ROOTS
- act, ag: do, act, drive
- Latin, agere:
to drive, lead, act, do
- active
(adjective): moving about
- am, ami: love, like
- Latin, amare:
to love
- amorous
(adjective): loving
- anim: mind, life, spirit,
anger
- Latin, animus:
spirit
- animal
(noun): a living creature
- annu, enni: yearly
- Latin, annuus:
yearly
- annual
(adjective): yearly
- auc, aug, aut: to originate, to
increase
- Latin, augere:
to originate, increase
- augment
(verb): to increase, to add to
- aud, audit, aur: hear
- Latin, audire:
to hear
- audible
(adjective): can be heard
- bene, ben: good, well, gentle
- Latin, bene:
good
- benign
(adjective): harmless, mild, gentle
- bio, bi: life
- Greek, bios:
life
- biography
(noun): a book written about a person's life
- bibli, biblio: book
- Greek, biblion:
book
- bibliophile
(noun): a person who likes or collects books
- brev: short
- Latin, brevis:
short
- abbreviate
(verb): to shorten
- cad, cap, cas, ceiv,
cept, cid: to take, to seize, to hold
- Latin, capere:
to seize
- receive
(verb): to take in, to acquire
- ceas, cede, ceed, cess: go, yield
- Latin, cedere:
to go
- exceed
(verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than
- chron: time
- Greek, khronos:
time
- chronological
(adjective): arranged in order of time or sequence
- clam, claim: shout
- Latin, clamare:
to call out, shout
- clamor
(verb): to make noise
- cogn, gnos: know to know
- Latin, cognoscere:
to know
- recognize
(verb): to know, to identify
- corp: body
- Latin, corpus:
body
- corporate
(adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group
- cre, cresc, cret: grow
- Latin, crescere:
to grow
- create
(verb): to originate, to produce through imagination
- cred: trust, believe
- Latin, credere:
to believe
- incredible
(adjective): unbelievable
- cour, cur, curr, curs: run, course
- Latin, currere:
run
- occur
(verb): to happen, to come to mind
- dic, dict, dit: say, speak
- Latin, dicere:
to say
- indicate
(verb): to show, to point out
- doc, doct: teach, prove
- Latin, docere:
to teach
- docile
(adjective): obedient, easily taught
- dog, dox: thought, idea
- Greek, dokein:
seem, think
- dogma
(noun): an established opinion
- dec, dign: suitable
- Latin, decere:
to be suitable
- decent
(adjective): conforming to standards, suitable, good
- duc, duct**: lead
- Latin, ducere:
to draw or lead
- conduct
(verb): to lead or guide
(noun) - a person's behavior
- ** ducere is
one of the most prolific sources of English words
- ev, et: time, age
- Latin, aevum:
lifetime
- medieval
(adjective): related to the Middle Ages (500 - 1500 AD)
- fac, fact, fec, fic,
fas, fea: make do, do
- Latin, facere -
make, do
- difficult
(noun): hard to do, troublesome
- fer: bear, carry
- Latin, ferre:
bear, carry
- infer
(verb): to come to a conclusion from looking at facts, to guess
- fict, feign, fain: shape, make, fashion
- Latin, fingere:
shape, make
- fiction
(noun): something produced from imagination, an invented story
- fid: belief, faith
- Latin, fidere:
to trust
- confide
(verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret
- fig: shape, form
- Latin, figura:
form, shape, figure
- figurem
(noun): shape, pattern, drawing
(verb) - decide, plan, decipher
- flu, fluct, flux: flow
- Latin, fluere:
to flow
- fluid
(adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth easy style
(noun) - a liquid
- form: shape
- Latin, forma:
beauty, shape, form
- format
(noun): the shape and size of something
- fract, frag, frai: break
- Latin, frangere:
to break
- frail
(adjective): easily broken, not strong, weak
- gen, gin: to give birth, kind
- Greek, genus:
birth
- generate
(verb): to produce, to create
- geo: earth
- Greek, ge:
earth
- geography
(noun): a science that describes the earth's surface
- gor: to gather, to bring
together
- Greek, ageirin:
to gather
- category
(noun): a class or set in which a thing is placed
- grad, gress, gree: step, go, move
- Latin, gradus:
step
- degree
(noun): a step or stage in a process
- graph, graf: write, draw
- Greek, graphein:
write, scratch, carve
- graphic
(adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown
- her, hes: to stick
- Latin, haerere:
to stick
- adhere
(verb): to stick
- jac, ject, jet: to throw
- Latin, jacere:
to throw, to lie
- reject
(verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept
- jug, junct, just: to join
- Latin, jungere:
to join
- junction
(noun): a place at which two things join
- lex, leag, leg: law
- Latin, lex: law
- legal
(adjective): based on law
- lect, leg, lig: choose, gather,
select, read
- Latin, legere:
to choose
- collect
(verb): to gather, to bring together
- loc: place, area
- Latin, locare:
to place
- location
(noun): a place, a position occupied
- log: say, speech, word,
reason, study
- Greek, logos:
speech, word, reason
- logic
(noun): the study of reason, reasoning
- luc, lum, lust: light
- Latin, lucare:
shine
- Latin, lumen:
light
- Latin, lustrare:
light-up
- translucent
(adjective): permitting some light to come through
- man: hand, make, do
- Latin, manus:
hand
- manage
(verb): to handle with skill, to be able to do
- mem: recall, remember
- Latin, memor:
mindful
- memory
(noun): the ability to recall or to bring to mind
- ment: mind
- Latin, mens:
mind
- mental
(adjective): related to the mind
- min: little, small
- Latin, minuere:
to lessen
- minor
(adjective): less important, lesser
- mit, miss: send
- Latin, mittere:
put, send
- admit
(verb): to accept, to allow entry
- mob, mov, mot: move
- Latin, movere:
move
- motion
(noun): act of moving, action
- nasc, nat, gnant, nai: to be born
- Latin, nasci to
be born
- nascent
(adjective) - just born
- nom, nym: name
- Latin, nomen:
name
- nominate
(verb): to name for office
- nov: new
- latin, novus:
new
- novice
(noun): a beginner or newcomer
- oper: work
- Latin, opus:
work
- operate
(verb): to work, to perform
- pat, pass: feel, suffer
- Latin, pati:
suffer
- passion
(noun): a strong feeling or emotion
- path: feel
- Greek, pathos:
feeling
- sympathy
(noun): sharing another person's feelings
- ped: foot
- Latin, pes:
foot
- impede
(verb): to hinder, to slow down
- pod: foot
- Greek, pous:
foot
- podium
(noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground
- pel, puls: drive, push
- Latin, pellere:
to drive, push, beat
- repel
(verb): to drive away or push back
- pend, pond: to hang, weigh
- Latin, pendere:
to hang, to weigh
- append
(verb): to add or correct
- phan, phas, phen, fan,
phant, fant: show, make visible
- Greek, phainein:
show
- phantom
(noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost
- phil: love
- Greek, philos:
loving
- philosopher
(noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom
- phon: sound
- Greek, phone:
voice, sound
- phonetic
(adjective): related to speech sounds
- pict: paint, show, draw
- Latin, pingere:
to paint
- picture
(verb): to paint or draw
- port: carry
- Latin, portare:
carry
- import
(verb): to bring in from a foreign country
- pli, ply: fold
- Latin, plicare:
fold
- reply
(verb): to respond, to answer
- pon, pos: put, place
- Latin, ponere:
to lay down, put, place
- postpone
(verb): to put off to a later time
- psych: mind
- Greek, psukhe:
soul, spirit
- psychology
(noun): study of how the mind works
- quir, quis, quest,
quer:
seek, ask
- Latin, quaerere:
seek, ask
- query
(verb): to ask questions
- rupt: break
- Latin, rumpere:
break
- rupture
(verb): to break or burst
- sci, scio: to know
- Latin, scire:
to know
- conscious
(adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself
- scrib, scrip: write
- Latin, scribere:
to write
- script
(noun): handwriting, something written
- sent, sens: feel, think
- Latin, sentire:
feel
- sentiment
(noun): a thought prompted by feeling
- sequ, secut, sue: follow
- Latin, sequi:
to follow
- sequence
(noun): a continuous series
- sist: to withstand, make up
- Latin, sistere:
to make a stand
- insist
(verb): to be firm about something needed, to demand
- soci: to join, companions
- Latin, sociare,
socius: to join, a companion
- sociable
(adjective): inclined to seek friendship, companionship
- sol: alone
- Latin, solus:
alone, single
- solitary
(adjective): being alone
- solv, solu, solut: loosen, explain
- Latin, solvere:
too loosen, release
- solve
(verb): to find an answer
- spec, spi, spic, spect: look
- Latin, specere:
look, look at
- spectator
(noun): a person who watches
- stab, stat: stand
- Latin, stare:
to stand
- stature
(noun) - height of a standing body, importance of position
- strain, strict, string,
stige: bind, pull
- Latin, stringere:
to bind or pull tight
- constrict
(verb) - to squeeze, to make narrow
- stru, struct, stroy: build
- Latin, struere:
to build
- destroy
(verb): to ruin, to pull down
- tact, tang, tig, ting: touch
- Latin, tangere:
to touch
- tactile
(adjective): related to the sense of touch
- tele: far away
- Greek, telos:
end
- telepathy
(noun): communication from one mind to another without verbal or written
communication
- tend, tens: stretch
- Latin, tendere:
to stretch
- contend
(verb): to strive or reach for, to argue
- tain, ten, tent, tin: hold, keep, have
- Latin, tenere:
to hold
- retain
(verb): to keep, to hold in place
- term: end, boundary, limit
- Latin, terminusm:
limit, boundary
- exterminate
(verb): to kill off, to get rid of
- terr: earth
- Latin, terra:
earth
- territory
(noun): area of land
- test: see, witness
- Latin, testis:
witness
- attest
(verb): to provide proof, to say something is true
- therm: heat
- Greek, therme:
heat
- thermometer
(noun): a device for measuring heat
- tor, tors, tort: twist
- Latin, torquere:
twist
- torsion
(noun): twisting of the body
- tract, trai, treat: pull, draw
- Latin, trahere:
pull
- attract
(verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest
- uni: one
- Latin, unus:
one
- unite
(verb): to make one, to join together
- vac: empty
- Latin, vacare:
to be empty
- vacant
(adjective): empty, not occupied
- ven, vent: come
- Latin, venire:
to come
- convene
(verb): to assemble, to come together
- ver: true
- Latin, venus:
true
- verify
(verb): to confirm that something is true
- verb, verv: word
- Latin, verbum:
word
- verbalize
(verb): to express in words, to put into words
- vers, vert: turn,change
- Latin, versare:
to turn
- versatile
(adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful
- vid, vie, vis: see
- Latin, videre:
to see; Latin, videre: to separate
- visible
(adjective): able to be seen
- divide (verb):
to separate
- vit, viv: live
- Latin, vivere:
to live
- vital
(adjective) - necessary for life
- voc, voke: call
- Latin, vocare:
call, voice
- vocal
(adjective): spoken or uttered by the voice
- volv, volt, vol: roll, turn
- Latin, volvere:
to roll, turn
- revolve
(verb): to turn around
PREFIXES
- a-, ac-, ad-, af-, ag-,
al-, an-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward, near, in addition to
- aside (adverb): to or
toward the side
- accompany (verb): to go with
someone as a companion
- adjust (verb): to correct,
to move closer to a correct position
- affix (verb): to attach to
something, to fasten
- aggression (noun): hostile
behavior towards someone or something
- allocate (verb): to distribute
to specific people or for specific purposes
- annihilate (verb): to destroy
- associate (verb): to join with
- attend (verb): to look
after, to go to
- a-, an- not, without
- apolitical (adjective): without
interest in politics
- anemia (noun): the condition
(disease) of not having enough red blood cells
- ab-, abs- away from, off
- abrupt (adjective):
unexpected change
- absolve (verb): to be set
free from one's actions or obligations
- ante- before
- anterior (adjective): before or
near the front
- anti- against
- antipathy (noun): dislike,
opposite feeling
- auto- self
- automotive (adjective): related
to self-propelled machines
- bi- two
- biped (noun): a two-footed
animal
- biennial (adjective):
happening every two years bi + enni
+ al
- cat-, cata-, cath- down, with
- category (noun): a class or set
to which a thing belongs
- catalogue (noun): a book or
pamphlet that lists and describes
- catheter (noun): a medical
device used to tranfer fluids cath +eter
- circum- around
- circumvent (verb): to manage to
get around a situation
- co-, cog-, col-, com-,
con-, cor together, with
- cohesiveness (noun): the ability
to stick together
- cognate (adjective): related,
similar in nature
- collaborate (verb): to work
together
- commitment (noun): to entrust,
to put into a place
- convenient (adjective): handy,
nearby
- correct (verb): to set right,
to be right
- contra- against, opposite
- contradict (verb) to state the
opposite
- de- to do the opposite, to
take away from
- decrease (verb): to grow
smaller, to become less
- di-, dif-, dis- apart, separate, two,
opposite, not
- divide (verb): to separate
into two or more parts
- differ (verb): to be unlike
- dis- not, opposite of,
exclude
- distrust (verb): to have no
confidence or trust
- e-, ex- out, out of, from
- emit (verb) to send out
- expel (verb): to force out
ex + pel
- en-, em- put into
- enamor (verb): to cause to
love, to "put" someone "into" love
- empower (verb): to give
power, to put into power em + pow + er
- epi-, upon, beside, over
- epilogue (noun): the concluding
section of a play or literary work
- extra- beyond
- extraordinary (adjective): going beyond
normal
- il-, im-, in-, ir, not, in
- illegible (adjective): cannot be
read
- imposter (noun): someone who
poses as someone else
- inaction (noun): lack of
motion, idle
- irresolute (adjective):
uncertain about hot to act, undecided, not having a solution
- in-, im-, il- in, into
- instead (adverb): in place of,
an alternative
- import (verb): to bring into
a country from another country
- inter- between, among
- interject (verb): to throw
something (usually a comment) between other things
- intro- into
- introspection (noun): to look into
one's own thoughts and feelings
- mal- bad
- malfunction (noun): when something
does not work properly
- mis- wrong
- misconduct (noun): wrong doing,
bad behavior
- mono- one
- monologue (noun): a dramatic
performance or speech given by one actor
- multi- many
- multiply (verb): to increase in
number
- non- not, no
- nonsense (noun): something that
has no meaning or makes no sense
- ob-, oc-, of-, op- toward, against, in the
way
- obtain (verb): to gain or
get, to get a hold of
- occur (verb): to happen, to
come to mind
- offer (verb): to attempt to
give, to propose, to try to hand out
- oppose (verb): to be
against, to stand in the way of something
- over- excessive, above
- overwork (verb): to have too
much work
- para- beside
- paradox (noun): a statement
that seems true and contradictory at the same time
- per- through
- persecute (verb): to go after,
to pursue
- post- after
- postpone (verb): to put off to
a later time, to delay
- pre- before
- precede (verb): to go before,
to come in front of
- pro- for, foward
- propel (verb): to push
forward
- re- back, again
- readmit (verb): to allow in
again
- retro- backward
- retrospect (noun) to look back at
past events
- se- apart, move away from
- secede (verb): to withdraw
from an organization
- semi- half
- semiannual (adjective): occurring
twice a year
- sub-, suc-, suf-, sup-,
sur-, sus under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above, up
- submarine (adjective):
underwater
- succeed (verb): to do well,
to come after
- suffice (verb): to be enough
- support (verb): to hold up,
too keep up
- survive (verb): to live, to
live through something, to exist
- sustain (verb): to keep up,
to hold up,
- super- over, above
- superimpose (verb): to place
something on top of something else
- syn-, sym- together, at the same
time
- synchronous (adjective): happening
at the same time
- sympathy (noun): sharing
another person's feelings, compassion
- trans- across, beyond, change
- transform (verb): to change
shape
- tri- three
- tripod (noun): a three-legged
stand
- un- not, against, opposite
- unceasing (adjective): never
ending, continuous
- uni- one
- uniform (adjective): having
the same form or consistancy
SUFFIXES
- -acy, -cy
- Noun: state or quality
- privacy: the state of being
alone
- infancy: the state of being a
baby or young child
- -age
- Noun: activity, or
result of action
- courage : having the spirit to
overcome fear
- -al
- Noun: action, result
of action
- referral : the action of
directing a person to another place, person or thing
- -ance, -ence
- Noun: action, state,
quality or process
- resistance : the action of opposing
something
- independence: the state of not
being under the control of others, free, self-governing
- -ancy, -ency
- Noun: state, quality
or capacity
- vacancy : an empty room or
position
- agency: the capacity to
exert power or influence, a position or person that performs a function
- -ant, -ent
- Noun: an agent,
something that performs the action
- disinfectant : an agent that
destroys germs, somthing that cleans
- dependent: a thing supported by
another, a thing determined by another
- -ate
- Noun: state, office,
fuction
- candidate : a person nominated
for an office or position
- -ation
- Noun: action,
resulting state
- specialization : the result of being
distinguished by one quality or ability
- -dom
- Noun: place, state of
being
- wisdom : possessing knowledge
- -er, -or
- Noun: person or thing
that does something
- porter : a person who carries
things
- collector: a person who
collects or gathers things
- -ful
- Noun: an amount or
quanity that fills
- mouthful : an amount that fills
the mouth
- -ian, an
- Noun: related to, one
that is
- pedestrian : a person who walks
- human: a person
- -ia
- Noun: names, diseases
- phobia : an illogical fear of
something
- -iatry
- Noun: art of healing
- psychiatry : branch of medicine
that deals with the mind and emotions
- -ic, ics
- Noun: related to the
arts and sciences
- arithmetic : a branch of math that
usually deals with non-negative numbers
- economics: the social science
related to studying business
- -ice
- Noun: act
- malice : the desire to do
evil
- -ing
- Noun: material made
for, activity, result of an activity
- flooring : a material made for
floors
- swimming: the activity of
swimming or moving through water
- building: the result of making
a structure
- -ion
- Noun: condition or
action
- abduction : the action of
carrying someone away by force
- -ism
- Noun: doctrine,
belief, action or conduct
- formalism : a belief in sticking
to prescribed forms or artistic styles
- -ist
- Noun: person or member
- podiatrist : a foot doctor
- -ite
- Noun: product or part
- graphite : a black material
used in making pencils
- -ity, ty
- Noun: state or quality
- lucidity : clear thinking
- novelty: something new or
unusual
- -ive
- Noun: condition
- native : a person born in a
specific place
- -ment
- Noun: condition or
result
- document : an official paper
usually showinf proof or evidence of something
- -ness
- Noun: state,
condition, quality
- kindness : the quality of being
kind or nice
- -or
- Noun: condition or
activity
- -ory
- Noun: place for,
serves for
- territory : an area around a
place
- -ship
- Noun: status,
condition
- relationship : the state of being
related or connected to something or someone
- -ure
- Noun: act, condition,
process, function
- exposure : the condition of
being exposed or unprotected
- -y
- Noun: state,
condition, result of an activity
- society : companionship
- victory: the result of
winning something
- -ate
- Verb: cause to be
- graduate : to give a degree to,
to pass from one stage to the next
- -ed
- Verb: past tense
- attained : something that has
been reached or grasped
- -en
- Verb: to cause to
become
- moisten : to cause to become
moist or damp
- -er, -or
- Verb: action
- ponder : to think about
- clamor: to make noise, to
call for loudly
- -ify
- Verb: cause
- specify : to name or indicate
in detail
- -ing
- Verb: present
participle
- depicting : showing, describing
with images or pictures
- -ize
- Verb: cause
- fantasize : to dream about
something, to create images in the mind
- -ure
- act
- Verb: conjecture : to come to a
conclusion by supposition or guesswork
- -able, -ible
- Adjective: worth,
ability
- solvable : able to be solved or
explained
- incredible: not able to be
believed, amazing
- -al, -ial, -ical
- Adjective: quality,
relation
- structural : related to the
physical make up of a thing
- territorial: related to nearby or
local areas
- categorical: related to a
category, aboslute
- -ant, -ent, -ient
- Adjective: kind of
agent, indication
- important : marked by worth
- dependent: determined or
relying upon something else
- convenient: at hand, easy to use
- -ar, -ary
- Adjective: resembling,
related to
- spectacular : related to something
that is eye-catching or amazing
- unitary : related to units or
single groups representing quantities
- -ate
- Adjective: kind of
state
- inviolate : not disturbed, pure
- -ed
- Adjective: having the
quality of
- terraced : having terraces or
steps
- -en
- Adjective: material
- silken : made from silk, a
fiber produced by worms
- -est
- Adjective: superlative
- strongest : having the most
strength
- -ful
- Adjective: having,
giving, marked by
- fanciful : marked by
imagination
- -ic
- Adjective: quality,
relation
- generic : related to a whole
group
- -ile
- Adjective: having the
qualities of
- projectile : something thrown
with an outside force
- -ing
- Adjective: activity
- cohering : the act of sticking
together
- -ish
- Adjective: having the
character of
- -ive, -ative, -itive
- Adjective: having the
quality of
- festive : having the quality
of a festival or party
- cooperative : being able or willing
to work with another person or thing
- sensitive: easily felt,
responsive to the senses
- -less
- Adjective: without,
missing
- motiveless : a reason for someone
to do something
- -ous, -eous, -ose,
-ious
- Adjective: having the
quality of, relating to
- adventurous : charcterized by the
desire to seek new experiences or risks
- courageous : characterized by
courage, brave
- verbose: having more words than
needed
- fractious: characterized by
being difficult or troublesome
- -y
- Adjective: marked by,
having
- hungry : having hunger,
marked by a desire
- -fold
- Adverb: in a manner
of, marked by
- fourfold : being four times as
great
- -ly
- Adverb: in the manner
of
- fluently : marked by ease of
movement, effortlessly smooth
- -ward
- Adverb: in a direction
or manner
- -wise
- Adverb: in the manner
of, with regard to
- timewise : with regard to time