NSHS English Department | Vocabulary Stems
Curriculum
Lists for 9 Grade
Lists for 10 Grade
Lists for 11 Grade
1-6 (60 stems)
7-12 (90 stems)
13-18 (120 stems)
th
th
th
List 13
Stem
Definition
Sample Words
andro
apo
bas
capit
cor
crypt
epi
fic
man
away or up
low
head
heart
hidden
on
make
fract
fug
gyn
mort
muta
nat
ped
phile
psych
sacro
theo
vert
break
flee
woman
death
change
born
foot or child
love
soul
holy
god
turn
androgynous, android (droid), androgens
apotheosis, apogee, apoplexy, apology, apostate
bass, base, basic, basal, debase, abase
decapitate, capital, recapitulate, capitulation, capitol
core, concord, discord, cordial, courageous, excoriate
cryptic, cryptologist, crypt, encrypt
epicenter, epidemic, epidermis, epigraph, epitaph
fortification, fiction, prolific, horrific, soporific, terrific, artifice, artificial,
superficial, edifice, edification
fracture, infraction, fraction, refraction, refractory, fractious
centrifuge, fugitive, subterfuge, refugee, fugue
androgynous, gynecologist, misogynist
mortal, mortician, mortified, immortality, mortuary, moribund
mutant, mutation, mutable, mutability, transmutation, immutable
prenatal, native, natural, nativity, nation, nascent, natal, perinatal
pediatrician, pedestrian, pedagogue, centipede, expedition, pedestal
philosopher, audiophile, bibliophile, philanthropy
psychology, psychic, psychopathic, psychosis
sacrosanct, sacred, sacrifice, sacrament, sacrilege, consecrate
theology, atheism, monotheism, polytheism
convert, revert, inverted, divert, vertex, controvert, extrovert, introvert
List 14
Stem
bon
chrom
diplo
dys
eco
fil
form
idio
jus
labor
log
mel
mem
mob
nounce
oligo
parl
potent
Definition
good
color
double
bad
house
thread
shape
peculiar
law
work
word, reason
song
remember
move
tell
few or small
speak
power
Sample Words
bonanza, bonus, bona fide
chrome, chromatic, chromosome, polychromatic, monochrome
diplomacy, diplomatic, diplomat, diploid
dysentery, dyslexia, dystrophy, dysfunction
ecology, economy, ecosystem, economist, ecologist
filament, filigree, defile
formation, formative, formula, uniform, reform
idiot, idiosyncrasy, idiom
justice, justify, unjust, justiciary
labor, laborious, collaborate, laboratory, elaborate, labored
logic, neologism, philologist, illogical, monologue
melody, melodrama, melodious, mellifluous
memory, memorandum, commemorate, memorial, memo, memoir
mobility, mobile, immobile, mobilize, demobilize
denounce, pronounce, announce, renounce, enunciate
oligarchy, oligarch
parliament, parley, parlor, parlance
potential, potentate, omnipotent
reg
surg
rule
rise
regal, regiment, regulate, regent, interregnum, regicide, regime
resurgence, insurgence, surge, surgent
Definition
work
brother
whole
motion
large
sight
beside, near
disease
carry
foot
divide
cut
follow
body
sister
stop
build
arrangement
last
empty
Sample Words
energy, ergonomics, synergy
fraternity, fraternal, fratricide, fraternize
holocaust, hologram, holograph, holistic
kinetic, hyperkinetic, telekinesis, cinema
macrobiotic, macrocosm
myopia, synopsis, biopsy
parable, paradigm, paradox, paraphrase
pathogenic, psychopath, sociopath, pathological, idiopathic
euphoria, metaphor, dysphoria, anaphora
podiatrist, pseudopod
schizophrenia, schism, schizoid
dissect, intersection, vivisection, bisect, section, sectarian, sector
consecutive, sequence, sequel, obsequious, consequence, subsequent
somatic, chromosome, psychosomatic
sorority, sororicide
stasis, station, stationary, status quo, apostasy, static
construct, destruction, substructure, instruction, structure, infrastructure
syntax, taxidermy, taxonomy
ultimate, ultimatum, penultimate
vacant, vacuum, vacation, evacuate, vacuous, vacuole, vacuity
Definition
English
down
burn
crown
in two parts
wander
bend
flow
stick
tongue
move
world
ship
put
without
sleep
land
poison
Sample Words
Anglophile, Anglophobe, Anglican, Anglo-Saxon
catapult, catastrophe, catacombs, catalepsy, cataclysm, cataract
caustic, holocaust, cauterize, caustically
corona, coronation, coronary, coroner
dichotomy, dichotomize, dichotomist, dichotomous
err, error, erratic, knight-errant, erroneous, erratum
reflect, inflection, genuflect, deflect, reflection
confluence, fluid, influence, fluent, superfluous, effluent, fluvial
coherence, adhesive, adhere, inherent, incoherent
bilingual, linguist, lingua franca, linguini, language
motor, motivation, demote, emotion, motion, promote, motility, commotion
mundane, mundanity, mundo, Telemundo
navy, naval, navigate, circumnavigate, unnavigable
position, deposit, superimpose, transpose, depose, imposition
sinecure, sine qua non
insomnia, somniferous, somnolent, somnambulate, somniloquy
extraterrestrial, subterranean, terra firma, Mediterranean, terrain
toxin, nontoxic, detoxification, toxicity
List 15
Stem
erg
frat
holo
kin
macro
opia
para
patho
phore
pod
schizo
sect
sequ
som
soror
sta
struct
taxis
ultima
vac
List 16
Stem
Anglo
cata
caust
coron
dicho
err
flect
flu
here
lingu
mot
mund
nav
pos
sine
somn
terr
tox
troph
und
nourishment
wave
atrophy, dystrophy
inundate, undulate, undulatory, undulation
List 17
Stem
atmo
cosmo
counter
cyclo
fore
gno
lepsy
let
liter
mens
monger
par
peri
phan
phen
quasi
via
vol
vore
xeno
Definition
vapor
world or universe
against
circle
front
know
attack
little
letter
measure
seller
equal
near or around
appearance
appearance
somewhat
road
will
eating
stranger
Sample Words
atmosphere, atmospheric, atman
cosmos, cosmopolitan, cosmonaut, cosmology, microcosm
counteract, counterproductive, counterpoint, counter insurgence
cyclone, cyclotron, bicycle, encyclopedia, recycle, cyclical
forehead, forefront, foreboding, forecast, forethought, foresail
ignorant, agnostic, prognosis, gnostic, gnosticism, diagnosis, ignominious
narcolepsy, epilepsy, catalepsy
booklet, piglet, aglet, hamlet, coverlet, omelet
literature, illiterate, preliterate, literati
commensurate, immense, incommensurable, dimension
fishmonger, warmonger, costermonger, phrasemonger
disparity, parity, par, compare, incomparable, disparate
perimeter, perihelion, perigee, periphery, periodical
phantom, epiphany, diaphanous, sycophant, cellophane, theophany
phenomenon, phenotype, phosphenes, fancy, fantasy
quasar, quasi-military, Quasimodo, quasi-judicial
via, viaduct, trivia, via avion, obviate, obvious, via media
volunteer, malevolent, benevolent, volition, involuntary
omnivore, herbivore, carnivore, voracious, devour
xenophobia, xenophobe, xenon
List 18 (The Great Gatsby Stems List)
Stem
ante
cred
Definition
before
believe
ef
eu
fin
fort
fus
grat
luc / lum
out
good
end
strong
pour
pleasing
light
magn
medi
morph
omni
punct
sen
super
sur
tact
trib
great
middle
shape
all
point
old
over
over
touch
pay
Sample Words
antecedent, antedate, antebellum, anterior, ante meridiem, antechamber
incredulous, credit, incredible, credible, credulous, discredited, credibility,
credo
effeminate, effusive, effulgent, efflux, efficacy, effluvium, effluent
euphemism, Eucharist, euphony, eulogy, Europe, eugenics
infinitesimal, final, define, infinite, finial, infinitive, fin de siècle
fortuitous, fortitude, fort, fortify, fortification, comfort
refuse, transfusion, infusion, fusillade, fusion, infuse, confusion
ingratiate, gratifying, gratitude, ingrate, grateful, gratuitous
luminosity, lucid, translucent, lucidity, Lucifer, elucidate, illuminate,
luminous, luminary
magnanimous, Magna Carta, magnate, magnificent, magnify, magnetic
medium, median, mediate, mediocre, Mediterranean, in medias res
amorphous, metamorphosis, polymorphous, anamorphic
omnibus, omnipotent, omnivorous, omniscient, omnipresent
punctilious, punctuate, puncture, punctual, acupuncture
senile, senior, senator, seniority
supercilious, supervise, superb, superior, superfluous, supernatural
surmise, surplus, surpass, surcharge, surface, surfeit, surmount, surname
tactless, tactile, contact, tactics, tactician, tactful, intact, tact
retribution, tribute, tributary, contribution, attribute, diatribe, distribute
vita
life
vitality, vitamin, vital, revitalize, viable
NSHS English Department | Vocabulary Stems | Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefixes
Stem
polyreultrauni-
Definition
many
again
beyond
one
Suffixes
Stem Definition
-a
plural
-ar
relating to
-be
life
ard
always
ate
cause
cle
small
cracy
government
ess
female
fy
make
i
plural
ician
specialist
ics
art
ine
nature of
ish
like
ism
doctrine
ist
one who
itis
inflammation
ize
make
lent
full of
less
without
logy
science
lys
break down
mania madness
mony condition
ness
quality
nomy law
oid
appearance
osis
condition
ous
full of
sis
condition
tion
act or state
tude
state of
Sample Words
polytechnic, polygamy, polychrome
return, review, retouch, reiterate, retail, revive, regenerate, regurgitate
ultramarine, ultraconservative, ultraviolet
unicycle, universe, united, union, uniform, unison, unique, unicorn
Sample Words
data, phenomena, bacteria, phyla, effluvia, trivia
pulsar, stellar, lunar, solar, secular, columnar, linear, circular
microbe, aerobe, anaerobe
drunkard, coward, braggart, laggard, dullard, sluggard
domesticate, implicate, create, procreate, insinuate, placate, dominate
molecule, corpuscle, follicle, minuscule, ventricle, particle, vesicle
autocracy, democracy, aristocracy, plutocracy, meritocracy
lioness, empress, princess, baroness, seamstress, governess
fortify, rectify, horrify, solidify, reify, transmogrify, sanctify, pacify
bacilli, fungi, nuclei, alumni, magi, octopi, Gemini, homunculi, literati
technician, musician, beautician, physician, statistician, clinician
politics, economics, aesthetics, graphics, ethics, calisthenics
porcine, crystalline, saturnine, canine, ursine, vulpine, bovine
squeamish, greenish, smallish, outlandish, snobbish, ghoulish, mannish
Marxism, capitalism, Imagism, Cubism, nihilism, pluralism, tribalism
artist, somnambulist, anthropologist, solipsist, centrist, atheist, sophist
appendicitis, tonsillitis, bursitis, arthritis, gastroenteritis, colitis
victimize, harmonize, temporize, mobilize, fossilize, polarize, bowdlerize
corpulent, virulent, turbulent, excellent, succulent, insolent, indolent
fruitless, hopeless, motherless, bootless, pointless, hapless, feckless
biology, anthropology, geology, entomology, philology, mythology
hemolysis, electrolysis, electrolyte, analysis, dialysis, lysis
kleptomania, egomania, pyromania, dipsomania, megalomania
matrimony, acrimony, harmony, ceremony, simony, parsimony
softness, politeness, kindness, darkness, vagueness
astronomy, economy, Deuteronomy, taxonomy, heteronomy, nomothetic
android, anthropoid, asteroid, adenoid, xyloid, haploid
neurosis, psychosis, ichthyosis, erythroblastosis, thrombosis, meiosis
luminous, glorious, loquacious, vivacious, garrulous, anomalous, zealous
arteriosclerosis, osmosis, mitosis, meiosis, catharsis, symbiosis
completion, reaction, devastation, production, creation, transition
pulchritude, multitude, solitude, turpitude, rectitude, aptitude, similitude