Prefix-Suffix-Root List

Prefix - A word part added to the beginning of a root or base word to create a new meaning,
Suffix - A letter or a group of letters added to the end of a root or base word to change its meaning,
Root - the form of a word after all affixes are removed
(Generally, prefixes and suffixes change the meanings of roots, but it is usually the suffix that denotes the part of speech.)

Incorporate prefix, suffix, and roots into working with words study.

Prefix Suffix Definition Examples Origin Additional

Information
-s, -es plural, more than one hats, pigs, books, plays, boxes, Anglo-Saxon y after a vowel (s)
wishes, dishes words end in –s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z (-es)
cliffs, roofs, beliefs nouns ending –f or –fe (s)
knives, leaves, halves, selves -f or –fe change –f to –v and add –es
consonant followed by –o (-es)
vowel followed by –o (-s)
-ing action/process helping, skipping, running, seeing, Anglo-Saxon Present participle of verb
thinking
-ed past tense jumped, helped Anglo-Saxon Past tense verb

Incorporate prefix, suffix, and roots into working with words study.

Prefix Suffix Definition Examples Origin Additional

Information
un- not/opposite unlock, unsafe, uncover Anglo-Saxon
re- again/back reread, rewrite, return Latin
-er person connected with, teacher, writer, baker, bigger, Anglo-Saxon
comparative degree colder, taller
-est superlative degree biggest, coldest, tallest Anglo-Saxon Usually an adjective
-ful full of beautiful, painful Anglo-Saxon Usually an adjective
-less Without careless, helpless Anglo-Saxon
Incorporate prefix, suffix, and roots into working with words study.

Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples Origin Additional

Information
in- Not inactive, income Latin
im- Not impossible, improper, import Latin im- used before roots beginning with b,
m, p
dis- not/opposite of dislike, distrust, disagree Latin
pre- Before pretest, preplan, premade Latin
tele- far, distant telephone, telegraph, television Greek
-ies plural, more than one parties, babies, cries Anglo-Saxon y after a consonant
-ied past tense cried, tried, Anglo-Saxon y after a consonant
-ed past tense stopping, hopping Anglo-Saxon doubling (CVC)
-ing action/process stopped, hopped Anglo-Saxon doubling (CVC)
-ly characteristic of badly, friendly, quickly Anglo-Saxon Usually an adverb
-y characterized by/like cloudy, fishy Anglo-Saxon
bio Life biology, biography, biopsy Greek
graph Write telegraph, photograph, Greek
phonograph, autograph
phon Sound phonograph, symphony, Greek
telephone, microphone, phonics
scope See microscope, telescope, periscope, Greek
stethoscope
Incorporate prefix, suffix, and roots into working with words study.

Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples Origin Additional

Information
non- Not nonfat, nonsense Latin
over- too much, above overdone, overhead Anglo Saxon
mis- bad or badly misbehave, misread, misspell Latin
wrong or wrongly
de- reduce down defeat, deform, decrease Latin
away from
under- too little/below underfed, underground Anglo-Saxon
bi- Two bicycle, binocular Latin
tri- Three tricycle, triangle Latin/Greek
quad- Four quadrilateral, quadrant Latin
oct- Eight octagon, octopus Latin/Greek
-er, -or one who, that which baker, boxer, conductor, survivor Latin Usually a noun
Use –or with Latin roots for nouns
(inventor, elevator)
Use –er with Anglo-Saxon roots
(heater, swimmer)
-tion act of, state of, result of attention, invitation, restriction Anglo-Saxon Usually a noun
-al, -ial related to colonial, biennial, dental, betrayal Latin Usually an adjective
characterized by
-ness condition, state of darkness, fairness Anglo-Saxon Usually a noun
-ment act, process enjoyment, replacement Latin
-en made of, to make wooden, dampen, tighten, Anglo-Saxon
rupt break, burst bankrupt, rapture, disruptive Latin FYI: Erupt means to explode. (The
volcano erupted.)
Irrupt means to rush or burst in. (The
police irrupted into the hideout.)
terr Land terrain, territory Latin
geo earth, ground, soil geography, geology Greek
photo Light photograph, telephoto, photocopy Greek
tract pull, drag tractor, attract, subtract, traction Latin
meter, metr Measure speedometer, odometer, metric, Greek
metronome, thermometer,
perimeter, diameter, centimeter
Incorporate prefix, suffix, and roots into working with words study.

Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples Origin Additional

Information
en-, em- to cause to be, to put into or onto, to go into encounter, enable, employ, Latin
or onto embark, encircle
sub- under, beneath, below subway, subsoil, substitute Latin
secondary
fore- before, earlier forearm, foreword Anglo-Saxon
semi- Half semicircle, semicolon Latin
anti- opposite, against antibiotic, antifreeze Greek
auto- Self autograph, automatic Greek
multi- many/ much multicolor, multifamily Latin
poly- many/ much polygon, polysyllable Greek
deca- Ten decathlon, decade, decimal, Latin/ Greek
deci- decimeter
kilo- 1,000 kilogram, kilowatt Greek
milli- 1,000 millennium, millimeter Latin
mille-
centi- 100 centimeter, centipede Latin
-ion, -tion, act of/ state of/ result of tension, attention, elevation, union Anglo-Saxon Usually a noun
-ation, The real suffix is –ion. Putting s or t in
-ition front of –ion is simply determined by
the spelling of the root
-able can be done enjoyable, sensible, likable Latin -able ending words have roots that can
-ible stand alone.(enjoyable)
-ible ending words have roots that can
not stand alone. (sensible)
-ive inclined/ tending toward an action festive, talkative, active, sensitive Latin Words that end with –de (intrude)
-ative change the –de to s then add –ive
-tive (intrusive).
Words that end with silent e (create)
drop the e then add –ive (creative).
-logy, science of/ study of biology, chronology Greek
-ology
-ence act/ condition of persistence, excellence, Latin Usually a noun –ence and –ance
-ance assistance, importance sound alike because of the schwa. –
ence is used somewhat more often
than –ance.
-an, -an one having a certain skill/ relating to/ electrician, magician, American, Latin Usually a noun
belonging to suburban
ject to throw inject, objection, project Latin
struct to build construct, instructor Latin
 vis to see vision, evidence Latin
vid See video, evidence, provide, Latin
providence
jur judge, oath jury, jurisdiction Latin
juris law
log Word prologue, apology, dialogue, Greek
logue eulogy, monologue
path feeling/ suffering/ disease apathetic, pathology Greek
ast Star astronaut, astronomy, disaster, Greek
astr asterisk
mit to send emit, transmit, admit, remit Latin
audi (aud) Hear audience, auditorium, audiovisual Latin
dict to say, tell diction, dictator Latin
Incorporate prefix, suffix, and roots into working with words study.

Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples Origin Additional

Information
in- Not inability, impatient, irregular, illegal Latin il-used before roots beginning with “l”
(il-, im-, ir- ) (illegible)
im- used before roots beginning with b,
m, p (immature, imbalance, impatient)
inter- Between intercept, interview, interstate Latin
trans- across/ change/ through transformation, transportation, Latin
transfer
super- above/ on top of/ beyond superfine, superhuman, supersonic Latin
micro- small/ minute microbiology, microscope Greek
uni- one/ single unicorn, unicycle, uniform Latin
-ent an action/ condition student, contestant, immigrant Latin Often a noun
-ant The suffix –ant often indicates a
person noun.
-ent causing a specific action obedient, absorbent, abundant, Latin Often an adjective
-ant elegant -ent and –ant sound alike because of
the schwa. –ent is used somewhat
more often than –ant.
-ity state of/ quality of prosperity, equality Latin Usually a noun
-ty
-ic relating to/ characterized by energetic, historic Latin/Greek Usually an adjective
-ize to make/ to cause to become fertilize, criticize, apologize Latin/ Greek Usually a verb
-age result of an action/ collection manage, drainage, acreage Latin
-ous full of/ characterized by adventurous, nervous, mysterious, Latin Words that end with –de (intrude)
-eous courteous change the –de to s then add –ive
-ious (intrusive).
Words that end with silent e (create)
drop the e then add –ive (creative).
port to carry portable, transport Latin
scrib to write describe, manuscript Latin Verbs usually use scribe, as in
script prescribe; nouns usually use script, as
in prescription.
spect to see/ watch/ observe prospect, respect, specimen Latin
vac Empty vacate, evacuate Latin
hydr Water hydrogen, hydrant, hydroplane Greek
chron Time chronological, synchronize, Greek
chronicle, chronic
therm Heat thermometer, thermostat, thermos Greek
bene good/ good benefit, benign, beneficial Latin