SAT Roots, Prefixes, & Suffixes

Vocabulary-style flashcards for SAT roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

a (prefix)

absence, negation, or lack of something. (e.g., apathy, amoral, asymmetrical)

ab (prefix)

separation, removal, or deviation from a norm. (e.g., absent, abdicate, abnormal)

-cious, -uous (suffix)

describe a characteristic or a state of being filled with something. (e.g., audacious, spacious, tumultuous)

acu (root)

'pointed,' keen, precision, or sharp qualities. (e.g., acute, acupuncture, acumen)

agri (root/prefix)

A root or prefix referring to 'farming' or rural life. (e.g., agriculture, agrarian)

alb (root)

A root word meaning 'white' or 'pale,' often appearing in biological or descriptive terms related to color. (e.g., albino, albumin)

amb (root/prefix)

‘around,' duality, ambiguity, or encompassment. (e.g., ambidextrous, ambivalent, ambiguous)

ambul (root)

A root word meaning 'walk' or 'move,' used in words describing locomotion or the ability to move about. (e.g., ambulance, ambulatory, preamble)

amic (root)

A root word meaning 'friendly,' found in words that describe amicable relationships or companionship. (e.g., amicable, amigo)

ana (prefix)

reversal, repetition, rebuilding, or an upward direction. (e.g., analogy, analysis, anarchy)

arche (archi) (root/prefix)

A root or prefix referring to 'primitive,' 'origin,' or 'chief,' (e.g., archetype, archaic, archduke)

bel (root)

conflict, aggression, or a tendency towards combat. (e.g., belligerent, rebel, rebellion)

bene (prefix)

describe positive qualities, beneficial actions, or favorable outcomes. (e.g., benefit, benevolent, benign)

cata (prefix)

totality, order, downward movement, or breaking down. (e.g., catalogue, catastrophe, category)

cede (cess, ced) (root)

withdraw physically (movement) or giving up. (e.g., concede, recession, procedure)

ceive (root)

understanding, or perceiving ideas. (e.g., receive, conceive, perceive)

cent (root)

100 (e.g., century, percent, centipede)

cert (root)

'certain,'confidence, verification, or establishing truth. (e.g., certain, certify, ascertain)

cide (suffix/root)

kill (e.g., homicide, genocide, suicide)

clam (claim) (root)

‘shout' or 'speak,' found in words related to vocal expression, outcry, or public declaration. (e.g., exclaim, proclaim, claimant)

clar (root)

'clear,' distinctness, transparency, or making something understandable. (e.g., clarify, declaration, clear)

clud (clus) (root)

'close' or 'shut,' containment, confinement, or conclusion. (e.g., include, exclude, conclusion)

clin (cline) (root)

angle, inclination, or tendency. (e.g., incline, recline, decline)

cog (root)

thought, knowledge, recognition, or understanding. (e.g., cognition, recognize, incognito)

con (prefix)

A prefix meaning 'together' or 'common,' often implying aggregation, connection, or shared qualities. (e.g., connect, congruent, concise)

corp (root)

body:physical or organization, or a collection of individuals treated as a body. (e.g., corporation, corpse, corporeal)

cred (root)

faith, credibility, or a system of beliefs. (e.g., credible, credit, creed)

crypt (root)

A root word meaning 'hidden' or 'secret,' used in words pertaining to concealment, encoding, or mysteriousness. (e.g., cryptic, encrypt, cryptography)

culp (root)

'blame' or 'fault,' ‘guillt’ (e.g., culpable, culprit, exculpate)

cumul (root)

A root word referring to 'mass' or 'heap,' indicating accumulation, growth, or a gathering together. (e.g., accumulate, cumulative)

dem (root)

A root word meaning 'people,' population, demographics, or collective groups. (e.g., democracy, demographic, epidemic)

dia (prefix)

passage, separation, or extension through something. (e.g., diameter, diagonal, diaphragm)

don (root)

give: donation, pardon, or bestowing something. (e.g., donate, pardon, donor)

dur (root)

'harden' or 'long lasting,' resilience, endurance, or the length of time something lasts. (e.g., durable, endure, duration)

dyn (root)

‘power' or 'energy,'(e.g., dynamic, dynasty, dynamite)

ence (ance) (suffix)

'state,' 'condition,' or 'quality' of being something. (e.g., independence, presence, resistance)

esth (aesth) (root)

'beauty' or 'feeling,' sensory perception, artistic appreciation, or sensation. (e.g., aesthetic, anesthesia)

eu (prefix)

A prefix meaning 'good' or 'well,’(e.g., eulogy, euphoria, euphony)

fer (root)

transport give carry (e.g., transfer, ferry, fertile)

fid (root)

'trust' or 'faith,' (e.g., fidelity, confident, confide)

flect (flex) (root)

'bend,' physical curvature, flexibility, or thoughtful consideration. (e.g., reflect, flexible, genuflect)

fore (prefix)

'in front of' (e.g., forecast, foreshadow, foreword)

fusc (root)

dimness, obscurity, or making something unclear. (e.g., obfuscate, fuscous)

ger (root)

old age(e.g., geriatrics, gerontology)

grad (gress) (root)

‘to step' or 'to go,'movement, progression, or stages. (e.g., gradual, progress, aggression)

gyn (root)

woman(e.g., gynecology, misogynist)

hypo (prefix)

beneath,' or 'less than,' below normal, deficient, or subordinate. (e.g., hypothermia, hypothesis, hypodermic)

ian (suffix)

'related to' or 'a person belonging to,' (e.g., Martian, librarian, electrician)

idio (root)

‘distinct, individuality, or specific characteristics. (e.g., idiom, idiosyncrasy, idiot)

infra (prefix)

'beneath' , lower position, an underlying structure, or something subordinate. (e.g., infrastructure, infrared, infertile)

ir (prefix)

A prefix meaning 'not,' used to negate the meaning of a word, particularly before words starting with 'r'. (e.g., irregular, irresponsible, irreversible)

iso (prefix/root)

'equal' or 'same,' uniformity, equality, or identical properties. (e.g., isometric, isobar, isotope)

lab (root)

'work,' related to effort, labor, collaboration, or detailed development. (e.g., labor, collaborate, elaborate)

lat (root)

wide scope, side of something (e.g., lateral, latitude, dilute)

lex (root)

'word,' 'law,' or 'speech,' language, legal systems, or specific terminology. (e.g., lexicon, legal, dialect)

loq (root)

‘speech' verbal communication, eloquence, or conversational style. (e.g., eloquent, loquacious, colloquial)

luc (root)

‘light,' clarity, illumination, or transparency. (e.g., lucid, translucent, elucidate)

melan (root)

'black' or 'dark,' dark coloration, somber moods, or medical conditions involving dark pigments. (e.g., melanin, melancholy, melanoma)

meta (prefix)

'change,' 'beyond,' or 'after,' transformation, a higher level(e.g., metamorphosis, metaphor, metadata)

migr (root)

move: migration, transient living, or displacement. (e.g., migrate, immigrant, transient)

miss (mit) (root)

'send' or 'cast,' dispatching, transmitting, or launching. (e.g., dismiss, transmit, missile)

mort (root)

death, mortality, funeral terms (e.g., mortal, mortuary, immortal)

nat (root)

origin, birth, inherent qualities, or natural states. (e.g., native, natural, prenatal)

neg (root)

'no' or 'deny,' negation, refusal, or a lack of something. (e.g., negative, negate, neglect)

neo (prefix)

new (e.g., neonatal, neologism, neoclassical)

nov (root)

new (e.g., novel, innovate, novice)

ob (op) (prefix)

'in the way' or 'against,' obstruction (e.g., obstruct, oppose, obstruct)

opt (root)

to choice, vision, or optimal conditions. (e.g., optimal, optimize, optics)

oxy (root)

'sharp' or keen, oxygen, or sharply intense. (e.g., oxygen, oxymoron, paroxysm)

paleo (prefix)

'ancient' past geological eras, prehistoric times, or early forms. (e.g., paleontology, Paleozoic, Paleolithic)

pan (prefix)

'all' or 'every,' universality, or encompassing a whole. (e.g., panorama, pandemic, pan-American)

para (prefix)

'beside,' 'related,' or sometimes 'faulty,' suggesting proximity, similarity, or an abnormal condition. (e.g., parallel, paradox, paraprofessional)

path (root)

'suffering,' emotions, empathy, or medical conditions. (e.g., empathy, pathology, pathetic)

pel (puls) (root)

'drive' or 'push,' forceful movement, impulsion, or expulsion. (e.g., propel, compulsion, repellent)

ped (root)

'foot' or medical/educational care of children. (e.g., pedestrian, pediatrician, tripod)

peri (prefix)

'around,' encirclement, proximity, or surrounding. (e.g., perimeter, peripheral, periscope)

phil (root)

love (e.g., philanthropy, philosophy, bibliophile)

pos (root)

'put' or 'place,' arrange, position, or depositing something. (e.g., position, deposit, compose)

pug (root)

'to fight,' (e.g., pugnacious, repugnant, pugilist)

reg (root)

'guide,' 'rules,' or 'king,' (e.g., regulate, regent, regime)

san (root)

'health,' hygiene, sanitation, soundness of mind, or approval. (e.g., sanitary, sanction, sane)

scend (root)

'climb' or 'go,' upward or downward movement (e.g., ascend, descend, transcendent)

sci (root)

knowledge, awareness, or scientific inquiry. (e.g., science, conscious, omniscient)

se (prefix)

'apart,' separation, isolation, or distinction. (e.g., separate, seclude, segregate)

sect (root)

'cut,' division, parts, or intersections. (e.g., dissect, section, intersection)

sed (root)

sedentary

sol (root)

'comfort,' speaking to oneself. (e.g., console, solace, soliloquy)

soph (root)

'wise,' knowledge, or intellectual refinement. (e.g., philosophy, sophisticated, wisdom)

syn (sym) (prefix)

'together,' synchronization, agreement, or co-occurrence. (e.g., synchronize, sympathy, synthesis)

tact (root)

'to touch,' remaining whole. (e.g., tactile, contact, intact)

tax (root)

'arrangement' or 'order,' classification, syntax, or strategic planning. (e.g., taxonomy, syntax, tactics)

tele (prefix)

'far' or 'distant,' communication, vision, or operation over a distance. (e.g., telephone, telescope, telepathy)

tort (root)

'twist,' distortion, bending, or intense suffering. (e.g., torture, contort, distort)

vac (root)

'empty,' (e.g., vacant, evacuate, vacuum)

vor (vour) (root)

'eat' or 'devour,' (e.g., devour, carnivore, omnivore)

xen (root)

'foreign' or 'stranger,' unfamiliarity, different cultures, or alien characteristics. (e.g., xenophobia, xenodochial, xenomorphic)

act (root)

'to do, describing actions, processes, or states of being active, or to perform. (e.g., action, react, agile, exact)

aud/audit (root)

'to hear,' (e.g., audible, audience, audit, auditorium)

capit (root)

'head,' leadership, the top part of something, or capital cities. (e.g., captain, capitalize, decapitate, capitol)

card/cord (root)

‘heart,' emotions, or heartfelt agreement. (e.g., cardiac, cordial, record, concordance)