Handouts > Reading Skills > Prefixes, Suffixes, & Roots
PREFIXES
| Prefix a-, an- ab- ad- ante- anti- arch- auto- be- bene- bi- circum- con- col- cor- co- contra- counter- de- di- di- dia- dif- dis- en- epi- equi- ex-, e- extra- hetero- homo- hyper- hypo- in- im- il- ir- inter- intra- intro- macro- mal- mega- micro- mini- mis- mono- multi- neo non- ob- pan- para- pen- per- peri- poly- post- pre- pro- proto- re- retro- se- semi- simil- sub- super- sur- syn-, sym- tele- trans- tri- ultra- un- uni- vice- ¡@ |
Meaning not away from toward, to before, in front of against, opposite chief, prime self to cause, intensely well two around, on all sides with with with with against, opposite against, opposite not, away from, down from apart, away, not twice fold, double through, completely apart, away, not apart, away, not make, create above, around, additional equal out from, former outside, beyond different same extremely below, beneath into, not into, not into, not into, not between, at intervals within motion inward large ill, badly, bad, wrong big small small, little wrong, wrongly, not single, one many new not against all, whole, completely beyond, outside, near almost motion through, thoroughly around, about, enclosing many behind, after before, earlier, in front of forward, before, in favor of earliest, first, original back, again backwards aside, apart half, partly like under, below over, above, extra above, additional together distant across, over, through, beyond three beyond, excessively not one one who takes the place of another ¡@ |
Example amoral, apathy, asexual, a typical abnormal, absent advance, adapt, adhere anteroom, antecedent antiwar, antisocial, antirust arch-criminal, archenemy, archbishop automatic, automobile, autobiography befriend, beware, befool benefit, benefactor bicycle, biweekly, bigamy circumstance, circumvent connect, conversation, concentrate collage, collapse, colleague, collect correct, correspond, corrival co-worker, co-exist, co-author, co-education contrary, contradict encounter, counteract depart, descend, decay diminish, divorce, diverge dilemma dialogue, diameter, diaper, diagram differ, difficult discover, distrust, disorder, disinterested enable, engage, enlarge, enrich epidemic equivalent exit, extract, exclude, export, ex-boyfriend extraordinary, extravagant, extracurricular heterogeneous, heterosexual homogeneous, homosexual hyperactive, hypercorrect hypocrisy, hypodermic invade, inner, incorrect, inactive, indirect immigrate, import, impractical, immoral illegal, illiterate irrational, irregular, irresponsibility interact, interview, international, intrastate, intracellular introduce, introvert, introspective macroeconomic, macrocosm, macrobiotic malfunction, malnutrition megaton, megastore, megaphone microphone, microscope minivan, miniskirt, minimal misspell, misunderstand, mistake, misplace monocycle, monopoly multiple, multitude neoclassic, neonate none, nonstop, nonsense, nonprofit object, obstruct Pan African, pandemic paramedic, paradox peninsula, penultimate perfect, perceive perimeter, periscope polygamy, polyglot postpone, postscript, posterity predict, prepare, preconceived proceed, progress, propose prototype, protocol return, reappear, remind, Renaissance retroactive, retrospect secede, seclusion semiconductor, semiannual similar, simile subway, submarine, subnormal supernatural, superior surface, survey symphony, sympathy telegraph, telephone, telescope, telepathy transition, transcend, transfer triple, triangle ultraviolet, ultraliberal unimportant, unattractive, unable, unfair uniform, unique vice-president, vice-consul ¡@ |
NOUN SUFFIXES
| Suffix -ance, -ence -ancy, -ency -age -ant, -ent -ar -ary, -ory, -ery, -ry -dom -ee -eer -er -ess -hood -ian -ics -ion, -ation -sion, -tion -ism -ist -ity -ment -ness -ocracy -or -ship ¡@ |
Meaning act of state of action, condition collection one who, that which one who one who, place where study of domain, condition of one who is one who one who one who (female) state of one who science, art or practice of state, action, institution doctrine, point of view one who, believer state, quality state, quality, act of state of system style of government one who state, condition ¡@ |
Example attendance, acceptance, reliance, difference vacancy, hesitancy, consistency, presidency message, marriage, baggage, postage participant, stimulant, student, president liar, beggar secretary, library, dormitory, factory bakery, chemistry, history kingdom, freedom, wisdom employee, refugee, absentee engineer, mountaineer teacher, farmer, painter, receiver actress, poetess, lioness childhood, boyhood, likelihood musician, librarian, beautician economics, mathematics, physics, electronics procession, exploration, foundation organization, competition idealism, socialism dentist, socialist, cyclist humidity, elasticity argument, amazement, payment happiness, sickness, fullness democracy, autocracy actor, governor, inspector friendship, membership, hardship ¡@ |
ADJECTIVE SUFFIXES
| Suffix -able, -ible -al -ary, ory -ed -en -ful -ic -ish -ive -less -like -ly -oid -ous -ward ¡@ |
Meaning capable of like, pertaining to connected with, engaged in covered with, affected by made of, resembling full of, having like, pertaining to like, pertaining to like, pertaining to without having the qualities of having the qualities of like, resembling like, pertaining to manner, position ¡@ |
Example visible, readable, edible, capable criminal, practical, musical, natural primary, secondary, ordinary wooded, blessed, clothed wooden, golden useful, hopeful, careful, successful specific, democratic childish, foolish, selfish active, sensitive, explosive harmless, hopeless, careless, speechless childlike, statesmanlike worldly, lively, manly, slowly humanoid, spheroid ambitious, courageous awkward, backward, forward ¡@ |
ADVERB SUFFIXES
| Suffix -ly -ward (s) -wise ¡@ |
Meaning in a __ manner direction of movement in the manner of, as far as __ is concerned ¡@ |
Example happily, strangely backward(s), earthward, homeward clockwise, likewise, otherwise education-wise, weather-wise ¡@ |
VERB SUFFIXES
| Suffix -ate -en -ify -ize ¡@ |
Meaning to cause, to make to become, to make to cause, to make to cause, to make ¡@ |
Example irritate, indicate, elongate widen, darken, ripen, brighten justify, beautify, simplify civilize, realize ¡@ |
ROOTS
| Root agr anthro aqua astro aud biblio bio celer chronos cap, capt, cip cep, cept, ceive ced, cess, cede cid clud, clus cosmo crat cred cur, curr demo dict duc, duct fac, fact fec, fect fer fic, fict flect frater fund, fus gen, gener geo glot gram graph gress, grad hydra ject,jact jud lect, leg logo, log, logy loq, loc manu, mani mar mater med min mit, mis mort mot, mob, mo naut necro neuro nom nomo pater patho ped, pod Root pend philo phobo phone photo plex, pli, ply plic poli port pos, pon psych reg, rect rupt scop scrib, scrip soph sta, stat stit, sist tact, tang ten, tain, tin tend, tens, tent typo vacu ven ven voca vora pend philo phobo phone photo plex, pli, ply plic poli port pos, pon psych reg, rect rupt scop scrib, scrip soph sta, stat stit, sist tact, tang ten, tain, tin tend, tens, tent typo vacu ven ven voca vora ¡@ |
Meaning field, farm man water star hear book life speed, hasten time take take go, move along kill close, shut world power believe, trust run people say lead make, do make, do carry, bear make, do bend brother pour birth, race earth tongue written write go, step water throw judgment read, choose study speak hand sea mother middle smaller, less send, let go death move, start sailor death nerve name knowledge, law father suffering, ill foot Meaning hang, weigh love fear sound, voice light fold fold city carry place, put of the mind rule, manage break watch, look at write wise stand to set up, establish touch hold, keep stretch, weaken image empty love come call eat, devour hang, weigh love fear sound, voice light fold fold city carry place, put of the mind rule, manage break watch, look at write wise stand to set up, establish touch hold, keep stretch, weaken image empty love come call eat, devour ¡@ |
Example agriculture, agronomy anthropology, anthropoid aquarium, aqueduct, aquatic astronomy, astrology, astronaut audience, auditorium, audio bibliography, bibliophile biology, biography, biotic accelerate, celerity chronology, chronicle capture, captive, recipient accept, reception, conceive, deceive exceed, proceed, succeed, success, access suicide, excise, genocide conclude, include, seclude cosmopolitan, cosmonaut autocrat, democrat credit, incredible current, incur democracy, demography dictate, contradict, induce, educate, conduct factory, manufacture effect, infect transfer, ferry, offer fiction, simplification flexible, inflection fraternity, fraternal effusive, refund generation, gender, generate geography, geology glottal, polyglot program, telegram, grammar autograph, biography, paragraph progress, grade hydrant, dehydrate abject, inject, object, rejection judge, judicial lecture, select, collect, elect, legend logic, biology, anthropology eloquent, soliloquy, locution manuscript, manufacture, manifest submarine, mermaid, maritime maternity medium, intermediate minute, minor, minimum, diminish transmit, admit, missile, mission mortal, mortician motor, motive, mobile, move, remove astronaut, nautical necrology, necromancer, necropolis neurology, neuropathy nominate, nominal autonomy, astronomy paternal, patriotic sympathy, pathetic, pathology pedal, peddle, pedestrian, tripod Example depend, suspend philosophy, bibliophile, philanthropy acrophobia, hydrophobia telephone, microphone, symphony photograph complexity, complicate complicate, duplicate politician, metropolis import, sport, transport, portable postpone, position psychology, psychiatrist regulate, region, direct, correct bankrupt, corrupt, interrupt telescope, microscope describe, manuscript, subscribe philosophy, sophomore, sophisticated status, station, stable insist, institute contact, attach, tangible, contain, detain, maintain, extend, intend, extent typical, typewriter vacuum, evacuate, vacant Venus, venereal prevent, convene vocal, evoke, advocate devour, voracious depend, suspend philosophy, bibliophile, philanthropy acrophobia, hydrophobia telephone, microphone, symphony photograph complexity, complicate complicate, duplicate politician, metropolis import, sport, transport, portable postpone, position psychology, psychiatrist regulate, region, direct, correct bankrupt, corrupt, interrupt telescope, microscope describe, manuscript, subscribe philosophy, sophomore, sophisticated status, station, stable insist, institute contact, attach, tangible, contain, detain, maintain, extend, intend, extent typical, typewriter vacuum, evacuate, vacant Venus, venereal prevent, convene vocal, evoke, advocate devour, voracious ¡@ |
¡@
¡@
Copyright © 2003 FJU. ENG. All Rights Reserved.