Unit 1: Vocabulary Building

INTRODUCTION:
Language has always been a revolutionary contribution to the development of Human
Civilization. It is an only tool which helps us share our ideas, knowledge, and experiences with
people. There are thousands of languages across the
world and all these languages share a common
structure i.e. a word represents certain object or idea.
Language is basically made up of words. When we
arrange certain words using grammar rules and
context, it forms a meaningful sentence. So, words play
an essential role in the creation of the meaning while
using language. This is why, it is very important to have
knowledge of how words are formed. This chapter will
focus on the various methods of forming words.

WORD
Comfortable
Word is the smallest part of language
that bears a bit of information or Uncomfortable
Comforter
meaning. There are two kinds of
words: Spoken Words and Written
Words. Spoken words are made up of
sound that we utter while written words comfort
are made up letters that we write. In
English language there are 26 letters
and 44 sounds. There are different Comfortless Comfortably
methods which are used in forming
words. Comforting

For Example:
Comfort word is a root/base word. By adding ‘able’, ‘un’, ‘ly’, ‘ing’, ‘less’, ‘er’, we can form
various words with different meaning.
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 Derivation:

Derivation is a process of creating a new word by adding affix to a root/base word. For example
in word “Discover” the root word or base word is “Cover” which has its own meaning while
“Dis” is affix and this affix does not have its
meaning when it stands alone. When affix
attaches with the base/root word, it changes the
meaning of root/base word. There are two kinds
of Affixes (1) Prefix and (2) Suffix. Prefix is placed
before the root word (e.g. Discover) and suffix is
placed at the end of root word (e.g. Teacher).
The function of suffix and prefix is to add
meaning to the root word so the newly created
word bears different meaning.

List of Common Prefixes and Suffixes:

Prefix Indicates Example | Suffix Indicates Example
a- Not Asymmetrical | able Capable of being Debatable
lacking Abacterial | Adaptable
Without Ahistorical | Capable
Apolitical | Durable
Atheist | Fashionable
Amoral | Comfortable
anti- Against Antisocial | al Pertaining to Approval
Opposite Antireligious | Arrival
Antimatter | Refusal
co- Together Co-exist | ant Inclined to Dependant
with Co-operate | Pleasant
Co-pilot | Vigilant
Co-worker | Applicant
de- Opposite Declassify | er Someone how Teacher
Negative Decontaminate | does an action Trainer
Reverse Demotivate | Runner
Deactivate | Writer
Degrade | Batter
Devalue | Cheater
Defrost | Computer
Debug | Shooter
auto Self Autopilot | ee Someone who is Employee
Autofocus | affected by an Licensee

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 Autobigraphy | action. Trainee
Automobile | Absentee
| Assignee
hyper Over Hypersonic | tion Action or process Regulation
Excess Hyperactive | of something Negation
beyond, Hypersensitive | Automation
| Completion
omni Every Omnipresent | ism Theory or belief Feminism
Omnivores | Marxism
Omnidirectional | Hinduism
| Capitalism
post After Postgraduate | ity State or Responsibility
Behind | condition of Toxicity
| Proximity
sub Under Submarine | ness A state or quality Badness
lower Subcontinent | Kindness
Substandard | Homesickness
pre Before Prefix | ment Action or result Achievement
Preconceived | of Excitement
Preprogrammed | Disappointment
tele From a Television | or A person who is Collector
distance Telecommunication | something Supervisor
Telephone | Instructor
uni One Unicorn | sion State of being Division
Single Unicycle | Explosion
Unicellular | Permission
up Toward Upgrade | ship Position held Professorship
higher or Upload | Hardship
top side Upstage | Kingship
Upbeat | Leadership
ex Former Ex-student | eer Person who is Engineer
Ex-wife | engaged in Charioteer
Ex-husband | something Volunteer
Ex-prime minister | Auctioneer
mal Bad Malfunction | ful Ful of or notable Careful
Malpractice | of Painful
mis Wrong Misfortune | ive Having quality of Excessive
Mistake | something Effective
| Exhaustive
|
mono One Monotheism less Without Wireless
|
Monopoly something Hopeless
|
multi More than Multitask Ward In certain Downward
one Multigrain direction Eastward

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Synonyms:
Synonym word is word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the
same as another word or phrase in the same language. For example
the word “Shut” and “Close” are synonyms.

Synonym Words | Synonym Words

|
|
Shut Close | Importance Significance
Begin Start | Fair Just, Impartial
Big Enormous, Huge | Fall Drop
Brave Courageous | False Fake
Answer Reply | Funny Humorous
Cry Weep | Happy Pleased
Cut | Hate Despise
Definite Certain | Help Aid
Destroy Ruin | Hide Conceal
|
Eager Keen Hurt Damage
|
Explain Elaborate Interesting Fascinating
|
Traits Characteristics | Put Place
Right Correct, true | Get Acquire
Strange Odd, Weird | Use Employ
Think Consider | Take Hold, Catch
Difficult Hard | Break Fracture
Smart Clever | Show Display, Present
Stupid Dumb | End Finish
Little Tiny, small | Normal Routine, General
New Fresh, original | Idea Thought,
Concept
Fast Quick, Speedy Awful Dreadful
Cool Chilly, Icy Lazy Idle

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 Antonyms:
An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of
another word. The word antonym is rooted in the Greek language. The
Greek word anti means "opposite," while “onym” means "name." For example:
Happy – Unhappy, Old – New, Start – End etc.

Antonyms | Antonyms
|
|
Present Absent | Love Hate
Accept Refuse, deny | Horizontal Vertical
Alive Dead | Inferior Superior
Ancient Modern | Interior Exterior
Advance Outdated | Intentional Accidental
Natural Artificial, man made | Knowledge Ignorance
Attack Defense | Rapid Slow
Friend Enemy | Strong Weak
Sharp Blunt | Above Below
|
Blame Praise Buy Sell
|
Bitter Sweet Young Elderly
|
Borrow Lend | Wise Foolish
Master Slave | Warm Cool
Clever Stupid | Early Late
Cruel Kind | Despair Hope
Beautiful Ugly | Ebb Flow
Dark Light | Entrance Exit
Deep Shallow | Beginning End
Demand Supply | Expand Contact
Gentle Rough | First Last
|

Antonyms are also formed by adding Prefixes.

Antonyms Antonyms

Agree Disagree | Likely Unlikely

Appear Disappear | Lucky Unlucky
Belief Disbelief | Able Unable
Honest Dishonest | fortunate Unfortunate
Charge Discharge | Pack Unpack
Connect Disconnect | Authorized Unauthorized
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Allow Disallow | Available Unavailable
Comfort Discomfort | Conscious Unconscious
Like Dislike | Necessary Unnecessary
Appointment Disappointment | Armed Unarmed
Credit Discredit | Kind Unkind
Establish Disestablish | Common Uncommon
Invest Disinvest | Fit Unfit
Loyal Disloyal | Pleasant Unpleasant
Advantage Disadvantage | Popular Unpopular
Order Disorder | Wise Unwise
Satisfied Dissatisfied | Do Undo
Able Disable |
Continue Discontinue | Entity Nonentity
Cover Discover | Human being Non Human being
| Payment Non Payment
| Vegetarian Non Vegetarian
Tolerant Intolerant | Sense Nonsense
Decent Indecent | Living Non living
Discreet Indiscreet | Verbal Non Verbal
Excusable Inexcusable | Violence Non violence
Competent Incompetent | Fiction Non fiction
Visible Invisible |
Complete Incomplete | Possible Impossible
Convenient Inconvenient | Polite Impolite
Credible Incredible | Mature Immature
Effective Ineffective | Mobile Immobile
Efficient Inefficient | Moral Immoral
Formal Informal | Movable Immovable
Ability Inability | Patient Impatient
Active Inactive | Mortal Immortal
Animate Inanimate | Pure Impure
Attentive Inattentive | Probable Improbable
Definite Indefinite |
Divisible Indivisible | Mater Antimatter
Expert Inexpert | Virus Antivirus
Justice Injustice | Septic Antiseptic
Sufficient Insufficient | Social Antisocial
Valid Invalid | Climax Anticlimax
Accurate Inaccurate | Clockwise Anticlockwise
Behave Misbehave | Gravity Antigravity
Interpret Misinterpret | Aging Anti aging
Lead Mislead |
Trust Mistrust | Symmetrical Asymmetrical
Fortune Misfortune | Bacterial Abacterial

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Manage Mismanage | Historical Ahistorical
historical
Guide Misguide | Political Apolitical
political
Conduct Misconduct | Theist Atheist
Handling Mishandling
handling | Moral Amoral
Use Misuse |
Understand Misunderstand
understand | Classify Declassify
classify
Adventure Misadventure
adventure | Contaminate Decontaminate
contaminate
Calculate Miscalculate
calculate | Motivate Demotivate
motivate
take Mistake | Grade Degrade
grade
| Value Devalue
value
Practice Malpractice | Frost Defrost
Function Malfunction | Bug Debug
Nourishment Malnourishment
nourishment | Activate Deactivate
activate
| Rail Derail
|

Compounding:

Compounding is a word formation method in which

two or more than two root/base words come
together and form a single word. For example: the
word “Classroom” is made up of two words: “Class” and
“Room”. Both these words have their own different meaning
when they are used individually. When these two words come
together and form a single word i.e. “Classroom”, it has a specific meaning.

Class Room

Classroom
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Compound words are categorized into three: Closed Compound words, Open Compound
Words and Hyphenated Compound Words

Closed Compound words:

In closed compound words, two words come together and do not leave any space between
them. For example the word “Football” does not have a space between “Foot” and “Ball”.
List of Closed Compound Words:
Homework Desktop Railway Homemade
Postmaster Handbrake Moonlight Milkshake
Chairman Sunstroke Sunflower Bookstore
Notebook Football Pineapple Fireman
Sketchbook Streetlight Blackbuck Grandmother
Laptop Pipeline Sunrise, Sunset Snowball
Northeast Bushfire Mailbox Inbox
Birthday Blackboard Anything Everyone
Schoolmate Grandson Eyeball Eyebrow
Keyboard Brainwash Highlight Crossroad
Riverbank Toothpaste Workplace Homesick

Open Compound Words:

In open compound words, two words come together and leave an open space between them.
For example in the word “Ice cream” a space is left between “Ice” and “Cream”.

List of Open Compound Words:

Black wire Living room Table cloth Video game
School bag Real estate Steam engine Police officer
Term work Full moon Cotton candy Science fiction
Team spirit High school Washing machine Root word
Toy train Drinking water Roller coaster Dance hall
Sand art Voice mail First aid Radio wave
Bust stop Christmas Tree Ice hockey Rubber band
Break up Coffee shop Lift up Fill up
Credit card Take out Pull down Vice president

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Hyphenated Compound Words:
In hyphenated compound words, two or more than two words form a single word using a
hyphen sign (-). For example: Editor
Editor-in-chief, Sister-in-law etc.

List of Hyphenated Compound Words:

Mother-in-law State-ofof-the-art Breath-taking King-size

size
Father-in-law Long-term
term Follow-up Warm-blooded
Warm
Brother-in-law High-speed
speed Single-minded Get-together
together
Merry-go-round Left-handed
handed Off-site Next--door
Happy-go-lucky In-depth
depth Runner-up Short-tempered
Over-the-counter Full-length
length One-sided Well-being
being
Up-to-date Sun-dried
dried Sugar-free Long--haired

Clipping:

Clipping is a word formation in which words are shortened by removing its lengthy part and the
remaining part of word is used without losing its original meaning. For example: instead of
using the word “Advertisement”, we just use “ad”.
In the word “Gasoline” (Petrol), only “gas” word is
used. There are three kinds of clipped words and
they are determined by the part (back, fore,
middle) that is removed to shorten the word. For
instance, in the word “Gasoline” back part of the
word i.e. “oline” is removed and “Gas” is used.
That is why “Gas” word is formed out of Back
Clipping. In the same way, when front part of a word removed, it is called Fore Clipping (e.g.
Telephone = phone)) and if middle part is removed, it is called Middle Clipping (e.g.
Mathematics = Maths).

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 List of clipped Words:

Clipped Original word Types of | Clipped Original word Types of

Word Clipping | Word Clipping
ad Advertisement Back Clipping | Copter Helicopter Fore Clipping
Mike/Mic Microphone Back Clipping | Photo Photograph Back Clipping
Bot Robot Fore Clipping | Fancy Fantasy Middle Clipping
Auto Automatic/ Back Clipping | Phone Mobile Phone Fore Clipping
Automobile | Cell phone
Bike Bicycle Middle Clipping | Doc Doctor/Documents Back Clipping
Gym Gymnasium Back Clipping | Lab Laboratory Back Clipping
Exam Examination Back Clipping | Lunch Luncheon Back Clipping
Specs Spectacles Middle Clipping | Fan Fanatic Back Clipping
Veg Vegetarian Back Clipping | Pants Pantaloons Middle Clipping
Memo Memorandum Back Clipping | Bio Biology Back Clipping
Photo Photograph Back Clipping | ID Identification Back Clipping
Cafe Cafeteria Back Clipping | Disco Discotheque Back Clipping
Chimp Chimpanzee Back Clipping | Dorm Dormitory Back Clipping
Dad Daddy Back Clipping | Taxi Taxicab Back Clipping
Fab Fabulous Back Clipping | Teen Teenager Back Clipping
Mom Mommy Back Clipping | typo Typographical Back Clipping
Quad Quadrangle Back Clipping | Co-op Cooperative Back Clipping
Grad Graduate Back Clipping | rhino Rhinoceros Back Clipping
Limo Limousine Back Clipping | Stereo Stereophonic Back Clipping
Stats Statistics Middle Clipping | Store Storehouse Back Clipping
Rev Revolution Back Clipping | Vet Veterinary Back Clipping
con Convict Back Clipping | Sis Sister Back Clipping
Bro Brother Back Clipping | Vibes Vibrations Middle Clipping

Blending:

Blending is a word formation method in which two root/base words fuse

together to form a single word which carries the meaning of both the
root/base words. For instance: ““Spork”
ork” is a blended word. It is the fusion (mixture) of
two words: “Fork” and “Spoon”. Spork is a tool which can be used as a spoon and fork.

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List of Blended Words:

Blended Words Combination of | Blended Words Combination of

|
Spork Spoon + Fork | Carbecue Car + Barbeque
Breathalyzer Breath + Analyzer | Chexting Cheating + Texting
Boatel Boat + Hotel | Girus Giant + Virus
Keytar Keyboard + Guitar | Malware Malicious + Virus
Mobot Motor + Boat | Framily Friends + Family
Brunch Breakfast + Lunch | Bleen Blue + Green
Slanguage Slang + Language | Telecast Television +Broadcast
Globish Global + English | Staycation Stay + Vacation
Hectivity Hectic + Activity | Frenemy Friend + Enemy
Sunbrella Sun + Umbrella | Emoticon Emotion + Icon
Pomato Potato + Tomato | Sitcom Situation + Comedy
Biopic Biography + Picture | Workaholic Work + Alcoholic
Docudrama Documentary + | email Electronic + Mail
Drama |
Infotainment Information + | Blog Web + Log
Entertainment |
Moped Motor + Pedal | Motorcycle Motor + Bicycle
Sportscast Sports + Broadcast | Bollywood Bombay + Hollywood
Internet International + Smog Smoke + Fog
Network |
Alphabet Alpha + Beta | Pixel Picture + Element
Vitamin Vital + Amino acid | Cyborg Cybernetic +
| Organism
Phablet Phone + Tablet | Alphanumeric Alphabetic + Numeric
Jeans Jeans + Leggings | Bit Binary + Digit
Camcorder Camera + Recorder | Webinar Web + Seminar
Forex Foreign + Exchange | Amerindian American + Indian
Mechatronics Mechanics + | Hazmat Hazardous + Material
Electronics |
Paratrooper Parachute + Trooper Hazchem Hazardous + Chemical
Smash Smack + Mash Modem Modulator +
Demodulator
Transistor Transfer + Registor Guesstimate Guess + Estimate

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 Creative Respelling:

Creative respelling is a method in which the

spelling of a word is changed in order to create
a new word. Such words maintain the meaning
of original words. For example the word ““Favi
Kwik” contains a word “Kwik”” whic
which is a
respelling of original word “Quick
Quick”. Generally,
various companies name their product in
such a way that the product name carries a
meaning of original word.
List of creative respelling:

Creative Spelling
Mr. Kleen
Fevi Kwik
Thanx
Mortal Kombat
Lyft
Krunch
Kwikheal

Coining:
Coining is a word formation method in which new words
are invented to use in a particular way. Such words do not
exist until they are invented/ formed. For example:
“Google”” is a name of a company, which was invented by its
founder.
List of Coined words:

Coined Words Coined Words

Google Jeep
Colgate Frees bee
Xerox Escalator
Band aid Dettol
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Nylon Boycott
Aspirin Lynch
Crocin Yahoo
JCB Xerox

Borrowing:
Borrowed or Loan words are those words which are not originally English words. English
language has accepted many words from different languages such as Latin (ancient Roman
language), Greek, French, Spanish, Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic, Japanese etc. Such borrowed words
have become official words of English language.

List of Hindi Words in English:

Gymkhana Jungle Verandah Bangles
Bungalow Avatar Bandana Punch
Shampoo Yog Dinghy Cot
Chit Guru Pyjama Loot
Thug Juggernaut Cashmere Cushy

List of Latin Words in English:

Ad hoc Ad infinitum Bona Fide Exempli Gratia
In toto Magnum opus Per capita Prima facie
Pro rata Sub judice Flora and Fauna Via media
Vox populi Habeas corpus Anatomy Data
et cetera Fungus Ego Lingua franca
Lunar Tabula rasa vice versa pendulum

List of French Words in English:

Bon Voyage Déjà vu Salad Modern
Bureau Faux-pas Genre Liberal
Cliché Gazette Dossiers attaché
Connoisseur Menu Entrepreneur Grand Prix
Debris Sabotage Ambulances Vis-à-vis

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List of Greek Words in English:
Philosophy Acrobat Chorus Hyper
Democracy Architect Dialogue School
Acropolis Athlete Geometry Symmetry
Oracle Atom Geography Technology
Kudos Phobia Mania Phone
Thesis Music Calculus Dilemma

List of Arabic Words in English:

Algorithm Checkmate Alkali giraffe
Algebra Caravan Orange Jasmine
Alcohol Saffron Safari Nadir
Magazine Hind / Hindu Zero Cotton
Sofa Lemon Average Admiral
Candy Alkaline Azimuth Genie

List of Japanese Word in English:

Tycoon Tsunami Judo Haiku
Sudoku Karaoke Bonsai Emoji
Haiku Emoji Origami Karate

Standard Abbreviation:
Abbreviation is a shortened form of word or phrase. Usually lengthy word or
phrase is shortened by using different methods. There are four kinds of
abbreviation: Initialism, Acronym, Shortening and Contraction.

Initialism:
In this method first letter of each word is used to form a single
word and each letter is pronounced
individually. For example: CBI, CID,
DVD, etc.

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 List of Initialism:
CBI Central Bureau of Invesitagation | MRP Maximum Retail Price
DVD Digital Versatile Disc | CPU Central Processing Unit
CID Crime Investigation Department | DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid
FAQ Frequently Asked Question | RNA Ribonucleic Acid
OMG Oh My God | IAS Indian Administration
| Service
SOS Save Our Soul | IPS Indian Police Service
GST Goods and Service Tax | HIV Human immunodeficiency
| virus
ATM Automated Teller Machine | MPEG Moving Picture Experts
| Group
USA United States of America | RPG Rocket Propelled Grenade
UK United Kingdom | AI Artificial Intelligence
PDF Portable Document File | DSLR Digital Single Lens Reflex
BE Bachelor of Engineering | ATV All Terrain Vehicle
ME Master of Engineering | SUV Sport Utility Vehicle
UN United Nations | DM District Magistrate

Acronyms:
Acronym is a type of abbreviation in which initial letters of a group of words form
a single word which is pronounced as word. For example: NATO, RAM, ROM, etc.
List of Acronyms:

Acronym Full Form Acronym Full Form

NATO North Atlantic Treaty | SIM Subscriber Identity Module

Organization | Card
RAM Random Access Memory | WIFI Wireless Fidelity
ROM Read Only Memory | SWAT Special Weapons And
| Tactics
UNICEF United Nations Children’s | SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses,
Fund | Opportunities, and Threats
LASER Light Amplification by | AIDS Acquired Immune
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 Stimulated Emission of | Deficiency Syndrome
Radiation |
RADAR Radio Detection And | SARS Severe Acute Respiratory
Ranging | Syndrome
SCUBA Self-Contained | OPEC Organization of the
Underwater Breathing | Petroleum Exporting
Apparatus | Countries
SONAR Sound Navigation and | RIP Rest In Peace
Ranging |
CAPTCHA Completely Automated | COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease of
Public Turing test to tell | 2019
Computers and Humans |
Apart |
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts |
Group

Shortening:
In shortening, word’s part is removed in order to shorten the word.

List of Shortened words:

Shortened Original word | Shortened Original word
Word | Word
SUN Sunday | JAN January
MON Monday | FEB February
TUE Tuesday | MAR March
WED Wednesday | APR April
THU Thursday | JUN June
FRI Friday | JUL July
SAT Saturday | DEC December

Contraction:
A contraction is a word made by shortening and combining two words. Words like
don’t, can’t, isn’t, I’ve are all contractions.

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List of Contracted words:

Contracted Words Original Words Contracted Words Original Words

aren’t Are not | ‘ve have
can’t cannot | Haven’t Have not
‘ll Will or shall | Won’t Will not
Won’t Will not | Hadn’t Had not

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