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 a, an ab acro ad alt ambul ante anti, ant Meaning not, without away from high, tip, top to, toward high to walk before against, opposite Examples atheist, anarchy, anonymous apathy, aphasia, anemia, atypical, anesthesia absent, abduction, aberrant, abstemious, abnormal, abstract, absorb acrobat, acrophobia, acronym, acromegaly admit, addition, advertisement, adherent, admonish, address, adhesive, adept, adjust altitude, altimiter, alto, contralto, altocumulus ambulatory, amble, ambulance, somnambulist, perambulate, preamble anteroom, antebellum, antedate antecedent, antediluvian antisocial, antiseptic, antithesis, antibody, antichrist, antinomies, antifreeze, antipathy, antigen, antibiotic, antidote, antifungal, antidepressant audience, auditory, audible, auditorium, audiovisual, audition, audiobook automobile, automatic, autograph, autonomous, autoimmune, autopilot, autobiography bedecked, besmirch, besprinkled, begrudge, begrime, belie, bemoan belligerent, antebellum, bellicose, rebel benefactor, beneficial, benevolent, benediction, beneficiary, benefit bicycle, bifocals, biceps, billion, binary, bivalve, bimonthly, bigamy, bimetal, biathlete, bicarbonate succeed, proceed, precede, recede, secession, exceed, succession, excess chronology, chronic, chronicle, chronometer,

audi auto be bell bene

to hear self thoroughly war good, well

bi cede, ceed, cess chron

two to go, to yield time

anachronism cide, cis circum to kill, to cut around fratricide, suicide, incision, excision, circumcision, precise, concise, precision circumnavigate, circumflex, circumstance, circumcision, circumference, circumorbital, circumlocution, circumvent, circumscribe, circulatory include, exclude, clause, claustrophobia, enclose, exclusive, reclusive, conclude, preclude convene, compress, contemporary, converge, compact, confluence, concatenate, conjoin, combine, convert, compatible, consequence contradict, counteract, contravene, contrary, counterspy, contrapuntal, contraband credo, credible, credence, credit, credential, credulity, incredulous, creed, incredible commune, community, communism, communicable, communication, commonality, incommunicado bicycle, cyclical, cycle, encliclical, motorcycle, tricycle, cyclone detach, deploy, derange, deodorize, devoid, deflate, degenerate, deice, descend, derail, depress, depart, decompose, destruction divinity, divine, deity, divination, deify democracy, demagogue, epidemic, demographic diameter, diagonal, dialogue, dialect, dialectic, diagnosis, diachronic, diagram, diaphragm predict, verdict, malediction, dictionary, dictate, dictum, diction, indict, contradict dismiss, differ, disallow, disperse, dissuade, disconnect, dysfunction, disproportion, disrespect, distemper, distaste, disarray, dyslexia produce, abduct, product, transducer, viaduct, aqueduct, induct, deduct, reduce, induce dynamic, dynamometer, heterodyne, dynamite, dynamo, dynasty ectomorph, ectoderm, ectoplasm, ectopic, ectothermal endotoxin, endoscope, endogenous equidistant, equilateral, equilibrium, equinox, equitable, equation, equator emit, expulsion, exhale, exit, express, exclusive, enervate, exceed, explosion external, extrinsic, exterior, extraordinary, extrabiblical,

clud, clus claus con, com

to close with, together

contra, counter cred

against, opposite to believe

commun cycl de

to share circle, wheel from, down, away

dei, div demo dia dict dis, dys, dif

God, god people through, across, between speak away, not, negative

duc, duct dyn, dyna ecto endo equi e, ex exter, extra

to lead, pull power outside, external inside, withing equal out, away, from outside of

extracurricular, extrapolate, extraneous, exterminator, extract, extradite, extraterrestrial, extrasensory, extravagant, extreme flu, flux flect, flex graph, gram flow to bend to write effluence, influence, effluvium, fluctuate, confluence, reflux, influx flexible, reflection, deflect, circumflex, inflection, reflex polygraph, grammar, biography, graphite, telegram, autograph, lithograph, historiography, graphic, electrocardiogram, monogram heterodox, heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodyne homogenized, homosexual, homonym, homophone hyperactive, hypertensive, hyperbolic, hypersensitive, hyperventilate, hyperkinetic, hyperlink, hypertext, hypersonic, hypertrophy hypotension, hypodermic, hypoglycemia, hypoallergenic, hypothermia, hypothesis inviolate, innocuous, intractable, innocent, impregnable, impossible infrared, infrastructure, infrasonic international, intercept, intermission, interoffice, internal, intermittent, introvert, introduce intranet, intracranial, intravenous, intramural, intramuscular, intraocular reject, eject, project, trajectory, interject, dejected, inject, ejaculate malformation, maladjusted, dismal, malady, malcontent, malfeasance, maleficent, malevolent, malice, malaria, malfunction, malignant megaphone, megalomaniac, megabyte, megalopolis mesomorph, mesoamerica, mesosphere metaphor, metamorphosis, metabolism, metahistorical, metainformation, metacognitive perimeter, micrometer, ammeter, multimeter, altimeter, geometry, kilometer microscope, microprocessor, microfiche, micrometer, micrograph misinform, misinterpret, mispronounce, misnomer, mistake, misogynist transmit, permit, missile, missionary, remit, admit, missive, mission polymorphic, morpheme, amorphous, metamorphosis, morphology, morphing

hetero homo hyper

other same over, above

hypo in, im infra inter, intro intra jac, ject mal

below, less than not beneath between within, into to throw bad, badly

mega meso meta meter micro mis mit, miss morph

great, million middle beyond, change measure small bad, badly to send shape

multi neo non omni para per peri phon phot poly port re retro sanct scrib, script sect, sec semi spect sub super, supra syn tele theo, the therm, thermo

many new not all beside through, intensive around sound light many to carry back, again backwards holy to write cut half to look under, below above together distance, from afar God heat

multitude, multipartite, multiply, multipurpose, multicolored, multimedia, multinational neologism, neonate, neoclassic, neophyte nonferrous, nonabrasive, nondescript, nonfat, nonfiction, nonprofit, nonsense, nonentity omnipotent, omnivorous, omniscient, omnibus, omnirange, omnipresent paraprofessional, paramedic, paraphrase, parachute, paralegal, parallel, comparison permit, perspire, perforate, persuade, perceive, perfect, permit, perform periscope, perimeter, perigee, periodontal telephone, phonics, phonograph, phonetic, homophone, microphone photograph, photosynthesis, photon polytheist, polygon, polygamy, polymorphous porter, portable, report, transportation, deport, import, export report, realign, retract, revise, regain, reflect, rename, restate, recombine, recalculate, redo retrorocket, retrospect, retrogression, retroactive sanctify, sanctuary, sanction, sanctimonious, sacrosanct inscription, prescribe, proscribe, manuscript, conscript, scribble, scribe intersect, transect, dissect, secant, section semifinal, semiconscious, semiannual, semimonthly, semicircle inspect, spectator, circumspect, retrospect, prospect, spectacle submerge, submarine, substandard, subnormal, subvert, subdivision, submersible, submit superior, suprarenal, superscript, supernatural, supercede, superficial, superhero, superimpose synthesis, synchronous, syndicate, synergy, snyopsis, syncretism television, telephone, telegraph, telemetry, telepathy theology, theist, polytheist, pantheism, atheist thermal, thermometer, thermocouple, thermodynamic, thermoelectric

tract trans un veh, vect vert, vers vita

to drag, draw across not to carry to turn life

attract, tractor, traction, extract, retract, protract, detract, subtract, contract, intractable transoceanic, transmit, transport, transducer uncooked, unharmed, unintended, unhappy vector, vehicle, convection, vehement convert, revert, advertise, versatile, vertigo, invert, reversion, extravert, introvert vital, vitality, vitamins, revitalize

Number Prefixes Prefix mono, uni bi, di tri quat, quad quint, penta hex, ses, sex sept oct non dec cent mill, kilo mega giga tera peta exa zetta yotta milli Meaning one two three four five six seven eight nine ten hundred thousand (10^3) million (10^6) billion (10^9) trillion (10^12) quadrillion (10^15) quintillion (10^18) sextillion (10^21) septilion (10^24) thousandth (10^-3) Examples monopoly, monotype, monologue, mononucleosis, monorail, monotheist, unilateral, universal, unity, unanimous, uniform divide, diverge, diglycerides, bifurcate, biweekly, bivalve, biannual, billion triangle, trinity, trilateral, triumvirate, tribune, trilogy, tricycle, trillion quadrangle, quadruplets, quaternary, quarter, quadrillion quintet, quintuplets, pentagon, pentane, pentameter, quintillion hexagon, hexameter, sestet, sextuplets, sextillion septet, septennial, septillion octopus, octagon, octogenarian, octave, octillion nonagon, nonagenarian, nonillion decimal, decade, decalogue, decimate, decillion centennial, century, centipede, centillion millennium, kilobyte, kiloton megabyte, megaton, megaflop gigabyte, gigaflop terabyte, teraflop petabyte exabyte zettabyte yottabyte millisecond, milligram, millivolt

micro nano pico femto atto zepto yocto

millionth (10^-6) billionth (10^-9) trillionth (10^-12) quadrillionth (10^-15) quintillionth (10^-18) sextillionth (10^-21) septillionth (10^-24)

microgram, microvolt nanosecond, nanobucks picofarad, picocurie femtosecond attosecond, attometer zeptosecond yoctosecond

A Handful of Suffixes

Suffix able, ible

Meaning able to be, capable of being

Examples pourable, drinkable, readable, washable, curable, visible, flexible, collectible performance, reliance, defiance, radiance, acceptance, ascendancy, discrepancy, infancy kingdom, freedom, wisdom, sheikdom, fiefdom, sheikdom payee, mortgagee, employee, appointee, abductee, examinee, referee, refugee driver, hiker, reader, manager, polisher, speaker, counselor, author, creator, director, sculptor frightful, delightful, wonderful, cupful, wakeful, bashful, bountiful, beautiful, cheerful, colorful, dreadful, fateful purify, deify, simplify, clarify, petrify purification, deification, simplifiction, clarification, petrification Cornish, Irish, bookish, freakish, foolish, boorish, selfish, sluggish, priggish capitalism, heroism, optimism, skepticism, realism, patriotism, communism, idealism, conservatism tympanist, cellist, idealist, communist, realist, moralist, pharamacist, pragmatist rationalize, normalize, realize, capitalize rationalization, normalization, realization, capitalization loveless, fearless, worthless, nameless, baseless, bottomless, effortless, friendless, noiseless, harmless

ance, ancy dom ee er, or ful ify ification ish ism ist ize ization less

state of, process of condition, office, state one who receives one who does [the verb] filled with to make into process of making into the nature of, resembling doctrine, system, characteristic quality one who performs; an adherent of an ism to make into the process of making into without