ROOTS & AFFIXES (PREFIXES AND

SUFFIXES)

English I

ROOT WORDS

Base Words Many derived from Greek, Latin, and Old

English Learning common root words can help

you to understand unknown vocabulary. Root of a word?

Remove any prefixes or suffixes

Meaning & Examples COMMON ROOTS

ROOT MEANING EXAMPLESastro astrodome, astronomy

aud

bio

chron

demo

geo

phono

spect look at

tele far off

topo(s) place topography, topology

vert turn introvert, revert

photo

ROOTSROOT MEANING EXAMPLESastro star astrodome, astronomy

aud to hear auditory, audible, audiobook

bio life biology, biodegradable

chron time chronological, chronic

demo people democracy, demography

geo earth geology, geothermal

phono sound phonics, telephone

spect look at retrospect, spectacle

tele far off telecommute, television

topo(s) place topography, topology

vert turn introvert, revert

photo light photon, photography

Example

“An aspiring actress, Elisa auditioned for every role she could.”

The root of the word “audition” tells you that an audition involves the sense of

a. hearing b. sight c. taste d. smell

Affix

Syllables added to roots to create new words

Syllables added to the beginning of root words to make new words are PREFIXES

Syllables added to the end of root words to make new words are SUFFIXES

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE

anti- against Antiwar-against the war

de- reverse, remove Decode-to remove code

dis- not

ex- former

in- not

inter- between

mal- bad, wrong

mis- wrong

mono- one, single

non- not

post- after

pre- before

pro- in favor of

re- again

sub- below, under

un- not

uni- one, single

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE

anti- against Antiwar-against the war

de- reverse, remove Decode-to remove code

dis- not Distasteful-not tasteful

ex- former Expel-cast out

in- not Inefficient-not efficient

inter- between Intervene- come between

mal- bad, wrong Maladapted-badly adapted

mis- wrong Misstated-stated incorrectly

mono- one, single Monochrome-of one color

non- not Nonissue-not an issue

post- after Postnatal-after birth

pre- before Preview-to show beforehand

pro- in favor of Pro-education – in favor of education

re- again Restart- to start again

sub- below, under Submarine- under the sea

un- not Uninventive-not inventive

uni- one, single Unilateral-one-sided

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE-able Worthy or capable of

-ation Forms nouns from verbs

-ence Process or state

-ful Having or being

-ible Worthy or capable of

-ism Act, state or condition

-ist One who does something

-ive Being

-less Lacking

-ly Attributes a quality

-ness State of something

-ology Study of

-ous Full of

-ward In a specific direction i

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE-able Worthy or capable of Manageable

-ation Forms nouns from verbs Compilation

-ence Process or state Emergence

-ful Having or being Meaningful

-ible Worthy or capable of Sensible

-ism Act, state or condition Criticism

-ist One who does something

Zoologist

-ive Being Intensive

-less Lacking Useless

-ly Attributes a quality Angrily

-ness State of something Carelessness

-ology Study of Geology

-ous Full of Joyous

-ward In a specific direction inward

Using suffixes, make the following verbs nouns

Fix Create Demolish Arrange Assist Defer Refuse cover