PREFIXES
PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE
a (or ab) without or not amoral, abnormal
ab away, from abhor, absent
ad to, forward advance, adhere
ante before anteroom, antecedent
anti against antifreeze, antimatter, antibiotic
auto self automatic, automobile
bi two bifocal, bicycle
circum round, around circle, circumference, circumvent
cent 100 century
com with companion
co (or con) together, with cooperate, connect, conjoin
cor with correlative
contra against contrary, contradict
counter against counteract
de down or showing a reversal descend, degrade, deactivate
dec ten decade
di apart divorce
dia through diameter, diaphragm
dis not disapprove, disagree
e out of edict, eclipse, eject
eu happy euphoria
ex out of excavate, expel, export
equi equal equilateral
extra above extraterrestrial
hemi ½ hemisphere
hyper over hyperactive
hypo below hypodermic
il not illegal, illegitimate
im not impossible, immoderate
in in or not incorrect, invisible, inspect
intra within intrastate
inter between or among interstate, interval, international
ir not irresponsible
kilo 1,000 kilometer
A
PREFIXES
PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE
magni large magnitude
mal bad malfunction, malnutrition
micro small microscope, micrometer
mid middle midday
milli 1,000 millipede
mis wrong mispronounce
mono one monologue, monopoly, monotone
multi many multicolored
neo new neophyte
non not nonsense, nonprofit
ob against obstruct, obstinate
pan all panacea, pandemonium
para similar paraprofessional
per through pervade, permeate
peri around perimeter, periscope
poly many polygon, polyglot
post after postgraduate, postdate
pre before preview, premarital
pro forward progress
pseudo false pseudonym, pseudoscience
quad four quadruplet
re again or back review, return, redo, reject
retro backward retroactive, retrospect
semi half semicircle, semiannual
sub under submarine, subway
super over superhuman, superior
syn (or sym) with or together synchronize, symphony
tele far telegram, telepathy, telescope
trans across transportation, transcontinental
tri three triangle, triple
un not unsuccessful, unnatural
uni one uniformity
A
ROOTS
ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE
agri field agriculture
agro field agronomy
anthropo human anthropology
aqua water aqualung, aquarium
astro star astronomy
audio hear audience, audition
auto self automatic, autonomy, autobiography
avi bird aviation
bene good, well benefit, beneficiary
bibl book Bible
bio life biography, biology
chrom color monochromatic
chron time chronological, chronic
cide kill insecticide, suicide
cor heart core
cord heart cordial
corp body corporal, incorporate
cred belief credible, credit
dem people democracy
derm skin dermatology
dict word or say dictate
duc lead educate
ego self egocentric, egotist
fact make manufacture, factory
fid trust infidelity
fin end final
flu flow fluctuate
frater brother fraternal, fraternity
fus pour or blend infuse, fuse
gen birth genesis
geo earth geography, geology
graph writing or drawing autograph, graphic, biography
greg flock congregation
homo same, man homonym, homophone
hydr water hydrant
ject throw reject
A
ROOTS
ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE
log speech dialogue
knowledge, record, or
log (or logy) catalog, biology, zoology
study of
luc light translucent, lucid
lus light luster, illustrate
lum light illuminate
man hand manipulate
meter measure thermometer
mis send dismissal
mit send transmit
mort death or dying immortal, mortuary, mortician
mut change mutation
nov new renovate
omni all omnibus, omnipotent
onym word or name synonym, pseudonym
pac peace pacific
path feeling or suffering sympathy, empathy
pater father paternal, paternity
ped foot pedestrian, centipede, pedal
philo love bibliophile, philosophy
phob fear phobia, claustrophobia
phone sound telephone, phonics
photo light photograph
port carry transport
pos place position, impose
pot strength impotent, potential
psych (or
mind psychology, psychic, psychoanalysis
psycho)
pyro fire pyromaniac
scrib write scribe, inscribe
script write scripture, subscription
soph wise philosopher, sophomore
solo alone solo, solitude
spec look or see spectator, inspect
temp time temporary
theo god or gods atheist, theology
tort twist, turn distortion
tract draw, pull extract
ven (or vent) come venture, convention
ver true verify
vert turn convertible, invert
vic conquer victory
vid see evident
vis see vision
viv life survive
voc call, voice vocal
vok call, voice evoke
zoo animal zoology, zoological
A
SUFFIXES
SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE
-able capable of being readable, manageable, perishable
-age act, condition wastage, postage
-al like, suitable for comical, theatrical
-an person who musician, American
-ance state of being circumstance, resemblance
-ant (noun) person occupant, accountant
-ant (adj.) state of being defiant, vacant
-ar relating to muscular, lunar
-ary place where library, dictionary
-ate to make create, formulate, generate,
-ation quality or condition imagination, realization
-ee person who is nominee, employee
-en made of golden, wooden
-ence state, quality permanence, excellence, reference
-ent person who student, superintendent
-fic causing, producing scientific, prolific
full of, characterized by,
-ful (adj.) having the qualities of, liable prideful, peaceful, masterful, helpful
to
-ful (noun) quantity that fills or would fill roomful, cupful, handful
-fy to make simplify, glorify, rectify, justify
-hood state, condition childhood, neighborhood
-ible capable of being legible, divisible, collectible
-ic of, characteristic of angelic, symphonic
-ice condition, quality justice, malice
-id state, condition fluid, squalid
-ile relating to servile, infantile
-ion state of being condition, confusion, action, tension
-ism act, state, or doctrine criticism, alcoholism, Buddhism
-ist person who chemist, moralist, dentist
-ity quality, state, degree activity, humanity, theatricality
-ive relating to or tends toward massive, inventive, active, destructive
-ize to make, become Americanize, modernize, symbolize
-less without helpless, motionless
-ment state of being improvement, fulfillment
-or (orer) person who conductor, inventor, teacher
-ory place for directory, dormitory
-ous full of famous, pious
-some tending to lonesome, troublesome
-tude condition gratitude, attitude
-ty state, condition liberty, sanity
-ward direction, course backward, eastward
August Course KS
