[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
PREFIXES
A
a-, ac-, ad-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward, near, in addition to
o aside (adverb): to or toward the side
a + side
o accompany (verb): to go with someone as a companion
ac + com + pan + y
o adjust (verb): to correct, to move closer to a correct position
ad + just
o affix (verb): to attach to something, to fasten
af + fix
o aggression (noun): hostile behavior towards someone or something
ag + gress + ion
o allocate (verb): to distribute to specific people or for specific purposes
al + loc + ate
o annihilate (verb): to destroy
an + nihil + ate
o associate (verb): to join with
as + soci + ate
o attend (verb): to look after, to go to
at + tend
a-, an- not, without
o apolitical (adjective): without interest in politics
a + polit + ic + al
o anemia (noun): the condition (disease) of not having enough red blood cells
an + em + ia
ab-, abs- away from, off
o abrupt (adjective): unexpected change
ab + rupt
o absolve (verb): to be set free from one's actions or obligations
ab + solve
ante- before
o anterior (adjective): before or near the front
ante + rior
anti- against
o antipathy (noun): dislike, opposite feeling
anti + path + y
auto- self
o automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines
auto + mot + ive
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
B
bi- two
o biped (noun): a two-footed animal
bi + ped
o biennial (adjective): happening every two years bi + enni + al
C
cat-, cata-, cath- down, with
o category (noun): a class or set to which a thing belongs
cate + gor + y
o catalogue (noun): a book or pamphlet that lists and describes
cata + log + ue
o catheter (noun): a medical device used to tranfer fluids
cath +eter
circum- around
o circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation
circum + vent
co-, cog-, col-, com-, con-, cor together, with
o cohesiveness (noun): the ability to stick together
co + hes + ive + ness
o cognate (adjective): related, similar in nature
cog + nate
o collaborate (verb): to work together
col + lab + or + ate
o commitment (noun): to entrust, to put into a place
com + mit + ment
o convenient (adjective): handy, nearby
con + veni + ent
o correct (verb): to set right, to be right
cor + rect
contra- against, opposite
o contradict (verb) to state the opposite
contra + dict
D
de- to do the opposite, to take away from
o decrease (verb): to grow smaller, to become less
de + cre + ase
di-, dif-, dis- apart, separate, two, opposite, not
o divide (verb): to separate into two or more parts
di + vide
o differ (verb): to be unlike
dif + fer
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
dis- not, opposite of, exclude
o distrust (verb): to have no confidence or trust
dis + trust
E
e-, ex- out, out of, from
o emit (verb) to send out
e + mit
o expel (verb): to force out ex + pel
en-, em- put into
o enamor (verb): to cause to love, to "put" someone "into" love
en + am + + or
o empower (verb): to give power, to put into power em + pow + er
epi-, upon, beside, over
o epilogue (noun): the concluding section of a play or literary work
epi + logue
extra- beyond
o extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal
extra + ordin + ary
I
il-, im-, in-, ir, not, in
o illegible (adjective): cannot be read
il + leg + ible
o imposter (noun): someone who poses as someone else
im + post + er
o inaction (noun): lack of motion, idle
in + act + ion
o irresolute (adjective): uncertain about hot to act, undecided, not having a
solution
ir + re + solute
in-, im-, il- in, into
o instead (adverb): in place of, an alternative
in + stead
o import (verb): to bring into a country from another country
im + port
inter- between, among
o interject (verb): to throw something (usually a comment) between other things
inter + ject
intro- into
o introspection (noun): to look into one's own thoughts and feelings
intro + spect + ion
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
M
mal- bad
o malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly
mal + funct + ion
mis- wrong
o misconduct (noun): wrong doing, bad behavior
mis + con + duct
mono- one
o monologue (noun): a dramatic performance or speech given by one actor
mono + logue
multi- many
o multiply (verb): to increase in number
multi + ply
N
non- not, no
o nonsense (noun): something that has no meaning or makes no sense
non + sense
O
ob-, oc-, of-, op- toward, against, in the way
o obtain (verb): to gain or get, to get a hold of
ob + tain
o occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
oc + cur
o offer (verb): to attempt to give, to propose, to try to hand out
of + fer
o oppose (verb): to be against, to stand in the way of something
op + pose
over- excessive, above
o overwork (verb): to have too much work
over + work
P
para- beside
o paradox (noun): a statement that seems true and contradictory at the same
time
para + dox
per- through
o persecute (verb): to go after, to pursue
per + secute
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
post- after
o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay
post + pone
pre- before
o precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of
pre + cede
pro- for, foward
o propel (verb): to push forward
pro + pel
R
re- back, again
o readmit (verb): to allow in again
re + ad + mit
retro- backward
o retrospect (noun) to look back at past events
retro + spect
S
se- apart, move away from
o secede (verb): to withdraw from an organization
se + cede
semi- half
o semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year
semi + annu + al
sub-, suc-, suf-, sup-, sur-, sus under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above, up
o submarine (adjective): underwater
sub + mar + ine
o succeed (verb): to do well, to come after
suc + ceed
o suffice (verb): to be enough
suf + fice
o support (verb): to hold up, too keep up
sup + port
o survive (verb): to live, to live through something, to exist
sur + vive
o sustain (verb): to keep up, to hold up,
sus + tain
super- over, above
o superimpose (verb): to place something on top of something else
super + im + pose
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
syn-, sym- together, at the same time
o synchronous (adjective): happening at the same time
syn + chron + ous
o sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, compassion
sym + path + y
T
trans- across, beyond, change
o transform (verb): to change shape
trans + form
tri- three
o tripod (noun): a three-legged stand
tri + pod
U
un- not, against, opposite
o unceasing (adjective): never ending, continuous
un + ceas + ing
uni- one
o uniform (adjective): having the same form or consistancy
uni + form
SUFFIXES
NOUNS
A
-acy, -cy
o Noun: state or quality
privacy: the state of being alone
priv + acy
infancy: the state of being a baby or young child
in + fan + cy
-age
o Noun: activity, or result of action
courage : having the spirit to overcome fear
cour + age
-al
o Noun: action, result of action
referral : the action of directing a person to another place, person or
thing
re + ferr + al
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
-an
o Noun: person
artisan : a craftsperson
arti + san
-ance, -ence
o Noun: action, state, quality or process
resistance : the action of opposing something
re + sist + ance
independence: the state of not being under the control of others, free,
self-governing
in + de + pend + ence
-ancy, -ency
o Noun: state, quality or capacity
vacancy : an empty room or position
vac + ancy
agency: the capacity to exert power or influence, a position or person
that performs a function
ag + ency
-ant, -ent
o Noun: an agent, something that performs the action
disinfectant : an agent that destroys germs, somthing that cleans
dis + in + fect + ant
dependent: a thing supported by another, a thing determined by
another
de + pend + ent
-ate
o Noun: state, office, fuction
candidate : a person nominated for an office or position
candid + ate
-ation
o Noun: action, resulting state
specialization : the result of being distinguished by one quality or
ability
spec + ial + iz + ation
D
-dom
o Noun: place, state of being
wisdom : possessing knowledge
wis + dom
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
E
-er, -or
o Noun: person or thing that does something
porter : a person who carries things
port + er
collector: a person who collects or gathers things
col + lect + or
F
-ful
o Noun: an amount or quanity that fills
mouthful : an amount that fills the mouth
mouth + ful
I
-ian, an
o Noun: related to, one that is
pedestrian : a person who walks
ped + estr + ian
human: a person
hum + an
-ia
o Noun: names, diseases
phobia : an illogical fear of something
phob + ia
-iatry
o Noun: art of healing
psychiatry : branch of medicine that deals with the mind and emotions
psych + iatry
-ic, ics
o Noun: related to the arts and sciences
arithmetic : a branch of math that usually deals with non-negative
numbers
arithm + et + ic
economics: the social science related to studying business
eco + nom + ics
-ice
o Noun: act
malice : the desire to do evil
mal + ice
-ing
o Noun: material made for, activity, result of an activity
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
flooring : a material made for floors
floor + ing
swimming: the activity of swimming or moving through water
swim(m) + ing
building: the result of making a structure
build + ing
-ion
o Noun: condition or action
abduction : the action of carrying someone away by force
ab + duct + ion
-ism
o Noun: doctrine, belief, action or conduct
formalism : a belief in sticking to prescribed forms or artistic styles
form + al + ism
-ist
o Noun: person or member
podiatrist : a foot doctor
pod + iatr + ist
-ite
o Noun: product or part
graphite : a black material used in making pencils
graph + ite
-ity, ty
o Noun: state or quality
lucidity : clear thinking
luc + id + ity
novelty: something new or unusual
nov + el + ty
-ive
o Noun: condition
native : a person born in a specific place
nat + ive
M
-ment
o Noun: condition or result
document : an official paper usually showinf proof or evidence of
something
docu + ment
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
N
-ness
o Noun: state, condition, quality
kindness : the quality of being kind or nice
kind + ness
O
-or
o Noun: condition or activity
valor : bravery, courage
val + or
-ory
o Noun: place for, serves for
territory : an area around a place
territ + ory
S
-ship
o Noun: status, condition
relationship : the state of being related or connected to something or
someone
re + lat + ion + ship
U
-ure
o Noun: act, condition, process, function
exposure : the condition of being exposed or unprotected
pos + ure
Y
-y
o Noun: state, condition, result of an activity
society : companionship
soci + et + y
victory: the result of winning something
vict + or + y
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
VERBS
A
-ate
o Verb: cause to be
graduate : to give a degree to, to pass from one stage to the next
gradu + ate
E
-ed
o Verb: past tense
attained : something that has been reached or grasped
at + tain + ed
-en
o Verb: to cause to become
moisten : to cause to become moist or damp
moist + en
-er, -or
o Verb: action
ponder : to think about
pond + er
clamor: to make noise, to call for loudly
clam + or
I
-ify
o Verb: cause
specify : to name or indicate in detail
spec + ify
-ing
o Verb: present participle
depicting : showing, describing with images or pictures
de + pict + ing
-ize
o Verb: cause
fantasize : to dream about something, to create images in the mind
fant + as + ize
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
U
-ure
o act
Verb: conjecture : to come to a conclusion by supposition or
guesswork
con + ject + ure
ADJECTIVES
A
-able, -ible
o Adjective: worth, ability
solvable : able to be solved or explained
solv + able
incredible: not able to be believed, amazing
in + cred + ible
-al, -ial, -ical
o Adjective: quality, relation
structural : related to the physical make up of a thing
struct + ure + al
territorial: related to nearby or local areas
territ + or + ial
categorical: related to a category, aboslute
cate + gor + ical
-ant, -ent, -ient
o Adjective: kind of agent, indication
important : marked by worth
im + port + ant
dependent: determined or relying upon something else
de + pend + ent
convenient: at hand, easy to use
con + ven + ient
-ar, -ary
o Adjective: resembling, related to
spectacular : related to something that is eye-catching or amazing
spectac + ul + ar
unitary : related to units or single groups representing quantities
unit + ary
-ate
o Adjective: kind of state
inviolate : not disturbed, pure
in + viol + ate
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
E
-ed
o Adjective: having the quality of
terraced : having terraces or steps
terrac + ed
-en
o Adjective: material
silken : made from silk, a fiber produced by worms
silk + en
-er
o Adjective: comparative
brighter : more light
bright + er
-est
o Adjective: superlative
strongest : having the most strength
strong + est
F
-ful
o Adjective: having, giving, marked by
fanciful : marked by imagination
fanci + ful
I
-ic
o Adjective: quality, relation
generic : related to a whole group
gener + ic
-ile
o Adjective: having the qualities of
projectile : something thrown with an outside force
pro + ject + ile
-ing
o Adjective: activity
cohering : the act of sticking together
co + her + ing
-ish
o Adjective: having the character of
newish : modern, recent
new + ish
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
-ive, -ative, -itive
o Adjective: having the quality of
festive : having the quality of a festival or party
fest + ive
cooperative : being able or willing to work with another person or
thing
co + oper + ative
sensitive: easily felt, responsive to the senses
sens + itive
L
-less
o Adjective: without, missing
motiveless : a reason for someone to do something
mot + ive + less
O
-ous, -eous, -ose, -ious
o Adjective: having the quality of, relating to
adventurous : charcterized by the desire to seek new experiences or
risks
ad + vent + ur + ous
courageous : characterized by courage, brave
cour + ag + eous
verbose: having more words than needed
verb + ose
fractious: characterized by being difficult or troublesome
fract + ious
Y
-y
o Adjective: marked by, having
hungry : having hunger, marked by a desire
hungr + y
ADVERBS
F
-fold
o Adverb: in a manner of, marked by
fourfold : being four times as great
four + fold
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
-ly
o Adverb: in the manner of
fluently : marked by ease of movement, effortlessly smooth
flu + ent + ly
W
-ward
o Adverb: in a direction or manner
homeward : toward home
home + ward
-wise
o Adverb: in the manner of, with regard to
timewise : with regard to time
time + wise
ROOTS
A
act, ag: do, act, drive
o Latin, agere: to drive, lead, act, do
o active (adjective): moving about
am, ami: love, like
o Latin, amare: to love
o amorous (adjective): loving
anim: mind, life, spirit, anger
o Latin, animus: spirit
o animal (noun): a living creature
annu, enni: yearly
o Latin, annuus: yearly
o annual (adjective): yearly
auc, aug, aut: to originate, to increase
o Latin, augere: to originate, increase
o augment (verb): to increase, to add to
aud, audit, aur: hear
o Latin, audire: to hear
o audible (adjective): can be heard
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
B
bene, ben: good, well, gentle
o Latin, bene: good
o benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle
bio, bi: life
o Greek, bios: life
o biography (noun): a book written about a person's life
bibli, biblio: book
o Greek, biblion: book
o bibliophile (noun): a person who likes or collects books
brev: short
o Latin, brevis: short
o abbreviate (verb): to shorten
C
cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid: to take, to seize, to hold
o Latin, capere: to seize
o receive (verb): to take in, to acquire
ceas, cede, ceed, cess: go, yield
o Latin, cedere: to go
o exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than
chron: time
o Greek, khronos: time
o chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time or sequence
clam, claim: shout
o Latin, clamare: to call out, shout
o clamor (verb): to make noise
cogn, gnos: know to know
o Latin, cognoscere: to know
o recognize (verb): to know, to identify
corp: body
o Latin, corpus: body
o corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group
cre, cresc, cret: grow
o Latin, crescere: to grow
o create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination
cred: trust, believe
o Latin, credere: to believe
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
o incredible (adjective): unbelievable
cour, cur, curr, curs: run, course
o Latin, currere: run
o occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
D
dic, dict, dit: say, speak
o Latin, dicere: to say
o indicate (verb): to show, to point out
doc, doct: teach, prove
o Latin, docere: to teach
o docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught
dog, dox: thought, idea
o Greek, dokein: seem, think
o dogma (noun): an established opinion
dec, dign: suitable
o Latin, decere: to be suitable
o decent (adjective): conforming to standards, suitable, good
duc, duct**: lead
o Latin, ducere: to draw or lead
o conduct (verb): to lead or guide
(noun) - a person's behavior
o ** ducere is one of the most prolific sources of English words
E
ev, et: time, age
o Latin, aevum: lifetime
o medieval (adjective): related to the Middle Ages (500 - 1500 AD)
F
fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea: make do, do
o Latin, facere - make, do
o difficult (noun): hard to do, troublesome
fer: bear, carry
o Latin, ferre: bear, carry
o infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from looking at facts, to guess
fict, feign, fain: shape, make, fashion
o Latin, fingere: shape, make
o fiction (noun): something produced from imagination, an invented story
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
fid: belief, faith
o Latin, fidere: to trust
o confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret
fig: shape, form
o Latin, figura: form, shape, figure
o figurem (noun): shape, pattern, drawing
(verb) - decide, plan, decipher
flu, fluct, flux: flow
o Latin, fluere: to flow
o fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth easy style
(noun) - a liquid
form: shape
o Latin, forma: beauty, shape, form
o format (noun): the shape and size of something
fract, frag, frai: break
o Latin, frangere: to break
o frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong, weak
G
gen, gin: to give birth, kind
o Greek, genus: birth
o generate (verb): to produce, to create
geo: earth
o Greek, ge: earth
o geography (noun): a science that describes the earth's surface
gor: to gather, to bring together
o Greek, ageirin: to gather
o category (noun): a class or set in which a thing is placed
grad, gress, gree: step, go, move
o Latin, gradus: step
o degree (noun): a step or stage in a process
graph, graf: write, draw
o Greek, graphein: write, scratch, carve
o graphic (adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown
H
her, hes: to stick
o Latin, haerere: to stick
o adhere (verb): to stick
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
J
jac, ject, jet: to throw
o Latin, jacere: to throw, to lie
o reject (verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept
jug, junct, just: to join
o Latin, jungere: to join
o junction (noun): a place at which two things join
L
lex, leag, leg: law
o Latin, lex: law
o legal (adjective): based on law
lect, leg, lig: choose, gather, select, read
o Latin, legere: to choose
o collect (verb): to gather, to bring together
loc: place, area
o Latin, locare: to place
o location (noun): a place, a position occupied
log: say, speech, word, reason, study
o Greek, logos: speech, word, reason
o logic (noun): the study of reason, reasoning
luc, lum, lust: light
o Latin, lucare: shine
o Latin, lumen: light
o Latin, lustrare: light-up
o translucent (adjective): permitting some light to come through
M
man: hand, make, do
o Latin, manus: hand
o manage (verb): to handle with skill, to be able to do
mem: recall, remember
o Latin, memor: mindful
o memory (noun): the ability to recall or to bring to mind
ment: mind
o Latin, mens: mind
o mental (adjective): related to the mind
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
min: little, small
o Latin, minuere: to lessen
o minor (adjective): less important, lesser
mit, miss: send
o Latin, mittere: put, send
o admit (verb): to accept, to allow entry
mob, mov, mot: move
o Latin, movere: move
o motion (noun): act of moving, action
N
nasc, nat, gnant, nai: to be born
o Latin, nasci to be born
o nascent (adjective) - just born
nom, nym: name
o Latin, nomen: name
o nominate (verb): to name for office
nov: new
o latin, novus: new
o novice (noun): a beginner or newcomer
O
oper: work
o Latin, opus: work
o operate (verb): to work, to perform
P
pat, pass: feel, suffer
o Latin, pati: suffer
o passion (noun): a strong feeling or emotion
path: feel
o Greek, pathos: feeling
o sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings
ped: foot
o Latin, pes: foot
o impede (verb): to hinder, to slow down
pod: foot
o Greek, pous: foot
o podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
pel, puls: drive, push
o Latin, pellere: to drive, push, beat
o repel (verb): to drive away or push back
pend, pond: to hang, weigh
o Latin, pendere: to hang, to weigh
o append (verb): to add or correct
phan, phas, phen, fan, phant, fant: show, make visible
o Greek, phainein: show
o phantom (noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost
phil: love
o Greek, philos: loving
o philosopher (noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom
phon: sound
o Greek, phone: voice, sound
o phonetic (adjective): related to speech sounds
pict: paint, show, draw
o Latin, pingere: to paint
o picture (verb): to paint or draw
port: carry
o Latin, portare: carry
o import (verb): to bring in from a foreign country
pli, ply: fold
o Latin, plicare: fold
o reply (verb): to respond, to answer
pon, pos: put, place
o Latin, ponere: to lay down, put, place
o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time
psych: mind
o Greek, psukhe: soul, spirit
o psychology (noun): study of how the mind works
Q
quir, quis, quest, quer: seek, ask
o Latin, quaerere: seek, ask
o query (verb): to ask questions
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
R
rupt: break
o Latin, rumpere: break
o rupture (verb): to break or burst
S
sci, scio: to know
o Latin, scire: to know
o conscious (adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself
scrib, scrip: write
o Latin, scribere: to write
o script (noun): handwriting, something written
sent, sens: feel, think
o Latin, sentire: feel
o sentiment (noun): a thought prompted by feeling
sequ, secut, sue: follow
o Latin, sequi: to follow
o sequence (noun): a continuous series
sist: to withstand, make up
o Latin, sistere: to make a stand
o insist (verb): to be firm about something needed, to demand
soci: to join, companions
o Latin, sociare, socius: to join, a companion
o sociable (adjective): inclined to seek friendship, companionship
sol: alone
o Latin, solus: alone, single
o solitary (adjective): being alone
solv, solu, solut: loosen, explain
o Latin, solvere: too loosen, release
o solve (verb): to find an answer
spec, spi, spic, spect: look
o Latin, specere: look, look at
o spectator (noun): a person who watches
spir: breath, soul
o Latin, spirare: breathe
o respiration (noun): breathing
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
stab, stat: stand
o Latin, stare: to stand
o stature (noun) - height of a standing body, importance of position
strain, strict, string, stige: bind, pull
o Latin, stringere: to bind or pull tight
o constrict (verb) - to squeeze, to make narrow
stru, struct, stroy: build
o Latin, struere: to build
o destroy (verb): to ruin, to pull down
T
tact, tang, tig, ting: touch
o Latin, tangere: to touch
o tactile (adjective): related to the sense of touch
tele: far away
o Greek, telos: end
o telepathy (noun): communication from one mind to another without verbal or
written communication
tend, tens: stretch
o Latin, tendere: to stretch
o contend (verb): to strive or reach for, to argue
tain, ten, tent, tin: hold, keep, have
o Latin, tenere: to hold
o retain (verb): to keep, to hold in place
term: end, boundary, limit
o Latin, terminusm: limit, boundary
o exterminate (verb): to kill off, to get rid of
terr: earth
o Latin, terra: earth
o territory (noun): area of land
test: see, witness
o Latin, testis: witness
o attest (verb): to provide proof, to say something is true
therm: heat
o Greek, therme: heat
o thermometer (noun): a device for measuring heat
tor, tors, tort: twist
o Latin, torquere: twist
o torsion (noun): twisting of the body
tract, trai, treat: pull, draw
o Latin, trahere: pull
o attract (verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest
U
uni: one
o Latin, unus: one
o unite (verb): to make one, to join together
V
vac: empty
o Latin, vacare: to be empty
o vacant (adjective): empty, not occupied
ven, vent: come
o Latin, venire: to come
o convene (verb): to assemble, to come together
ver: true
o Latin, venus: true
o verify (verb): to confirm that something is true
verb, verv: word
o Latin, verbum: word
o verbalize (verb): to express in words, to put into words
vers, vert: turn,change
o Latin, versare: to turn
o versatile (adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful
vid, vie, vis: see
o Latin, videre: to see; Latin, videre: to separate
o visible (adjective): able to be seen
o divide (verb): to separate
vit, viv: live
o Latin, vivere: to live
o vital (adjective) - necessary for life
voc, voke: call
o Latin, vocare: call, voice
o vocal (adjective): spoken or uttered by the voice
volv, volt, vol: roll, turn
o Latin, volvere: to roll, turn
o revolve (verb): to turn around
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
VOCABULARY LIST
A
act, ag
react (verb): to act in response to something
o re + act
o How did he react when he heard the news?
agent (noun): something which acts or acts upon something else
ag + ent
o The travel agent helped her purchase the tickets.
active (adjective): involving movement, moving about
o act + ive
o Joan is an active child.
agitate (verb): to excite, to disturb, to stir up
o agit + ate
o The washing machine agitates the load of laundry.
aud, audit, aur
audible ( adjective): can be heard
o aud + ible
o Your voice is barely audible over the sound of the train whistle.
auditorium (noun): a place where one goes to hear something
o audit+ orium
o The band played in the school auditorium
auricular
o aur + ic + ul + ar
o The auricular ability of the cat is well-known.
am, ami
amorous (adjective): loving
o amor + ous
o The actor played an amorous role.
amiable (adjective) friendly, agreeable
o ami + able
o He seems to be an amiable man.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
amicable (adjective): friendly
o amic + able
o The two neighbors came to an amicable decision about the fence.
anim
animal (noun): a living creature
o anim + al
o A dog is an animal.
animate (verb): to give spirit or support, to supply movement
o anim + ate
o The artist animated the cartoon.
animosity (noun): hostility, ill will
o animos + ity
o There isn't any animosity between us.
ann, annu, enni
annals (noun): record of events, historical records
o ann + al + s
o The annals of the organization are kept in notebooks.
annual (adjective): yearly
o annu + al
o She is planning on going to the company's annual meeting.
annuity (noun): money payable yearly
o annu + ity
o Joan is going to invest her annuity in the stock market.
anniversary (noun): the yearly celebration of an event
o anni + vers + ary
o John's parents will celebrate their wedding anniversary in April.
perrenial (adjective): enduring, persisting for several years
o per + enn + ial
o I would like to buy some perrenial plants.
auc, aug, aut
author (noun): one that originates or creates, a writer
o auth + or
o Susan met the author of this book.
augment (verb): to increase, to add to
o aug + ment
o He had to augment his salary by taking another job.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
auction (noun): a sale of goods to the highest bidder
o auct + ion
o I bought this car at the auction.
B
bene
benevolent (adjective): marked by goodwill
o bene + vol + ent
o The "Salvation Army" is known as a benevolent society for its acts of charity.
benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle
o ben + ign
o The doctor removed a benign tumor from my neck and I went home the same
day.
biblio
bibliography (noun): a list of written works
o biblio + graph + y
o Olaf listed a brief bibliography at the end of his paper.
bio, bi
biology (noun): the study of life
o bio + log + y
o In biology class the students learned about how the human body works.
brev
brief (adjective): short
o brief
o Anand gave a brief lecture on the rain forest.
abbreviate (verb): to shorten
o ab + brevi + ate
o How does one abbreviate the word "Minnesota"?
brevity (noun): short or concise expression
o brev + ity
o The politician gave short speeches and he became known for his brevity.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
C
cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid
deceive (verb): to cause or allow someone to believe something is true when it is
actually false; to mislead
o de + ceive
o The criminal deceived many people into believing she was honest.
capable (adjective): having the ablility to do something; having the traits necessary to
perform some action
o cap + able
o Jose is a very capable lawyer.
capacious (adective): containing a great deal
o capac + ious
o You have a capacious library with many unusual books.
captive (noun, adjective): a person held against his or her own will; held prisoner
o cap+ tive
o The captives were taken to the jail.
o Geoff had a captive audience.
accident (noun): an unplanned event
o ac + cid + ent
o Don't get upset about minor accidents and errors.
capture (verb): to gain control of, to gain by effort
o capt + ure
o In the game of chess, the object is to capture the king.
occasion (noun): an opportunity; a happening, instance or celebration
o oc + cas + ion
o Did you have an occasion to speak with your professor?
receive (verb): to take in, to acquire
o re + ceive
o Imelda received many letters in the mail today.
concept (noun): an idea
o con + cept
o The concept of using computers in the classroom is relatively new.
ceas, cede, ceed, cess
predecessor (noun): a person who has previously occupied a position that another has
taken over
o pre + de + cess + or
o I hope I can live up to my predecessor's reputation.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
succeed (verb): to follow after another, to do well
o suc + ceed
o To succeed as a student, one must study.
recede (verb): to move back, to withdraw
o re + cede
o The water receded five days after the flood.
concede (verb): to accept as true, to yield, to allow
o con + cede
o I conceded to her point of view.
exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than
o ex + ceed
o The driver exceeded the speed limit by ten miles an hour.
recess (noun): an indentation, a temporary break
o re + cess
o The children were given a recess from the lessons.
deceased (adjective): dead
o de + ceas + ed
o The deceased person will be cremated rather than buried.
chron
chronic (adjective): marked by a long period of time, recurrence
o chron + ic
o Gabrielle has a chronic back disorder and cannot lift heavy objects.
chronicle (noun): a historical account arranged in order of time
o chron + icle
o The teacher asked us to read a chronicle on the Revolutionary War.
chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time
o chrono + log + ical
o The text book listed the presidents in chronological order.
clam, claim
acclaim (verb): praise
o ac + claim
o The restaurant is acclaimed for its desserts.
exclaim (verb): to speak loudly, to cry out in surprise
o ex + claim
o The children exclaimed "hurray" when they heard there would be no classes
tomorrow.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
clamor (noun, verb): n. noise, v. to make noise
o clam + or
o The children clamored for more ice cream.
proclaim (verb): to declare loudly
o pro + claim
o The president of the university proclaimed March 21 to be a holiday in honor
of the school's award winning faculty.
cogn, gnos
cognizant (adjective): aware
o cogniz + ant
o The man was cognizant of the danger of walking through the park at night.
diagnose (verb): to recognize (diseases) by symptoms
o dia + gnose
o The patient was diagnosed with Lyme's disease.
agnostic (noun): one who believes that any ultimate reality is unknowable
o ag + gnost + ic
o John is unsure of the reality of god and considers himself to be an agnostic.
recognize (verb): to know, to identify
o re + cogn + ize
o I thought I recognized your face from somewhere.
corp
corpse (noun): a dead body
o corpse
o A corpse was found floating in the river.
corpulent (adjective): having a large body
o corp + ul + ent
o The corpulent politician jabbed a fat finger in the air.
incorporate (verb): to unite into one being
o in + corp + or + ate
o The artist incorporated paint, photographs, and fabric into her artwork.
corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group
o corp + or + ate
o The corporate structure allowed many people to work as a group.
cre, cresc, cret
crescent (noun, adjective): a narrow curved shape; a quarter moon or smaller
o cresc + ent
o The crescent moon could be glimpsed through the clouds.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination
o cre + ate
o The musician created a new musical arrangement.
accretion (verb): growth by gradual addition
o ac + cret + ion
o The accretion of dirt on windows is sometimes hard to detect.
increase (verb): to grow in size or amount
o in + crease Alfonse wishes he could find a way to increase his salary.
cred
credible (adjective): can be believed, reasonable
o cred + ible
o The witness gave a credible account of the accident.
credulous (adjective): too ready to believe
o cred + ul + ous
o The credulous child believed the story about flying horses.
incredible (adjective): unbelievable, amazing
o in + cred + ible
o Makiko said she just saw an incredible horror movie.
cour, cur, curr, curs
excursion (noun): a trip
o ex + curs + ion
o The father planned an excursion to the zoo for his children.
discourse (noun, verb): a conversation, to talk
o dis + course
o The discourse between the speaker and the audience was informal.
courier (noun): a messenger
o couri + er
o The courier gave the message to the secretary.
course (noun, verb): forward movement, movement from point to point; to run along a
path
o course
o Blood courses through your veins with every beat of your heart.
occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
o oc + cur
o It just occurred to me that tomorrow is your birthday.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
current (adjective, noun): happening now, up to date; the movement of water
o curr + ent
o Is this information current or out of date?
D
dic, dict, dit
dictionary (noun): a book of definitions
o dict + ion + ary
o Juliana looked up the word in the dictionary.
condition (noun): the state of something or someone
o con + dit + ion
o Is your car in good condition?
indicate (verb): to show, to point out
o in + dic + ate
o The gas gauge indicates that we are almost out of gas.
dictate (verb): to speak for a person to record, to issue an order
o dict + ate
o The lawyer dictated the letter to her secretary.
predict (verb): to say what will happen in the future
o pre + dict
o Joseph predicts that he will get married in ten years.
addict (verb): to be devoted to something in an obsessive manner
o ad + dict
o Leslie is addicted to betting on the horse races.
doc, doct
doctor (noun): a person who has received the highest degree a university offers, a
physician
o doct + or
o Andre is going to medical school so that he can be a doctor like his mother.
doctrine (noun): something that is taught, dogma
o doctr + ine
o We learned about the doctrine of "manifest destiny" in our American history
class.
docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught
o doc + ile
o Mrs. Galindez wants to buy a docile dog for her son.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
document (noun): an official paper
o docu + ment
o The library houses many government documents in its collection.
dog, dox
orthodox (adjective): holding conventional beliefs
o ortho + dox
o I don't know if my interpretation of that book is orthodox or not.
dogma (noun): an established opinion
o dog + ma
o Some people find the dogma associated with that organization disturbing.
paradox (noun): a statement that seems to contradict itself but contains some truth
o para + dox
o The paradox of the matter is that I want to see the opera but I also want to stay
home.
dec, dign
decorate (verb): to make something look attractive or suitable
o dec + or + ate
o Linda decorated her apartment with paintings and plants.
decent (adjective): conforming to standards, good, kind
o dec + ent
o This magazine contains a decent article on home improvement.
dignity (noun): quality of being worthy, noble, honored
o dign + ity
o I haven't yet had the dignity and honor of being grand marshall of the parade.
duc, duct
conduct (verb, noun): v. to lead or guide, n. a person's behavior
o con + duct
o Jared was conducted into the doctor's office by the nurse.
o Arnelle's conduct was inexcusable and she should apologize to the class.
educate (verb): to train, to provide schooling for
o e + duc + ate
o The school tries to educate its students to be productive members of society.
induct (verb): to install in office or to enroll in military service
o in + duct
o Mindy was inducted into the army last month.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
deduct (verb): to subtract
o de + duct
o The salesperson deducted five dollars off the purchase price of the radio.
deduce (verb): to make a decision or draw a conclusion by reasoning
o de + duce
o I deduced from the trail of crumbs and the empty milk carton that the children
were home.
produce (verb, noun): to bring forward, to make to bear or yield; something made or
grown
o pro + duce
o The lawyer produced new evidence at the trial.
o The produce from the farm will go to the market next week.
seduce (verb): to persuade (especially into doing something wrong), to tempt
o se + duce
o Money and power have been known to seduce many honest people.
induce (verb): to persuade, cause, or bring about by artificial means.
o in + duce
o If a child swallows poison, it is suggested that vomitting should be induced.
E
ev, et
eternal (adjective): not effected by time, without beginning or end, ceaseless
o etern + al
o The lecture seemed eternal and many in the audience had fallen asleep.
medieval (adjective): relating to the Middle Ages (500 - 1500 AD)
o med + ieval
o There are many styles to medieval architecture and a building built in 500 AD
looks different from one built in 1000 AD.
F
fict, feign, fain
faint (adjective, verb): indistinct, not clearly perceived, weak; to lose consciousness
from lack of blood to the brain
o faint
o There is a faint odor of apples in this room.
o Some people faint at the sight of blood.
feign (verb): to pretend
o feign
o The child feigned illness in an attempt to avoid the test.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
fiction (noun): something produce from imagination, an invented story
o fict + ion
o The excuse Marvin just gave for not doing his homework is pure fiction.
fig
effigy (noun): a figure representing a disliked person.
o e f + fig + y
o The children made an effigy of their nasty neighbor.
figure (noun): shape, pattern, drawing
o fig + ure
o The figure Louise drew on the paper looks nothing like an apple.
figment (noun): a thing that does not exist, something made up
o fig + ment
o Ghosts and monsters are figments of an active imagination.
fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea
fashion (noun, verb): the form of something, style; to give shape or form to
o fash + ion
o The current fashion is hair worn short.
feasible (adjective): capable of being done
o feas + ible
o The engineer thought that building the bridge across the river was a feasible
project.
feature (noun, verb): the appearance or form of a person or object; to picture or
portray
o feat + ure
o Lisette's best feature is her eyes.
factory (noun): a place where things are made or built
o fact + ory
o There is a boat factory near the river.
difficult (adjective): hard to do, troublesome, hard to understand
o di + fic + ult
o The test was difficult and I answered only eight of the ten questions.
fact (noun): something known to be true
o fact
o It's a fact that the world is round.
effect (noun): a change caused by something, a result, influence
o e + fect
o The sun's effect on human skin is known to be harmful.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
fer
fertile (adjective): productive, bearing or capable of bearing fruit in large quantities
o fert + ile
o The land by the river is quite fertile and many crops are grown there.
refer (verb): to classify within a general category, to send or direct to another source
o re + fer
o The patient was referred to a physical therapist for additional treatment.
infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from facts or ideas, to guess
o in + fer
o Sometimes a reader has to infer from the facts presented in an article what the
main idea is about.
fid
diffident (adjective): hesitant in acting, shy
o dif + fid + ent
o The diffident student would not speak in front of the class.
fidelity (noun): the quality of being faithful, accuracy
o fid + el + ity
o The fidelity of this video reproduction is quite good.
confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret
o con + fide
o Joan confided in her friend and told her a secret.
flu, fluct, flux
fluent (adjective): capable of moving with ease, able to speak another language
o flu + ent
o The dancer had a fluent body.
o Juanita is fluent in several languages.
superfluous (adjective): extra, more than is needed
o super + flu + ous
o Three cherries on my piece of cake is superfluous; I only needed one.
influence (verb, noun): to have an effect on something; the ability to affect something
indirectly
o in + flu + ence
o It was John's success as a musician that influenced my decision to take guitar
lessons.
fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth style, liquid
o flu + id
o The ink my new pen is quite fluid and flows evenly across the page.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
fluctuate (verb): to shift back and forth, to move erratically
o fluctu + ate
o My body temperature has been fluctuating all day -- sometimes I'm hot and
sometimes I'm cold.
form
format (noun): the shape and size of something, the arrangement of something
o form + at
o The format of this class will be half lecture and half class participation.
formulate (verb): to prepare from a set of steps (formula), to devise
o form + ul + ate
o The chemist formulated a new way of making dish detergent.
fract, frag, frai
fracture (verb, noun): to break, to crack; a broken bone
o fract + ure Miguel fractured arm his while skiing.
fragment (noun): a piece broken off, a part of something
o frag + ment
o It bothers me that I can remember only a fragment of the poem rather than the
whole piece.
frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong
o frail
o Be careful! That chair is frail
G
gen, gin
generally (adverb): in a general manner, usually, with regard to the whole not
specifics
o gen + er + al + ly
o Generally, Lance leaves work at 5:00 p.m.
gingerly (adverb, adjective): careful
o gin + ger + ly
o Paulette picked up the antique vase gingerly and placed it on the shelf.
indigenous (adjective): native, having been born in a specific area or environment
o in + di + gen + ous
o The tomato plant is indigenous to South America.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
ge
geography (noun): a science that describes the earth's surface
o geo + graph + y
o The geography of New York varies from the sandy shores to rocky mountains.
gor
categorize (verb): to place things in classes or sets, to classify
o cate + gor + ize
o The professor asked her students to categorize the plants they found.
grad, gress, gree
grade (noun): a stage in a process, a mark indicating quality
o grade
o Ali hopes to receive a passing grade on his midterm exam.
progress (verb, noun): to move forward; forward movement
o pro + gress
o Mina progressed to the next level in her French language program.
o There hasn't been much progress made in getting the house built -- only the
frame is up.
degree (noun): a step or stage in a process, a rank, a level of intensity
o de + gree
o There is a high degree of stress associated with being a police officer.
graph, graf
graphic (adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown
o graph + ic
o Dominic is planning to study graphic art.
graffitti (noun): drawings or writing on a wall
o graph + itti
o Many people find the graffitti on the subway trains disturbing.
H
her, hes
adhere (verb): to stick
o ad + here
o Paper often adheres to wet surfaces.
hesitate (verb): to hold back a decision, to waver
o hesit + ate
o Don't hesitate to call me if you need help.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
J
jac, ject, jet
adjacent (adjective): to lie next to
o ad + jac + ent
o You won't have a long walk between classes because the engineering building
is adjacent to the chemistry laboratories.
jettison (verb): to throw away, to cast off
o jett + ison
o The captain of the sinking ship jettisoned the cargo.
reject (verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept
o re + ject
o David was rejected by two schools before he found a school that accepted him.
jug, junct, just
adjust (verb): to change or adapt to fit or match something
o ad + just
o Jared has to adjust to his new work schedule.
conjugal (adjective): of marriage, marital relationship
o con + jug + al
o One should think seriously before entering a conjugal relationship.
junction (noun): the place at which two things join
o junct + ion
o Deborah's house is at the junction of Hill and Maple streets.
L
lex, leg
college (noun): a school for higher learning, a group of people having a common
purpose
o col + lege
o Yolanda is going to college to become a lawyer.
legal (adjective, noun): based on law; conforms to law
o leg + al
o Jared is working as a legal secretary for two lawyers in New York
o Is it legal to own fireworks in Massachusetts or is there a law against them?
league (noun): a group of people, an association
o leag + ue
o There are fifty people participating in the bowling league.
lect
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
collect (verb): to gather, to bring together
o col + lect
o The little girl collected wildflowers for her mother.
legible (noun): readible, clear enough to read
o leg + ible
o His handwriting is quite legible.
eligible (adjective): qualified, worthy to be chosen
o e + lig + ible
o Now that Geoffrey is eighteen he is eligible to vote.
loc
locally (adverb): nearby, relative to a certain area
o loc + al + ly
o The vegetables are grown locally.
log
logic (noun): the study of reason
o log + ic
o Simone is taking a class in logic and she is learning about how to reason.
luc
translucent (adjective): allowing some light to shine through
o trans + luc + ent
o The sheet of paper is translucent when held close to a lightbulb.
illuminate (verb): to provide with light, to make lighter, to make clear
o il + lum + in + ate
o The lamp illuminates the room.
illustrate (verb): to explain by using pictoral examples, to show by using visual
examples
o il + lustr + ate
o Christopher illustrated his idea on piece of paper for everyone to see.
M
man
management (noun): the act of handling or running something, usually a business.
o man + age + ment
o This store is under new management.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
mem
commemorate (verb): to remember an important event through ceremony or
observation
o com + mem + or + ate
o The American Revolution is commemorated every Fourth of July.
memory (noun): the ability to recall past events
o mem + or + y
o Geanine has an excellent memory and she can recall things that happened years
ago.
ment
mental (adjective): related to the mind
o ment + al
o Lauren's mental abilities must be quite good if she achieved a perfect score
without even studying.
mention (verb): to cite, to speak about, to refer to
o ment + ion
o The instructor forgot to mention that the class was canceled.
min
minor (adjective): lesser, less important
o min + or
o The knife slipped and Marcelle received a minor cut.
minute (adjective, noun): tiny, very small; sixty seconds
o min + ute
o Even though the speck of dirt on the camera lense was minute, it ruined the
photograph.
o Terry will be finished in one minute.
minuscule (adjective): very small
o minusc + ule
o The minuscule gem was very hard to see without magnifying glasses.
mit, miss
admit (verb): to accept, to confess, to allow entry
o ad + mit
o I must admit that even though you didn't like the movie I did.
missive (noun): a letter to be sent
o miss + ive
o Missives were more common one hundred years ago. Today, people use the
telephone.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
mob, mov, mot
remove (verb): to take off or to take away
o re + move
o The waiter removed the dirty dishes from the table.
mobile (adjective): able to move
o mob + ile
o Many people drive their mobile homes from North to South, following the
warm weather.
motion (noun): act of moving, action
o mot + ion
o Many people find the motion of a rocking chair soothing.
N
nasc, nat, gnant, nai
native (adjective): belonging to a place by birth, indigenous
o nat +ive
o Turkeys are native to North America.
nascent (adjective): just born
o nasc + ent
o The nascent kittens curled up with their mother.
pregnant (adjective): having a child developing in the womb, "with child"
o pre + gn +ent
o Linda's dog is pregnant and it will have its puppies in November.
naive (adjective): lack of experience, not knowledgable of the world
o nai + ve
o When Olivia went to New York ten year's ago she was naive, but now she is a
well-seasoned traveler.
nom
nominate (verb): to name for office
o nomin + ate
o Vittorio nominated Mary for class president.
synonym (noun): a word with a similar meaning to another word in the same language
o syn + onym
o The word "fair" is a synonym for the word "just."
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
nov
novelty (noun): something new
o novel + ty
o After six months the novelty of Pierre's new car is starting to wear off.
novice (noun): a newcomer, a beginner, someone new to something
o nov + ice
o Bjorn is a novice when it comes to playing poker or other card games.
O
oper
operate (verb): to work, to perform
o oper + ate
o People are advised not to operate heavy machinery after drinking alcohol.
opus (noun): a musical composition
o opus
o Vivaldi's opus number three is not as well known as is other compositions.
P
pat
patient (adjective, noun): calm, bearing pain without complaint; a person under
medical care
o pati + ent
o Josiah was patient as he waited in line for concert tickets.
o Amelia has been a patient of Dr. Gustaf's for ten years.
passion (noun): a strong feeling or emotion
o pass + ion
o Barbara has a passion for motorcycle racing.
sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, the ability to feel for another
person's suffering
o sym + path + y
o Ching-wei expressed his deepest sympathy when hearing of Mrs. Martin's
death.
pathology (noun): the study of diseases
o patho + log + y
o Blaise is studying pathology because he wants to learn about diseases.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
ped
impede (verb): to hinder, to slow down
o im + pede
o The shackles and chains impeded the prisoner's escape.
pedestal (noun): a support for a column or other structure, a base for something
o pedest + al
o Johannes put the vase on a pedestal.
pedestrian (noun): a person walking
o pedestr + ian
o As soon as the cars stopped, the pedestrians crossed the street.
pod
podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground, a place at
which to speak in front of an audience
o pod + ium
o The professor walked up to the podium and spoke into the microphone.
pel
repel (verb): to drive away or push back
o re + pel
o Does Margo's new jacket repel water?
pulse (noun): the regular action of blood through arteries
o pulse
o The nurse felt for the patient's pulse in his neck.
pend, pond
suspend (noun): to hang from, to interrupt, to stop
o sus + pend
o The light was turned on by a string suspended from the light fixture.
ponder (verb): to think about, to weigh in one's mind
o pond + er
o Levi pondered the possibility of going to medical school.
phan, fan
phantom (noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost.
o phan + tom
o The children told horror stories about phantoms and ghosts.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
fantasy (noun): a creation of the imagination that cannot be real, a daydream
o fantas + y
o When Miguel was a child he had a fantasy about being a doctor on the planet
Jupiter.
phil
philosopher (noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom
o philo+ soph + er
o Plato wrote about the Greek philosopher Socrates.
phon
phonetic (adjective) relating to speech sounds
o phonet + ic
o The phonetic alphabet is useful when studying languages or linguistics.
pict
depict (verb): to portray, to represent
o de + pict
o In the movie the character was depicted as evil.
port
import (verb): to bring in from a foreign country
o im + port
o Fyodor imports caviar and other products from Russia.
portage (noun) the labor of carrying boats across land
o port + age
o Bill said that he had a five mile portage on his last canoe trip.
pli, ply
reply (verb, noun): to respond, to answer; a response
o re + ply
o Did Marco reply to Emily's invitation?
o Lynn received a negative reply from her parents and she will not be going to
the party.
implicate (verb): to involve, to incriminate
o im + plic + ate
o The thief was implicated in three burglaries.
ply (noun): a layer
o ply
o Two ply tissue paper is stronger than one ply.
pon, pos
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
position (noun): a place occupied by something
o posit + ion
o What position does Ian hold at his mother's company?
postpone (verb): to put off to a later time
o post + pone
o The baseball game was postponed because of the storm.
posture (noun) the position of a body
o post + ure
o Denise has terrific posture -- her back is straight and strong.
psych
psychology (noun): study of how the mind works
o psycho + log + y
o Lynette studies psychology because she is interested in how people think and
feel.
Q
quir
inquire (verb): to ask about
o in + quire
o Debbie inquired about employment opportunities at the factory.
exquisite (adjective): carefully selected, marked by beauty
o ex + quis + ite
o Everyone noticed the exquisite diamond Toni was wearing.
quest (noun): a search, the act of seeking
o quest
o At four in the morning Quincy went out on a quest for ice cream.
query (verb, noun): to ask questions, a question
o query
o The lawyer queried the witness.
o I have a query about the origins of the English language.
R
rupt
corrupt (verb, adjective): to change from good to bad
o cor + rupt
o The politician was corrupted by power and money.
o The corrupt judge was arrested for accepting a bribe.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
rupture (verb): to break or burst
o rupt + ure
o The water bed ruptured and the water flowed onto the floor.
interrupt (verb): to stop, to break in (usually with questions)
o inter + rupt
o It's impolite to interupt someone while they are speaking.
S
sci
conscious (adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself
o con + sci + ous
o Gerturde was conscious of everything even though she appeared asleep.
science (noun): a system of knowledge
o sci + ence
o Claire enjoys science, especially biology.
scrib, scrip
scribble (verb): to write quickly or carelessly
o scribb + le
o He scribbled a note in his notebook.
script (noun): handwriting, something written
o script
o Sometimes her script is hard to read.
describe (verb): to say what something is like
o de + scribe
o The scientist described his experiment to the class.
sent, sens
sensation (noun): ability to feel due to stimulation
o sens + at + ion
o Jamal felt a tingling sensation in his arm after he hit his elbow on the table.
sentimental (adjective): marked by feeling or emotion
o senti + ment +al
o Lauren has a sentimental attachment to that quilt because her great
grandmother made it.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
sequ
sequence (noun): a continuous series
o sequ + ence
o The sequence of events were as follows: first we had dinner, then we went to
the movies, and then we went fo ice cream.
consecutive (adjective): following in an unbroken order
o con + secut + ive
o Terri was elected team captain three consecutive years in a row.
ensue (verb): to happen afterward
o en + sue
o After a disagreement in the restaurant, a fight ensued in the parking lot.
soci
society (noun): community, the relationship among individuals living or working in a
common area, companionship
o societ + y
o Sometimes what is best for a society is not always good for an individual living
in that society.
sol
solitary (adjective): being alone
o solit + ary
o There was a solitary bather on the beach.
isolate (verb): to separate from others, to place something by itself
o i + sol + ate
o The sick cat was isolated from the other animals.
solv, solu
solve (verb): to find an answer
o solve
o The professor asked the student to solve the problem and show her answer on
the board.
absolute (adjective): complete, unrestricted, perfect
o ab + sol + ute
o The babysitter has absolute authority over the children while their parents are
away.
soluble (adjective): able to disperse in liquid
o sol + uble
o Sugar is soluble in water.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
spec, spi
spectator (noun): a person who watches or observes
o spect + at + or
o There were over a thousand spectators at the local baseball game.
despise (verb): to hate, tolook down on
o de + spise
o Marguerite despises people who are cruel to animals.
auspicicious (adjective): favorable
o au + spicic + ious
o The thousand dollar donation made for an auspicious beginning.
espionage (noun): using spies or observers
o e + spion + age
o Espionage is often depicted in mystery movies and novels.
spir
respiration (noun): breathing
o re + spir + at + ion
o Respiration becomes increasingly difficult the higher one climbs.
inspire (verb): to stimulate, to fill with a feeling or desire
o in + spire
o Students are often inspired by their teachers.
stab, stat
stature (noun): height of a body, importance of position
o stat + ure
o I'm reluctant to say she was short, but she was of rather small stature.
establish (verb): to found, to start, to make firm
o e + stabl + ish
o Southampton College was established in 1963.
stance (noun): a way of standing, a position, an attitude
o sta + nce
o A person's stance is very important in the games of golf and baseball.
strain, strict
restrain (verb): to hold back, to prevent from doing
o re + strain
o The dog was restrained by the trainer's grip on its leash.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
constrict (verb): to squeeze, to make narrow
o con + strict
o Marvin felt constricted by the suit and tie he wore to the meeting.
stringent (adjective): strict, tight, severe
o string + ent
o There are stringent rules and regulations one must follow when operating a
child care center.
prestige (noun): respect for a person or a thing
o pre + stige
o There is a lot of prestige associated with occupying a political position.
stru, stroy
destroy (verb): to ruin, to pull down
o de + stroy
o The house was destroyed by the fire.
misconstrue (verb): to interpret, analyse, or understand something incorrectly;
misunderstand
o mis + con + strue
o Do not misconstrue his actions to mean he likes you -- being pleasant to
customers is part of his job.
obstruct (verb): to block, prevent, hinder
o ob + struct
o The fallen tree obstructed the roadway and blocked traffic for hours.
T
tact, tang
tactilely (adverb): related to the sense of touch
o tact + ile + + ly
o Some people are tactilely oriented while others are visually oriented.
tangible (adjective): able to be perceived by touch, physically real
o tang + ible
o Many people want tangible proof of something before they believe it to be
true.
contiguous (adjective): touching, next in a sequence
o con + tig + uous
o The United States has forty-eight contiguous states.
contingent (adjective): possible, dependent on something else
o con + ting + ent
o Armand's move to a new apartment is contingent on his getting a raise.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
tend, tens
extensive (adjective): large in area, wide
o ex + tens + ive
o There are extensive farm fields located in the plain states.
contend (verb): to strive or reach for, to argue
o con + tend
o The two fighters contended for the heavy-weight championship title.
tain, ten
retain (verb): to keep, to hold in place
o re + tain
o Blanche retained her Alaskan residence since she will return there when she is
finished with school.
continue (verb): to keep going, to remain
o con + tin + ue
o The movie is scheduled to continue until midnight.
content (noun, adjective): something contained, held; satisfied
o con + tent
o I can't tell what the content of this can is until I open it.
tenacious (adjective): holding or sticking to something
o ten + ac + ious
o Kareem is tenacious and he will stick with a subject until he understands it.
term
exterminate (verb): to kill off, to get rid of
o ex + term + in + ate
o The Schaeffer's hired a company to exterminate the cockroaches living in their
house.
terminal (adjective): relating to an end
o term + in + al
o Margot has been diagnosed with a terminal disease and has been given only six
months to live.
terr
territory (noun): area of land
o territ + ory
o This area is considered to be Canadian territory.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
terrain (noun): the physical features of an area
o terr + ain
o There is some very rough terrain in the White Mountain area of New
Hampshire.
test
attest (verb): to provide proof, to say something is true
o at + test
o Malcolm can attest to Shiela's honesty since he has known her for ten years.
testify (verb): to make a statement based on personal knowledge
o test ify
o The witness testified at the trial.
therm
thermometer (noun) a device for measuring heat
o thermo + meter
o I took my temperature with a thermometer.
thermal (adjective): relating to the presence of heat
o therm + al
o Lisa bought some thermal underwear to take with her when she goes skiing.
tor
torment (noun, verb): agony, pain; to cause recurring pain
o tor + ment
o The torment Jean's nightmares caused made him seek professional help.
o The guards tormented the prisoners.
torsion (noun): twisting of a body or an organ by an external force along an axis
o tors + ion
o The torsion of the bolt will help release the wheel.
contort (verb): to twist into an abnormal shape
o con + tort
o The actor contorted her face into an evil grin and scared the audience.
tract, trai
attract (verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest
o at + tract
o The spilled sugar attracted flies and ants.
train (verb): to teach or to cause to do something
o train
o Yvette trained her dog to perform tricks.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
treaty (noun): a formal agreement
o treat + y
o The rebels and the new government signed a treaty calling for peace.
U
uni
unite (verb) to make one, to join together
o unite
o The two small companies united and became one large business.
unison (noun): at the same time, at the same pitch
o uni + son
o The two singers sang in unison.
V
vac
vacant (adjective): empty, not occupied, free
o vac + ant
o The hotel has only one vacant room left.
vacuum (noun): empty space, isolation from outside influence
o vacu + um
o Some people seem to live in a vacuum and they have no knowledge of current
events.
ven, vent
convene (verb): to assemble, to come together
o con + vene
o The meeting convened at 2:00 p.m. and lasted until 5:00 p.m.
invent (verb): to create through thought or imagination
o in + vent
o Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and other devices.
prevent (verb): to act ahead of, to keep from happening
o pre + vent
o Lamont prevented a distastrous fire by calling the fire department the moment
he smelled smoke.
ver
verify (verb): to confirm that something is true
o ver + ify
o The police officer verified Arthur's identity by asking for his driver's license.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
veracity (noun): truthfulness, accuracy
o ver + ac + ity
o Daphne is known for her veracity and honesty.
verb, verv
verbalize (verb): to express in words, to put into words
o verb + al + ize
o Sometimes it is difficult to verbalize one's feeings.
verve (noun): enthusiasm
o verve
o The cheerleaders showed verve and school spirit at the football game.
vers, vert:
versatile (adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful
o vers + at + ile
o When used correctly, a computer can be a versatile tool.
revert (verb): to go back, to return (to an original state)
o re + vert
o The land slowly reverted to a wild state after it was abandoned.
vid, vis
video (noun): television or recorded movies
o vid + eo
o Patricia rented a video and watched it on her television.
review (verb): to look at again, to reexamine
o re + view
o Marsha reviewed for the test by re-reading her class notes.
visible (adjective): able to be seen
o vis + ible
o Sometimes the moon is visible during the day.
indivisible (adjective, noun): cannot be separated
o in + di + vis + ible
o The Pledge of Allegiance mentions that the United States is an indivisible
nation.
vit, viv
vital (adjective): necessary for life
o vit + al
o The cancer had not yet spread to her vital organs and she was given an
excellent chance for a full recovery.
[PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
revive (verb): to return to life
o re + vive
o After spending a day in the sun, I was revived by a glass of water.
voc, voke
vocal (adjective): uttered by the voice, producing sound
o voc + al
o Parrots are known to be very vocal birds.
revoke (verb): to call back, to withdraw
o re + voke
o Karl's license was revoked because he was caught driving 20 miles over the
speed limit.
volv, vol
revolve (verb): to turn around
o re + volve
o The earth revolves around the sun.
revolt (verb): to rebel, to turn against, to feel disgust
o re + volt
o It was the peasants who revolted during the French Revolution.
o Cooked carrots revolt some people.
evolution (noun): the process by which something develops
o e + vol + ut + ion
o Darwin and other natural scientists have developed theories of evolution.
YDS PREFIXES]-[SUFFIXES]-[ROOTS]-[BASES]
-
- Bilgi
-
Kimler çevrimiçi
Bu forumu görüntüleyen kullanıcılar: Hiç bir kayıtlı kullanıcı yok ve 1 misafir