Prefixes and Suffixes
COMMON ROOT WORDS AND WORD ORIGINS
ROOTS
alter
ami, amicamphiann, enni
anthrop
aqua, aque
arch
arthro
aud
bell
biblio
biobrev
cap
carn
ced
chromchroncogn
cord/chord
corp
crac, crat
cred
cruc
crusta
crypt
culp
dei
demodent
dermdic
dox
duc, duct
duo
dynamego
equ
fac
fil
Page | 1
MEANING
other
love
both ends or all
sides
year
human, man
water
chief, leader, ruler
joint
sound
war
book
life
short
take, seize
meat
yield, go
color
time
know
cord
body
rule, ruler
believe
cross
shell
hidden
guilt
god
people
tooth
skin
speak, say
belief, opinion
lead
two
power
self
equal
make, do
threadlike
WORD
alternate, alter ego
amiable, amicable
amphibian
anniversary, annual, biennial, perennial
anthropology, anthropomorphic, misanthrope
aquatic, aquarium, aqueduct
archangel, monarch, archaic, archenemy
arthritis
auditorium, audible, audiologist, audiotape
belligerent, bellicose
bibliography, bibliophile
biography, autobiography, biology, antibiotic
brief, abbreviate
capture, captivate, capacity
carnivorous, chili con carne
recede, secede, proceed, intercede, concession
chromatic, monochrome, polychrome
chronicle, chronology, chronometer, synchronize
recognize, cognitive, incognito
harpsichord
corpus, corpse, corporal
autocrat, democracy, bureaucrat, democracy
credible, credulous, credibility, credit, credo
crucifix, crucial
crustacean
cryptogram, cryptology, cryptic
culpable, culprit
deity, deify
demography, democracy, epidemic
dentist, dentifrice, dentin
dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic
dictate, predict, diction, indict
orthodoxy, paradox, heterodoxy
induce, deduce, seduction, conduct, abduct
duo
dynamo, hydrodynamics
egotist, egomania
equal, equity, equanimity, equate, equidistant
manufacture, factory, benefactor
filament
frater
gamgeoglyph
grad, gress
graphgym
gynhemo, hema, hem
holo
hydro, hydr
iso
ject
jud
leg, lect
liter
loc
log
luc
magn
man
mar
mater
mere
meta, met
metri, metermin
mit, miss
mob, mot, mov
mon
mor, mort
morph
mut
neuro
nomen /nomin
nov
nym, onym
odonto
orthopac
pater
path
ped, pod
pel, puls
pend
phon-, phonoplan
pneum
pod
|Page2
brother
marriage
earth
vertical groove
step
writing, printing
naked
woman
blood
whole, entire
water
equal, identical
throw
judge
read, choose
letter
place
word
light
large
hand
sea
mother
part, segment
behind, between
measure
small
send
move
warn
death
form, structure
change
nerve
name
new
word, name
tooth
straight, correct
peace
father
feeling, suffering
foot
push
hang, weigh
sound, voice
flat
lung
feet
fraternal, fraternize
monogamy, polygamy, bigamy
geopolitical, geology, geography, geothermal
Hieroglyphics—Egyptian “sky writing”
gradual, progression, transgression
graphology, biography, telegraph, geography
gymnasium
gynecologist, androgynous
hemophilia, hematology, hemoglobin
holograph
dehydrate, hydraulics, hydroelectric, hydroplane
isolate
inject, reject, subject, projection
judicial, judge, adjudicate
legible, lectern, lecturer, election
literature, illiterate, literal
local, location
monologue, epilogue
lucid, elucidate
magnify, magnate, magnificent
manufacture, manual, manuscript
marine, mariner
maternal, maternity, matriarchy, matricide
mere
metacognition—behind the thinking
geometric, thermometer, odometer
minority, minuscule, minute
permit, submission, mission, emit,
mobile, automobile, motion, promote, movie
premonition, admonition
mortal, mortician, immortality
metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology
mutant, mutability, mutate
neurology, neurosis, neurobiology
nominal, nominate, nomenclature
novel, renovate, innovation, novella
synonym, acronym, anonymous, pseudonym
orthodontist—one who straightens teeth
orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic
pacify, Pacific Ocean, pacifist
paternal, paternity, patricide, patrilineal, patriotic
sympathy, apathy, empathy, telepathy, pathology
pedal, pedometer, centipede, gastropod
pulsate, repulsive, impulse, compel, propel
pendulum, pendant, suspend, pending
telephone, euphony, cacophony, phonograph
planar, plantation, plane
pneumatic
podiatrist
port
pot
psychpugna
quer, quis
scent, scend
schizo, schiz
sci
sciss
scrib, script
sec, sect
sed, sess
sens, sent
sequ, secu
serv
simil
siphon
sol
son
soph
spec, spic
spir
spir
spond, spons
spont
stat
tang, tact
temp
ten, tent
terr
theo
thermtrophy
uro
vac
ven, vent
ver
vert
vit
voc
zoo
|Page3
carry
power
soul, spirit, mind
fight
ask
climb
division, split
know
cut
write
cut
sit
feel, be aware
follow
serve, protect
same
tube
sun
sound
wisdom, knowledge
look, see
coil
breathe
promise, answer for
by one's own force
stay, position
touch
time
hold
earth
god, deity
heat
nutrition, food
urine
empty
come, go
truth
turn
life
call
animal
portable, transport, portage, report,
potent, omnipotent, potentate
psychology, psychic, psychobiography
pugnacious, pugilist
query, inquisition,
ascend, ascent
schizophrenic
scientific
scissors
manuscript, scribe, proscribe, scripture
dissect, section
sedentary, session
sensible, sentient
sequence, sequel, consecutive
service
similar, assimilate, simile, facsimile (fax)
siphon
solar
sonar, resonate, unison
philosophy, sophisticated, sophomore (wise fool)
spectacles, spectator, inauspicious, prospect
spiral
inspire, respiration, conspire, perspiration
respond, responsible
spontaneous
station
tactile, tangible
temporary, temporize
tentative, tenable, tenuous
subterranean, terrain, terrestrial, disinter
theology, polytheism, atheist, monotheism
thermal, thermos, thermometer
atrophy—without nutrition
urologist
vacation, vacuum, vacuous, vacant
intervene, convene, contravene
veracity, verify, verity
introvert, irreversible, vertigo
vital, revitalize, vitamin
revoke, invocation, vocal, evocative, convocation
zoo, zoology, zoolatry
PREFIXES
PREFIX
a-, anabadambianaantiapoautobenecata-, catcentro, centricircumcomconcontradedia-, didisdyseectoen-, emendoepiesoeuexheterohomohyperhypoilimiminininterintrairmacromal, malemetamicromono|Page4
MEANING
not, without
away from
to, toward
both
up, back, again
against
from, away from
self
good
down, against
around, center
around
with, together
with, together
against
down, away
through, across
apart, not
ill, difficult, bad
out of, from
on the outside
in
within, inside
upon
inward, within
well, good
out of, from
other, different
same
over
under
not
not
into
not
into
between
within
not
large
bad, evil
beyond
small
one, single
EXAMPLES
amoral, anesthetic, apolitical, asocial
abduction, abstain, abnormal
adjoin, adjacent (lying near to)
ambidextrous, ambivalent
analogy, anatomy, anagram
antipathy, antiwar, antisocial
apology, apologize
autobiography, automobile, autocracy, automaton
benediction benevolent benefactor
catastrophe--a turning down
concentric, centrifugal
circumlocution circumference, circumvent
communal, community
connect, confide conspire
contradict, contravene
descend, deject (cast down)
diameter, division
disengage, discord, discomfort
dysfunctional, dysentery
elect (choose out of), eject (throw out)
ectoderm--outer skin
empathy--feeling in
endoscope--instrument for observing inside
epitaph epidermis, epicenter
esoteric--more inward, esophagus
euthanasia--good death
exhume, exhale, exodus
heterosexual, heterodoxy, heterodox heterogeneous
homosexual, homogeneous, homogenized
hypertension, hypersensitive, hyperactivity
hypotension, hypodermic
illegitimate, illicit, illegal, illegible
imperfect, impolite, impossible
imbibe (drink in, take in)
indiscreet, invisible
incorporate (take into the body)
intervene (come between), interstate
intrastate, intramural
irregular, irrational, irredeemable
macrocosm, macroeconomics
malediction malevolent, malnutrition
metaphysical
microscope, microcosm, microeconomics
monologue, monotheism, monarchy, monogamy
neoobpalin-, palipanparaperperiphil-, philopolypostpreproprosprotopseudo
reretrosesubsur-, supersyn-, sym-, syl-,
systeletrans-
new, recent
against
back, again
all, every
false
through
around
like, lover of
many, several
after
before
for, forward
toward, in front
first
false
again, back
back
away from
under
over, above
with, together
neologism, neo-liberal, neonatology. neolithic
object, obstruct (build against)
palindrome
pantheism, Pan-Hellenic, panorama, pandemic
paramilitary, paralegal, parachute
percolate (flow through) perforate (punch through)
perimeter, periscope
philosophy, Francophile, bibliophile, philanthropy
polygon, polygamy, polytechnic, polytheism
postgraduate, posthumous postpone
precede, predict (tell before)
promote, project
prospect—view in front, something coming up
prototype, protoplasm, protobiology
pseudonym, pseudoscience
repeat, recede, regress (step back)
retrogression, retroactive
seduce (lead away), secede
submarine, subject, subhuman subterranean
superhuman, superego, superintend, surpass
symphony, synonym, system, syllable
distant, far off
across
telephone, telepathy, television, telegram
transient, Transatlantic, transport (carry across)
SUFFIXES
SUFFIX
-agog, agogue
-cide
-ectomy
-ia, -y
-ic, -tic, -ical, ac
-ics
-isk, -iscus
-ism
DEFINITION
leader
EXAMPLE
demagogue, pedagogue
kill(ing)
cutting
act, state
having to do with
-ist
-ite
-logy
-oid
-or, -er
-phobia
one who believes in
one connected with
study field of
resembling, like-shaped
one who takes part in
exaggerated fear
-sis
act, state, condition of
patricide, infanticide, herbicide. suicide
appendectomy, splenectomy
amnesia, mania, democracy, anarchy
anthropomorphic, dramatic, biblical,
cardiac
optics, physics
asterisk--a little star
pacifism, terrorism, socialism,
communism
pacifist, terrorist, socialist, communist
meteorite, polite, cosmopolite
biology, geology, etymology, cardiology
asteroid, spheroid
doctor, actor, teacher, driver
photophobia, claustrophobia,
agoraphobia
analysis
|Page5
things having to do with
small
the belief in
Practice
Prefix/Suffix Multiple Choice
Circle the best available answer for each of the following:
1) This newspaper is a BIWEEKLY.
a) the newspaper is published once a week
b) the newspaper is published three times a week
c) the newspaper is published twice a week
2) This medicine is a nasal DECONGESTANT.
a) the medicine helps to reduce nasal congestion
b) the medicine causes nasal congestion
c) the medicine makes your nose bigger
3) That shopping bag is REUSABLE.
a) throw the shopping bag away, we won’t need it again
b) don’t throw away the shopping bag because we can use it again.
c) if you throw the shopping bag we cannot use it again
4) I’m sorry I MISREAD the notice and therefore MISUNDERSTOOD the message.
a) Did not read the notice correctly and therefore did not understand correctly.
b) Read the notice and understood the message correctly
c) Did not read the notice and therefore did not understand the message.
5) We usually do not publish articles we don’t PREVIEW.
a) we usually read articles before publication
b) we do not read articles after publication
c) we read articles the day we publish them
6) REFORESTATION will help to RESTORE our environment.
a) planting trees again will REPLENISH our environment.
b) cutting down trees will further help to worsen the environment.
c) forests should be cut to improve the worsening environmental pollution
7) DEFORESTATION will cause environmental DEPLETION.
a) Means planting trees will help our environment from DEPLETION
b) Means cutting down trees will cause further environmental DEPLETION
c) Means too many forests will cause further environmental DEPLETION
8) Why is it called “OCTOBER” when it is not the eighth month of the year?
a) Because this is an exception with the OCTO prefix.
b) There is no reason why.
c) Because October used to be the eighth month of the Roman Calendar.
Answers
1. = c 2. = a 3. = b 4. = a 5. =a 6. =a 7. =b 8. =c
|Page6
Why is this animal called an octopus?
Match prefixes on the left to their meanings on the right .
_____Re- (renew)
_____Pre- (preview)
_____Mis- (misbehave)
_____De- (deforestation)
_____Tele- (television)
_____Un- (unhappy)
_____Bi- (biweekly)
_____Uni- (uniform)
_____Octo- (octopus)
_____Sub- (subway)
_____Multi- (multiple)
1) wrong, bad
2) before
3) again, back
4) eight
5) one, same, whole
6) remove or reduce
7) twice, (two times)
8) far, distant
9) many, (usually more than two)
10) under or low
11) not
Common prefix match- answer key
3
2
1
6
8
11
7
5
4
10
9
-
|Page7
re
pre
mis
de
tele
un
bi
uni
octo
sub
multi