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VOCABULARY
Knowing the meaning of prefixes, suffixes and root words can help you determine the meaning of a word
.
Roots Meaning Sample Words
act do act, actor, action,
react, reaction
anthro man anthropomorphic,
anthropology, philanthropy
arch chief, ruler monarchy, oligarchy,
anarchy, architect
ast, aster star astronaut, asterisk,
astronomy
auto self autoimmune,
autograph, autonomous
bibl book bibliography, Bible,
bibliophile
bio life biology, biography,
biochemist
cap head cap, captain, caption,
capital
cardi heart electrocardiogram,
cardiology, cardiovascular
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cauterize
cede, ceed go proceed, recede,
succeed
chrom color polychrome,
chromatic, chrome, chromosome
chron time chronology, chronic,
chronicle
crat, cracy power, rule aristocrat, autocrat,
democracy, theocrat, technocracy
crypt secret, hidden cryptic, encrypted,
cryptogenic
cycle circle cycle, bicycle,
encyclopedia
dem people democracy, democrat,
epidemic, demographic
dent tooth dental, dentist,
denture
derm skin hypodermic,
dermatology,
epidermis, taxidermy
dox belief, opinion doxology, orthodox,
paradox
fer bring transfer, confer, refer
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formation
gam marriage monogamy,
polygamy, bigamy
geo earth geography, geology,
geographic
gram written diagram, telegram,
grammar
graph write telegraph, autograph,
graphic, biography
grat please grateful, gratitude,
congratulate
gyn woman gynecology,
gynecologist
hetero different, other heterogeneous,
heterosexual
homo same homophone,
homicide, homogenous, homonym
hydr water hydrant, hydraulic,
dehydrate, hydrogen, hydrophobia
ject throw reject, project, eject,
inject
lith stone lithography, monolith,
lithiasis, megalith
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dislocate
log, lex, lec word, language lexicography, lexicon,
lecture, logistics
man hand manual, manipulate,
manufacture
mand order command, demand,
mandate
mech machine mechanic,
mechanism, mechanical
mega great, million megalopolis,
megabyte, megaphone , megalomaniac
meter, metr measure multimeter,
perimeter, micrometer,
altimeter, ammeter
min small minute, minor,
minimum
mis bad, badly misinform,
mispronounce, mistake
mob move mobile, automobile,
immobile
morph form, shape morpheme,
polymorphic, amorphous
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mot, mov move motion, motor, move,
motive
multi many multiply, multiple,
multitude
nym, onym name synonym, antonym,
acronym
ology study of geology, biology,
theology, dermatology
ortho straight, right, correct orthodontics,
orthopedic, orthodox, unorthodox
path feeling, disease telepathy, pathos,
sympathy, antipathy, apathy
ped, pod foot pedal, pedestrian,
podium
petro rock petroleum, petrified
phil love philharmonic,
philanthropy, philosophy
phob fear aquaphobia,
homophobia, phobia, claustrophobia,
acrophobia
phon sound telephone, phonics,
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photo light photograph,
photography, telephoto
poli city police, politics,
political, metropolis
port carry portable, porter,
transport
pseudo false pseudonym
psych mind psychosis, psychology,
psyche, psychiatry
pyr fire pyromania,
pyrotechnics
sci know science, scientific,
conscious
scop see telescope,
microscope, stethoscope
sign mark sign, signal, signature,
design
soph wise philosophy,
sophisticated,
sophomore (wise fool)
spec see inspect, spectator,
suspect
struct build construct, instruct,
structure
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polytheist
therm heat thermometer,
thermostat, thermos
tract pull tractor, attract,
subtract
urb city urban, suburban,
suburb
vac empty vacant, vacate,
vacation
vid, vis see video, television, visit
zo animal zoo (short for
zoological garden), zoology, zodiac, protozoan
Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Sample Words
a, ab away, from absent, abduction,
abstemious
a, an not, without anarchy, anonymous,
apathy, anemia
ad to, toward additional, adhere
amphi, ambi both ambidextrous,
amphibious
ante before antebellum,
antecedent, anteroom, anterior
anti against antifreeze, antibiotic,
antisocial, antibody, antiseptic
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auto self automobile, autograph,
automatic, autobiography
be around, make, affect
by
befriend, behold, believe, belittle, because
bene well, good beneficial,
benediction, benefit, benefactor
circum around circumstance,
circumference, circulatory, circumcision
contra, counter against contradict, counteract,
contrary
co, con, com, syn, sym together, with convene, compress, contemporary, compact, conjoin, combine
de away from, off, down depart, decline,
depress, defect, deflate
dia through, across diameter, diagonal,
dialogue, diagnosis
dis opposite, away dismiss, disallow,
disperse, disproportion
dys ill, bad dysfunction, dyslexia
epi upon, above epilogue, epidermis,
epicenter
ex from, out of expel, exempt, exert,
explain, expense
hyper over hyperactive,
hypertensive, hyperventilate, hyperkinetic
hypo under, below hypotension,
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hypoallergenic
in, im in, into, not infer, invade, impeach,
impose, imply
inter between, among international,
intermission, interoffice,
intermittent, internal
intra within intranet, intramural,
intravenous
lux, luc, photo light photoelectric,
photograph, photosensitive, photosynthesis
magn, mega great, large megabyte, megaton,
megamillion
macro large, long macrobiotic,
macrocosm, macroscopic
mal bad malformation,
maladjusted, malady, malcontent
micro small microscopic,
microgram, microvolt
mis wrong misinform,
misinterpret, mistake
multi, poly many multitude, multiply,
multipurpose
non not nonabrasive,
nondescript
nov, neo new neoclassic, neophyte,
neonate, neologism
omni, pan all omnipotent,
omnivorous, omniscient
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perforate, persuade
peri around periscope, perimeter,
periodontal
post after, later, behind postgraduate, postpaid,
postmark
pre, pro before, in front of precede, preheat,
pretest, protect, propel, protest
prim, proto first primary, prototype,
primafacie
re back, again repay, react, retell,
return, rebel
retro backward retroactive, retrospect,
retrogression
se away, apart segment, segregate
sub under, below, divide
into smaller groups
submarine, subgroup, subject
super, ultra, hyper over, above, on top of supervisor, superhuman, supernatural
tele far, from a far distance television, telephone,
telegraph, telemetry
trans across, over beyond transcontinental,
transcend, transfer
un not, lack of, opposite
of
unknown,
unemployed, unjust