TOEFL Vocabulary: The most common English roots; By: E. Elhambakhsh (Ph.D.c.

Root / Suffix / Prefix

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE

act, agi drive, do activate, agitate

aer, aero air aerial, aerodynamics

aqu water aquatic, aqueduct

al, alt other alien, altruist

arch chief, ruler monarchy, anarchist

aster, astr star astronomy, asterisk

aud, audit hear audible, audition

biblio book bibliography, Bible

bio life biology, biography

cad, cas, cid fall cadence, cascade

capit, cap, chap, cheif head caption, chapter

chrome color monochrome, chromatic

chron time anachronism, chronicle

cide, cis cut, kill matricide, scissors

cit, civ government citizen, civil

clause, clos(e), clus,

shut claustrophobia, foreclose
clud

corp body corporate, corpulent

cre, creas(e), cres grow increment, increase

cred believe credible, credit

cur, cour run recurrent, recourse

circ, cycl circle cyclone, circus

dem people democratic, epidemic

dent, dont teeth denture, orthodontist

derm skin dermatologist, hypodermic

doc, fox opinion, belief doctrine, orthodox

duc lead conductive, aqueduct

dynamo power dynamic, dynamo

equa, equi equal equanimity, equilibrium

fac, fec, fic make, do facilitate, fiction

fal, fals deceive fallacy, falsify

fend, fens against, from defendant, offensive

fer carry prefer, ferry

fid faith confidant, infidel

fin limit infinite, finish

fix stationary prefix, fixate

flect, flex bend inflection, reflex

fort, forc strong fortress, reinforce

fract, frag break fraction, fragment

fund, fuse, found pour or melt fusion, profound

gamy marriage bigamy, misogamy

geo earth geology, geography

gen, gin birth, origin, race genetic, genocide

grad, gress go, walk, step digress, graduate

gram, graph write telegram, graphics

pleasing, thanks,
grat, grac gratis, ingrate
favor

her, hes stick adhesive, inherent

hydr, hydro water dehydrate, hydroelectric

jug, junc, just join conjugate, juncture

jud, jus, jur right judicial, injure

kine, cine move kinetic, cinema

labor work collaborate, laboratory

lect, leg gather, rea, law collect, legal

libr, liber book, free library, liberal

lic, liqu permit, leave elicit, derelict

liter letter literate, literature

loc place location, allocate

luc, lum, lus, lun, lux light lucid, luminous

magna, max great magnify, maximum

man, manu hand manual, emancipate

mania madness kleptomania, maniac

mis, mit send emit, emissary

mort die mortal, mortuary

nat, neo, nov new, born prenatal, neoclassic

c naut, nav water astronaut, navigate

ocle, ocul, opt eye monocle, optical

pac, pact peace, solid pacify, compact

pass, path feel, disease antipathy, pathology

ped, pod child, foot pediatrician, podiatrist

pel, puls drive compel, repulsive

pend, pens, pond hang, weight, pay expense, ponder

pet, peat seek, request repetitious, perpetual

phil love philanthropy, philologist

claustrophobia,
phobia fear
hydrophobia

phon sound phonograph, symphony

photo, phos light photographic, phosphorus

pict, pig paint depict, pigment

plac, plea please, calm placate, implacable

plic, plex, ply bend, gold implicate, perplex

polis, polit, poly city, citizen cosmopolitan, politician

port carry porter, opportune

punct, pung, point prick impinge, poignant

quer, quis ask, seek inquisition, inquest

reg, rect, right straight, direct irregular, erect

rog ask, seek derogatory, interrogate

scope see telescope, microscope

scrib, scrip write inscribe, manuscript

sens, sent feel, think sensual, sentiment

sequi, secut, suit follow persecute, sequence

sid, sed, sess sit sediment, session

sim, syl, sys together, same simulate, synthesis

sign mark, signal insignia, designate

sol alone solo, solitude

son, sound sound sonar, resound

solv, solu loosen, explain solvent, resolute

spir breathe respiration, expire

sta, sist, sti stand static, consist

struct build construct, structure

tract draw, pull subtract, traction

ten, tain, tin hold contain, retention

tend stretch tendon, extensive

ter earth interment, terrestrial

text weave, construct textile, texture

therm hot, warm thermos, thermometer

thesis put, place synthesis, hypothesis

torq, tort twist, wind torque, contort

urb city urbane, suburban

vac, void empty vacuum, evacuate

val, valu worth, strength ambivalent, evaluate

ven, vent come intervene, adventure

verb word adverb, verbatim

vers, vert, verg turn versus, avert

vic, van, vinc conquer, change invincible, victory

vita, viv life vital, vivacious

volv, volu roll, will revolve, voluntary