Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes

Many studies show the importance of building children’s vocabulary. One study has shown that a
set of 20 prefixes and 14 roots, and knowing how to use them, will unlock the meaning of over
100,000 words. A similar study showed that a set of 29 prefixes and 25 roots will give the
meaning to over 125,000 words. Imagine adding suffixes! Below are lists of prefixes, suffixes, and
roots – with their meanings and example words. ∗ Reviewing these also can help many ELL
students to see relationships between and among languages. Many prefixes have a basis in Latin
– also the basis for Spanish, French, and Italian – or Greek.

Table 1: 32 Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Example words and meanings
ƒ absent ƒ not to be present, away
a, ab, abs away from
ƒ abscond ƒ abscond – to run away
ƒ adapt ƒ to fit into
ad, a, ac, af,
ƒ adhere ƒ to stick to
ag, an, ar, at, to, toward
ƒ annex ƒ to add or join
as
ƒ attract ƒ to draw near
ƒ antifreeze ƒ a substance to prevent freezing
anti against
ƒ antisocial ƒ refers to someone who’s not social
ƒ bicycle ƒ two wheeled cycle
bi, bis two ƒ biannual ƒ twice each year
ƒ biennial ƒ every two years
ƒ circumscribe ƒ to draw around
circum, cir around
ƒ circle ƒ a figure that goes all around
ƒ combine ƒ to bring together
com, con, co, ƒ contact ƒ to touch together
with, together
col ƒ collect ƒ to bring together
ƒ co-worker ƒ co-worker
away from, down, the ƒ depart ƒ to go away from
de
opposite of ƒ decline ƒ to turn down
ƒ dislike ƒ not to like
dis, dif, di apart ƒ dishonest ƒ not honest
ƒ distant ƒ away
ƒ epitaph ƒ writing upon a tombstone
epi upon, on top of
ƒ epilogue ƒ speech at the end, on top of the rest
ƒ equalize ƒ to make equal
equ, equi equal
ƒ equitable ƒ fair, equal
ƒ exit ƒ to go out
ex, e, ef out, from ƒ eject ƒ to throw out
ƒ exhale ƒ to breathe out
ƒ inject ƒ to put into
in, il, ir, im, en in, into
ƒ impose ƒ to force into
ƒ inactive ƒ not active
ƒ ignoble ƒ not noble
in, il, ig, ir, im not
ƒ irreversible ƒ not reversible
ƒ irritate ƒ to put into discomfort
Prefix Meaning Example words and meanings
ƒ international ƒ among nations
inter between, among
ƒ interpose ƒ to put between
ƒ malpractice ƒ bad practice
mal, male bad, ill, wrong
ƒ malfunction ƒ fail to function, bad function
ƒ mistreat ƒ to treat badly
mis wrong, badly ƒ mistake ƒ to get wrong
ƒ misplace ƒ to put in wrong place
ƒ monopoly ƒ one ownership
ƒ monotone ƒ one note
mono one, alone, single
ƒ monologue ƒ speech by one person
ƒ monosyllable ƒ one syllable
ƒ nonsense ƒ not making sense
non not, the reverse of
ƒ nonprofit ƒ not making a profit
ƒ obstacle ƒ something that stands in the way of
in front, against, in
ob ƒ obvious ƒ right in front of, apparent
front of, in the way of
ƒ obviate ƒ to do away with, make unnecessary
ƒ omnipresent ƒ always present, everywhere
omni everywhere, all
ƒ omnipotent ƒ all powerful
ƒ pervade ƒ to pass through, to spread through
per through
ƒ perceive ƒ to become aware through sight
ƒ polysyllable ƒ many syllables
poly many
ƒ polygon ƒ figure with many sides
ƒ postpone ƒ to do after
post after
ƒ postmortem ƒ after death
ƒ preview ƒ a viewing earlier than another
pre before, earlier than ƒ prehistoric ƒ before written history
ƒ preface ƒ a statement before an article or book
ƒ proceed ƒ to go forward
forward, going ahead
pro ƒ prowar ƒ supporting the war
of, supporting
ƒ promote ƒ to raise or move forward
ƒ retell ƒ to tell again
re again, back ƒ recall ƒ to call back
ƒ recede ƒ to go back
ƒ secede ƒ to withdraw, become apart
se apart
ƒ seclude ƒ to stay apart from others
ƒ submarine ƒ under water
sub under, less than ƒ subway ƒ a path or way to move under ground
ƒ subliminal ƒ below the level of consciousness
ƒ superstar ƒ a start greater than other stars
super over, above, greater
ƒ superimpose ƒ to put over something else
ƒ transcontinental ƒ across the continent
trans across ƒ transverse ƒ to lie or go across
ƒ unidirectional ƒ having one direction
un, uni one ƒ unanimous ƒ sharing one view
ƒ unilateral ƒ having one side
ƒ uninterested ƒ not interested
un not ƒ unhelpful ƒ not helpful
ƒ unethical ƒ not ethical
Table 2: 27 Roots
Root Meaning Example words & meanings
ƒ Agent ƒ One who acts as a representative
act, ag to do, to act
ƒ Activity ƒ Action
apert open ƒ Aperture ƒ An opening
ƒ Basement ƒ Something that is low, at the bottom
bas low
ƒ Basement ƒ A room that is low
ƒ Captive ƒ One who is held
cap, capt, cip, ƒ Receive ƒ To take
to take, to hold, to seize
cept, ceive ƒ Capable ƒ Able to take hold of things
ƒ Recipient ƒ One who takes hold or receives
ƒ Precede ƒ To go before
ced, cede,
to go, to give in ƒ Access ƒ Means of going to
ceed, cess
ƒ Proceed ƒ To go forward
ƒ Credible ƒ Believable
cred, credit to believe ƒ Incredible ƒ Not believable
ƒ Credit ƒ Belief, trust
ƒ Current ƒ Now in progress, running
curr, curs,
to run ƒ Precursory ƒ Running (going) before
cours
ƒ Recourse ƒ To run for aid
ƒ Dictionary ƒ A book explaining words (sayings)
dic, dict to say ƒ Indict ƒ To say or make an accusation
ƒ Indicate ƒ To point out or say by demonstrating
ƒ Induce ƒ To lead to action
duc, duct to lead ƒ Conduct ƒ To lead or guide
ƒ Aqueduct ƒ Pipe that leads water somewhere
ƒ Equality ƒ Equal in social, political rights
equ equal, even
ƒ Equanimity ƒ Evenness of mind, tranquility
ƒ Facile ƒ Easy to do
fac, fact, fic, ƒ Fiction ƒ Something that is made up
to make, to do
fect, fy ƒ Factory ƒ Place that makes things
ƒ Affect ƒ To make a change in
ƒ Defer ƒ To carry away
fer, ferr to carry, bring
ƒ Referral ƒ Bring a source for help/information
ƒ Monograph ƒ A writing on a particular subject
graph write
ƒ Graphite ƒ A form of carbon used for writing
ƒ Admit ƒ To send in
mit, mis to send
ƒ Missile ƒ Something sent through the air
ƒ Parity ƒ Equality
par equal
ƒ Disparate ƒ No equal, not alike
ƒ Complicate ƒ To fold (mix) together
plic to fold, to bend, to turn
ƒ Implicate ƒ To fold in, to involve
ƒ Component ƒ A part placed together with others
pon, pos, posit, ƒ Transpose ƒ A place across
to place
pose ƒ Compose ƒ To put many parts into place
ƒ Deposit ƒ To place for safekeeping
ƒ Describe ƒ To write about or tell about
scrib, script to write ƒ Transcript ƒ A written copy
ƒ Subscription ƒ A written signature or document
ƒ Sequence ƒ In following order
sequ, secu to follow ƒ Sequel ƒ A second, following, book
ƒ Consecutive ƒ One that follows another
spec, spect, ƒ Specimen ƒ An example to look at
to appear, to look, to see
spic ƒ Aspect ƒ One way to see something
sta, stat, sist, to stand, or make stand ƒ Constant ƒ Standing with
Root Meaning Example words & meanings
stit, sisto ƒ Status ƒ Social standing
ƒ Stable ƒ Steady (standing)
ƒ Desist ƒ To stand away from
ƒ Contact ƒ To touch together
tact to touch
ƒ Tactile ƒ To be able to be touched
ƒ Tenable ƒ Able to be held, holding
ten, tent, tain to hold ƒ Retentive ƒ Holding
ƒ Maintain ƒ To keep or hold up
ƒ Extend ƒ To stretch or draw out
tend, tens, tent to stretch
ƒ Tension ƒ Stretched
ƒ Attract ƒ To draw together
tract to draw
ƒ Contract ƒ An agreement drawn up
ƒ Convene ƒ To come together
ven, vent to come
ƒ Advent ƒ A coming
ƒ Avert ƒ To turn away
ver, vert, vers to turn ƒ Revert ƒ To turn back
ƒ Reverse ƒ To turn around

Table 3: 23 Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Example words & meanings
ƒ Edible ƒ Able to be eaten
able, ible, ble able to
ƒ Salable ƒ Able to be sold
ƒ Nocturnal ƒ Of the night
acious, cous, al like, having the quality of
ƒ Vivacious ƒ Having the quality of being lively
ƒ Performance ƒ The act of performing
ance, ancy the act of, a state of being
ƒ Truancy ƒ The act of being truant
ƒ Occupant ƒ One who occupies
ƒ Respondent ƒ One who responds or answers
ant, ent, er, or one who
ƒ Teacher ƒ One who teaches
ƒ Creator ƒ One who creates
ƒ Ocular
ƒ Related to the eye
ar, ary connected with, related to ƒ Beneficiary
ƒ Connected with one who receives benefits
ence quality of, act of ƒ Existence ƒ The act of existing or being
ful full of ƒ Fearful ƒ Full of fear
ƒ Cardiac ƒ Pertaining to the heart
ƒ Civil ƒ Pertaining to citizens
ic, ac, il, ile of, like, pertaining to
ƒ Infantile ƒ Pertaining to infants
ƒ Acidic ƒ Like acid
ion the act or condition of ƒ Correction ƒ The act of correcting
ism the practice of, support of ƒ Patriotism ƒ Support of one’s country
ist one who makes, does ƒ Artist ƒ One who creates art
ƒ Unity ƒ The state of being one
ity, ty, y the state of, character of ƒ Shifty ƒ State of shifting around
ƒ Showy ƒ State of always showing oneself
ive having the nature of ƒ Active ƒ Having the nature of acting or moving
less lacking, without ƒ Heartless ƒ Without a heart
logy the study of ƒ Biology ƒ The study of life processes
ment the act of, the state of ƒ Retirement ƒ State of being retired
ness the quality of ƒ Eagerness ƒ The quality of being eager
having the nature of, a
ory ƒ Laboratory ƒ A place where work is done
place or thing for
Suffix Meaning Example words & meanings
ƒ Dangerous ƒ Full of danger
ous, ose full of, having
ƒ Verbose ƒ Full of words, or wordy
the art or skill of, the ability
ship ƒ Leadership ƒ The ability to lead
to
some full of, like ƒ Troublesome ƒ Full of trouble
the state of quality of, the
tude ƒ Aptitude ƒ The ability to do
ability to
ƒ Musty ƒ Having a stale oror
Full of, somewhat,
y ƒ Chilly ƒ Somewhat cold
somewhat like
ƒ Willowy ƒ Like a willow

Table 4: Taking words apart

Word Prefix Root Suffix Meaning
Act of running with, happening
Concurrence con: with curr: run ence: act of
at same time
Exaggerate ex: out ag: to do, act --- To act out
ir: not
Irreversible vers: turning ible: able to Not able to turn back
re: again
To say bad things, a negative
Malediction male: bad dict: to say ---
statement
Precursor pre: before curs: to run or: one who Something that comes before
State of being one, a single
Unity uni: one --- ty: state of
thing or being
Untenable un: not ten: holding able: able to Not able to hold on