ASVAB Word Knowledge Mastery: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

Common Prefixes for Word Knowledge (Table 4-2)

• a-: Means no or not. Sample word: atheist.
• ab- or abs-: Means away or from. Sample word: absent.
• anti-: Means against. Sample word: antibody.
• bi-: Means two. Sample word: bilateral.
• circum-: Means around. Sample word: circumnavigate.
• com- or con-: Means with or together. Sample word: conform.
• contra- or counter-: Means against. Sample word: contradict.
• de-: Means away from. Sample word: detour.
• deca-: Means ten. Sample word: decade.
• extra-: Means outside or beyond. Sample words: extracurricular, extraordinary.
• fore-: Means in front of. Sample word: foreman.
• geo-: Means earth. Sample word: geology.
• hyper-: Means above or over. Sample word: hyperactive.
• il-: Means not. Sample word: illogical.
• mal- or male-: Means evil or bad. Sample word: malediction.
• multi-: Means many. Sample word: multiply.
• ob-: Means blocking. Sample word: obscure.
• omni-: Means all. Sample word: omnibus.
• out-: Means external or outside.
• que-, quer-, or ques-: Means ask. Sample words: question, query.
• re-: Means back or again. Sample word: return.
• semi-: Means half. Sample word: semisweet.
• super-: Means over or more. Sample word: superior.
• tele-: Means far. Sample word: telephone.
• trans-: Means across. Sample word: transatlantic.
• un-: Means not. Sample word: uninformed.

Common Suffixes and Word Transformations (Table 4-3)

• -able or -ible: Means capable of. Transformation: agree becomes agreeable.
• -age: Means act of. Transformation: break becomes breakage.
• -al: Means relating to. Transformation: function becomes functional.
• -ance or -ence: Means instance of an action. Transformation: perform becomes performance.
• -ation: Means action or process. Transformation: liberate becomes liberation.
• -en: Means made from. Transformation: silk becomes silken.
• -ful: Means full of. Transformation: help becomes helpful.
• -ic: Means relating to or like. Transformation: alcohol becomes alcoholic.
• -ical: Means possessing a quality of. Transformation: magic becomes magical.
• -ion: Means result of or act of. Transformation: legislate becomes legislation.
• -ish: Means resembling. Transformation: child becomes childish.
• -ism: Means belief in. Transformation: Buddha becomes Buddhism.
• -ist: Means one who characterizes. Transformation: elite becomes elitist.
• -ity: Means quality of. Transformation: specific becomes specificity.
• -less: Means not having. Transformation: child becomes childless.
• -let: Means small one. Transformation: book becomes booklet.
• -man: Means relating to humans. Transformation: gentle becomes gentleman.
• -ment: Means act or process of. Transformation: establish becomes establishment.
• -ness: Means possessing a quality. Transformation: good becomes goodness.
• -or, -er: Means one who does a thing. Transformation: orate becomes orator.
• -ous: Means state of. Transformation: danger becomes dangerous.
• -y: Means quality of. Transformation: taste becomes tasty.

Root Words and Identification Strategies

• Definition and Function of Root Words: Root words are the base parts of a word. In English, a single root can be modified to serve various roles, such as acting as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.
• Deduction Examples:     * If you know the root word "attach," you can deduce the meaning of "attachment."     * If you know "adherent," you can deduce the meaning of "adherence."
• Identification Strategy: When encountering an unfamiliar word, try dropping a few letters from the beginning (prefix) or the end (suffix) to see if the remaining part (the root) is recognizable. Identifying the root allows for a better guess regarding the word's definition.

Detailed List of Roots (Table 4-4)

• anthro or anthrop: Meaning: relating to humans. Sample word: anthropology.
• bibl: Meaning: relating to books. Sample word: bibliography.
• brev: Meaning: short. Sample word: abbreviate.
• cede or ceed: Meaning: go, yield. Sample word: recede.
• chrom: Meaning: color. Sample word: monochrome.
• cogn: Meaning: know. Sample word: cognizant.
• corp: Meaning: body. Sample word: corporate.
• dict: Meaning: speak. Sample word: diction.
• domin: Meaning: rule. Sample word: dominate.
• flu or fluc: Meaning: flow. Sample word: influx.
• form: Meaning: shape. Sample word: formulate.
• fract or frag: Meaning: break. Sample word: fragment.
• graph: Meaning: writing. Sample word: biography.
• junct: Meaning: join. Sample word: juncture.
• liber: Meaning: free. Sample word: liberate.
• lum or lumen: Meaning: light. Sample word: illuminate.
• oper: Meaning: work. Sample word: cooperate.
• path or pathy: Meaning: suffer, feeling. Sample word: pathology.
• port: Meaning: carry. Sample word: portable.
• press: Meaning: squeeze. Sample word: repress.
• scrib or script: Meaning: write. Sample word: describe.
• sens or sent: Meaning: feel. Sample word: sentient.
• tract: Meaning: pull. Sample word: traction.
• voc or vok: Meaning: call. Sample word: revoke.

Word Families and Related Word Analysis

• Concept of Word Families: Unfamiliar words on the Word Knowledge section may be recognizable if related to a known word in a different form.
• Example Analysis Case: "Beneficent":     * The Question: Beneficent most nearly means (A) kind, (B) beautiful, (C) unhappy, (D) troubled.     * Strategy: Link the unfamiliar word to a familiar one. The letters "benefi" relate to the word "benefit."     * Logical Link: Since a "benefit" is something that helps or aids, "beneficent" is likely related to helping or aiding.     * Process of Elimination:         * A helpful (beneficent) thing is unlikely to be "unhappy" or "troubled."         * While it could be "beautiful," it is more logically "kind."         * Best Answer: Choice (A) kind.