Latin Prefixes
and Roots
Ms. Elrod
April 5th, 2013
Standard
 ELACC8L4b:
Use common, gradeappropriate Greek or Latin affixes and
roots as clues to the meaning of a word.
 An affix is a word element, such as a
prefix or suffix, that can only occur
attached to a base, stem, or root.
 Today, we will focus on prefixes.
What is a prefix?

A prefix is a word part placed in front of a
base word that usually changes the meaning
of the root word.

The prefix “un-” is placed at the beginning of
the word “happy”. Because “un-” means
“not”, this changes the meaning of the word.
What is a prefix?



The word “prefix” is composed of a the prefix
“pre-”, meaning “before”, and the root word
“fix”, meaning to fasten or attach.
So, the word “prefix” literally means
something that is attached to the beginning
of something else.
Prefixes are attached at the beginning of root
words and typically change the meaning of
these roots.
Examples of prefixes
Adding and recognizing
prefixes




The spelling of the base word never changes. Simply add the
prefix to the beginning of the base word, as in the word
unhappy.
The spelling of the prefix never changes. A prefix will be spelled
the same no matter what base word it is attached to. For
example, if you learn to spell the prefix poly, as in polygon, you
can depend on poly to be spelled the same in the words
polygraph, polyester, and polygram.
Be aware that double letters can occur. If you add the prefix un
to natural, both the prefix and the base word retain their
original spelling. The result is unnatural.
Watch out for prefix look-alikes. Some words contain the same
string of letters as a prefix, but upon closer examination you’ll
find that they are not prefixes. The re in real is not a prefix. Other
examples include uncle, pretty, press, interest, reach, irony,
dish, and antique.
Practice 1
3.
Remember that prefixes are added to the
beginning of root words. The spelling of both the
prefix and the root word do not change.
Using the Latin prefix “un-”(meaning “not”),
determine whether these words contain this prefix
or not:
Unemployed
4. Unhealthy
Uncle
5. United
Unstable
6. Unicorn

How does the prefix change the word’s meaning?


1.
2.
Practice 2
 Use
the meaning of the sentences to
identify a word with the correct prefix.
 Example: I did not think the game was
fair.
Unfair
1. I had to read my book again.
2. I lost my cell phone.
3. I had to warm up the oven before I
baked my cookies.
4. I did not spell the word correctly.
What is a root?
A
root is the basic element of a word.
 We add prefixes and suffixes to make it
into a new word.
 Some roots are words by themselves and
do not require other word elements.
 Example: un- + -happy. “Happy” is the
root word and can stand alone without
the prefix.
Roots




However, some roots cannot independently
stand on their own as words.
Example: dy- + -archy. “Dy-” means “two”
and “-archy” means “government”.
The word “dyarchy” means a government
with two leaders.
The root, “-archy”, cannot stand alone
because it is not an actual word, but a
derivative of the Latin or Greek language.
Practice 3:
Identify the prefix and the root
word in these examples.
 Coauthor
 Disbelief
 Nonviolence
 Postwar
 Submarine
 Transcontinental
Why should I learn this?
 An
understanding of Latin prefixes is
obviously essential for writing and
communicating with others.
 A basic understanding of Latin prefixes
and roots can help you on important
tests, such as the SAT.
Why should I learn this?
 Another
reason for learning Latin prefixes
is that they are commonly used in the
medical field. Many medical terms
contain Latin components.
 Examples:
cerebr(o)-
ocul(o)-
Of or
Latin
pertaining to (cerebrum),
the brain
brain
Of or
pertaining to
the eye
Latin
(oculus), the
eye
Cerebrology
Oculist