Word Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

a (Prefix)

Examples: apathy, amoral, asymmetrical

Meaning: without

ab (Prefix)

Examples: absent, abduct, abnormal, abort

Meaning: away

-cious, -uous (Suffix)

Meaning: abounding in

Examples: vivacious, volumptuous

acu (Root)

Meaning: sharp

Examples: acute, acupressure, acupuncture, acuity

agri (Root)

Meaning: farming

Examples: agriculture, agrarian

alb (Root)

Meaning: white

Examples: albino, albumen, albacore

amb (Prefix)

Meaning: both

Examples: ambivalent, ambiguous, ambidextrous

ambul (Root)

Meaning: walk, move

Examples: amble, ambulance, ambulant

amic (Root)

Meaning: friendly

Examples: amicable, amicably, dynamic

ana (Prefix)

Meaning: back

Examples: anachronism, anabasis

anti (ant) (Prefix)

Meaning: against, opposite

Examples: antagonist, antidote, antibiotics

arche (archi) (Root)

Meaning: primitive, origin

Examples: archaic, archaeology, archive

auto (Root)

Meaning: self

Examples: autopilot, autonomous, autocratic

bel (Root)

Meaning: war, fight

Examples: rebel, antebellum, bellicose

bene (Root)

Meaning: good

Examples: benefit, benign, benevolent, benefactor

bi (Prefix)

Meaning: two

Examples: bicycle, biceps, biscotti, biweekly

cata (Root)

Meaning: intensive, according to

Examples: cataclysm, catastrophic, catalog

cede (cess, ced) (Root)

Meaning: go, withdraw

Examples: recede, exceed, recession

ceive (Suffix)

Meaning: take

Examples: receive, perceive, reconceive

cent (Root)

Meaning: hundred

Examples: centennial, century, percent

cerebr (Root)

Meaning: brain

Examples: cerebral, cerebrate

cert (Root)

Meaning: sure

Examples: certain, ascertain, certify

chron (Root)

Meaning: time

Examples: chronicle, chronology, anachronism

cide (Root)

Meaning: kill

Examples: genocide, pesticide

circum (Prefix)

Meaning: around

Examples: circumference, circumstance

clam (claim) (Root)

Meaning: shout, speak

Examples: exclaim, clamor, proclaim

clar (Root)

Meaning: clear

Examples: clarify, clarification, declare

clud (clus) (Root)

Meaning: close

Examples: conclusion, seclude, conclude

clin (cline) (Root)

Meaning: lean

Examples: inclination, incline, recline

co (Prefix)

Meaning: with, together, joint

Examples: coauthor, cosign, collaborate, cooperate

cog (Root)

Meaning: know

Examples: cognitive, incognito, cognition

con (Prefix)

Meaning: together, common

Examples: connect, convention, concur

contra (Prefix)

Meaning: against

Examples: contraband, contrary

corp (Root)

Meaning: body

Examples: corporation, corpse, corporal

counter (Prefix)

Meaning: opposing, contrary

Examples: counteract, counterintuitive, counteroffer

cracy (crat) (Suffix)

Meaning: rule

Examples: democracy, democrat, theocracy, bureaucracy

cred (Root)

Meaning: believe

Examples: incredible, credit, credulous, credence

crypt (Root)

Meaning: hidden, secret

Examples: cryptic, encrypt

culp (Root)

Meaning: blame, fault

Examples: culpable, exculpate, culprit

cumul (Root)

Meaning: mass, heap

Examples: accumulate, cumulative

dem (Root)

Meaning: people

Examples: democracy, demographics

di (Prefix)

Meaning: twice, two

Examples: dilemma, diverse, dioxide

dia (Prefix)

Meaning: across, through

Examples: dialogue, diameter, diagnosis

domin (Root)

Meaning: master

Examples: dominate, predominate, dominerring

don (Root)

Meaning: give

Examples: donate, pardon, donor

dorm (Root)

Meaning: sleep

Examples: dormitory, dormant, dormer

dur (Root)

Meaning: harden, long lasting

Examples: durable, duration, endure

dyn (Root)

Meaning: power, energy

Examples: dynamite, dynamic

ence (ance) (Suffix)

Meaning: state, condition

Examples: performance, conference, insurance

esth (aesth) (Root)

Meaning: beauty, feeling

Examples: esthetician, aesthetic, kinesthesia

ethn (Root)

Meaning: nation, race

Examples: ethnicity, ethnology, ethnocentric

eu (Prefix)

Meaning: good, well

Examples: euphemism, euphoria

ex (Prefix)

Meaning: out, former

Examples: exit, ex-girlfriend, exterminate, extract

extra (Prefix)

Meaning: beyond

Examples: extraordinary, extraterrestrial, extravagance

fer (Suffix)

Meaning: carry, bring

Examples: transfer, ferry, conifer, confer

fid (Root)

Meaning: trust

Examples: confidence, fidelity

flect (flex) (Root)

Meaning: bend

Examples: reflect, flexible, inflect, deflect

fore (Root)

Meaning: in front of, previous

Examples: before, therefore, forebode, forecast

fusc (Root)

Meaning: dark

Examples: obfuscation, infuscate, subfuscous, fuscous

ger (Root)

Meaning: old age

Examples: geriatrics, gerontology

grad (gress) (Root)

Meaning: to step, to go

Examples: digress, gradual, graduate

gyn (Root)

Meaning: woman

Examples: gynecology, androgynous, misogyny

homo (homeo) (Prefix)

Meaning: same, alike

Examples: homogeneous, homonym, homeopath

hyper (Prefix)

Meaning: over, beyond

Examples: hyperactive, hyperventilate

hypo (Prefix)

Meaning: under

Examples: hypothermic, hypothesis, hypoglycemia

ian (Suffix)

Meaning: related to

Examples: librarian, historian, pedestrian

idio (Root)

Meaning: peculiar, distinct

Examples: idiotic, idiomatic

in/im (Prefix)

Meaning: not

Examples: incapable, incomplete, informal, imperfect

infra (Prefix)

Meaning: beneath

Examples: infrastructure, infrared

inter (Prefix)

Meaning: between

Examples: interview, international, interstate

ir (Prefix)

Meaning: not

Examples: irrational, irredeemable, irrelevant, irregular

iso (Prefix)

Meaning: equal

Examples: isobar, isometric

lab (Root)

Meaning: work

Examples: elaborate, laboratory, laborious, labor, collaborate

lat (Root)

Meaning: broad, wide

Examples: dilate, latitude

laud (Root)

Meaning: praise

Examples: laudably, applause, applaud

lex (Root)

Meaning: word, law

Examples: lexicology, dyslexic, alexia, lexicon

loq (Root)

Meaning: speech

Examples: loquacious, eloquent, colloquialism

luc (Root)

Meaning: light

Examples: elucidate, lucid, translucent

macro (Prefix)

Meaning: large, great

Examples: macroeconomics, macronutrients, macroevolution

mal (Root)

Meaning: bad, evil

Examples: malignant, maltreat, malfeasance, malicious

medi (Root)

Meaning: middle

Examples: mediocre, medium, medieval

melan (Root)

Meaning: black, dark

Examples: melancholy, melanoma, melodrama

meta (Prefix)

Meaning: change, beyond, after

Examples: metaphysics, metamorphosis, metastasis

micro (Prefix)

Meaning: small

Examples: microscope, micronutrient

migr (Root)

Meaning: move

Examples: immigrant, emigrate, migrant, migration

min (Prefix)

Meaning: small

Examples: minimum, miniature, miniscule, minute

mis (Prefix)

Meaning: wrong, bad

Examples: mistake, misinterpret, misogynist

miss (mit) (Root)

Meaning: send, cast

Examples: remit, dismiss, missle, emit

mono (Prefix)

Meaning: one

Examples: monotheism, monodiglyceride

mort (Root)

Meaning: death

Examples: mortuary, immortal, mortify

nat (Root)

Meaning: born

Examples: innate, natural, natal

neg (Root)

Meaning: no

Examples: negate, negative, renege

neo (Prefix)

Meaning: new

Examples: neophyte, neonatal, neologistic, neocolonialism

nov (Root)

Meaning: new

Examples: novice, renovate, novelty

null (Root)

Meaning: none

Examples: nullify, nullification, nulliparity

ob (op) (Prefix)

Meaning: in the way, against

Examples: object, objection, opposition, obscure

omni (Prefix)

Meaning: all

Examples: omnipotent, omniscient, omnivorous

opt (Root)

Meaning: best

Examples: optimal, optimum, optimize

ous (Suffix)

Meaning: having

Examples: adventurous, hazardous, nauseous, joyous

oxy (Root)

Meaning: sharp

Examples: oxymoron, oxidize