Prefixes, Roots, & Suffixes
 Most words used in the English language today were
not originally English.
 These words were borrowed (taken) from other
languages.
 The majority of English words have Latin or Greek
origins.
Prefixes, Roots, & Suffixes
Prefix: word element that is placed in front of a root; it
changes the word's meaning or makes a new word.
Root: the part of a word that contains the basic meaning
(definition) of the word; is the base element of a word
Suffix: word element that is placed behind a root; it can
add information or change the meaning or part of
speech
Why is this important?
 Helps build vocabulary
 Enhances the ability to comprehend course readings
and learn new terminology
 Improves educated guesses about unknown words
while reading or test taking
What to do on your paper…
 If the word is a prefix, put a dash AFTER the word part
 Pre If the word is a root, put a dash BEFORE and AFTER
the word part
 -Cede-
 If the word is a suffix, put a dash BEFORE the word
part
 -Ness
Re Again, back, backward
Examples
 Rebound- to spring back again, recover
 Rebuild- to build again
 Rewind- to wind something backward
Retro Backward, back
Examples
 Retroactive – relating to something in the past
 Retrospect – the remembering of past events
Anti Against, opposite of
Examples
 Antibody- a substance that destroys bacteria
 Antiseptic- a substance that prevents infection
 Antislavery- against slavery
De Reduce down, remove
Examples
 Debase- to reduce something in value or quality
 Decelerate- to slow down; to reduce speed
 Dethrone- to remove from power
Dis Do the opposite, exclude, absence of, not
Examples
 Disagree- to have a different opinion
 Disappear- to stop being seen
 Disassemble- to undo something that’s assembled
Un Not, opposite of, lacking
Examples
 Unabridged- not shortened; full length
 Unfair- opposite of fair, just, and impartial
 Unfriendly- lacking friendliness; hostile
Non No, not, without
Examples
Nonfiction – true, real, not made up
Nonsense – without sense
This is a non-smoking area.
-Fug Flee, run away, escape
Example
 Fugitive- a person who is running away
 Refuge-a sheltered place to flee to
 Refugee- a person seeking protection
-Numer Number
Examples
 Numerous – a large number
 Numerology – the study of magical uses of numbers
Numbers
Examples
Plane with one wing on each side
One wheel
Examples
Two wheels
Examples
 From Physics – something that has two poles
Two vowel sounds joined together to make one sound.
Ex: Book, Boat, Toy
Examples
Three angles
A cycle with three
wheels.
Examples
Examples
 All the shapes in Tetris are made of four blocks.
Examples
Pentagon
 www.telegraph.co.uk
Quintuplets
drkaayladaniel.com
Numbers
6
7
8
9
10
Hex-/SexHept-/SeptOcta-/OctoNovem-/ennea/nonaDeca-
Examples
Hexagon
Septuagenarian
Someone who
is at least 70
years old.
Examples
Octopus
 Nonagon
 Enneagram
 Nine different personality types
www.familygamesamerica.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enneagram_of_Personality
Examples
Decade
A period of ten years
Decathlon
Ten different events
Numbers
Hundred
Cent-/HectoThousand(th)
MilliThousand
KiloMillion
MegaBillion
Giga-
Examples
 Century
 100 years
 Millimeter
 One thousandth of a meter
 Kilometer
 1000 meters
 One million tons
 Megaton
 Gigabyte
 One billion bytes
Numbers
 Multi –
 Poly-
Many, more than
one or two
Multitask
Doing more than
one task at a time
Many, more than
one
Polygon
A shape with
many sides
-Gon Angle
 Octagon – shape with eight angles
 Diagonal – a slanting line (on an angle)
-Meter-/-Metr Measure
 Diameter – a measure of half a circle
 Gravimeter – an instrument that measures gravity
 Metric system – a system of measurement
Equi Equal, equally
 Equivalent – equal in value, meaning, effect, etc.
 Equidistant – an equal distance from two points.
Circum Around, about
 Circumnavigate – to sail around
 Circumspect – looking around, cautious
-Ann-/-Enn Year
 Anniversary – a date observed once a year
 Annual – happening once a year
 Millennium – 1,000 years
-Cycl Circle, ring
 Bicycle – a vehicle with two wheels
 Cycle – a sequence that is repeated
 Cyclone – a storm with circling winds
Mal- & Bene Mal Bad, badly, or
inadequate
 Examples: malicious,
malign, malfunction
 Bene Good or well
 Examples: Benefactor,
beneficial, benefit.
-Ami- and -Belli -Ami-
 -Belli-
 Love
 War
 Example: amiable, amity,
 Examples: antebellum,
amorous
bellicose, belligerent
Contra-/Contro-/Counter Against, contrary, opposite, opposing
 Contradict – to argue against
 Controversy – disagreement
 Counteroffensive – attack against an attack
Pan-




All, of everything
Cooperation or unity of all members
Pan-American – belongs to all Americans
Pangaea- all continents were squashed together
Omni All
 Omnipotent – with all the power/all-knowing
 Omnivore – one who eats all foods
Auto  Self
 Autobiography – written by the subject of the book
 Autograph – written by the person him/herself
-ar/-ard/-arian/-ant
 A person who does an action
 Beggar, burglar
 Wizard
 Veterinarian, librarian
 Servant, applicant
-Er/-Or
 A person who does an action
 Teacher, announcer
 Inventor, translator
-Ist
 A person who does an action
 Artist
 Pianist
 Inter -, between,
among
•Interact
 Intra -, within
•Intramural – sport
played within the
school
Intro Into, inward
 Introduce – to lead into the main part of something
 Introvert – a shy person who keeps to himself
-Cede-/-CeedTo relinquish, abandon,
transfer, surrender, give up
Recede, concede
Exceed – go beyond
limits
-Ceive-/-Cept Take
 Accept - to take a thing that is offered
 Perceive – to take notice of something
Sub under, low
Examples
 Submarine- under water
 Subway- a path or way to move under ground
 Subliminal- below the level of consciousness
Super over, above, beyond
Examples
 Superb-splendid; excellent; beyond the expected
 Superintendent-a person with the highest power
 Superior- above average in quality; excellent
Ultra Beyond, extreme, more than
 Ultrahigh – extremely high
 Ultramodern – more modern than anything else
Extra Outside, beyond
Examples
 Extracurricular- outside the school curriculum
 Extraordinary- beyond ordinary
 Extraterrestrial- outside the Earth
-Ful
 Full of
Examples
 Cheerful- full of cheer
 Helpful- full of help
 Thankful- full of thanks
-Ous
 Full of
Examples
 Hazardous- full of dangers
 Humorous- full of humor
 Wondrous full of wonders
-Act To do
 Activity – something that a person does
 Reaction – something that happens in response to
something else
-Phob abnormal fear of
Example
 Claustrophobic- fear of confined spaces
 Acousticophobia - fear of noise
-Mania Madness, insanity
 Bibliomania – a crazy love of books
 Maniac – an insane person
-Phil Having an attraction to
 Bibliophile – someone who loves books
 Thermophilia – love of high temperatures
 Hydrophilic – attraction to water
-Ward
 Shows specified direction
Example
 Backward- in the opposite direction
 Eastward- toward the east
 Homeward- in the direction of home
Pre Earlier, before, in front of
Examples
 Preamble- a part in front of a formal document
 Prepare- to get ready in advance
 Prepay- to pay ahead of time
Ante Before, in front
 Antecedent – a word that comes before a pronoun to
make it clear what the pronoun is referring to
 Anteroom – a small room before the main room
 Antebellum – something that existed before a war
Fore In front of, previous, earlier
 Forebode – to give an advance warning of something
bad
 Forearm – the part of the arm before the elbow
Post After, later, behind
Examples
 Postpone- to delay something until later
 Postscript- a message at the end of a letter
 Posthumous- happening after someone’s death
Pro for, on the side of
Examples
 Prolife
 Prochoice
 Proponent
-Ject throw
Examples
 Eject- to throw someone out
 Interject- to throw a remark into a discussion
 Project- to cast or throw something
 Letter, written
-Gram-Gram-
Example
 Grammar- rules of how to write words in sentences
 Telegram- a message sent by telegraph
 Diagram- a simple drawing
-Graph write
Examples
 Autograph- a person’s hand written signature
 Stenography- writing in short hand
 Telegraph- long-distance writing by electrical codes
-Scribe-/-Script Write
 Scribe – a person who writes out documents
 Transcribe – to write an exact copy of something
 Transcript – a written document showing grades
-Dict Speak
Examples
 Contradict- to speak against someone’s statement
 Diction- clarity of speaking
 Predict- say in advance what is going to happen
Ambi Both
Examples
 Ambiguous- having more than one meaning
 Ambivalence- conflicting or opposite feelings, such as
love and hate, toward a person or thing
 Ambidextrous- able to use both hands equally well
-Claim-/-Clam To shout or speak out
 Clamor – to shout and make noise
 Proclaim – to announce something publicly
 Exclaim – to cry out loudly and suddenly
Hemi-/Semi Half, partial




Examples
Semicircle- a semicircular structure
Hemisphere- one half the earth
Hemistich- half a line of poetry
Semiannual – every half year
Ir-/il-/in-/im not, without
Examples
 Illegal- not legal
 Impossible- not possible
 Inappropriate- not appropriate
 Irrelevant – not relevant
Tele Far, distant
Examples
 Telephone- a device to talk to a distant person
 Telescope- a device to view distant objects
 Television- a device to receive pictures from afar
-Scope See
 Microscope – a device used to see tiny things
 Telescope – a device used to see distances
-Nav Ship
 Circumnavigate – to sail around a place
 Naval – relating to navy or warships
-Clar Clear
 Clarification – an explanation to make clear
 Declare – to state something clearly
Trans Across, beyond, through
Examples
 Transcontinental- across the continent
 Transfer- to move from one place to another
 Transport- to carry something across a space
-Fer Bear, bring, carry
Examples
 Confer- to bring an honor to someone
 Ferry- a boat that carries passengers
 Transfer- to move to another place
-Luc Light
Examples
 Elucidate- to explain; to throw light on
 Lucid- easily understood; giving off light
 Translucent- allowing light through
-Scend Climb, go
Examples
 Ascend- to climb upward
 Crescendo- a climbing up of the volume of music
 Descend- to go or climb down
-Port Carry
Examples
 Export- to carry goods out of place
 Portable- able to be carried
 Porter- a person who carries luggage
Ex From, out, out of, away from
Examples
 Excavate- to dig out
 Exhale- to breathe out
 Extract- to draw or pull out
Aqu-/Aqua Water
 Aquarium – a container with water for fish
 Aqueduct – a pipe for moving water
-Aer-/-Aero Air
Examples
 Aerate- to let air reach something
 Aerial- relating to the air
 Aerospace- air and space
-Terr Land, earth
Examples
 Extraterrestrial- existing outside the earth
 Terrain- ground or land
 Territory- an area of land
Geo Earth, soil, global
 Geography – study of the earth’s
surface
 Geology – study of the structure of
the earth
Bio Life, living matter
 Biography – a life story written by another person
 Biology – the science that deals with life
A On
Examples
 Afire- on fire
 Ashore- on the shore
 Aside- on the side
Ab-/Abs From away, off
Examples
 Abduct- carry away by force
 Abnormal- away from normal, not normal
 Absent- away, not present
 With, together, joint
Examples
 Coauthor- writer who writes with another author
 Coeducation- the education of males and females
together
 Concur- t0 agree with someone
-Sol Alone
 Desolate – lonely, dismal, gloomy
 Solitary – done alone, by yourself
 Solo – a performance done by one person alone
Mis Bad, badly, wrong, wrongly
Examples
 Misbehave- to behave badly
 Misprint- an error in printing
 Misquote- to quote wrongly
Ob In the way, against
 Object – to be against something
 Obstruction – something that is in the way
-Struct Build
Example
 Construct- to build
 Destruction- the act of destroying something that was
built
 Structure- something built
-Tact-/-Tang Touch
Examples
 Contact- a state in which two things touch
 Tactile- relating to the sense of touch
 Tangible – something you can touch
Arch Chief, most important
Examples
 Archbishop- the highest ranking bishop
 Archduke- nobleman with high rank, like a prince
 Archenemy- chief or worst enemy
Vice Acting in place of, next in rank
 Vice president – the person next in rank to the
president
 Viceroy – a governor who acts for a king or queen
 Mother
Example
 Matriarch- a female head
of a household
 Father
Example
 Patriarch- a male head
of a household
-Cide
 Cut, kill
Examples
 Homicide- murder
 Insecticide- a chemical used to kill insects
-Mort Death
Examples
 Immortal- living forever; unable to die
 Mortal- certain to die
 Mortician- an undertaker
-Corp Body
Examples
 Corporation- a company recognized by law as a single
body
 Corpse- a dead body
-Miss-/-Mit Send




Examples
Dismiss- to send someone away
Missile- a weapon sent into the air
Transmission- something sent by satellite, wire, radio
waves, etc.
Commit – to send yourself
-Mob-/-Mot-/-Mov-/-MigrMove







Examples
Immobilize- to stop from moving
Mobile- able to move freely
Motion- the act of moving
Motivate- to move someone to action
Movie- rapidly projected pictures that “move”
Remove- to move away from a place
Migrant – someone who moves from place to place
-Temp Time
 Temporal – relating to time
 Contemporary – existing at the same time
-Chron Time
Examples
 Chronic- lasting for a long time
 Chronological- arrangement of events in time order
 Synchronize- happen at the same time
-Path Feeling, emotion
Examples
 Antipathy- a feeling of great anger
 Apathy- a lack of feeling or interest
 Empathy- ability to understand another’s feelings
 Primitive, ancient
Examples
 Archaic- belonging to an earlier period
 Archaeology – the scientific study of ancient cultures
 Archive – a collection of historical materials
 Hearing, auditory, sound
Examples
 Telephone – a device used to hear over long distances
 Phonograph – a device used to record sound
-Ocu-/-Opt Eye
 Binoculars – 2-lens device for seeing distances
 Oculist – an eye doctor
 Optical – relating to sight
 Optician – a person to fits eyeglasses
-Photo Light
 Photograph – image made on light-sensitive film
 Photon – the smallest possible unit of light
-Vid-/-Vis See
 Vision – the ability to see
 Vista – a big, wide view
 Evident – clearly seen
-Spec See, look
 Spectacles – something one wears to see better
 Circumspect – cautious, looking all around
 Retrospective – a looking back at past events
-Voc-/-Vok Voice
 Vocalize – to produce with your voice
 Advocate – to speak in favor of
 Evoke – to bring something to mind
-Audi Hear
 Audible – loud enough to be heard
 Audience – people who hear and see a program
 Audiovisual – relating to sound and vision
-Son Sound
 Consonant – a speech sound
 Supersonic – faster than sound
-Ped-/-Pod Foot
 Pedicure – something done to the feet
 Tripod – a stand or frame with three legs
 Podiatrist – a foot doctor
-Somn Sleep
 Insomnia – inability to fall asleep
 Somnolent – feeling sleepy
-Ambul Walk
 Amble – to walk in a slow, relaxed way
 Ambulatory – able to walk
-Cardi Heart
 Cardiologist – a heart doctor
 Cardiac – relating to the heart
-Dent Tooth
 Dental – relating to the teeth
 Dentist – a doctor trained to treat teeth
-Phys Nature, medicine, the body
 Physical – relating to the body
 Physician – a doctor
 Physique – nature, shape, and size of one’s body
-Therm Heat
 Thermostat – a device that controls the heat
 Thermos – an insulated jar that keeps heat in or out
-Anim Life, spirit
 Animal – a living organism
 Animate – to make alive
 Inanimate – not alive or active
-Psych Mind, soul
 Psyche – the human spirit or soul
 Psychology – the study of the mind
-Gen Birth, race
 Genealogy – the study of the history of a family
 Generation – all the people born at approximately the
same time
-Nat Born
 Innate – inborn, native, natural
 Natal – relating to birth
 Natural – received at birth
-Man Hand
 Maneuver – to move with the hand
 Manual – done with the hands
 Manuscript – a book written by hand
-San Health
 Sane – mentally healthy
 Sanitary – relating to cleanliness and health
 Sanitation – maintenance of public health
-Tox Poison
 Toxic – poisonous
 Detoxification – the process of removing poisons
-Sci Know
 Conscience – sense of knowing right from wrong
 Conscious – knowing what is happening
 Omniscient – knowing everything
-Soph Wise
 Philosopher – a wise person who explains about life
 Sophisticated – wise about the ways of the world
-Astro
 Star, stars, outerspace
 Astronaut – a person trained to travel in space
 Astronomer – someone who studies the stars
-Stell Star
 Constellation – a group of stars that form a
pattern
 Stellar – relating to stars
-Cosm Universe
 Cosmos – the universe
 Microcosm – a miniature universe
-Luna Moon
 Lunar – relating to the moon
 Lunatic – insane (as if driven mad by the moon)
-Sol Sun
 Solar – relating to the sun
 Solstice – when the sun reaches its highest or lowest
point
 Study of, science of
Examples
 Anthropology- the study of human kind
 Archaeology- the study of past cultures
 Biology- the study of all forms of life
 Give
Examples
 Donation- a contribution or gift
 Donor-someone who gives something
 Pardon- to give forgiveness for an offense
-Tract Pull, drag
 Attract – to pull objects nearer
 Tractor – a motor vehicle that pulls things
 break
Example
 Fracture- a break in a bone
 Fragment – broken into pieces
-Flect To bend
 Deflect – to bend or change course because of hitting
something
 Inflection – a bending in the voice’s tone or pitch
-Rupt Break
 Bankrupt – unable to pay because you’re “broke”
 Interrupt – to break in, to disturb
 Rupture – a break in something
 Master
Examples
 Dominate- to be the master of
 Domineering- excessively controlling
 Predominate- to have more power than others
 Know
Examples
 Cognizant- having knowledge
 Incognito- disguised so no one knows you
 Recognize- to know a thing, person, etc
-Ion/-Ing/-Ization
 Action or process






Examples
Celebration- the act of celebrating
Completion- the act of completing
Dancing – the act of taking part in a dance
Seeing- the act of looking at something
Colonization – establishing a colony
Modernization – making more modern
-Ade/-Age/-Ation
 Act, action, or process
 Blockade – an action to block people or goods
 Promenade – leisurely strolling in public
 Passage – the act of going place to place
 Voyage – a journey to a distant place
 Creation – the act of causing something to exist
 Narration – the process of telling a story
-Er/-Ment/-Ure
 Action, condition, or process
 Ponder – to think carefully
 Stutter – to say something haltingly
 Movement – the act of moving
 Shipment – the process of shipping something
 Closure – the action of ending
 Failure – the action of failing
 Place
Examples
 Locomotion – moving from place to place
 Locate – to find the place
 Dislocated – moved away from its place
-Ory
 A place for
Armory – where weapons are stored
Dormitory – a college building where people sleep
Laboratory – a place where scientific work is done
 Believe
Examples
 Credence- belief that something is true or valid
 Credulous- believing things too easily; gullible
 Incredible- unbelievable
 Sure
Examples
 Ascertain- to find out something with certainty
 Certain- being absolutely sure
 Certify-to state that something is true
 Able to be
Examples
 Excitable- able to be easily excited
 Portable- able to be carried
 Preventable- able to be prevented
 Sea
Examples
 Marina- a harbor for pleasure boats
 Maritime- relating to the sea
 Submarine- an undersea boat
 Small, less
Examples
 Mini- something that is very small
 Minuscule- extremely tiny
 Minutiae- very small or trivial details
-Max-/-Opt Greatest, best
 Maximal – the best or greatest possible
 Maximum – the greatest amount
 Optimal – the best, most desirable
 Optimize – make the best of
Magni-/Mega Great, large, huge
 Magnify – to make appear larger
 Magnificent – grand, impressive
 Megaphone – a device that projects a loud voice
 Megastructure – huge building or other structure
Micro Very small, short, minute
 Microbe – a very small living thing
 Microscope – a device to see very small things
Mid Middle
 Midway – halfway between
 Midterm – middle of a term in school
Hyper Too much, over, above
 Hyperactive – very restless
 Hypertension – pressure above
normal
www.peteralsop.com
 -Er
 -Est
 More
 Most
 Braver – more brave
 Bravest – most brave
 Cooler – more cool
 Coolest – most cool
-Less
 Without
 Fearless – without fear
 Hopeless – without hope
 New
Examples
 Innovate- to introduce a new way
 Novelty- something new
 Novice- a person who is new at a job
 People
Examples
 Popular- appealing to a lot of people
 Population- all of the people who live in a place
 Populist- a supporter of the rights of people
 Guide, rule
Examples
 Regent- a person who rules on behalf of a king or
queen
 Regime- a government that rules
 Highest
Examples
 Sum- the combined total of everything; the limit
 Summation- the total, highest amount
 Summit- the highest point or top
 Truth
Examples
 Veracious- truthful, honest
 Veracity- the truth
 Verify- to prove that something is true
 State, condition, or quality
Examples
 Childhood- the state of being a child
 Motherhood- the state of being a mother
 Sainthood- the condition of being a saint
 State or quality of, condition, action
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Examples
Annoyance- the state of being annoyed
Brilliance- the quality of being brilliant
Defiance- the act of defying; bold resistance
Absence- the state of being away
Dependence- the action of depending
Negligence- the condition of being careless
 State or quality of
Examples
 Affectionate- the quality of showing affection
 Desolate- the state of being deserted, uninhabited
 Obstinate- the quality of being stubborn, inflexible
 State, condition or quality
Examples
 Belligerency- the state of being at war
 Efficiency- quality of being efficient and capable
 Privacy- condition of being private and secluded
 Condition of, quality of
Examples
 Boredom- the state of being bored
 Freedom- the state of living and acting freely
 Stardom- the condition of being a star
 State, condition, or quality
Examples
 Abnormality- the condition of not being normal
 Civility- the quality of politeness
 Necessity- the condition of being necessary
 Doctrine, system, manner, condition, act and
characteristic
Examples
 Exorcism – the act of driving out an evil spirit
 Plagiarism – the act of copying someone else’s work
 Catholicism – a religious system of beliefs
 State or quality (makes a noun)
Examples
 Kindness- the state of being kind
 Shyness- the condition of being shy
 Weakness- the condition of being weak
 State or condition of; skill of
Examples
 Authorship- the skill of being an author
 Citizenship- the condition of being a citizen
 Friendship- the state of being a friend
 State or quality
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Examples
Attention- the state of mentally focusing
Caution- the state of taking care to avoid risk
Fascination- the state of being very interested
Confusion the state of being confused
Depression- the state of hopelessness
Tension- the state of being anxious, nervous, edgy
-Ern/-th/-uous
 State or quality of
 Eastern – the state of being east of a place
 Depth – the quality of being deep
 Virtuous – the quality of having moral goodness
-Ate/-Ed/-D/-En/-Fy
 All are used to make words become verbs
 Activate – to make something active
 Called – did call
 Ensured – did ensure
 Strengthen – to make stronger
 Amplify – to make larger or louder
-Ize
 To cause to become
 Antagonize – to cause a person to become angry
 Authorize – to give someone power or authority
 -Ative/-Etic
 -Ily/-Ly
 Used to make words
into adjectives
 Used to make words
into adverbs
 Creative – inclined to
create things
 Athletic – relating to
athletes
 Sloppily – in a sloppy
manner
 Quickly – in a speedy
manner
-Grat Pleasing
 Gratify – to please someone
 Ingrate – a person who doesn’t say thank you
-Jud Law
 Judgment – a decision of a court or law
 Judicial – having to do with judges or courts of law
-Urb City
 Urban – relating to a city
 Suburb – residential area on the edge of a city
-Poli City
 Metropolis – a large city
 Politics – actions of a government or political party
-The-/-Theo God
 Monotheism – belief in one god
 Theology – the study of religion, god, etc.
-Vac Empty
 Evacuate – to empty a dangerous place
 Vacant – empty, not occupied
 Vacation – a time empty of work
Biblio Book
 Bibliography – a list of books used as sources
 Bibliomania – an extreme love of books
Hetero-
Homo-
 Different, other
 Like, alike, same
 Heterogeneous – made up of
 Homogenous – of the same
unrelated parts
 Heteronyms – words with the
same spelling but different
meanings
nature or kind
 Homophones – words with
the same sound but different
spellings
Hydro-/Hydr Water , liquid, moisture
 Hydrate – to add water to
 Hydrophobia – intense fear of water
-Ant/-Ent/-Ive
 Inclined to, tending to
 Defiant – tending to disobey
 Competent – inclined to be able to the job
 Attractive – inclined to attract
-Ery/-ry/-y
 Trade, job, activity
 Archery – the activity of shooting arrows with a bow
 Dentistry – the job of caring for people’s teeth
 Robbery – the act of stealing from somebody
-Al/-an/-ian/-ar/-ary
 Relating to, belonging to
 Bacterial – relating to bacteria
 American – belonging to America
 Italian – belonging to Italy
 Solar – relating to the sun
 Literary – relating to literature
-Ese
 Relating to a place
 Chinese – relating to China
 Japanese – relating to Japan
-Ile/-ine/-ish
-Ic/-ical
Of or relating to, characterized by, capable
of
 Analytical – relating to
analysis
 Comic – relating to or marked
 Docile – capable of being
quiet and easily taught
 Canine – relating to dogs
by comedy
 Childish – like a child,
immature, silly
-Like/-some
-Ular/-y
Of or relating to, resembling, characterized by
 Childlike – characteristic of a
child
 Awesome – tending to cause
awe or amazement
 Cellular – relating to living
cells
 Brainy – characterized by
intelligence
-Narr Tell
 Narrate – tell a story
 Narrative – a story
 Narrator – a person who tells a story
-Cline Lean
 Incline – a surface that slopes or leans
 Recline – lean back and relax
-Cracy-/-Crat Rule
 Aristocrat – a member of the ruling class
 Theocracy – government ruled by a god or priests
-Duc Lead
 Conduct – to lead musicians in playing music
 Aqueduct – a system of pipes that leads water to a
specific place
 Educate – to lead to knowledge
-Funct Perform, work
 Defunct – no longer working or alive
 Malfunction – to fail to work correctly
-Junct To join
 Conjunction – a word that joins parts of a sentence
 Junction – a place where two things join
-Lab Work
 Collaborate – to work with a person
 Laboratory – somewhere to do work
-Liber Free
 Liberate – to set free
 Liberty - freedom
-Merge-/-Mers Dip, dive
 Immerse – to put or dip something into liquid
 Submerge – to dip something under water
-Mut Change
 Immutable – not changing
 Mutate – to undergo a change
-Vor Eat
 Herbivorous – eating plants
 Savory – delicious, flavorful
-Vol Wish, will
 Voluntary – resulting from your own free will
 Benevolent – showing good will and kindness
-Vinc-/-Vict Conquer
 Convince – to win someone over
 Invincible – not able to be conquered
 Victory – the conquest of an enemy
-Pon-/-Pos To place or put
 Postpone – to put off doing something
 Deposit – to place or drop something
 Position – the place where someone is
-Rid Laugh
 Deride – to make fun of someone
 Ridicule – to make fun or mock
 Ridiculous –silly, causing laughter
-Serv Save, keep
 Conserve – to save to keep something safe
 Preserve – to save something
 Reservation – a place kept for a person
-Sta Stand
 Stable – standing steady and firm
 Stagnant – standing still, not moving