ROOTS OF ENGLISH WORDS

EXPERTS ENGLISH
SHAILESH SHUKLA
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This list contains some of the common roots and prefixes that make up the building blocks of numerous English words. Following the table of general roots and prefixes is a table of number prefixes.
How Words Work
Many words are made up of a root (or base word) and a prefix. Some words also have a suffix. For example, the root word port means to carry or to bear. Attach the prefix ex, meaning out or out of, and you have the word export, to carry out. Attach the prefix im, meaning in or into and you have import, to carry in. Attach the prefix trans, meaning across, and you have transport, meaning to carry across. Now let's attach the suffix able, meaning able to be, and you have importable, exportable, and transportable.
The very words prefix and suffix are good examples, too. Pre means before and fix means to fasten or attach, so a quite literally, a prefix is something attached to something else. Suf is a variant of sub, below or under, so a suffix is something fastened underneath something else (in this case, behind the root).
By learning the common roots and prefixes (and a few suffixes) you will be able to discern the meaning of many new words almost immediately. (But do look them up for confirmation.)
General Roots and Prefixes
Root or Prefix
Meaning Examples
atheist, anarchy, anonymous apathy, aphasia, anemia, atypical, anesthesia
a, an not, without
ab away from absent, abduction, aberrant, abstemious, abnormal, abstract, absorb
acrobat, acrophobia, acronym, acromegaly
acro
high, tip, top
ad
to, toward
admit, addition, advertisement, adherent, admonish, address, adhesive, adept, adjust
alt high altitude, altimiter, alto, contralto, altocumulus
ambul to walk ambulatory, amble, ambulance, somnambulist, perambulate, preamble
ante before anteroom, antebellum, antedate antecedent, antediluvian
anti, ant against, opposite antisocial, antiseptic, antithesis, antibody, antichrist, antinomies, antifreeze, antipathy, antigen, antibiotic, antidote, antifungal, antidepressant
audi to hear audience, auditory, audible, auditorium, audiovisual, audition, audiobook
auto self automobile, automatic, autograph, autonomous, autoimmune, autopilot, autobiography
be thoroughly bedecked, besmirch, besprinkled, begrudge, begrime, belie, bemoan
bell war belligerent, antebellum, bellicose, rebel
bene good, well benefactor, beneficial, benevolent, benediction, beneficiary, benefit
bi two bicycle, bifocals, biceps, billion, binary, bivalve, bimonthly, bigamy, bimetal, biathlete, bicarbonate
cede, ceed, cess to go, to yield succeed, proceed, precede, recede, secession, exceed, succession, excess
chron time chronology, chronic, chronicle, chronometer, anachronism
cide, cis to kill, to cut fratricide, suicide, incision, excision, circumcision, precise, concise, precision
circum around circumnavigate, circumflex, circumstance, circumcision, circumference, circumorbital, circumlocution, circumvent, circumscribe, circulatory
clud, clus claus to close include, exclude, clause, claustrophobia, enclose, exclusive, reclusive, conclude, preclude
con, com with, together convene, compress, contemporary, converge, compact, confluence, concatenate, conjoin, combine, convert, compatible, consequence
contra, counter against, opposite contradict, counteract, contravene, contrary, counterspy, contrapuntal, contraband
cred to believe credo, credible, credence, credit, credential, credulity, incredulous, creed, incredible
commun to share commune, community, communism, communicable, communication, commonality, incommunicado
cycl circle, wheel bicycle, cyclical, cycle, encliclical, motorcycle, tricycle, cyclone
de from, down, away detach, deploy, derange, deodorize, devoid, deflate, degenerate, deice, descend, derail, depress, depart, decompose, destruction
dei, div God, god divinity, divine, deity, divination, deify
demo people democracy, demagogue, epidemic, demographic
dia through, across, between diameter, diagonal, dialogue, dialect, dialectic, diagnosis, diachronic, diagram, diaphragm
dict speak predict, verdict, malediction, dictionary, dictate, dictum, diction, indict, contradict
dis, dys, dif away, not, negative dismiss, differ, disallow, disperse, dissuade, disconnect, dysfunction, disproportion, disrespect, distemper, distaste, disarray, dyslexia
duc, duct to lead, pull produce, abduct, product, transducer, viaduct, aqueduct, induct, deduct, reduce, induce
dyn, dyna power dynamic, dynamometer, heterodyne, dynamite, dynamo, dynasty
ecto outside, external ectomorph, ectoderm, ectoplasm, ectopic, ectothermal
endo inside, withing endotoxin, endoscope, endogenous
equi equal equidistant, equilateral, equilibrium, equinox, equitable, equation, equator
e, ex out, away, from emit, expulsion, exhale, exit, express, exclusive, enervate, exceed, explosion
exter, extra outside of external, extrinsic, exterior, extraordinary, extrabiblical, extracurricular, extrapolate, extraneous, exterminator, extract, extradite, extraterrestrial, extrasensory, extravagant, extreme
flu, flux flow effluence, influence, effluvium, fluctuate, confluence, reflux, influx
flect, flex to bend flexible, reflection, deflect, circumflex, inflection, reflex
graph, gram to write polygraph, grammar, biography, graphite, telegram, autograph, lithograph, historiography, graphic, electrocardiogram, monogram
hetero other heterodox, heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodyne
homo same homogenized, homosexual, homonym, homophone
hyper over, above hyperactive, hypertensive, hyperbolic, hypersensitive, hyperventilate, hyperkinetic, hyperlink, hypertext, hypersonic, hypertrophy
hypo below, less than hypotension, hypodermic, hypoglycemia, hypoallergenic, hypothermia, hypothesis
in, im not inviolate, innocuous, intractable, innocent, impregnable, impossible
infra beneath infrared, infrastructure, infrasonic
inter, intro between international, intercept, intermission, interoffice, internal, intermittent, introvert, introduce
intra within, into intranet, intracranial, intravenous, intramural, intramuscular, intraocular
jac, ject to throw reject, eject, project, trajectory, interject, dejected, inject, ejaculate
mal bad, badly malformation, maladjusted, dismal, malady, malcontent, malfeasance, maleficent, malevolent, malice, malaria, malfunction, malignant
mega great, million megaphone, megalomaniac, megabyte, megalopolis
meso middle mesomorph, mesoamerica, mesosphere
meta beyond, change metaphor, metamorphosis, metabolism, metahistorical, metainformation, metacognitive
meter measure perimeter, micrometer, ammeter, multimeter, altimeter, geometry, kilometer
micro small microscope, microprocessor, microfiche, micrometer, micrograph
mis bad, badly misinform, misinterpret, mispronounce, misnomer, mistake, misogynist
mit, miss to send transmit, permit, missile, missionary, remit, admit, missive, mission
morph shape polymorphic, morpheme, amorphous, metamorphosis, morphology, morphing
multi many multitude, multipartite, multiply, multipurpose, multicolored, multimedia, multinational
neo new neologism, neonate, neoclassic, neophyte
non not nonferrous, nonabrasive, nondescript, nonfat, nonfiction, nonprofit, nonsense, nonentity
omni all omnipotent, omnivorous, omniscient, omnibus, omnirange, omnipresent
para beside paraprofessional, paramedic, paraphrase, parachute, paralegal, parallel, comparison
per through, intensive permit, perspire, perforate, persuade, perceive, perfect, permit, perform
peri around periscope, perimeter, perigee, periodontal
phon sound telephone, phonics, phonograph, phonetic, homophone, microphone
phot light photograph, photosynthesis, photon
poly many polytheist, polygon, polygamy, polymorphous
port to carry porter, portable, report, transportation, deport, import, export
re back, again report, realign, retract, revise, regain, reflect, rename, restate, recombine, recalculate, redo
retro backwards retrorocket, retrospect, retrogression, retroactive
sanct holy sanctify, sanctuary, sanction, sanctimonious, sacrosanct
scrib, script to write inscription, prescribe, proscribe, manuscript, conscript, scribble, scribe
sect, sec cut intersect, transect, dissect, secant, section
semi half semifinal, semiconscious, semiannual, semimonthly, semicircle
spect to look inspect, spectator, circumspect, retrospect, prospect, spectacle
sub under, below submerge, submarine, substandard, subnormal, subvert, subdivision, submersible, submit
super, supra above superior, suprarenal, superscript, supernatural, supercede, superficial, superhero, superimpose
syn together synthesis, synchronous, syndicate, synergy, snyopsis, syncretism
tele distance, from afar television, telephone, telegraph, telemetry, telepathy
theo, the God theology, theist, polytheist, pantheism, atheist
therm, thermo heat thermal, thermometer, thermocouple, thermodynamic, thermoelectric
tract to drag, draw attract, tractor, traction, extract, retract, protract, detract, subtract, contract, intractable
trans across transoceanic, transmit, transport, transducer
un not uncooked, unharmed, unintended, unhappy
veh, vect to carry vector, vehicle, convection, vehement
vert, vers to turn convert, revert, advertise, versatile, vertigo, invert, reversion, extravert, introvert
vita life vital, vitality, vitamins, revitalize
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Number Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Examples
mono, uni one monopoly, monotype, monologue, mononucleosis, monorail, monotheist, unilateral, universal, unity, unanimous, uniform
bi, di two divide, diverge, diglycerides, bifurcate, biweekly, bivalve, biannual, billion
tri three triangle, trinity, trilateral, triumvirate, tribune, trilogy, tricycle, trillion
quat, quad four quadrangle, quadruplets, quaternary, quarter, quadrillion
quint, penta five quintet, quintuplets, pentagon, pentane, pentameter, quintillion
hex, ses, sex six hexagon, hexameter, sestet, sextuplets, sextillion
sept seven septet, septennial, septillion
oct eight octopus, octagon, octogenarian, octave, octillion
non nine nonagon, nonagenarian, nonillion
dec ten decimal, decade, decalogue, decimate, decillion
cent hundred centennial, century, centipede, centillion
mill, kilo thousand (10^3) millennium, kilobyte, kiloton
mega million (10^6) megabyte, megaton, megaflop
giga billion (10^9) gigabyte, gigaflop
tera trillion (10^12) terabyte, teraflop
peta quadrillion (10^15) petabyte
exa quintillion (10^18) exabyte
zetta sextillion (10^21) zettabyte
yotta septilion (10^24) yottabyte
milli thousandth (10^-3) millisecond, milligram, millivolt
micro millionth (10^-6) microgram, microvolt
nano billionth (10^-9) nanosecond, nanobucks
pico trillionth (10^-12) picofarad, picocurie
femto quadrillionth (10^-15) femtosecond
atto quintillionth (10^-18) attosecond, attometer
zepto sextillionth (10^-21) zeptosecond
yocto septillionth (10^-24) yoctosecond


A Handful of Suffixes

Suffix Meaning Examples
able, ible able to be, capable of being pourable, drinkable, readable, washable, curable, visible, flexible, collectible
ance, ancy state of, process of performance, reliance, defiance, radiance, acceptance, ascendancy, discrepancy, infancy
dom condition, office, state kingdom, freedom, wisdom, sheikdom, fiefdom, sheikdom
ee one who receives payee, mortgagee, employee, appointee, abductee, examinee, referee, refugee
er, or one who does [the verb] driver, hiker, reader, manager, polisher, speaker, counselor, author, creator, director, sculptor
ful filled with frightful, delightful, wonderful, cupful, wakeful, bashful, bountiful, beautiful, cheerful, colorful, dreadful, fateful
ify to make into purify, deify, simplify, clarify, petrify
ification process of making into purification, deification, simplifiction, clarification, petrification
ish the nature of, resembling Cornish, Irish, bookish, freakish, foolish, boorish, selfish, sluggish, priggish
ism doctrine, system, characteristic quality capitalism, heroism, optimism, skepticism, realism, patriotism, communism, idealism, conservatism
ist one who performs; an adherent of an ism tympanist, cellist, idealist, communist, realist, moralist, pharamacist, pragmatist
ize to make into rationalize, normalize, realize, capitalize
ization the process of making into rationalization, normalization, realization, capitalization
less without loveless, fearless, worthless, nameless, baseless, bottomless, effortless, friendless, noiseless, harmless
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