ROOT: base of a word
Root
Meaning
Example
anthro-ast(er)
aqua
audi-auto-bene-bio-chronocycle
dem
human
star
water
hear
self
good
life
time
circle, wheel
people
anthropology
asteroid, astronomy
aquarium, aquatics
audible, audience
automatic, autopsy
benefit, benign
biography, biology
chronic, synchronize
bicycle
democracy, demographics
-dict-duc-gen-geograph-jur-, -jusloc
-log-, -logue-lucmagn
say
lead, make
live birth
earth
write
law
place, put
thought
light
great, large
dictate, diction
deduce, produce
gene, generate
geography, geology
autograph, graph
jury, justice
location
logic, obloquy
lucid, translucent
magnificent, magnify
man(u)-mand-, -mend-mis-, -mitneo
-omniortho
-path-phil-phon-photo-
hand
order
send
new
all
straigh
feel
love
sound
light
manual, manure
demand, recommend
missile, transmission
neonatal, neophyte
omnivorous
orthodontist
empathy, pathetic
philosophy, bibliophile
phonics, telephone
photograph, photon
-portpsych
quest
-qui(t)-scrib-, -script-sens-, -sent-tele-terr-
carry
mind
seek, ask
quiet, rest
write
feel
far off
earth
export, portable
psychiatry
request
acquit, tranquil
ascribe, script
resent, sensitive
telecast, telephone
terrain, territory
-vacvid-, -vis-
empty
see
evacuate, vacate
visible, video
PREFIX: Syllables added to the beginning of a root word.
Prefix
Meaning
Example
Anti
Dis
En/em
Ex
Against
Not
To make
Out
Antibiotic
Disagree
Empower
Excavate
Fore
Inter
Mis
Mono
In advance; in front
Between
Wrong
Single
Foregoing
Interstate
Miscast
Monolingual
Non
Post
Pre
Pro
Not
After
Before
In favor
Nonnegotiable
Postgame
Prepaid
Pro-war
Re
Semi
Sub
Un
Uni
Again
Half; partly
Under
Not
Single
Regain
Semicircle
Subzero
Unexpected
Unicycle
SUFFIX: Syllables added to the end of a root word.
Suffix
Meaning
Example
-able
-ation
-ful
-ible
Worthy or capable of
Forms nouns from verbs
having or being
Wothy or capable
Loveable
Motivation
Delightful
Sensible
-ic
-ism
-ist
-ive
Consisting of/relating to
Act, state or theory
One who does something
Being; tending toward
Icelandic
Marxism
Populist
Offensive
-less
-ly
Lacking
Attributes a quality
Aimless
Catiously
-ment
-ness
State of; result
State of something
entanglement
Loveliness
-ology
-ous
-ward
Study of something
Full of
In a specific direction
Ornithology
Joyous
westward