Word Power – Lecture Notes Review

160 vocabulary flashcards summarizing the main terms, prefixes, bases, suffixes, historical facts, and example words from the Word Power lecture notes. Use them to reinforce definitions and morpheme meanings before the exam.

Morphology

The study of the internal structure and form of words

Etymology

The history and origin of a word

Morpheme

The smallest unit of meaning in a language

Prefix

A morpheme attached to the front of a base (e.g., re-play)

Base (Root)

The core part of a word that carries its principal meaning

Suffix

A morpheme added to the end of a base (e.g., play-er)

Content word

A word that carries lexical meaning (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

Function word

A short word that connects content words (e.g., the, with, on)

Allomorph

Variant spelling or pronunciation of the same morpheme (in / im / il / ir)

Empty morpheme

A morpheme with no assignable meaning in its context (con-cede)

Full morpheme

A morpheme whose meaning is clear in context (re-turn ‘back’)

Intensifying morpheme

A morpheme that strengthens a word’s meaning without adding sense (com-pel)

Runes

Letters of the early Germanic alphabet used in Old English inscriptions

Old English

The form of English spoken c. 600–1100 AD (Anglo-Saxon era)

Middle English

English spoken c. 1100–1500 AD, after the Norman Conquest

Modern English

English from c. 1500 AD to the present

Norman Invasion (1066)

Event that brought French influence to English vocabulary

Anglo-Saxon

Germanic people whose language formed the basis of Old English

Geoffrey Chaucer

Author of The Canterbury Tales, a key Middle English work

Renaissance (1500-1700)

‘Re-awakening’ period of art, science, and literature in Europe

Brain rot

Oxford 2024 Word of the Year: mental decline from trivial online content

{re}

Latin prefix meaning “back” or “again” (return, redivide)

{ad} / assimilated forms {ac af ag al an ap as at}

Latin prefix meaning “to, toward”

{dis}

Latin prefix meaning “apart, away” (dismiss, distract)

{e} / {ex} / {ef}

Latin prefix meaning “out, from” (emit, exit, effuse)

{in} / {im} (direction)

Latin prefix meaning “in, into” (inject, imbibe)

{in / il / im / ir} (negation)

Latin prefix meaning “not” (illogical, immoral, irregular)

{pre}

Latin prefix meaning “before” (predict, prepare)

{retro}

Latin prefix meaning “back, backward” (retrospect)

{intro} / {intra}

Latin prefixes meaning “into; within” (introspect, intramural)

{contra}

Latin prefix meaning “against” (contradict)

{pro} (Latin)

Prefix meaning “forward” or “in favor of” (promote, pro-democracy)

{ab / abs}

Latin prefix meaning “from, away” (abduct, abstract)

{per}

Latin prefix meaning “through” (perforate)

{preter}

Latin prefix meaning “beyond” (preternatural)

{infra}

Latin prefix meaning “below” (infrared, infrastructure)

{ultra}

Latin prefix meaning “beyond, excessively” (ultrasonic)

{non}

Latin prefix meaning “not, lacking” (nonhuman)

{a} / {an}

Greek prefix meaning “without, not” (anonymous, anemia)

{anti} / {ant}

Greek prefix meaning “against, opposite” (antibody, antonym)

{epi} / {ep}

Greek prefix meaning “upon” (epitaph, eponym)

{syn} / {sym}

Greek prefix meaning “with, together” (synthesis, symphony)

{ana}

Greek prefix meaning “up, again, back” (analysis)

{cata}

Greek prefix meaning “down” (catastrophe)

{dia}

Greek prefix meaning “through” (diameter, dialogue)

{peri}

Greek prefix meaning “around, near” (perimeter, periscope)

{ec} / {ex} (Greek)

Prefix meaning “out, outside” (exodus, ectopic)

{en} / {em}

Greek prefix meaning “in, within” (empathy, endemic)

{hyper}

Greek prefix meaning “over, excessive” (hypertension)

{hypo}

Greek prefix meaning “under, too little” (hypothermia)

{meta} / {met}

Greek prefix meaning “after, change” (metamorphosis)

{palin} / {pali}

Greek prefix meaning “again, back” (palindrome)

{para} / {par}

Greek prefix meaning “beside; abnormal” (parallel, paramedic)

{pro} (Greek)

Prefix meaning “before, in front of” (prologue, prognosis)

{amphi}

Greek prefix meaning “both, around” (amphibian)

{apo} / {ap} / {aph}

Greek prefix meaning “away from” (apostasy)

{exo}

Greek prefix meaning “outside” (exoskeleton)

{pel} / {pulse}

Latin base meaning “push, drive” (compel, expulsion)

{quire} / {quest}

Latin base meaning “ask, seek” (inquire, question)

{solve} / {solut}

Latin base meaning “loosen” (dissolve, solution)

{spic} / {spect}

Latin base meaning “look at, see” (inspect, conspicuous)

{sume}

Latin base meaning “take, use up” (consume, presume)

{vene} / {vent}

Latin base meaning “come” (convene, advent)

{gress}

Latin base meaning “step, go” (progress, digress)

{ced} / {cede} / {ceed} / {cess}

Latin base meaning “go, yield” (precede, secession)

{fer}

Latin base meaning “carry, bring” (transfer, confer)

{pose} / {pone} / {posit}

Latin base meaning “put, place” (compose, deposit)

{ject}

Latin base meaning “throw” (eject, inject)

{duct} / {duce}

Latin base meaning “lead” (conduct, induce)

{it}

Latin base meaning “go” (exit, transit)

{err}

Latin base meaning “wander” (errant, aberration)

{gen} (Greek)

Base meaning “be born, produce” (genesis, eugenics)

{log}

Greek base meaning “word, study” (logic, eulogy)

{phon} / {phem}

Greek base meaning “sound” (telephone, euphemism)

{pept} / {peps}

Greek base meaning “digest, cook” (dyspepsia, peptic)

{enter}

Greek base meaning “intestine, inside” (dysentery)

{pne}

Greek base meaning “breathe” (dyspnea, pneumatic)

{thanas} / {thanat}

Greek base meaning “death” (euthanasia, thanatology)

{phil}

Greek base meaning “love” (philosophy, bibliophile)

{phob}

Greek base meaning “fear” (claustrophobia)

{acro}

Greek combining form meaning “height, tip” (acrophobia)

{crac} / {crat}

Greek base meaning “rule” (democracy, theocracy)

{dermato}

Greek base meaning “skin” (dermatology)

{entomo}

Greek base meaning “insect” (entomology)

{helio}

Greek base meaning “sun” (heliotropic)

{etymo}

Greek base meaning “true meaning” (etymology)

{man} (mania)

Greek base meaning “madness” (pyromania)

{ochlo}

Greek base meaning “mob” (ochlocracy)

{ophio}

Greek base meaning “snake” (ophiology)

{ornitho}

Greek base meaning “bird” (ornithology)

{phag}

Greek base meaning “eat” (anthropophagous)

{pyro}

Greek base meaning “fire” (pyromaniac)

{theo}

Greek base meaning “god” (theology)

{ment}

Latin noun suffix meaning “result or means” (government)

{or}

Latin noun suffix meaning “doer” or “condition” (inventor, pallor)

{al}

Latin adjective suffix meaning “related to” (medical)

{ion}

Latin noun suffix meaning “action or result” (competition)

{ive}

Latin adjective suffix added to verbs (extensive, active)

{ence} / {ance}

Latin noun suffix meaning “state, condition” (confidence)

{ity}

Latin noun suffix meaning “quality, state” (purity)