Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes PDF

Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Page 1 Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Many studies show the importance of building children’s vocabulary. One study has shown that a set of 20...

Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Page 1 Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Many studies show the importance of building children’s vocabulary. One study has shown that a set of 20 prefixes and 14 roots, and knowing how to use them, will unlock the meaning of over 100,000 words. A similar study showed that a set of 29 prefixes and 25 roots will give the meaning to over 125,000 words. Imagine adding suffixes! Below are lists of prefixes, suffixes, and roots – with their meanings and example words. ∗ Reviewing these also can help many ELL students to see relationships between and among languages. Many prefixes have a basis in Latin – also the basis for Spanish, French, and Italian – or Greek. Table 1: 32 Prefixes Prefix Meaning Example words and meanings ƒ absent ƒ not to be present, away a, ab, abs away from ƒ abscond ƒ abscond – to run away ƒ adapt ƒ to fit into ad, a, ac, af, ƒ adhere ƒ to stick to ag, an, ar, at, to, toward ƒ annex ƒ to add or join as ƒ attract ƒ to draw near ƒ antifreeze ƒ a substance to prevent freezing anti against ƒ antisocial ƒ refers to someone who’s not social ƒ bicycle ƒ two wheeled cycle bi, bis two ƒ biannual ƒ twice each year ƒ biennial ƒ every two years ƒ circumscribe ƒ to draw around circum, cir around ƒ circle ƒ a figure that goes all around ƒ combine ƒ to bring together com, con, co, ƒ contact ƒ to touch together with, together col ƒ collect ƒ to bring together ƒ co-worker ƒ co-worker away from, down, the ƒ depart ƒ to go away from de opposite of ƒ decline ƒ to turn down ƒ dislike ƒ not to like dis, dif, di apart ƒ dishonest ƒ not honest ƒ distant ƒ away ƒ epitaph ƒ writing upon a tombstone epi upon, on top of ƒ epilogue ƒ speech at the end, on top of the rest ƒ equalize ƒ to make equal equ, equi equal ƒ equitable ƒ fair, equal ƒ exit ƒ to go out ex, e, ef out, from ƒ eject ƒ to throw out ƒ exhale ƒ to breathe out ƒ inject ƒ to put into in, il, ir, im, en in, into ƒ impose ƒ to force into ƒ inactive ƒ not active ƒ ignoble ƒ not noble in, il, ig, ir, im not ƒ irreversible ƒ not reversible ƒ irritate ƒ to put into discomfort ∗ This document revised from Gary Gruber’s work on increasing children’s test scores: Dr. Gary Gruber's Essential Guide to Test Taking for Kids, Grades 3, 4, & 5. (1986); Dr. Gary Gruber's Essential Guide to Test Taking for Kids, Grades 6, 7, 8, & 9. (1986); and Gruber's Complete Preparation for the SAT (9th Edition, 2001) -- all published by Collins, New York City. Developed by Judith Wilde, PhD for Beta Group – Albuquerque, NM and Arlington, VA (rev 8/06). Reprinted by NCELA with permission. Multiple copies permitted for educational purposes and with this credit line. Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Page 2 Prefix Meaning Example words and meanings ƒ international ƒ among nations inter between, among ƒ interpose ƒ to put between ƒ malpractice ƒ bad practice mal, male bad, ill, wrong ƒ malfunction ƒ fail to function, bad function ƒ mistreat ƒ to treat badly mis wrong, badly ƒ mistake ƒ to get wrong ƒ misplace ƒ to put in wrong place ƒ monopoly ƒ one ownership ƒ monotone ƒ one note mono one, alone, single ƒ monologue ƒ speech by one person ƒ monosyllable ƒ one syllable ƒ nonsense ƒ not making sense non not, the reverse of ƒ nonprofit ƒ not making a profit ƒ obstacle ƒ something that stands in the way of in front, against, in ob ƒ obvious ƒ right in front of, apparent front of, in the way of ƒ obviate ƒ to do away with, make unnecessary ƒ omnipresent ƒ always present, everywhere omni everywhere, all ƒ omnipotent ƒ all powerful ƒ pervade ƒ to pass through, to spread through per through ƒ perceive ƒ to become aware through sight ƒ polysyllable ƒ many syllables poly many ƒ polygon ƒ figure with many sides ƒ postpone ƒ to do after post after ƒ postmortem ƒ after death ƒ preview ƒ a viewing earlier than another pre before, earlier than ƒ prehistoric ƒ before written history ƒ preface ƒ a statement before an article or book ƒ proceed ƒ to go forward forward, going ahead pro ƒ prowar ƒ supporting the war of, supporting ƒ promote ƒ to raise or move forward ƒ retell ƒ to tell again re again, back ƒ recall ƒ to call back ƒ recede ƒ to go back ƒ secede ƒ to withdraw, become apart se apart ƒ seclude ƒ to stay apart from others ƒ submarine ƒ under water sub under, less than ƒ subway ƒ a path or way to move under ground ƒ subliminal ƒ below the level of consciousness ƒ superstar ƒ a start greater than other stars super over, above, greater ƒ superimpose ƒ to put over something else ƒ transcontinental ƒ across the continent trans across ƒ transverse ƒ to lie or go across ƒ unidirectional ƒ having one direction un, uni one ƒ unanimous ƒ sharing one view ƒ unilateral ƒ having one side ƒ uninterested ƒ not interested un not ƒ unhelpful ƒ not helpful ƒ unethical ƒ not ethical Developed by Judith Wilde, PhD for Beta Group – Albuquerque, NM and Arlington, VA (rev 8/06). Reprinted by NCELA with permission. Multiple copies permitted for educational purposes and with this credit line. Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Page 3 Table 2: 27 Roots Root Meaning Example words & meanings ƒ Agent ƒ One who acts as a representative act, ag to do, to act ƒ Activity ƒ Action apert open ƒ Aperture ƒ An opening ƒ Basement ƒ Something that is low, at the bottom bas low ƒ Basement ƒ A room that is low ƒ Captive ƒ One who is held cap, capt, cip, ƒ Receive ƒ To take to take, to hold, to seize cept, ceive ƒ Capable ƒ Able to take hold of things ƒ Recipient ƒ One who takes hold or receives ƒ Precede ƒ To go before ced, cede, to go, to give in ƒ Access ƒ Means of going to ceed, cess ƒ Proceed ƒ To go forward ƒ Credible ƒ Believable cred, credit to believe ƒ Incredible ƒ Not believable ƒ Credit ƒ Belief, trust ƒ Current ƒ Now in progress, running curr, curs, to run ƒ Precursory ƒ Running (going) before cours ƒ Recourse ƒ To run for aid ƒ Dictionary ƒ A book explaining words (sayings) dic, dict to say ƒ Indict ƒ To say or make an accusation ƒ Indicate ƒ To point out or say by demonstrating ƒ Induce ƒ To lead to action duc, duct to lead ƒ Conduct ƒ To lead or guide ƒ Aqueduct ƒ Pipe that leads water somewhere ƒ Equality ƒ Equal in social, political rights equ equal, even ƒ Equanimity ƒ Evenness of mind, tranquility ƒ Facile ƒ Easy to do fac, fact, fic, ƒ Fiction ƒ Something that is made up to make, to do fect, fy ƒ Factory ƒ Place that makes things ƒ Affect ƒ To make a change in ƒ Defer ƒ To carry away fer, ferr to carry, bring ƒ Referral ƒ Bring a source for help/information ƒ Monograph ƒ A writing on a particular subject graph write ƒ Graphite ƒ A form of carbon used for writing ƒ Admit ƒ To send in mit, mis to send ƒ Missile ƒ Something sent through the air ƒ Parity ƒ Equality par equal ƒ Disparate ƒ No equal, not alike ƒ Complicate ƒ To fold (mix) together plic to fold, to bend, to turn ƒ Implicate ƒ To fold in, to involve ƒ Component ƒ A part placed together with others pon, pos, posit, ƒ Transpose ƒ A place across to place pose ƒ Compose ƒ To put many parts into place ƒ Deposit ƒ To place for safekeeping ƒ Describe ƒ To write about or tell about scrib, script to write ƒ Transcript ƒ A written copy ƒ Subscription ƒ A written signature or document ƒ Sequence ƒ In following order sequ, secu to follow ƒ Sequel ƒ A second, following, book ƒ Consecutive ƒ One that follows another spec, spect, ƒ Specimen ƒ An example to look at to appear, to look, to see spic ƒ Aspect ƒ One way to see something sta, stat, sist, to stand, or make stand ƒ Constant ƒ Standing with Developed by Judith Wilde, PhD for Beta Group – Albuquerque, NM and Arlington, VA (rev 8/06). Reprinted by NCELA with permission. Multiple copies permitted for educational purposes and with this credit line. Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Page 4 Root Meaning Example words & meanings stit, sisto ƒ Status ƒ Social standing ƒ Stable ƒ Steady (standing) ƒ Desist ƒ To stand away from ƒ Contact ƒ To touch together tact to touch ƒ Tactile ƒ To be able to be touched ƒ Tenable ƒ Able to be held, holding ten, tent, tain to hold ƒ Retentive ƒ Holding ƒ Maintain ƒ To keep or hold up ƒ Extend ƒ To stretch or draw out tend, tens, tent to stretch ƒ Tension ƒ Stretched ƒ Attract ƒ To draw together tract to draw ƒ Contract ƒ An agreement drawn up ƒ Convene ƒ To come together ven, vent to come ƒ Advent ƒ A coming ƒ Avert ƒ To turn away ver, vert, vers to turn ƒ Revert ƒ To turn back ƒ Reverse ƒ To turn around Table 3: 23 Suffixes Suffix Meaning Example words & meanings ƒ Edible ƒ Able to be eaten able, ible, ble able to ƒ Salable ƒ Able to be sold ƒ Nocturnal ƒ Of the night acious, cous, al like, having the quality of ƒ Vivacious ƒ Having the quality of being lively ƒ Performance ƒ The act of performing ance, ancy the act of, a state of being ƒ Truancy ƒ The act of being truant ƒ Occupant ƒ One who occupies ƒ Respondent ƒ One who responds or answers ant, ent, er, or one who ƒ Teacher ƒ One who teaches ƒ Creator ƒ One who creates ƒ Ocular ƒ Related to the eye ar, ary connected with, related to ƒ Beneficiary ƒ Connected with one who receives benefits ence quality of, act of ƒ Existence ƒ The act of existing or being ful full of ƒ Fearful ƒ Full of fear ƒ Cardiac ƒ Pertaining to the heart ƒ Civil ƒ Pertaining to citizens ic, ac, il, ile of, like, pertaining to ƒ Infantile ƒ Pertaining to infants ƒ Acidic ƒ Like acid ion the act or condition of ƒ Correction ƒ The act of correcting ism the practice of, support of ƒ Patriotism ƒ Support of one’s country ist one who makes, does ƒ Artist ƒ One who creates art ƒ Unity ƒ The state of being one ity, ty, y the state of, character of ƒ Shifty ƒ State of shifting around ƒ Showy ƒ State of always showing oneself ive having the nature of ƒ Active ƒ Having the nature of acting or moving less lacking, without ƒ Heartless ƒ Without a heart logy the study of ƒ Biology ƒ The study of life processes ment the act of, the state of ƒ Retirement ƒ State of being retired ness the quality of ƒ Eagerness ƒ The quality of being eager having the nature of, a ory ƒ Laboratory ƒ A place where work is done place or thing for Developed by Judith Wilde, PhD for Beta Group – Albuquerque, NM and Arlington, VA (rev 8/06). Reprinted by NCELA with permission. Multiple copies permitted for educational purposes and with this credit line. Building Vocabulary: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Page 5 Suffix Meaning Example words & meanings ƒ Dangerous ƒ Full of danger ous, ose full of, having ƒ Verbose ƒ Full of words, or wordy the art or skill of, the ability ship ƒ Leadership ƒ The ability to lead to some full of, like ƒ Troublesome ƒ Full of trouble the state of quality of, the tude ƒ Aptitude ƒ The ability to do ability to ƒ Musty ƒ Having a stale oror Full of, somewhat, y ƒ Chilly ƒ Somewhat cold somewhat like ƒ Willowy ƒ Like a willow Table 4: Taking words apart Word Prefix Root Suffix Meaning Act of running with, happening Concurrence con: with curr: run ence: act of at same time Exaggerate ex: out ag: to do, act --- To act out ir: not Irreversible vers: turning ible: able to Not able to turn back re: again To say bad things, a negative Malediction male: bad dict: to say --- statement Precursor pre: before curs: to run or: one who Something that comes before State of being one, a single Unity uni: one --- ty: state of thing or being Untenable un: not ten: holding able: able to Not able to hold on Developed by Judith Wilde, PhD for Beta Group – Albuquerque, NM and Arlington, VA (rev 8/06). Reprinted by NCELA with permission. Multiple copies permitted for educational purposes and with this credit line.