Common Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefix MeaningExample Suffix MeaningExample
a- on or notaboard, atypical -able capable of beingworkable (whole word)
anti- againstantisocial -ance/-ence state oftolerance, patience
auto- selfautomobile -ee object of actionemployee
co-/com- withcohabitation, community -ess doer of action(F)waitress
counter- againstcounterproductive -ful amount that fillsplateful, woeful
dis- not or removedissatisfied, disarm -ful characterized byhelpful, joyful
ex- outexhaust, exit -hood state ofparenthood, adulthood
fore- beforeforewarned -ic (-ical) connected with historic, musical
il-/ir- notillogical, insane, irreparable -ier, -yer one whocashier, lawyer
im-/in notimmature, insane -ing materialbedding, roofing
inter- betweenintermission -ion state or quality ofchampion, ambition
mis- wronglymisinform -ism state or quality ofheroism, baptism
pent- fivepentagon -ism doctrine ofcapitalism, socialism
post- afterpostscript -ist one who practicesbiologist, communist
pre- beforepreview -less a lack of; withouthomeless, priceless, useless
pro- in front ofproject -ness state ofhardness
quad- fourquadrant -ous state ofjoyous
re- again, backretell, return -ship state ofhardship
semi- halfsemicircle -tion (-ation) state ofaction, declaration
ultra- beyond, extremeultrasonic, ultraviolet -ty (-ity) state ofloyalty, sanity
un- notundone -ward in the direction ofnorthward
under- belowunderweight -y characterized bygreasy, unity
Common Latin and Greek Roots
RootsMeaningExample
astro-starastronomer, astronaut, astrology, astrolab
aud-to hearaudible, inaudible, audience, auditory, audio, audition
bene-well, goodbenefit, beneficial, benevolent, benefactor, benediction
bio-lifebiology, biosphere, biotic
chlor-greenish-yellowchlorophyll, chloroplast, chlorine, chlorella
cred-to believe, to trustcredit, credible, credence, discredit
dict-to saydictate, diction, dictator, dictionary, contradict, indict
duc-to leadconducive, deduce, deduct, educate, induce, introduce
eco-houseecology, economy, ecosystem, ecotype
fac-to do, to makefact, factual, factory, manufacture, benefactor
flec-/flex-to bendreflection, deflect, flexible
form-shapeformation, formative, deform, formula
fract-to breakfracture, refract, fraction
hydro-waterhydrophobia, hydrology, hydrogen
hyperbeyond, more than normalhyperactive, hypertension, hypersonic
hypo-underhypodermis, hypodermic, hypothermia,
ject-throwreject, projectile, eject, inject
jud-judgejudgment, prejudice, adjudicate
junct-to joinjuncture, junction, conjunction
photo-/phos-lightphosphorescent, photography
port-to carryimport, export, transport, portable
rupt-to breakabrupt, corrupt, disrupt, eruption, interrupt, bankrupt, rupture
scribe-/script-to writeinscribe, transcribe, transcript, manuscript, prescription
sect-/sec-cutdissect, intersect, insect, midsection
spect-to lookspectator, inspect, prospect, suspect
spir-to breatherespiration, inspire, conspirators
st-/sta-/stat-to standstable, station, constant, establish, statue, arrest, constitute
stru-to buildconstruct, instruct, destruct
tang-/tact-to touchtangible, intangible, tangent, contact, tactile
trac-/tract-to drag, pulltrace, track, tractible, tractor, detract, extract, distract
vid-/vis-to seevideo, invisible, television
vert-/vers-to turnrevert, inversion, vertical, convert
voc-voice, to callvocal, advocate, vociferous
vor-devourvoracious, omnivore, carnivore