Word roots, prefixes and suffixes:

 A root is a simple form of a word, or a part of a word, without any prefix or suffix. A prefix is a word fragment added in front of a word (e.g., bi-, pre-, un-). A suffix is a word fragment added at the end of a word (e.g., -hood, -less, -y). Combining roots with prefixes and suffixes produces new words. For example, prefix un- + root able = new word unable; root able + suffix -y = new word ably.

                Breaking a word down into root, prefix, and suffix might help you determine its literal meaning. Many English words were borrowed from Greek and Latin. It is a good idea to learn the meaning of common roots, prefixes and suffixes, as this could help you deduce the meaning of new and unfamiliar words.

Greek Root Words

The table below defines and illustrates 25 of the most common Greek roots

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Root	Meaning	Examples
anti	against	antibacterial, antidote, antithesis
ast(er)	Star*	asteroid, astronomy, astronaut
aqu	water	aquarium, aquatic, aqualung
auto	self	automatic, automate, autobiography
biblio	book	bibliography, bibliophile
bio	life	biography, biology, biodegradable
chrome	color	monochromatic, phytochrome
chrono	time	chronic, synchronize, chronicle
doc	teach	document, docile, doctrinal
dyna	power	dynasty, dynamic, dynamite
geo	earth	geography, geology, geometry
gno	to know	agnostic, acknowledge
graph	write	autograph, graphic, demographic
hydra	water	dehydrate, hydrant, hydropower
kinesis	movement	kinetic, photokinesis
logos	word, study	astrology, biology, theologian
narc	sleep	narcotic, narcolepsy
path	feel	empathy, pathetic, apathy
phil	love	philosophy, bibliophile, philanthropy
phon	sound	microphone, phonograph, telephone
photo	light	photograph, photocopy, photon
schem	plan	scheme, schematic
syn	together, with	synthetic, photosynthesis
tele	far	telescope, telepathy, television
tropos	turning	heliotrope, tropical

Latin Root Words

The table below defines and illustrates 25 of the most common Latin roots.

Root	Meaning	Examples
Ab	to move away	abstract, abstain, aversion
Acer,  Acri	bitter	acrid, acrimony, exacerbate
Audi	hear	audible, audience, auditorium
Bene	good	benefit, benign, benefactor
Brev	short	abbreviate, brief
Circ	round	circus, circulate, circle
Dict	say	dictate, edict, dictionary
Duc	lead, make	deduce, produce, educate
Fund	bottom	founder, foundation, funding
Gen	to birth	gene, generate, generous
Hab	to have	ability, exhibit, inhabit
Jur	law	jury, justice, justify
Lev	to lift	levitate, elevate, leverage
log, logue	thought	logic, apologize, analogy
luc, lum	light	lucid, illuminate, translucent
Manu	hand	manual, manicure, manipulate
mis, mit	send	missile, transmit, permit
Omni	all	omnivorous, omnipotent, omniscient
Pac	peace	pacify, pacific, pacifist
Port	carry	export, import, important
Quit	silent, restive	tranquil, requiem, acquit
scrib, script	to write	script, proscribe, describe
Sens	to feel	sensitive, sentient, resent
Terr	earth	terrain, territory, extraterrestrial
Tim	to fear	timid, timorous
Vac	empty	vacuum, vacate, evacuate
vid, vis	to see	video, vivid, invisible

Greek Prefix	Meaning	Examples
a, an	without, not	asexual, amoral, anarchy, anhydrous, Anabaptist, anachronism
ab, abs, a	apart, away from	abnormal, abduct, abductor (muscle), abscission
Ad	toward	adhere, adductor (muscle)  adumbrate
Agree	act	agent, agency, agenda
amphi, ambi	round, both sides	amphitheater, amphibian, ambidextrous, ambivalent
Ante	before	antedate, anteroom, antecedent, anterior
Anthro	man	anthropology, anthropomorphic
Anti	against	antipathy, antitank, anticlimax
Aqua	water	aquarium, aqueous
archaios	ancient	archeology, archetype, archaic, archeozoic
Archos	leader, first, chief	monarchy, oligarchy, anarchy, archetype, architect
Audio	hear	audiophile, audiometer, auditory
Auto	self	automatic, automaton, auto-immune
Bi	two	bi-partisan, bisexual, biennial, binary, bicuspid, bivalve
Bene	well, favorable	benefit, benevolent, benefactor, beneficent
Bible	book	bibliography, Bible, bibliophile
Bio	life	biology, biography, bio-active
Caco	Bad	Cacophony
Cide	kill	homicide, parricide, germicidal, ecocide
Circum	around	circumference, circumlocution,  circumnavigate
constitutus	stand	constitution, statute
Corpus	body	corpse, corporeal punishment, corpus callosum
Cracy	rule	democracy, theocrat, technocracy
Credo	belief	credit,
Demos	people	democracy, demographic
Di	two, double	dimorphism, dicotyledon, diatomic
Dia	across, through	diagonal, dialectic, dialogue, diagnosis
Dis	not, apart	disperse, disinherit, disenfranchise, distend
dominus	lord	dominant, dominion
dynasthai	be able	dynamic, dynamo, dynasty, dynamite
Ego	I, self	ego, egomaniac, egocentric,
Epi	upon, over	epidermis, epidemic, epigram, epitaph, epithet, epiphyte, epistasis,  epinephrine, epiphysis
Ex	out	exotic, exterior, extraneous, extemporaneous, exophalmic, exogenous, exothermic, exoskeleton
federis	league, pact	federation, confederate
Frater	brother	fraternize, fraternity, fraternal, fratricide
Geo	earth	geology, geography, geocentric, geomancy
graph	write, record	graphic, graphite, graphology,
Hetero	mixed, unlike	heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodox, heterodont, hetero atom, heterocyclic, heterozygous,
Homo	same, alike	homogeneous, homogenized, homozygous, homolytic fission, Homo sapiens, homonid, homeostasis
Idem	the same	identity, idiopathic, I, individual
Ideo	idea	ideology, ideation, ideal
Idios	one’s own	idiom, idiosyncrasy, idiopathic
In	in	incarcerate, incorporate, inculcate, induction, inductance, indigenous, indicator, inspiration
in, im	not	incredible, ignoble, inglorious, inhospitable, infinite, infinitesimal, immoral
Inter	between	Interact, interstellar, interpret, interstitial. Interfere
legis (lex)	law	legal, legislature
Lexis	word	lexicon, lexicography, lexcographer
Liber	free, book	liberty, library, liberal
Locus	place	locality, local, circumlocution
Macro	large	macroeconomics, macroscopic, macrophage
mania	obsession	maniac, Beatlemania
Meter	measure	metronome, speedometer, odometer
Micro	small	microscope, micron, micrometer, microorganism
mittere, mitto	send	mission, transmit, remit
mono	one, single	monocle, monopoly, monogamy, monovalent, monomania, monarchy
mortis	death	mortician, mortuary, moribund, morbid
nomen	name	noble, ignominy, nomenclature, nominal
olig	few	oligarchy, oligopoly
pater	father	paternal, paternity, patricide
ped	foot	pedestrian, pedal, pedicure, podiatrist
Peri	around	peripatetic, periscope, perineum, peritoneum
Phage	eat	phagocyte, phagocytosis
Philo	love	philosophy, philanthropy
polein	sell	Monopoly
polis	city	political, metropolitan
poly	many	polygamy, polyphonic, polyclinic, polytechnic
porto	carry	porter, export
post	after	post script (p.s.), post metric, post lunch, postbox   post-mortem
pre	before	premier, preview, premium, prescient
pro	before, in favor of	project, projectile,
psyche	mind, soul	Psychology
publicus	people	public, republic, pub, publican
riparia	river	Riparian
scope	examine	microscope, oscilloscope
scribe	write	transcribe, scribe, script, scriber
sol	alone	solo, solitary
subter	under, secret	subterfuge, subtle, subaltern, subterranean
syn	together, with	synchronize, symphony, sympathy, syncretic, syncope
tele	distance	telegraph, telephone, teleology
trans	across	transport, transcend, transmogrify
utilis	useful	utility, utilitarian
vide, visibil, vis	see	video, vision, visible

Greek and Latin Suffixes

Greek and Latin Suffixes	Meaning	Examples
able, ible	able, capable	capable, agreeable, edible, visible
ade	result of action	Blockade
age	act of, state of, result of	storage, wreckage, damage
al	relating to	gradual, manual, natural
algia	pain	neuralgia, nostalgia, myalgia
an, ian	native of, relating to	African, riparian, American, indian
ance, ancy	action, process, state	assistance, allowance, defiance
ary, ery, ory	relating to, quality, place where	aviary, bravery, dormitory
cian	possessing a specific skill or art	magician, physician,
cy	action, function	hesitancy, prophecy, normalcy
cule, ling	very small	molecule, ridicule, animalcule, duckling, sapling
dom	quality, realm	freedom, kingdom, wisdom
ee	one who receives the action	refugee, nominee, lessee
en	made of, to make	silken, frozen, wooden
ence, ency	action, state of, quality	difference, confidence, urgency, agency
er, or	one who, that which	baker, miller, professor
escent	in the process of	adolescent, senescence, putrescence
ese	a native of, the language of	Javanese, Japanese, Balinese
esis, osis	action, process, condition	genesis, hypnosis, neurosis, osmosis
ess		goddess, lioness, actress
et, ette		midget, baronet, sextet, lorgnette
fic	female	scientific, specific
ful	small one, group	frightful, careful, helpful
fy	make	beautify, fortify, simplify
hood	order, condition, quality	manhood, adulthood
ic	nature of, like	metallic, acidic, bucolic, simplistic
ice	condition, state, quality	justice, malice
id, ide	a thing connected with or belonging to	fluid, fluoride, bromide
ile	relating to, suited for, capable of	juvenile, senile, purile, missile
ine	nature of	feminine, genuine, medicine
ion, sion, tion	act, result, or state of	cancellation, contagion, infection, crenellation
ish	origin, nature, resembling	foolish, Irish, clownish, impish
ism	system, manner, condition, characteristic	alcoholism, communism, capitalism,
ist	one who, that which	artist, dentist, flautist
ite	nature of, quality of, mineral product	prelate, Mennonite, dynamite, graphite, Israelite
ity, ty	state of, quality	celebrity, captivity, clarity, poverty
ive	causing, making	abusive, exhaustive, abortive
ize, ise	make	emphasize, exercise, bowdlerize, bastardize, idolize, fanaticize
logy	study, science, theory	biology, anthropology, geology, neurology
ly	like, manner of	carelessly, fearlessly, hopelessly
ment	act of, state or, result	containment, contentment, amendment
ness	state of	carelessness, restlessness
nomy	law	autonomy, economy, taxonomy
oid	resembling	asteroid, spheroid, rhomboid, anthropoid
ous	full of, having	gracious, nervous, pompous,
ship	state of, office, quality	assistantship, friendship, authorship
some	like, apt, tending to	lonesome, lissome, threesome, gruesome
tude	state of, condition of	gratitude, aptitude, multitude
ure	state of, act, process, rank	culture, literature, rupture, rapture
ward	in the direction of	eastward, downward, backward
y	inclined to, tend to	cheery, crafty, faulty