Vocabulary: Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes
Most words used in the English language today were not originally English. These words were borrowed (taken) from other languages. The majority of English words have Latin or Greek origin. It may be possible to guess the meaning of an unknown word when one knows the meaning of its root. Knowing prefixes and suffixes can also assist in the process.
An English word can consist of three parts: the root, a prefix and a suffix. The root is the part of the word that contains the basic meaning (definition) of the word. The root is the base element of the word. A prefix is a word element that is placed in front of a root. A prefix changes the word's meaning or makes a new word. A suffix is a word element that is placed after the root. The suffix changes the word's meaning as well as its function (use). Prefixes and suffixes are called affixes because they are attached to a root.

Example:

Root: act
root (act): means "do" or "perform"

act (root): "do"

definition: verb; to perform, behave
noun; a performance, a thing done

sentence: You act like a child.


Prefix: re-
Prefix (re-): means "back" or "again"

react (prefix + root): "do back"

definition: verb; to act in response to something,
to act in opposition to something

sentence: How will she react when she hears the news?


Suffix: -ion
Suffix (-ion): indicates that the word has become a noun

reaction (prefix + root + suffix): something done back

definition: noun; a response to something,
an opposing action

sentence: Her reaction to the news was childish.

Roots

Following is a list of roots for English vocabulary. The list is formatted so that the root with its definition is shown first, then the source of the root (Latin, Greek, etc.) with the source word's definition, and then last is an example of the root as used in a word and the word's definition. The sample words are linked to additional words with the same root.

act, ag: do, act, drive
Latin, agere: to drive, lead, act, do
active (adjective): moving about
am, ami: love, like
Latin, amare: to love
amorous (adjective): loving
anim: mind, life, spirit, anger
Latin, animus: spirit
animal (noun): a living creature
annu, enni: yearly
Latin, annuus: yearly
annual (adjective): yearly
auc, aug, aut: to originate, to increase
Latin, augere: to originate, increase
augment (verb): to increase, to add to
aud, audit, aur: hear
Latin, audire: to hear
audible (adjective): can be heard




bene, ben: good, well, gentle
Latin, bene: good
benign (adjective): harmless, mild, gentle
bio, bi: life
Greek, bios: life
biography (noun): a book written about a person's life
bibli, biblio: book
Greek, biblion: book
bibliophile (noun): a person who likes or collects books
brev: short
Latin, brevis: short
abbreviate (verb): to shorten




cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, cid: to take, to seize, to hold
Latin, capere: to seize
receive (verb): to take in, to acquire
ceas, cede, ceed, cess: go, yield
Latin, cedere: to go
exceed (verb): to go beyond a limit, to be greater than
chron: time
Greek, khronos: time
chronological (adjective): arranged in order of time or sequence
clam, claim: shout
Latin, clamare: to call out, shout
clamor (verb): to make noise
cogn, gnos: know to know
Latin, cognoscere: to know
recognize (verb): to know, to identify
corp: body
Latin, corpus: body
corporate (adjective): formed into a body or association, united in one group
cre, cresc, cret: grow
Latin, crescere: to grow
create (verb): to originate, to produce through imagination
cred: trust, believe
Latin, credere: to believe
incredible (adjective): unbelievable
cour, cur, curr, curs: run, course
Latin, currere: run
occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind




dic, dict, dit: say, speak
Latin, dicere: to say
indicate (verb): to show, to point out
doc, doct: teach, prove
Latin, docere: to teach
docile (adjective): obedient, easily taught
dog, dox: thought, idea
Greek, dokein: seem, think
dogma (noun): an established opinion
dec, dign: suitable
Latin, decere: to be suitable
decent (adjective): conforming to standards, suitable, good
duc, duct**: lead
Latin, ducere: to draw or lead
conduct (verb): to lead or guide
(noun) - a person's behavior
** ducere is one of the most prolific sources of English words




ev, et: time, age
Latin, aevum: lifetime
medieval (adjective): related to the Middle Ages (500 - 1500 AD)




fac, fact, fec, fic, fas, fea: make do, do
Latin, facere - make, do
difficult (noun): hard to do, troublesome
fer: bear, carry
Latin, ferre: bear, carry
infer (verb): to come to a conclusion from looking at facts, to guess
fict, feign, fain: shape, make, fashion
Latin, fingere: shape, make
fiction (noun): something produced from imagination, an invented story
fid: belief, faith
Latin, fidere: to trust
confide (verb): to trust, to trust another person with a secret
fig: shape, form
Latin, figura: form, shape, figure
figurem (noun): shape, pattern, drawing
(verb) - decide, plan, decipher
flu, fluct, flux: flow
Latin, fluere: to flow
fluid (adjective): capable of flowing, a smooth easy style
(noun) - a liquid
form: shape
Latin, forma: beauty, shape, form
format (noun): the shape and size of something
fract, frag, frai: break
Latin, frangere: to break
frail (adjective): easily broken, not strong, weak




gen, gin: to give birth, kind
Greek, genus: birth
generate (verb): to produce, to create
geo: earth
Greek, ge: earth
geography (noun): a science that describes the earth's surface
gor: to gather, to bring together
Greek, ageirin: to gather
category (noun): a class or set in which a thing is placed
grad, gress, gree: step, go, move
Latin, gradus: step
degree (noun): a step or stage in a process
graph, graf: write, draw
Greek, graphein: write, scratch, carve
graphic (adjective): written, drawn, vividly shown




her, hes: to stick
Latin, haerere: to stick
adhere (verb): to stick




jac, ject, jet: to throw
Latin, jacere: to throw, to lie
reject (verb): to throw out, unwilling to accept
jug, junct, just: to join
Latin, jungere: to join
junction (noun): a place at which two things join




lex, leag, leg: law
Latin, lex: law
legal (adjective): based on law
lect, leg, lig: choose, gather, select, read
Latin, legere: to choose
collect (verb): to gather, to bring together
loc: place, area
Latin, locare: to place
location (noun): a place, a position occupied
log: say, speech, word, reason, study
Greek, logos: speech, word, reason
logic (noun): the study of reason, reasoning
luc, lum, lust: light
Latin, lucare: shine
Latin, lumen: light
Latin, lustrare: light-up
translucent (adjective): permitting some light to come through




man: hand, make, do
Latin, manus: hand
manage (verb): to handle with skill, to be able to do
mem: recall, remember
Latin, memor: mindful
memory (noun): the ability to recall or to bring to mind
ment: mind
Latin, mens: mind
mental (adjective): related to the mind
min: little, small
Latin, minuere: to lessen
minor (adjective): less important, lesser
mit, miss: send
Latin, mittere: put, send
admit (verb): to accept, to allow entry
mob, mov, mot: move
Latin, movere: move
motion (noun): act of moving, action




nasc, nat, gnant, nai: to be born
Latin, nasci to be born
nascent (adjective) - just born
nom, nym: name
Latin, nomen: name
nominate (verb): to name for office
nov: new
latin, novus: new
novice (noun): a beginner or newcomer




oper: work
Latin, opus: work
operate (verb): to work, to perform




pat, pass: feel, suffer
Latin, pati: suffer
passion (noun): a strong feeling or emotion
path: feel
Greek, pathos: feeling
sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings
ped: foot
Latin, pes: foot
impede (verb): to hinder, to slow down
pod: foot
Greek, pous: foot
podium (noun): a platform, an area raised above the surrounding ground
pel, puls: drive, push
Latin, pellere: to drive, push, beat
repel (verb): to drive away or push back
pend, pond: to hang, weigh
Latin, pendere: to hang, to weigh
append (verb): to add or correct
phan, phas, phen, fan, phant, fant: show, make visible
Greek, phainein: show
phantom (noun): something seen but having no physical existence, a ghost
phil: love
Greek, philos: loving
philosopher (noun): a person who seeks (loves) wisdom
phon: sound
Greek, phone: voice, sound
phonetic (adjective): related to speech sounds
pict: paint, show, draw
Latin, pingere: to paint
picture (verb): to paint or draw
port: carry
Latin, portare: carry
import (verb): to bring in from a foreign country
pli, ply: fold
Latin, plicare: fold
reply (verb): to respond, to answer
pon, pos: put, place
Latin, ponere: to lay down, put, place
postpone (verb): to put off to a later time
psych: mind
Greek, psukhe: soul, spirit
psychology (noun): study of how the mind works




quir, quis, quest, quer: seek, ask
Latin, quaerere: seek, ask
query (verb): to ask questions




rupt: break
Latin, rumpere: break
rupture (verb): to break or burst




sci, scio: to know
Latin, scire: to know
conscious (adjective): aware, having knowledge of oneself
scrib, scrip: write
Latin, scribere: to write
script (noun): handwriting, something written
sent, sens: feel, think
Latin, sentire: feel
sentiment (noun): a thought prompted by feeling
sequ, secut, sue: follow
Latin, sequi: to follow
sequence (noun): a continuous series
sist: to withstand, make up
Latin, sistere: to make a stand
insist (verb): to be firm about something needed, to demand
soci: to join, companions
Latin, sociare, socius: to join, a companion
sociable (adjective): inclined to seek friendship, companionship
sol: alone
Latin, solus: alone, single
solitary (adjective): being alone
solv, solu, solut: loosen, explain
Latin, solvere: too loosen, release
solve (verb): to find an answer
spec, spi, spic, spect: look
Latin, specere: look, look at
spectator (noun): a person who watches
spir: breath, soul
Latin, spirare: breathe
respiration (noun): breathing
stab, stat: stand
Latin, stare: to stand
stature (noun) - height of a standing body, importance of position
strain, strict, string, stige: bind, pull
Latin, stringere: to bind or pull tight
constrict (verb) - to squeeze, to make narrow
stru, struct, stroy: build
Latin, struere: to build
destroy (verb): to ruin, to pull down




tact, tang, tig, ting: touch
Latin, tangere: to touch
tactile (adjective): related to the sense of touch
tele: far away
Greek, telos: end
telepathy (noun): communication from one mind to another without verbal or written communication
tend, tens: stretch
Latin, tendere: to stretch
contend (verb): to strive or reach for, to argue
tain, ten, tent, tin: hold, keep, have
Latin, tenere: to hold
retain (verb): to keep, to hold in place
term: end, boundary, limit
Latin, terminusm: limit, boundary
exterminate (verb): to kill off, to get rid of
terr: earth
Latin, terra: earth
territory (noun): area of land
test: see, witness
Latin, testis: witness
attest (verb): to provide proof, to say something is true
therm: heat
Greek, therme: heat
thermometer (noun): a device for measuring heat
tor, tors, tort: twist
Latin, torquere: twist
torsion (noun): twisting of the body
tract, trai, treat: pull, draw
Latin, trahere: pull
attract (verb): to draw toward, to arouse interest




uni: one
Latin, unus: one
unite (verb): to make one, to join together




vac: empty
Latin, vacare: to be empty
vacant (adjective): empty, not occupied
ven, vent: come
Latin, venire: to come
convene (verb): to assemble, to come together
ver: true
Latin, venus: true
verify (verb): to confirm that something is true
verb, verv: word
Latin, verbum: word
verbalize (verb): to express in words, to put into words
vers, vert: turn,change
Latin, versare: to turn
versatile (adjective): capable of changing or adapting, useful
vid, vie, vis: see
Latin, videre: to see; Latin, videre: to separate
visible (adjective): able to be seen
divide (verb): to separate
vit, viv: live
Latin, vivere: to live
vital (adjective) - necessary for life
voc, voke: call
Latin, vocare: call, voice
vocal (adjective): spoken or uttered by the voice
volv, volt, vol: roll, turn
Latin, volvere: to roll, turn
revolve (verb): to turn around
( to be continued)