Word Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

Prefix: anti-

Against (e.g., antibiotic)

Prefix: auto-

Self (e.g., autobiography)

Prefix: bi-

Two (e.g., bicycle)

Prefix: circum-

Around (e.g., circumnavigate)

Prefix: contra-

Against (e.g., contradict)

Prefix: de-

Remove, down (e.g., deactivate)

Prefix: dis-

Opposite (e.g., disagree)

Prefix: ex-

Out (e.g., export)

Prefix: extra-

Beyond (e.g., extraordinary)

Prefix: hyper-

Over (e.g., hyperactive)

Prefix: hypo-

Under (e.g., hypothermia)

Prefix: inter-

Between (e.g., international)

Prefix: intra-

Within (e.g., intravenous)

Prefix: mal-

Bad (e.g., malfunction)

Prefix: mis-

Wrong (e.g., misunderstand)

Prefix: mono-

One (e.g., monologue)

Prefix: multi-

Many (e.g., multicultural)

Prefix: non-

Not (e.g., nonfiction)

Prefix: omni-

All (e.g., omniscient)

Prefix: post-

After (e.g., postgraduate)

Prefix: pre-

Before (e.g., preview)

Prefix: pro-

For (e.g., promote)

Prefix: re-

Again (e.g., rewrite)

Prefix: sub-

Under (e.g., submarine)

Prefix: super-

Above (e.g., superstar)

Prefix: trans-

Across (e.g., transport)

Prefix: tri-

Three (e.g., triangle)

Prefix: uni-

One (e.g., uniform)

Root: aud

Hear (e.g., audience)

Root: bene

Good (e.g., benefit)

Root: bio

Life (e.g., biology)

Root: chron

Time (e.g., chronological)

Root: cred

Believe (e.g., credible)

Root: dict

Say (e.g., predict)

Root: duc / duct

Lead (e.g., conduct)

Root: fac

Make or do (e.g., manufacture)

Root: graph

Write (e.g., autograph)

Root: ject

Throw (e.g., reject)

Root: loc

Place (e.g., location)

Root: log

Study (e.g., biology)

Root: luc / lum

Light (e.g., illuminate)

Root: man

Hand (e.g., manual)

Root: memor

Remember (e.g., memorial)

Root: mit / miss

Send (e.g., transmit)

Root: mort

Death (e.g., mortal)

Root: path

Feeling (e.g., empathy)

Root: ped

Foot (e.g., pedestrian)

Root: phon

Sound (e.g., microphone)

Root: port

Carry (e.g., portable)

Root: scrib / script

Write (e.g., manuscript)

Root: spect

Look (e.g., inspect)

Root: struct

Build (e.g., construct)

Root: tract

Pull (e.g., attract)

Root: vac

Empty (e.g., vacuum)

Root: vid / vis

See (e.g., vision)

Root: voc

Voice (e.g., vocal)

Suffix: -able

Capable of (e.g., readable)

Suffix: -al

Relating to (e.g., natural)

Suffix: -ance / -ence

State of (e.g., importance)

Suffix: -dom

Condition (e.g., freedom)

Suffix: -er / -or

One who (e.g., actor)

Suffix: -ful

Full of (e.g., joyful)

Suffix: -ic

Relating to (e.g., scientific)

Suffix: -ify

Make (e.g., simplify)

Suffix: -ism

Belief (e.g., realism)

Suffix: -ist

Person (e.g., artist)

Suffix: -ity

Quality (e.g., activity)

Suffix: -less

Without (e.g., fearless)

Suffix: -logy / -ology

Study of (e.g., geology, psychology)

Suffix: -ment

Result (e.g., achievement)

Suffix: -ness

State (e.g., kindness)

Suffix: -ous

Full of (e.g., generous)

Suffix: -tion / -sion

Act of (e.g., education)