50 Common GRE Root Words

a/an-

not, without

ambi-/amphi-

both, on both sides, around

ant-/ante-

before

anti-

against, opposte

aqua-/aque-

water

ben-/bene

good

bi-/bin

two

bio-

life

-cede/-ceed/-cess

to go, to yield, to stop

circu/circum-

around

contra-/contro-/counter-

against

cycl

circle

de-

away, off, down, completely, reversal

di-/dif-/dis-

away from, apart, reversal, not

dic-/dict-/dit-

to say, to tell, to use words

dox

belief

du-/duo

two

e/ex-

out, out of, from, former, completely

em-/en-

into, in

esce

becoming

extra-/extro

beyond or outside

fi-/fid

faith, trust

fore

before, previously, earlier

gram/graph

to write, to draw

hetero-

different, other

hom-

same

hyper-

excessive

hypo-

under, below

inter-

between, among

intra-

inside, within

join/jug/junct

to meet, to join

-less

without

-logy

the study of

mal-/male

bad, ill, evil, wrong

mis-

bad, wrong, to hate

-ness

state of being

non-

not

ob-

toward, to, against, over

omni

all

ped-

child, education

phil

love

pre-

before, in front, earlier

pro-

in front, before, much, for, forward

pedi, pede

foot

re-

back, again

sub-/sup

below, under

temp

time

tor/torq/tort

to twist

trans-

across, beyond

un-

not