Wednesday, 11 September 2013

521. Word Roots and Prefixes


Word Roots and Prefixes

This list contains some of the common roots and prefixes that make up the building blocks of numerous English words. Following the table of general roots and prefixes is a table of number prefixes.
 

How Words Work

Many words are made up of a root (or base word) and a prefix. Some words also have a suffix. For example, the root word port means to carry or to bear. Attach the prefix ex, meaning out or out of, and you have the word export, to carry out. Attach the prefix im, meaning in or into and you have import, to carry in. Attach the prefix trans, meaning across, and you have transport, meaning to carry across. Now let's attach the suffix able, meaning able to be, and you have importable, exportable, and transportable.
The very words prefix and suffix are good examples, too. Pre means before and fix means to fasten or attach, so quite literally, a prefix is something attached to the beginning of something else. Suf is a variant of sub, below or under, so a suffix is something fastened underneath something else (in this case, behind the root).
Ultimate 
VocabularyBy learning the common roots and prefixes (and a few suffixes) you will be able to discern the meaning of many new words almost immediately. (But do look them up for confirmation.) Take the word abject, for example. If you know that ab means away or down and ject means to throw, you can easily figure out that abject doesn't mean something happy. Rather abject's root meaning of thrown down is quite close to the dictionary defintion of cast down in spirit or sunk into depression.
Now that you have learned that ject means to throw, think how many words you can define almost immediately: reject, project, inject, subject, eject, and so on. Roots are a real key to understanding the meaning of new words you come across in your reading.
Note that some modern words are formed by using abbreviated forms of other words. Thus, we see the use of the letter i for Internet in iPhone, iPod, and iTunes, indicating that these items or services work with the Internet. Similarly, the use of e for electronic appears in words such as elearning (and various forms: eLearning, E-Learning, and so on), e-commerce, and e-business. The "e-terms" seem to have been coined before the "i-terms" became popular. And note that most of the "i-terms" are trademarks, while the others are general descriptors: "I'm going to download some iTunes from Apple's e-commerce site because I love e-music." At any rate, these abbreviated forms are not traditional prefixes, but because they are indeed attached to the front of what amounts to root words, they could be considered functional prefixes.

General Roots and Prefixes

Root or Prefix
Meaning
Examples
a, an
not, without
atheist, anarchy, anonymous apathy, aphasia, anemia, atypical, anesthesia
ab
away, down, from, off
absent, abduction, aberrant, abstemious, abnormal, abstract, absorb
acro
high, tip, top
acrobat, acrophobia, acronym, acromegaly, acropolis
act
do, move
action, react, transaction, proactive, activity, activation, deactivate
ad
to, toward
admit, addition, advertisement, adherent, admonish, address, adhesive, adept, adjust
alt
high
altitude, altimeter, alto, contralto, altocumulus, exalt
ambul
to walk
ambulatory, amble, ambulance, somnambulist, perambulate, preamble
anima
soul, life
animation, inanimate, animal, anime, equanimity, animism, animus
ante
before
anteroom, antebellum, antedate antecedent, antediluvian
anti, ant
against, opposite
antisocial, antiseptic, antithesis, antibody, antichrist, antinomies, antifreeze, antipathy, antigen, antibiotic, antidote, antifungal, antidepressant
arm
weapon
army, armament, disarm, rearm, armistice, armor, armory, arms
audi
to hear
audience, auditory, audible, auditorium, audiovisual, audition, audiobook
auto
self
automobile, automatic, autograph, autonomous, autoimmune, autopilot, autobiography
be
thoroughly
bedecked, besmirch, besprinkled, begrudge, begrime, belie, bemoan
bell
war
belligerent, antebellum, bellicose, rebel
bene
good, well
benefactor, beneficial, benevolent, benediction, beneficiary, benefit
bi
two
bicycle, bifocals, biceps, billion, binary, bivalve, bimonthly, bigamy, bimetal, biathlete, bicarbonate
bio
life, living
biology, biography, biodiversity, bioavailability, bioflavonoid, biofuel, biohazard, biomass, biorhythm 
cede, ceed, cess
to go, to yield
succeed, proceed, precede, recede, secession, exceed, succession, excess 
chron
time
chronology, chronic, chronicle, chronometer, anachronism
cide, cis
to kill, to cut
fratricide, suicide, incision, excision, circumcision, precise, concise, precision, homicide, genocide, regicide
circum
around
circumnavigate, circumflex, circumstance, circumcision, circumference, circumorbital, circumlocution, circumvent, circumscribe, circulatory
clud, clus claus
to close
include, exclude, clause, claustrophobia, enclose, exclusive, reclusive, conclude, preclude
con, com
with, together
convene, compress, contemporary, converge, compact, confluence, concatenate, conjoin, combine, convert, compatible, consequence, contract
contra, counter
against, opposite
contradict, counteract, contravene, contrary, counterspy, contrapuntal, contraband, contraception, contrast, controversy, counterfeit, counterclaim, counterargument, counterclaim, counterpoint, counterrevolution
cred
to believe
credo, credible, credence, credit, credential, credulity, incredulous, creed, incredible
commun
to share
commune, community, communism, communicable, communication, commonality, incommunicado
cycl
circle, wheel
bicycle, cyclical, cycle, encliclical, motorcycle, tricycle, cyclone

General Roots and Prefixes (continued)

Root or Prefix
Meaning
Examples
de
from, down, away
detach, deploy, derange, deodorize, devoid, deflate, degenerate, deice, descend, derail, depress, depart, decompose, destruction
dei, div
God, god
divinity, divine, deity, divination, deify, deism
demo
people
democracy, demagogue, epidemic, demographic, endemic
dia
through, across, between
diameter, diagonal, dialogue, dialect, dialectic, diagnosis, diachronic, diagram, diaphragm, dialysis, diarrhea
dict
speak
predict, verdict, malediction, dictionary, dictate, dictum, diction, indict, contradict 
dis, dys, dif
away, not, negative
dismiss, differ, disallow, disperse, dissuade, disconnect, dysfunction, disproportion, disrespect, distemper, distaste, disarray, dyslexia
duc, duct
to lead, pull
produce, abduct, product, transducer, viaduct, aqueduct, induct, deduct, reduce, induce
dyn, dyna
power
dynamic, dynamometer, heterodyne, dynamite, dynamo, dynasty
ecto
outside, external
ectomorph, ectoderm, ectoplasm, ectopic, ectothermal
endo
inside, within
endotoxin, endoscope, endogenous
equi
equal
equidistant, equilateral, equilibrium, equinox, equitable, equation, equator
e, ex
out, away, from
emit, expulsion, exhale, exit, express, exclusive, enervate, exceed, explosion, eject, exude
eu
good, pleasant
euphoria, euphemism, eustress, euphonic, eukaryote
exter, extra
outside of
external, extrinsic, exterior, extraordinary, extrabiblical, extracurricular, extrapolate, extraneous, exterminator, extract, extradite, extraterrestrial, extrasensory, extravagant, extreme
flu, flux
flow
effluence, influence, effluvium, fluctuate, confluence, reflux, influx
flect, flex
to bend
flexible, reflection, deflect, circumflex, inflection, reflex
graph, gram
to write
polygraph, grammar, biography, graphite, telegram, autograph, lithograph, historiography, graphic, electrocardiogram, monogram
hetero
other
heterodox, heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodyne
homo
same
homogenized, homosexual, homonym, homophone
hyper
over, above
hyperactive, hypertensive, hyperbolic, hypersensitive, hyperventilate, hyperkinetic, hyperlink, hypertext, hypersonic, hypertrophy
hypo
below, less than
hypotension, hypodermic, hypoglycemia, hypoallergenic, hypothermia, hypothesis

General Roots and Prefixes (continued)

in, im
not
inviolate, innocuous, intractable, innocent, impregnable, impossible, incapable, incoherent, impassible, impotent
infra
beneath
infrared, infrastructure, infrasonic
inter, intro
between
international, intercept, intermission, interoffice, internal, intermittent, introvert, introduce
intra
within, into
intranet, intracranial, intravenous, intramural, intramuscular, intraocular
jac, ject
to throw
reject, eject, project, trajectory, interject, dejected, inject, ejaculate
log, logo, loc, loq
word, speech, speak
monologue, dialogue, locution, colloquial, elocution, soliloquy, ventriloquist, apology, doxology, epilogue, logic, eulogy, loquacious
mal
bad, badly
malformation, maladjusted, dismal, malady, malcontent, malfeasance, maleficent, malevolent, malice, malaria, malfunction, malignant
mega
great, million
megaphone, megalomaniac, megabyte, megalopolis, acromegaly
meso
middle
mesomorph, mesoamerica, mesosphere
meta
beyond, change
metaphor, metamorphosis, metabolism, metahistorical, metainformation, metacognitive, metaphysics
meter
measure
perimeter, micrometer, ammeter, multimeter, altimeter, geometry, kilometer
micro
small
microscope, microprocessor, microfiche, micrometer, micrograph
mis
bad, badly
misinform, misinterpret, mispronounce, misnomer, mistake, misogynist, mistrial, misadventure, misanthrope, misread
mit, miss
to send
transmit, permit, missile, missionary, remit, admit, missive, mission
morph
shape
polymorphic, morpheme, amorphous, metamorphosis, morphology, morphing
multi
many
multitude, multipartite, multiply, multipurpose, multicolored, multimedia, multinational
neo
new
neologism, neonate, neoclassic, neophyte
non
not
nonferrous, nonabrasive, nondescript, nonfat, nonfiction, nonprofit, nonsense, nonentity
omni
all
omnipotent, omnivorous, omniscient, omnibus, omnirange, omnipresent
pan
all, whole, general, completely
pantheism, pandemic, panacea, panoply, pan-American, panchromatic, pandemonium, panorama
para
beside
paraprofessional, paramedic, paraphrase, parachute, paralegal, parallel, comparison
per
through, intensive
permit, perspire, perforate, persuade, perceive, perfect, permit, perform, pervasive
peri
around
periscope, perimeter, perigee, periodontal, pericope
phon
sound
telephone, phonics, phonograph, phonetic, homophone, microphone
phot
light
photograph, photosynthesis, photon
poly
many
polytheist, polygon, polygamy, polymorphous
port
to carry
porter, portable, report, transportation, deport, import, export

General Roots and Prefixes

Root or Prefix
Meaning
Examples
re
back, again
report, realign, retract, revise, regain, reflect, rename, restate, recombine, recalculate, redo
retro
backwards
retrorocket, retrospect, retrogression, retroactive
sanct
holy
sanctify, sanctuary, sanction, sanctimonious, sacrosanct
scrib, script
to write
inscription, prescribe, proscribe, manuscript, conscript, scribble, scribe, postscript, transcript
sect, sec
cut
intersect, transect, dissect, secant, section
semi
half
semifinal, semiconscious, semiannual, semimonthly, semicircle
spect
to look
inspect, spectator, circumspect, retrospect, prospect, spectacle
sub
under, below
submerge, submarine, substandard, subnormal, subvert, subdivision, submersible, submit
super, supra
above
superior, suprarenal, superscript, supernatural, supercede, superficial, superhero, superimpose
syn
together
synthesis, synchronous, syndicate, synergy, snyopsis, syncretism
tele
distance, from afar
television, telephone, telegraph, telemetry, telepathy, teleconference
theo, the
God
theology, theist, polytheist, pantheism, atheist, monotheist, theophany
therm, thermo
heat
thermal, thermometer, thermocouple, thermodynamic, thermoelectric
tract
to drag, draw
attract, tractor, traction, extract, retract, protract, detract, subtract, contract, intractable
trans
across
transoceanic, transmit, transport, transducer, transit, intransitive
un
not
uncooked, unharmed, unintended, unhappy, unenlightened, unremarkable
veh, vect, vey
to carry
vector, vehicle, convection, vehement, convey, conveyance, conveyor
vert, vers
to turn
convert, revert, advertise, versatile, vertigo, invert, reversion, extravert, introvert
ven, vent
to come
convention, prevent, intervention, convent, Advent, invent, inventory
verm
worm
vermin, vermicelli, vermiculite, vermicide, vermiform, vermilion
vita
life
vital, vitality, vitamins, revitalize
vol
to will
benevolent, volition, voluntary, malevolent

Number Prefixes

Prefix
Meaning
Examples
mono, uni
one
monopoly, monotype, monologue, mononucleosis, monorail, monotheist, unilateral, universal, unity, unanimous, uniform
bi, di
two
divide, diverge, diglycerides, bifurcate, biweekly, bivalve, biannual, billion
tri
three
triangle, trinity, trilateral, triumvirate, tribune, trilogy, tricycle, trillion
quat, quad
four
quadrangle, quadruplets, quaternary, quarter, quadrillion
quint, penta
five
quintet, quintuplets, pentagon, pentane, pentameter, quintillion
hex, ses, sex
six
hexagon, hexameter, sestet, sextuplets, sextillion
sept
seven
septet, septennial, septillion, September
oct
eight
octopus, octagon, octogenarian, octave, octillion, October
non
nine
nonagon, nonagenarian, nonillion
dec
ten
decimal, decade, decalogue, decimate, decillion, December
cent
hundred
centennial, century, centipede, centillion
mill, kilo
thousand (10^3)
millennium, kilobyte, kiloton
mega
million (10^6)
megabyte, megaton, megaflop, megawatt
giga
billion (10^9)
gigabyte, gigaflop, gigahertz, gigawatt
tera
trillion (10^12)
terabyte, teraflop, terawatt
peta
quadrillion (10^15)
petabyte
exa
quintillion (10^18)
exabyte
zetta
sextillion (10^21)
zettabyte
yotta
septilion (10^24)
yottabyte
milli
thousandth (10^-3)
millisecond, milligram, millivolt, milliwatt, millimeter, millipede
micro
millionth (10^-6)
microgram, microvolt, microwave, microsecond
nano
billionth (10^-9)
nanosecond, nanobucks, nanofarad, nanometer, nanomachine, nanotube, nanotechnology, nanogram, nanoscale
pico
trillionth (10^-12)
picofarad, picocurie, picogram, picomole, picosecond
femto
quadrillionth (10^-15)
femtosecond
atto
quintillionth (10^-18)
attosecond, attometer
zepto
sextillionth (10^-21)
zeptosecond
yocto
septillionth (10^-24)
yoctosecond

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