SAT Common Prefixes, Roots, & Words

ad-

to, toward (e.g., advance)

com-

together, with (e.g., composite)

de-

away, from (e.g., deter)

epi-

upon (e.g., epilogue)

ex-

out of (e.g., expel)

homo-

same, equal, like (e.g., homogenized)

hyper-

over, too much (e.g., hyperactive)

hypo-

under, too little (e.g., hypodermic)

in- (1)

not (e.g., insufficient)

in- (2)

into (e.g., instruct)

inter-

between (e.g., interstate)

mal-

bad (e.g., malfunction)

mono-

alone, one (e.g., monolith)

ob-

against (e.g., objection)

omni-

all, everywhere (e.g., omniscient)

poly-

many (e.g., polymorphous)

pro-

forward (e.g., propel)

retro-

backward (e.g., retrograde)

sub-

under (e.g., submarine)

trans-

across, beyond (e.g., transcend)

un-

not (e.g., unneeded)

arch

to rule (e.g., monarch)

belli

war, warlike (e.g., belligerent)

bene

good (e.g., benevolent)

chron

time (e.g., chronology)

dic

to say (e.g., indicative)

fac

to make, to do (e.g., artifact)

graph

writing (e.g., telegraph)

mort

to die (e.g., mortal)

port

to carry (e.g., deport)

contemporaries

people who lived at the same time

notion

an idea or theory

surmised

assumed

contrived

deliberately created

innocuous

harmless

novel

new

buttress

justify/defend

tranquilly

calm/peacefully

contempt

hate

thwarted

stopped/slowed down

prudent

smart/wise

overt

direct

cordial

business type of friendly

inadvertently

mistakingly

antecedent

event happening before another event

perpetual

lasting forever

impending

an event happening soon (often threatening)

exploit

to make full use of

ameliorate

make something bad better