One important way students build vocabulary is to learn the meaning of word parts that make up many English words. These word parts consist of prefixes, suffixes, and roots, or bases (see the list of common Greek and Latin roots below.) A useful strategy for determining the meaning of an unknown word is to "take apart the word and think about the parts."
Following is a list of common prefixes. Knowing the meaning of a prefix can help students determine the meaning of a word in which the prefix appears.
| Prefix | Meaning | Sample Words |
|---|---|---|
| bi- | two | bicycle |
| com-, con- | together, with | compatriot, contact |
| de-, dis- | lower, opposite | devalue, disloyal |
| fore-, pre- | before, ahead of time | forewarn, preplan |
| il-, im-, in-, ir-, non-, un- | not | illegal, impossible, inactive, irregular, nonsense, unable |
| in-, im- | in, into | inhale, import |
| mid- | middle | midway |
| mis- | wrongly, badly | mistake, misbehave |
| re- | again, back | redo, repay |
| sub- | under, less than | submarine, subzero |
| super- | above, greater than | superimpose, superstar |
| tri- | three | triangle |
Following is a list of common suffixes. Knowing the meaning and grammatical function of a suffix can help students determine the meaning of a word.
| Noun Suffix | Meaning | Sample Nouns |
|---|---|---|
| -acy, -ance, -ence, -hood,
-ity, -ment, -ness, -ship |
state, quality, or condition of, act or process of | adequacy, attendance, persistence, neighborhood, activity, judgment, brightness, friendship |
| -ant, -eer, -ent, -er, -ian, -ier,
-ist, -or |
one who does or makes something | contestant, auctioneer, resident, banker, comedian, financier, dentist, doctor |
| -ation, -ition, -ion | act or result of | organization, imposition, election |
| Verb Suffix | Meaning | Sample Verbs |
|---|---|---|
| -ate | to become, produce, or treat | validate, salivate, chlorinate |
| -en | to make, cause to be | weaken |
| -fy, -ify, -ize | to cause, make | liquefy, glorify, legalize |
| Adjective Suffix | Meaning | Sample Adjectives | -able, -ible | able, capable of | believable, incredible |
|---|---|---|
| -al, -ic | relating to, characteristic of | natural, romantic |
| -ful, -ive, -ous | full of, given to, marked by | beautiful, protective, poisonous |
| -ish, -like | like, resembling | foolish, childlike |
| -less | lacking, without | careless |
A base or root is the main part of a word to which prefixes and suffixes may be added. Many roots come to English from Latin. Knowing Greek and Latin roots can help students determine the meaning of a word.
In the Building with Classical Roots sections of this book students will learn more about some of these Latin and Greek roots and about the English words that derive from them.
| Greek Root | Meaning | Sample Words |
|---|---|---|
| -astr-, -aster-, -astro- | star | astral, asteroid, astronaut |
| -auto- | self | autograph |
| -bio- | life | biography |
| -chron-, chrono- | time | chronic, chronological |
| -cosm-, -cosmo- | universe, order | microcosm, cosmopolitan |
| -cryph-, -crypt- | hidden, secret | apocryphal, cryptographer |
| -dem-, -demo- | people | epidemic, democracy |
| -dia- | through, across, between | diameter |
| -dog-, -dox- | opinion, teaching | dogmatic, orthodox |
| -gen- | race, kind, origin, birth | generation |
| -gnos- | know | diagnostic |
| -graph-, -graphy-, -gram- | write | graphite, autobiography, telegram |
| -log-, -logue- | speech, word, reasoning | logic, dialogue |
| -lys- | break down | analysis |
| -metr-, -meter- | measure | metric, kilometer |
| -micro- | small | microchip |
| -morph- | form, shape | amorphous |
| -naut- | sailor | nautical |
| -phon-, -phone- | sound, voice | phonics, telephone |
| -pol-, -polis- | city, state | police, metropolis |
| -scop-, -scope- | watch, look at | microscopic, telescope |
| -tele- | far off, distant | television |
| -the- | put or place | parentheses |
| Latin Root | Meaning | Sample Words |
|---|---|---|
| -cap-, -capt-, -cept-, -cip- | take | capitulate, captive, concept, recipient |
| -cede-, -ceed-, -ceas-,
-cess- |
happen, yield, go | precede, proceed, decease, cessation |
| -cred- | believe | incredible |
| -dic-, -dict- | speak, say, tell | indicate, diction |
| -duc-, -duct-, -duit- | lead, conduct, draw | educate, conduct, conduit |
| -fac-, -fact-, -fect-, -fic-, -fy- | make | faculty, artifact, defect, beneficial, clarify |
| -ject- | throw | eject |
| -mis-, -miss-, -mit-, -mitt- | send | promise, missile, transmit, intermittent |
| -note-, -not- | know, recognize | denote, notion |
| -pel-, -puls- | drive | expel, compulsive |
| -pend-, -pens- | hang, weight, set aside | pendulum, pension |
| -pon-, -pos- | put, place | component, position |
| -port- | carry | portable |
| -rupt- | break | bankrupt |
| -scrib-, -scribe-, -script- | write | scribble, describe, inscription |
| -spec-, -spic- | look, see | spectator, conspicuous |
| -tac-, -tag-, -tang-, -teg- | touch | contact, contagious, tangible, integral |
| -tain-, -ten-, -tin- | hold, keep | contain, tenure, retinue |
| -temp- | time | tempo |
| -ven-, -vent- | come | intervene, convention |
| -vers-, -vert- | turn | reverse, invert |
| -voc-, -vok- | call | vocal, invoke |