethnocentric – favoring one's own ethnic group
4/11
4/12
4/13
4/14
4/15
4/18
4/19
4/20
4/21
4/22
4/25
4/26
4/27
4/28
4/29
5/2
5/3
5/4
5/5
5/6
5/9
5/10
5/11
5/12
5/13
5/16
5/17
5/18
5/19
5/20
MORPH – form or shape
amorphous – having no fixed form
anthropomorphic - resembling or made to resemble a human form
metamorphosis – an extraordinary change in appearance, character, or circumstances
morph – to change in form or character
morphology – branch of biology that deals with the form and structure of animals and
plants; the part of grammar dealing with word formation
HER, HES – stick or get stuck
adherent - a person who follows or upholds a leader, cause, etc.; supporter; follower;
sticking; clinging;
adhesive – coated with glue, paste, mastic, or other sticky substance
cohesive – well-integrated; unified
incoherent – without logical or meaningful connection; disjointed; rambling
inherent – existing in someone or something as a permanent and inseparable element,
quality, or attribute
Holiday – NO WORD
SCI – know or understand
conscience knowledge of right and wrong and a feeling one should do what is right
conscious - aware of facts or feelings
omniscient – knowing everything
prescient - having foresight
unconscionable – not being in agreement with what is right or just : unreasonable or
excessive
PHON – sound, voice, or speed
cacophony - harsh unpleasant sound
phonetic - representing speech sounds
phonograph - an instrument that reproduces sound recorded on a grooved disk
polyphonic - music consisting of two or more independent but harmonious melodies
symphony - a usually long musical composition for a full orchestra; harmonious
arrangement
CURR, CURS – run
concurrently – operating or occurring at the same time
cursory – rapid and usually careless
discursive – passing from one topic to another
incur – to meet with; to bring upon oneself
precursor – a substance or cell from which another substance or cell is formed;
predecessor
PRIM – first
Primarily – for the most part; in the first place
primate – any of an order of mammals that are characterized by hands and feet that
grasp, a relatively large complex brain, and vision in which objects are seen in
three dimensions and that includes human beings, apes, monkeys, and related
forms; a bishop or archbishop of the highest rank in a district, nation, or church
primer – small book for teaching children to read; material used in priming a surface; a
device (as a cap or tube) containing a small explosive charge that is used for
setting off a larger explosive charge (as in a cartridge)
primitive – of or relating to the earliest age or period
primeval – belonging to the earliest time