Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes

Unit 1ac-, trans-, in-, re-

omni--dict-, -vit- & -viv-, -manere-, -sper- & -spes-

• Prefix- letters or syllables added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning (pre- means before)

• Root- the basic element of a word, and it is the foundation on which the meaning of a word is built

• Suffix- letters or syllables added to the end of a word to modify its meaning

Prefix ac-, p. 60 & 67

• comes from Latin• “motion towards”, “addition to”, or “nearness

to”• acquainted- from Latin accognoscere , from ad-

‘to’ + cognoscere ‘come to know’• Explain how the prefix ac- contributes to the

meaning of these words: accompany, accelerate, accessible, accumulate, and accept.

Prefix trans-, p. 50 & 59

• comes from Latin• “over,” “across,” or “through”• translucent- from Latin translucentem, trans-

"through" and lucere "to shine"• Explain how the prefix trans- contributes to

the meaning of these words: transfer, transportation, and transcontinental.

Prefix in-, p. 32 & 45

• comes from Latin• “not”• Inadequate- from Latin adaequatus

“equalized,” in- “not” and adaequatus “equalized”

• Explain how the prefix in- contributes to the meaning of these words: invisible, inactive, and incomplete.

Prefix re-, p. 24- 31

• comes from Latin• “back” or “again”• Resumed- from Latin resumere “to regain” or

“to take back”, re- “back” and sumere “to take”

• Explain how the prefix re- contributes to the meaning of these words: relocate, receive, and remove.

Prefix omni-

• comes from Latin• “all”• Omniscient- from Latin omni + scire, omni “all”

and scire “to know”• Explain how the prefix omni- contributes to

the meaning of these words: omnipresent, omnivore, omniarch, and omnidirectional.

Root –dict-, p. 130 & 137

• comes from Latin• “to speak” or “to assert”• Contradiction- from Latin contra "against" +

dicere "to speak"• Explain how the root -dict- contributes to the

meaning of these words: benediction, edict, verdict.

Root –vit- and –viv-, p. 100 & 111

• comes from Latin• “life”• Vital- from Latin vita “life”, vitalis “life giving”• Explain how the root –vit- and –viv-

contributes to the meaning of these words: survive, vitamin, and revive.

Root –manere-, p. 112 & 125

• comes from Latin• “remain” or “dwell”• Permanent- per “remain” + manere “remain”• Explain how the root –manere- contributes to

the meaning of these words: remain and mansion.

Root –sper- and –spes-, p. 138 & 149

• comes from Latin• “hope”• Desperate- de “to remove” + sper “hope”• Explain how the root –sper- and –spes-

contributes to the meaning of these words: despair, prosper, and prosperous.