SAT Roots

ag-, act-

do or drive; action, active

ambi-, amphi-

both or on both sides; ambidextrous, amphibious

am-, ami-

love; amiable, amorous

anim-

mind, spirit, or life; animate, unanimous

anthrop-

human; anthropology, philanthropy

aud-

hear; audible, audience

auto-

self; autobiography, automatic

bene-

good or well; benefit, benevolent

bi-

two; bilingual, bilateral

bio-

life; biology, biography

chron-

time; chronic, chronology

circum-

around; circumnavigate, circumspect

cred-

believe or trust; credible, credit

dict-

say or speak; dictate, contradict

duc-, duct-

lead; conduct, induce

bene-/mal-

good / bad; benevolent / malevolent

dem-

people; democracy, demographic

equ-

equal or even; equitable, equivalent

fac-, fact-, fect-

make or do; manufacture, effect

fid-

faith or trust; fidelity, confident

form-

shape; transform, formation

geo-

earth; geology, geography

graph-

write or record; graphic, biography

ject-

throw; project, reject

loqu-, locut-

speak; loquacious, elocution

luc-, lum-

light; lucid, illuminate

magn-

great or large; magnify, magnificent

mal-

bad or harmful; malicious, malfunction

mis-

wrong or badly; misjudge, misinterpret

morph-

form or shape; amorphous, metamorphosis

mort-, mori-

death; mortal, mortuary

multi-

many; multiple, multiform

nat-

birth; native, prenatal

omni-

all; omniscient, omnipresent

path-

feeling, suffering, or disease; empathy, pathology

phil-

love; philosophy, philanthropy

port-

carry; portable, transport

scrib-, script-

write; describe, manuscript

spec-, spic-

look or see; inspect, perspective

terr-

earth or land; terrain, terrestrial

vac-

empty; vacant, evacuate

ver-

truth; verify, veracity

viv-, vit-

life; vivid, vitality

anti-

against; antisocial, antibiotic

co-, com-, con-

with or together; cooperate, combine, connect

contra-, contro-

against; contradict, controversy

dis-, dif-

apart, away, or not; disagree, diffuse

ex-, e-

out or away; expel, emit

hyper-

over or excessive; hyperactive, hyperbole

hypo-

under or too little; hypothermia, hypothetical

in-, im-, il-, ir-

not; inaccurate, impossible, irregular

inter-

between or among; interact, international

intra-

within; intramural, intravenous

mono-

one; monologue, monotone

non-

not; nonconformist, nonessential

pre-

before; predict, precede

re-

again or back; revise, return

sub-

under or below; subterranean, substandard

trans-

across or beyond; transfer, transform

-able, -ible

capable of being; adaptable, audible

‑al, ‑ial

related to; natural, essential

‑ance, ‑ence

state or quality; importance, persistence

‑ate

to make or act; activate, validate

‑ful

full of; hopeful, skeptical

‑ism

belief, practice, or system; realism, criticism

‑ist

person who practices or believes; artist, realist

‑ity, ‑ty

state or quality; clarity, severity

‑less

without; harmless, careless

‑logy

study of; biology, geology

‑ous, ‑ious

full of or having; cautious, curious

‑tion, ‑sion

act, process, or result; creation, decision