GRE Word Roots

A/AN

= NOT, WITHOUT

agnostic: one who believes the existence of god is not provable

anomaly: an irregularity

atrophy: the wasting away of body tissue

AB

= OFF, AWAY FROM, APART, DOWN

abdicate: to renounce or relinquish a throne

abject: cast down, degraded

abstruse: hard to understand; secret, hidden

ABLE/IBLE

= CAPABLE OF, WORTHY OF

combustible: capable of being burned; flammable

inevitable: impossible to be avoided; certain to happen

changeable: able to be changed

AC/ACR

= SHARP, BITTER, SOUR

acerbic: sour or astringent in taste; harsh in temper

acrimonious: caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature

acumen: mental sharpness; quickness of wit

ACOU

= HEARING

acoustic: pertaining to hearing; sound made through

ACT/AG

= TO DO, TO DRIVE, TO FORCE, TO LEAD

prodigal: wastefully or recklessly extravagant

agile: quick and well-coordinated in movement; active, likely

AD

= TO, TOWARD, NEAR

accede: to yield to a demand; to enter office

advocate: to plead in favor of

adjoin: to be close or in contact with

AL/ALI/ALTER

= OTHER, ANOTHER

altruist: a person unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others

allegory: figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another

alias: an assumed name; another name

AM

= LOVE

amatory: of or pertaining to lovers or lovemaking

amiable: having or showing agreeable personal qualities

amity: friendship; peaceful harmony

AMBI/AMPHI

= BOTH, ON BOTH SIDES, AROUND

ambient: moving around freely; circulating

ambiguous: open to various interpreations

AMBL/AMBUL

= TO GO, TO WALK

ambulatory: of, pertaining to, or capable of walking

perambulator: one who makes a tour of inspection on foot; a baby stroller

ANIM

= OF THE LIFE, MIND, SOUL, BREATH

animosity: a feeling of ill will or enmity

equanimity: mental or emotional stability, especially under tension

ANNUI/ENNI

= YEAR

annals: a record of events, esp. a yearly record

annuity: a specified income payable at stated intervals

ANT/ANTE

= BEFORE

antecedent: existing, being, or going before

antediluvian: belonging to the period before the biblical flood; very old or old-fashioned

ANTHRO/ANDR

= MAN, HUMAN

misanthrope: one who hates humans or humanity

philanderer: one who carries on flirtations

androgen: any substance that promotes masculine characteristics

ANTI

= AGAINST, OPPOSITE

antipodal: on the opposite side of the globe

antipathy: aversion

antiseptic: free from germs; particularly clean or neat

APO

= AWAY

apogee: the highest or most distant point

apostasy: a total desertion of one’s religions, principles, party, cause, etc.

apocryphal: of doubtful authorship or authenticity

AQUA/AQUE

= WATER

subaqueous: underwater

aqueduct: a channel transporting water

ARCH/ARCHI/ARCHY

= CHIEF, PRINCIPAL, RULER

oligarchy: a state or society ruled by a select few

architect: the devisor, maker, or planner of anything

ARD

= TO BURN

ardent: burning; fierce; passionate

ardor: flame; passion

AUTO

= SELF

autocrat: an absolute ruler

automatic: self-moving or self-acting

BE

= ABOUT, TO MAKE, TO SURROUND, TO AFFECT (OFTEN USED TO TRANSFORM WORDS INTO TRANSITIVE VERBS)

belie: to misrepresnt; to contradict

bemoan: to moan for; to lament

BEL/BELL

= BEAUTIFUL

belle: a beautiful woman

embellish: to make beautiful; to ornament

BEN/BENE

= GOOD

benediction act of uttering a blessing

benign: having a kindly disposition

BELL

= WAR

belligerent: warlike, given to waging war

BI/BIN

= TWO

biennial: happening every two years

bilateral: pertaining to of affecting two or both sides

bipartisan: representing two parties