| Roots |
Meaning |
Word |
| alter |
other |
alternate, alter ego |
| ami, amic- |
love |
amiable, amicable |
| amphi |
both ends or all sides |
amphibian |
| ann, enni |
year |
anniversary, annual, biennial,
perennial |
| anthrop |
human, man |
anthropology, anthropomorphic,
misanthrope |
| aqua, aque |
water |
aquatic, aquarium, aqueduct |
| arch |
chief, leader, ruler |
archangel, monarch, archaic,
archenemy |
| arthro |
joint |
arthritis |
| aud |
sound |
auditorium, audible, audiologist,
audiotape |
| bell |
war |
belligerent, bellicose |
| biblio |
book |
bibliography, bibliophile |
| bio- |
life |
biography, autobiography, biology,
antibiotic |
| brev |
short |
brief, abbreviate |
| cap |
take, seize |
capture, captivate, capacity |
| carn |
meat |
carnivorous, chili con carne |
| ced |
yield, go |
recede, secede, proceed, intercede,
concession |
| chrom- |
color |
chromatic, monochrome, polychrome |
| chron- |
time |
chronicle, chronology, chronometer,
synchronize |
| cogn |
know |
recognize, cognitive, incognito |
| cord/chord |
cord |
harpsichord |
| corp |
body |
corpus, corpse, corporal |
| crac, crat |
rule, ruler |
autocrat, democracy, bureaucrat,
democracy |
| cred |
believe |
credible, credulous, credibility,
credit, credo |
| cruc |
cross |
crucifix, crucial |
| crusta |
shell |
crustacean |
| crypt |
hidden |
cryptogram, cryptology, cryptic |
| culp |
guilt |
culpable, culprit |
| dei |
god |
deity, deify |
| demo- |
people |
demography, democracy, epidemic |
| dent |
tooth |
dentist, dentifrice, dentin |
| derm- |
skin |
dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic |
| dic |
speak, say |
dictate, predict, diction, indict |
| dox |
belief, opinion |
orthodoxy, paradox, heterodoxy |
| duc, duct |
lead |
induce, deduce, seduction, conduct,
abduct |
| duo |
two |
duo |
| dynam- |
power |
dynamo, hydrodynamics |
| ego |
self |
egotist, egomania |
| equ |
equal |
equal, equity, equanimity, equate,
equidistant |
| fac |
make, do |
manufacture, factory, benefactor |
| fil |
threadlike |
filament |
| frater |
brother |
fraternal, fraternize |
| gam- |
marriage |
monogamy, polygamy, bigamy |
| geo- |
earth |
geopolitical, geology, geography,
geothermal |
| glyph |
vertical groove |
Hieroglyphics—Egyptian “sky writing” |
| grad, gress |
step |
gradual, progression, transgression |
| graph- |
writing, printing |
graphology, biography, telegraph,
geography |
| gym |
naked |
gymnasium |
| gyn- |
woman |
gynecologist, androgynous |
| hemo, hema, hem |
blood |
hemophilia, hematology, hemoglobin |
| holo |
whole, entire |
holograph |
| hydro, hydr |
water |
dehydrate, hydraulics,
hydroelectric, hydroplane |
| iso |
equal, identical |
isolate |
| ject |
throw |
inject, reject, subject, projection |
| jud |
judge |
judicial, judge, adjudicate |
| leg, lect |
read, choose |
legible, lectern, lecturer, election |
| liter |
letter |
literature, illiterate, literal |
| loc |
place |
local, location |
| log |
word |
monologue, epilogue |
| luc |
light |
lucid, elucidate |
| magn |
large |
magnify, magnate, magnificent |
| man |
hand |
manufacture, manual, manuscript |
| mar |
sea |
marine, mariner |
| mater |
mother |
maternal, maternity, matriarchy,
matricide |
| mere |
part, segment |
mere |
| meta, met |
behind, between |
metacognition—behind the thinking |
| metri, meter- |
measure |
geometric, thermometer, odometer |
| min |
small |
minority, minuscule, minute |
| mit, miss |
send |
permit, submission, mission, emit, |
| mob, mot, mov |
move |
mobile, automobile, motion, promote,
movie |
| mon |
warn |
premonition, admonition |
| mor, mort |
death |
mortal, mortician, immortality |
| morph |
form, structure |
metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology |
| mut |
change |
mutant, mutability, mutate |
| neuro |
nerve |
neurology, neurosis, neurobiology |
| nomen /nomin |
name |
nominal, nominate, nomenclature |
| nov |
new |
novel, renovate, innovation, novella |
| nym, onym |
word, name |
synonym, acronym, anonymous,
pseudonym |
| odonto |
tooth |
orthodontist—one who straightens
teeth |
| ortho- |
straight, correct |
orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic |
| pac |
peace |
pacify, Pacific Ocean, pacifist |
| pater |
father |
paternal, paternity, patricide,
patrilineal, patriotic |
| path |
feeling, suffering |
sympathy, apathy, empathy,
telepathy, pathology |
| ped, pod |
foot |
pedal, pedometer, centipede,
gastropod |
| pel, puls |
push |
pulsate, repulsive, impulse, compel,
propel |
| pend |
hang, weigh |
pendulum, pendant, suspend, pending |
| phon-, phono- |
sound, voice |
telephone, euphony, cacophony,
phonograph |
| plan |
flat |
planar, plantation, plane |
| pneum |
lung |
pneumatic |
| pod |
feet |
podiatrist |
| port |
carry |
portable, transport, portage,
report, |
| pot |
power |
potent, omnipotent, potentate |
| psych- |
soul, spirit, mind |
psychology, psychic, psychobiography |
| pugna |
fight |
pugnacious, pugilist |
| quer, quis |
ask |
query, inquisition, |
| scent, scend |
climb |
ascend, ascent |
| schizo, schiz |
division, split |
schizophrenic |
| sci |
know |
scientific |
| sciss |
cut |
scissors |
| scrib, script |
write |
manuscript, scribe, proscribe,
scripture |
| sec, sect |
cut |
dissect, section |
| sed, sess |
sit |
sedentary, session |
| sens, sent |
feel, be aware |
sensible, sentient |
| sequ, secu |
follow |
sequence, sequel, consecutive |
| serv |
serve, protect |
service |
| simil |
same |
similar, assimilate, simile,
facsimile (fax) |
| siphon |
tube |
siphon |
| sol |
sun |
solar |
| son |
sound |
sonar, resonate, unison |
| soph |
wisdom, knowledge |
philosophy, sophisticated, sophomore
(wise fool) |
| spec, spic |
look, see |
spectacles, spectator, inauspicious,
prospect |
| spir |
coil |
spiral |
| spir |
breathe |
inspire, respiration, conspire,
perspiration |
| spond, spons |
promise, answer for |
respond, responsible |
| spont |
by one's own force |
spontaneous |
| stat |
stay, position |
station |
| tang, tact |
touch |
tactile, tangible |
| temp |
time |
temporary, temporize |
| ten, tent |
hold |
tentative, tenable, tenuous |
| terr |
earth |
subterranean, terrain, terrestrial,
disinter |
| theo |
god, deity |
theology, polytheism, atheist,
monotheism |
| therm- |
heat |
thermal, thermos, thermometer |
| trophy |
nutrition, food |
atrophy—without nutrition |
| uro |
urine |
urologist |
| vac |
empty |
vacation, vacuum, vacuous, vacant |
| ven, vent |
come, go |
intervene, convene, contravene |
| ver |
truth |
veracity, verify, verity |
| vert |
turn |
introvert, irreversible, vertigo |
| vit |
life |
vital, revitalize, vitamin |
| voc |
call |
revoke, invocation, vocal,
evocative, convocation |
| zoo |
animal |
zoo, zoology, zoolatry |
| Prefix |
Meaning |
Examples |
| a-, an- |
not, without |
amoral, anesthetic, apolitical,
asocial |
| ab- |
away from |
abduction, abstain, abnormal |
| ad- |
to, toward |
adjoin, adjacent (lying near to) |
| ambi- |
both |
ambidextrous, ambivalent |
| ana- |
up, back, again |
analogy, anatomy, anagram |
| anti- |
against |
antipathy, antiwar, antisocial |
| apo- |
from, away from |
apology, apologize |
| auto- |
self |
autobiography, automobile,
autocracy, automaton |
| bene- |
good |
benediction benevolent benefactor |
| cata-, cat- |
down, against |
catastrophe--a turning down |
| centro, centri- |
around, center |
concentric, centrifugal |
| circum- |
around |
circumlocution circumference,
circumvent |
| com- |
with, together |
communal, community |
| con- |
with, together |
connect, confide conspire |
| contra- |
against |
contradict, contravene |
| de- |
down, away |
descend, deject (cast down) |
| dia-, di- |
through, across |
diameter, division |
| dis- |
apart, not |
disengage, discord, discomfort |
| dys- |
ill, difficult, bad |
dysfunctional, dysentery |
| e- |
out of, from |
elect (choose out of), eject (throw
out) |
| ecto- |
on the outside |
ectoderm--outer skin |
| en-, em- |
in |
empathy--feeling in |
| endo- |
within, inside |
endoscope--instrument for observing
inside |
| epi- |
upon |
epitaph epidermis, epicenter |
| eso- |
inward, within |
esoteric--more inward, esophagus |
| eu- |
well, good |
euthanasia--good death |
| ex- |
out of, from |
exhume, exhale, exodus |
| hetero- |
other, different |
heterosexual, heterodoxy, heterodox
heterogeneous |
| homo- |
same |
homosexual, homogeneous, homogenized |
| hyper- |
over |
hypertension, hypersensitive,
hyperactivity |
| hypo- |
under |
hypotension, hypodermic |
| il- |
not |
illegitimate, illicit, illegal,
illegible |
| im- |
not |
imperfect, impolite, impossible |
| im- |
into |
imbibe (drink in, take in) |
| in- |
not |
indiscreet, invisible |
| in- |
into |
incorporate (take into the body) |
| inter- |
between |
intervene (come between), interstate |
| intra- |
within |
intrastate, intramural |
| ir- |
not |
irregular, irrational, irredeemable |
| macro- |
large |
macrocosm, macroeconomics |
| mal, male- |
bad, evil |
malediction malevolent, malnutrition |
| meta- |
beyond |
metaphysical |
| micro- |
small |
microscope, microcosm,
microeconomics |
| mono- |
one, single |
monologue, monotheism, monarchy,
monogamy |
| neo- |
new, recent |
neologism, neo-liberal, neonatology.
neolithic |
| ob- |
against |
object, obstruct (build against) |
| palin-, pali- |
back, again |
palindrome |
| pan- |
all, every |
pantheism, Pan-Hellenic, panorama,
pandemic |
| para- |
false |
paramilitary, paralegal, parachute |
| per- |
through |
percolate (flow through) perforate
(punch through) |
| peri- |
around |
perimeter, periscope |
| phil-, philo- |
like, lover of |
philosophy, Francophile,
bibliophile, philanthropy |
| poly- |
many, several |
polygon, polygamy, polytechnic,
polytheism |
| post- |
after |
postgraduate, posthumous postpone |
| pre- |
before |
precede, predict (tell before) |
| pro- |
for, forward |
promote, project |
| pros- |
toward, in front |
prospect—view in front, something
coming up |
| proto- |
first |
prototype, protoplasm, protobiology |
| pseudo |
false |
pseudonym, pseudoscience |
| re- |
again, back |
repeat, recede, regress (step back) |
| retro- |
back |
retrogression, retroactive |
| se- |
away from |
seduce (lead away), secede |
| sub- |
under |
submarine, subject, subhuman
subterranean |
| sur-, super- |
over, above |
superhuman, superego, superintend,
surpass |
| syn-, sym-, syl-, sys- |
with, together |
symphony, synonym, system, syllable |
| tele- |
distant, far off |
telephone, telepathy, television,
telegram |
| trans- |
across |
transient, Transatlantic, transport
(carry across) |