Root Words & Prefixes: Quick Reference

Root words and prefixes are listed alphabetically below. We also offer suffix worksheets.

Variations of a word root are listed together, for example mater, matri or agr/i/o (read: agr- or agri- or agro-).

Root words that only appear in three or less distinct words are ignored.

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Jump directly to a letter in the table: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Link	Root word	Meanings	Examples and Definitions

	a/n	not, without	abyss – without bottom; achromatic – without color; anhydrous – without water
	a	on	afire – on fire; ashore – on the shore; aside – on the side
	ab/s, a	from, away, off	abduct – carry away by force; abnormal – away from normal, not normal; absent – away, not present; aversion – the act of turning away from; abbreviate: to shorten.
	ac, ad	to, toward, near	accelerate – to increase the speed of; accessible – easily entered, approached, or obtained; admittance – allowing into;
	acro	top, height, tip, beginning	acrobat – a “high walker”; acronym – a word formed from the first (capital) letters of a word; acrophobia – fear of height
	act	do	activity – something that a person does; react – to do something in response; interaction – communication between two or more things
	aer/o	air	aerate – to let air reach something; aerial – relating to the air; aerospace – the air space
	agr/i/o	farming	agriculture – management of the land, agribusiness – making money by utilizing land; agrarian – relating to the management of land
	alg/o	pain	neuralgia – pain caused by a nerve; analgesic – a drug that makes one pain free; nostalgia – aching for the familiar
	ambi, amphi	both, on both sides, around	ambidextrous – able to use both hands equally; ambiguous – having more than one meaning; ambivalence – conflicting or opposite feelings toward a person or thing
	ambul	walk, move	amble – to walk in a slow, relaxed way; ambulant – walking or moving around; ambulance – a vehicle that moves a patient
	ami/o	love	amiable – friendly, pleasant, lovable; amity – friendly and peaceful relations; amorous – showing romantic love
	ana	up, back, against, again, throughout	analysis – a close examination of something; anatomy – the structure of something as visible when cut up for analysis; anachronism – not being in the right place in time
	andr/o	man, male	androgynous – being both male and female; android – resembling a human; misandry – hatred towards men
	anim	life, spirit	animal – a living organism; animate – to make alive; equanimity – of balanced spirit
	ann/enn	year	anniversary – a date observed once a year; annual – happening once a year; millennium – 1,000 years
	ante	before, in front	antecede – to come before something in time; antemeridian – before noon; anteroom- a small room before the main room
	anth/o	flower	chrysanthemum and amaranth – names of flowers; anthology – a collection of treasured writings; anthozoan – half plant, half animal, like anemones and corals.
	anthrop/o	human	anthropology – the study of mankind; anthropomorphism – giving human form to non-human things; philanthropy – the love to mankind (expressed through good deeds)
	anti	against, opposite of	antibody – a substance that destroys micro-organisms; antiseptic – preventing infection; antisocial – opposing social norm
	apo, apho	away, off, separate	aphorism – a short expression of a general truth; apology – an explicit expression of regret, apostrophe – a small dash used in place of an omitted letter
	aqu/a	water	aquarium – a water container for fish; aquatic- relating to water; aqueduct – a pipeline for water
	arbor	tree	arborist – someone working with trees; arbor – a shady area formed by trees; arborous – having many trees
	arch/i	chief, most important, rule	archbishop – the highest ranking bishop; archenemy – chief or worst enemy; matriarch – a female who rules a group; monarch – a king or queen
	arch/a/i	primitive, ancient	archaeology – the study of ancient cultures; archaic – belonging to an earlier period; archive – a collection of historical materials
	arthr/o	joint	arthroscope – a tool to see inside a joint; arthritis – inflammation of a joint; arthropod – invertebrates with jointed legs, like spiders, crustaceans, insects
	art	skill	artifact – object made by a person’s skill; artisan – a person skilled in a craft; artist – a person who creates skillfully
	astro, aster	star, stars, outer space	astronaut – a person traveling to the stars; astronomer – someone who studies the stars; asterisk – a star-shaped sign used as a reference tool
	aud/i/io	hear	audible – loud enough to be heard; audience – people who listen to a program; audiovisual – relating to sound and vision
	auto	self, same, one	autocrat – a person who governs with absolute power; autograph – a person’s own signature; automatic – moving by itself
	avi/a	bird	aviary – a large enclosure for birds; aviatrix – a female airplane pilot; aviation – the art of designing or operating aircraft
	bar/o	pressure, weight	baric – pertaining to pressure, esp. of the atmosphere; milliard – metric unit, equal to 1/1000th of a bar; baryon – heavy elementary particle
	bell/i	war	bellicose – warlike; belligerent – hostile, ready to fight; rebel – person who opposes and fights
	bene	good, well	benefactor – person who gives money to a cause; beneficial – producing a good effect; benevolent – showing kindness or goodwill
	bi/n	two, twice, once in every two	biannual – happening twice a year; binoculars – optical device with two lenses; bilateral – of or involving two sides
	bibli/o	book	bibliography – a list of books used as sources; bibliomania – an extreme love of books; bibliophile – a person who loves books
	bio	life, living matter	biography- a life story written by another person; biology – the science of life; biosphere – Earth’s surface inhabited by living things
	blast/o	cell, primitive, immature cell	blastula – an early stage of embryonic development; fibroblast – a cell that forms connective tissue; blastoderm – the layer surrounding the inside of an egg
	capt, cept, ceive	take, hold	intercept – to stop or interrupt; perceive – to take notice of something; captivating – taking hold of
	cardi/o	heart	cardiac – relating to the heart; cardiogenic – resulting from heart disease; cardiologist – a heart doctor
	carn/i	flesh, meat	carnivorous – flesh-eating; carnal – pertaining to the body or flesh; incarnate – given bodily form
	cata	down, against completely, intensive, according to	cataclysm – a flood or other disaster, catalog – a complete listing; catastrophe – turning for the worst, a substantial disaster
	caust, caut	to burn	cauterize – to burn with a hot instrument; caustic – capable of burning or eating away; holocaust – total devastation, especially by fire
	cede, ceed, cess	go, yield	exceed – to go beyond the limits; recede – to go back; accessible – easily entered, approached, or obtained;
	celer	fast	accelerate – to increase the speed of; decelerate – to reduce the speed of
	cent/i	hundred, hundredth	centennial- the 100th anniversary; centimeter – 1/100 of a meter; century – 100 years
	centr/o/i	center	egocentric – self-centered; eccentric – not having a common center, not according to norm; centrifugal – moving outward from a center
	cephal/o	head	encephalitis – inflammation of the brain; cephalic – pertaining to the head; cephalopod – marine mollusks like octopus and squid who have tentacles growing from their head
	cerebr/o	brain	cerebral – pertaining to the brain; cerebrate – to use the brain; cerebrospinal – pertaining to the brain and the spinal cord
	cert	sure	ascertain- to find out something with certainty; certain – being absolutely sure; certify – to state that something is true
	chrom/o chromat/o, chros	color, pigment	achromatic – without color; chromium – a blue-white metallic chemical element, chromatics – the study of color
	chron/o	time	chronic – lasting for a long time; chronological – arranging events in time order, synchronize – happening at the same time
	chrys/o	gold, yellow	chrysanthemum and helichrysum – golden/yellow flowers; chrysolite – a yellowish gem
	cide, cise	cut, kill	homicide – murder; incisor – a sharp tooth for cutting food; insecticide – a chemical used to kill insects
	circum, circle	around, about	circumnavigate – to sail around; circumscribe – to draw around; circumspect – looking around
	claim, clam	shout, speak out	clamor – to shout and make noise; exclaim – to cry out loudly and suddenly; proclamation – something announced officially in public
	clar	clear	clarification – an explanation; clarify – to make something clear; declare – to state something clearly
	clud, clus	close	conclusion – the end or last part; exclusion – shutting out, rejecting; seclude – to keep away from; to isolate
	cline	lean	inclination – a leaning toward; incline – a surface that slopes or leans; recline – to lean back and relax
	co	with, together, joint	coauthor – writer who collaborates with another author; coeducation – educating males and females together; cohousing – planning your neighborhood in an intentional neighborly fashion
	col	together, jointly	Collaborate – to work together; collision – smashing together; colloquial – words formed by everday interaction
	com	together, common	commemorate – to memorize together; composition – an arrangement or putting together of parts; commune – living together while owning things in common
	cogn/i	know	cognition – process of acquiring knowledge; incognito – disguised so no one knows you; recognize – to discover that one knows
	con	with, jointly	concur – to agree with someone; contemporary – of the same time period as others; convention – a gathering of people with a common interest
	contra/o	against, opposite	contradict to argue against, Contraflow, contraception, contrary not in agreement, controversy disagreement
	corp/o	body	corporation – a company recognized by law as a single body; corpse – a dead body; corporal – pertaining to the body
	cosm/o	universe	cosmonaut – a Russian astronaut; cosmos – the universe; microcosm – a miniature universe
	counter	opposite, contrary, opposing	counteract – to oppose the effects of an action; countermand – to cancel a previous order; counteroffensive – attack against an attack
	cranio	skull	craniology – the study of skull characteristics; cranium – skull of vertebrates; cranial – pertaining to the skull
	cred	believe	credence – belief that something is true or valid; credulous – believing things too easily, gullible; incredible – unbelievable
	crypto	hidden, secret	cryptic – of hidden meaning; cryptography – science of secret codes; encrypt – encode into secret code
	cumul	mass, heap	accumulate – to gather or pile up; cumulative – gradually building up
	cycl	circle, ring	bicycle – a vehicle with two wheels; cycle – a sequence that is repeated; cyclone – a storm with circling winds
	de	reduce, away, down, remove	decelerate – to slow down, reduce speed; dethrone – to remove from power; debug – to remove bugs
	dec/a, deka	ten	decade – 10 years; decathlon – athletic contest that includes 10 disciplines in which each participant competes; December – formerly the 10th month of the Roman calendar
	deci	one tenth	deciliter – a tenth of a liter; decimate – reduce dramatically; decibel – one tenth of the sound volume unit bel
	dem/o	people	democracy – government of the people; demographic – the study of people; epidemic – spreading among people in a region
	demi	half, less than	demitasse – a small cup of coffee; demimonde – someone of little respected life style
	dendr/o/i	tree	philodendron – a climbing plant that grows on trees; dendrochronology – dating events by studying growth rings in trees; dendriform – in the shape of a tree
	dent, dont	tooth	dental – relating to teeth; dentist – a doctor for the teeth; dentures – a set of false teeth
	derm/a	skin	dermatologist – a doctor for the skin; pachyderm – a class of animals with very thick skin (elephant, rhinoceros); dermatitis – inflammation of the skin
	di/plo	two, twice	dichromatic – displaying two colors; diploma – a certificate, literally “a letter folded double”; dilemma – a situation that requires a choice between two alternatives.
	di/s	apart, away, not, to the opposite	digression – a departure from the main issue, subject; disappear – to move out of sight; dissect – to cut apart piece by piece.
	dia	through, between, apart, across	diabetes – disease characterized by excessive thirst and discharge of urine; diagnosis – understanding a condition by going through a detailed review of symptoms; dialog – conversation between two people.
	dict	speak	contradict – to express the opposite of; prediction – a statement foretelling the future; dictate – to speak out loud for another person to write down.
	domin	master	dominate – to be the master of; domineering – excessively controlling; predominate – to have more power than others
	don/at	give	donation – a contribution or gift; donor – someone who gives something; pardon – to give forgiveness for an offense
	duc/t	lead	conduct – to lead musicians in playing music; educate – to lead to knowledge; deduction – a subtraction of an amount.
	du/o	two, twice	duplicate – make an identical copy; duet – a musical composition for two voices or instruments; duo – a pair normally thought of as being together.
	dur	harden, to last, lasting	durable – having the quality of lasting; duration – the length of time something lasts; enduring – able to last.
	dyn/a/am	power, energy, strength	dynamo – a generator of energy; dynamic – having physical energy/power; dynamite – a powerful explosive.
	dys	abnormal, bad	dyspepsia – abnormal indigestion; dystopia – an imaginary place of total misery; dyslexia – impairment of the ability to handle words.
	e-	out, away	eloquent – speaking beautifully and forcefully; emissary – a representative of a country or group sent on a mission; eject – throw out forcefully.
	ego	self	egoistic – self-centered; alter ego – a higher aspect of oneself; egomania – excessive preoccupation with oneself.
	em, en	into, cover with, cause	empathy – intention to feel like another person; empower – put into power; engorge – make larger.
	endo	within, inside	endotherm – a creature that can keep its inside temperature fairly constant; endocrine – relating to glands that secrete directly into the blood or lymph; endogamy – the custom to marry within one’s clan, tribe etc.
	enn/i, anni	years	bicentennial – of or relating to an age or period of 200 years; centennial – of or relating to an age or period of 100 years; perennial -lasting through many years.
	en, in	inside, inwards	envision – to picture in the mind; enclose – lock inside; inwards – towards the inside.
	ep/i	on, upon, over, among, at, after, to, outside	epidemic – the rapid spread of something negative; epilogue – a short speech delivered after a play; epicenter – the center of an earthquake.
	equ/i	equal, equally	equidistant - an equal distance from two points; equanimity – calm temperament, evenness of temper; equation – a statement of equality.
	erg/o	work	ergonomics – study of the working environment; energy – the power to accomplish work; energetics – science that looks at energy and its transformation.
	esth/aesth	feeling, sensation, beauty	esthetician – someone who beautifies; aesthetic – pertaining to a sense of beauty; kinesthesia – the sensation of bodily movement.
	ethno	race, people	ethnic – pertaining to a defined group of people; ethnocentric – focusing on the ethnicity of people; ethnology – the science of people and races.
	eu	good, well	euphemism – replacing an offensive word with an inoffensive one; euphonious – having a pleasant sound; euphoria – feeling of well-being.
	ex	from, out,	excavate – to dig out; exhale – to breathe out; extract – to pull out.
	extra, extro	outside, beyond	extraordinary – beyond ordinary; extraterrestrial – outside the Earth; extrovert – an outgoing person.
	fac/t	make, do	artifact – an object made by a person; factory – a place where things are made; malefact – a person who does wrong.
	fer	bear, bring, carry	confer – to bring an honor to someone; ferry – a boat that carries passengers; transfer – to move to another place.
	fid	faith	confide – place trust in someone, fidelity – faithfulness; fiduciary – a trustee;
	flect	bend	deflect – to bend course because of hitting something; inflection – a bending in the voice’s tone or pitch; flexible – easily bending.
	flor/a, fleur	flower	florist – someone working with flowers; floral – flowerlike; flora – the plant life of a particular time or area
	for	completely (used to intensify the meaning of a word)	forsaken or forfeited – completely lost; forgiven – completely given (a release of debt).
	fore	in front of, previous, earlier	forebear – ancestor; forebode – to give an advance warning of something bad; forecast – a preview of events to be.
	fract, frag	break	fracture – a break; fragile – easy to break; fragment or fraction – a part or element of a larger whole;
	fug	flee, run away, escape	fugitive – a person who is running away; refuge – a sheltered place to flee to; refugee – a person seeking protection
	funct	perform, work	defunct – no longer working or alive; function – to work or perform a role normally; malfunction – to fail to work correctly.
	fus	pour	confusion – being flooded with too much information that is hard to make sense of; fuse – to melt by heating; infuse – to put into.
	gastr/o	stomach	gastric – pertaining to the stomach; gastronomy – serving the stomach by providing good food; gastritis – inflammation of the stomach.
	gen/o/e/ genesis	birth, production, formation, kind	genealogy – the study of the history of a family; generation – all the people born at approximately the same time; genetic -relating to heredity encoded in the genes.
	geo	earth, soil, global	geography – study of the earth’s surface; geology – study of the structure of the earth; geoponics – soil based agriculture.
	ger	old age	geriatrics – medicine pertaining to the elderly; gerontocracy – the rule of the elders; gerontology – the science of aging.
	giga	a billion	gigabyte – unit of computer storage space; gigahertz – unit of frequency (one billion Hz/sec); gigawatt unit of electric power (one billion watts).
	gon	angle	decagon – a polygon with 10 angles; diagonal – a slanting line running across a space; octagon – a geometrical figure with 8 angles.
	gram	letter, written	diagram – a simple drawing; grammar – rules of how to write words in sentences; telegram – a message sent by telegraph.
	graph/y	writing, recording, written	Graphology – the study of handwritings; autograph – written with one’s own hand; seismograph – a machine noting strength and duration of earthquakes.
	grat	pleasing	gratify – to please someone; grateful – feeling thankful; gratuity – a tip, token of appreciation.
	gyn/o/e	woman, female	gynecology – the science of female reproductive health; gynephobia – fear of women; gynecoid – resembling a woman.
	gress, grad/e/i	to step, to go	digression – a departure from the main issue, subject, etc.; progress – movement forward or onward; gradual – step by step.
	hect/o, hecat	hundred	hectoliter – 100 liters; hectare – metric unit equaling 100 ares or 10,000 square meters; hectometer – 100 meters.
	helic/o	spiral, circular	helicopter – an aircraft with horizontal rotating wing; helix – a spiral form; helicon – a circular tuba.
	heli/o	sun	heliotropism – movement or growth in relating to the sun; heliograph – apparatus used to send message with the help of sunlight; helianthus – genus of plants including sunflowers.
	hemi	half, partial	hemicycle – a semicircular structure; hemisphere – one half of the earth; hemistich – half a line of poetry.
	hem/o/a	blood	hemorrhage – clotting of the blood; hemorrhoids – swelling of the blood vessels; hemoglobin – red blood particle.
	hepa	liver	hepatitis – inflammation of the liver; hepatoma – a tumor of the liver; hepatotoxic – toxic and damaging to the liver.
	hept/a	seven	heptagon – a shape with seven angles and seven sides; Heptateuch – the first seven books of the Old Testament; heptameter – a line of verse consisting of seven metrical feet.
	herbi	grass, plant	herbicide – any chemical used to kill unwanted plants, etc.; herbivorous – plant-eating; herbal – relating to plants.
	hetero	different, other	heterogeneous – made up of unrelated parts; heteronyms – words with same spelling but different meanings; heterodox – not conforming to traditional beliefs.
	hex/a	six	hexagon – a shape with six angles/sides; hexameter – a verse measured in six; hexapod – having six legs.
	histo	tissue	histology – study of the microscopic structure of tissues; histochemistry – study of the chemical constitution of cells and tissues.
	homo, homeo	like, alike, same	homogeneous – of the same nature or kind; homonym – sounding alike; homeopath – a therapy that is based on treating “same with same”
	hydr/o	liquid, water	hydrate – to add water to; hydrophobia – intense fear of water; hydroponics – growing plants in liquid nutrient solution; hydraulic – operated by force created by a liquid.
	hygr/o	moisture, humidity	hygrometer – tool used to measure humidity; hygrograph – instrument for recording variations in atmospheric humidity.
	hyper	too much, over, excessive, beyond	hyperactive – very restless; hypercritical – too critical; hypertension – above normal pressure.
	hyp/o	under	hypoglycemia – an abnormally low level of sugar in the blood; hypothermia – abnormally low body temperature; hypothesis – a theory that is unproven but used under the assumption that it is true.
	iatr/o	medical care	geriatrics – medical care of the elderly; pediatrician – a doctor who treats children; podiatry – medical care for feet.
	icon/o	image	icon – an (often religious) image, in modern usage a simplified graphic of high symbolic content; iconology – science of symbols and icons; iconoclast – someone who destroys religious images and traditional beliefs.
	idio	peculiar, personal, distinct	idiomatic – Peculiar to a particular language; idiosyncracy – a physical or mental characteristic typical or a particular person; idiot – someone who is distinctly foolish or stupid.
	il, in	in, into	illuminate – to give light to; innovation – a new idea, method, or device; inspection – the act of examining or reviewing.
	ig, il, im, in, ir	not, without	illegal – not legal; impossible – not possible; inappropriate – not appropriate; irresponsible – not responsible.
	imag	likeness	image – a likeness of someone; imaginative – able to think up new ideas or images; imagine – to form a picture or likeness in the mind.
	infra	beneath, below	infrastructure – underlying framework of a system; infrared – below the regular light spectrum.
	inter	between, among, jointly	international – involving two or more countries; intersection – place where roads come together; intercept – to stop or interrupt the course of.
	intra, intro	within, inside	intrastate – existing in one state; intravenous – inside or into a vein; introvert – shy person who keeps within him/herself.
	ir	not	irredeemable – not redeemable; irreformable – not reformable; irrational – not rational.
	iso	equal	isobar – a line on a map connecting points of equal barometric pressure; isometric – having equality of measure; isothermal – having equal or constant temperature.
	ject	throw	eject – to throw someone/something out; interject – to throw a remark into a discussion; project – to cast or throw something.
	jud	law	judgment – a decision of a court of law; judicial – having to do with judges or courts of law; judiciary – a system of courts of law.
	junct	join	conjunction – a word that joins parts of sentences; disjunction – a disconnection; junction – a place where two things join.
	juven	young	juvenile – youthful or childish; rejuvenate – to bring back to youthful strength or appearance.
	kilo	thousand	kilobyte – 1,000 bytes; kilometer – 1,000 meter; kilograms – 1,000 grams.
	kine/t /mat	motion, division	kinetics – study of the force of motion; psychokinesis or telekinesis – the ability to move objects with your mind; cinematography – motion picture making.
	lab	work	collaborate – to work with a person; elaborate – to work out the details; laborious – requiring a lot of hard work.
	lact/o	milk	lactate – to give milk, nurse; lactose – the sugar contained in milk; lactic acid.
	later	side	bilateral – of or involving two sides; unilateral – affecting one side of something.
	leuk/o, leuc/o	white, colorless	leukemia – abnormal increase of white blood cells in the blood; leukocyte – a mature white blood cell; leucine – a white, crystalline amino acid.
	lex	word, law, reading	lexicology – the study and history of words; alexia -loss of the ability to read; illegal – not authorized by the official rules or laws.
	liber	free	liberate – to set free; libertine – a person with a free, wild lifestyle; liberty – freedom.
	lingu	language, tongue	linguist – one who studies languages; multilingual – able to communicate in multiple languages; linguine – long, flat “tongue-shaped” pasta.
	lip/o	fat	liposuction – the mechanical removal of fat reserves in the tissue; lipase – enzyme that breaks down fat; lipoid – resembling fat.
	lite, ite, lith/o	mineral, rock, fossil	apatite – a group of common minerals; granite – a hard, granular rock; monolith – a remarkable, unique stone.
	loc	place	dislocate – to put something out of its usual place; location – a place; relocate – to move to a new place.
	log/o	word, doctrine, discourse	logic – correct reasoning; monologue – a long speech by one speaker;analogy – similarity, especially between things otherwise dissimilar.
	loqu, locu	speak	eloquent – speaking beautifully and forcefully ; loquacious – very talkative; elocution – art of public speaking.
	luc	light	elucidate – to explain, to throw light on; lucid – easily understood, giving off light; translucent – allowing light through.
	lud, lus	to play	prelude – introduction to the major performance; illusion – misleading optical image or impression; delude – to mislead, deceive.
	lumin	light	illuminate – to fill with light; lumen – unit measuring light.
	lun/a/i	moon	lunar – relating to the moon; lunarscape – the surface of the moon; lunatic – insane (as if driven mad by the moon).
	macro	large, great	macroevolution – large scale evolution; macromolecule – a large molecule; macroeconomics – study of the overall forces of economy.
	magn/a/i	great, large	magnify – make larger; magnificent – grand; magnate – a powerful person, especially in business or industry.
	mal/e	bad, ill, wrong	malcontent – wrong content; malaria – “bad air”, infectious disease thought to originate from the “bad air” of the swamps, but caused by the bite of an infected mosquito; malicious – showing strong ill will.
	man/i/u	hand	maneuver – to move by hand; manual – done with the hands; manuscript – a book written by hand.
	mand	to order	command – an order or instruction; demand – a hard-to-ignore order; mandate – an official order.
	mania	madness, insanity, excessive desire	bibliomania – a crazy love of books; egomania – a mad love of oneself; maniac an insane person.
	mar/i	sea	marina – a harbor for pleasure boats; maritime – relating to the sea; submarine – an undersea boat; aquamarine – color of sea water.
	mater, matr/i	mother	maternal – relating to motherhood; maternity – the state of being a mother; matriarch – a woman head of a household.
	max	greatest	maximal – the best or greatest possible; maximize – to make as great as possible; maximum – the greatest amount.
	medi	middle	medieval – pertaining to the Middle Ages; medium – in the middle; mediocre – only of medium (inferior) quality.
	mega	great, large, million	megalopolis – an area with many nearby cities; megaphone – a device that projects a loud voice; megastructure – huge building or other structure.
	melan/o	black	melancholy – a state of dark emotions; melanoma – malignant dark tumor of the skin; melodrama – a dark, pathetic drama.
	memor/i	remember	commemorate – to honor the memory of, as by a ceremony; memorial – related to remembering a person or event; memory: an ability to retain knowledge or an individual’s stock of retained knowledge.
	merge, mers	dip, dive	immerge or immerse – to put or dip something into a liquid; submerge to dip something completely into wate.r
	meso	middle	Mesoamerica – Middle America; meson – elementary particle with a mass between an electron and a proton.
	meta	change, after, beyond, between	metaphysics – study of nature and reality; metamorphosis – a complete change of form; metastasis – the transmission of disease to other parts of the body.
	meter, metr/y	measure	audiometer- an instrument that measures hearing acuteness; chronometer- an instrument that measures time; metric – measured.
	micro	very small, short, minute	microbe – a very small living thing; microchip – a tiny wafer with an integrated circuit; microscope – a device to see very small things.
	mid	middle	midriff – the area between the chest and the waist; midterm – middle of a term in school; midway – halfway between.
	migr	move	immigrant – a person who moves to a new country to settle; migrant – person who moves from place to place; migration – the process of moving.
	milli	onethousandth	millimeter – one thousandth of a meter; millibar – one thousandth of a bar; milliliter – one thousandth of a liter.
	min/i	small, less	mini – something that is very small; minuscule – extremely tiny; minutiae – very small or trivial details.
	mis/o	bad, badly, wrong, wrongly, to hate	misbehave – to behave badly; misprint – an error in printing; misnomer – an error in naming a person or thing.
	miss, mit	send, let go	dismiss – to send someone away; missile – a weapon sent into the air; emit – to send something out; admittance – entry.
	mob	move	immobilize – to stop from moving; mobile – able to move freely; mobility – the quality of being able to move.
	mon/o	one, single, alone	monochromat – having one color; monologue – a speech spoken by one person; monotheism – belief in one god.
	mot, mov	move	motion – the act of moving; motivate – to move someone to action; promote to move someone forward; removable – able to be taken or carried away.
	morph/o	form	metamorphosis – complete change of form; endorphins – chemical in the brain able to transform pain; amorphous – without distinct shape or form.
	mort	death	immortal – living forever, unable to die; mortal – certain to die; mortician – an undertaker.
	multi	many, more than one or two	multicolored – having many colors; multimedia – using a range of media; multitasking – doing many things at once.
	mut	change	immutable – not changing; mutant – an organism that has undergone change; mutate – to undergo a change.
	my/o	muscle	myocardium – the middle muscle of the heart; myasthenia – muscle fatigue or weakness; myosin – common protein in muscle tissue.
	narr	tell	narrate – to tell a story; narrative – a story; narrator – a person who tells a story.
	nat	born	innate – included since birth; natal – relating to birth; natural – gotten at birth, not afterward.
	nav	ship	circumnavigate – to sail around a place; naval – relating to a navy or warships; navigate – to sail a ship through a place.
	necr/o	dead, death	necrophil – loving death; necrosis – the death of tissue due to disease or injury; necrology – a list of persons who have recently died.
	neg	no	negate – to say it didn’t happen; negative – meaning “no”; renege – to go back on a promise.
	neo	new, recent	neoclassic – a revival of classic form, neocolonialism – the indirect (“new”) economical and political control of a region by a more powerful foreign power; neonatal – a newborn child, especially the first few weeks.
	nephr/o	kidney	nephritis – inflammation of the kidneys; nephrotomy – surgical incision of a kidney; nephron – a single, excretory unit in the kidney.
	neur/o	nerve	neuralgia – pain along a nerve; neurologist – doctor specializing in the nerves; neurotic - mental disorder that usually does not include an impaired perception of reality.
	nom/in	name	misnomer – an error in naming a person or thing; nominal – being something in name only but not in reality; nominate – to name for election or appointment, to designate.
	non	no, not, without	nondescript – with no special characteristics; nonfiction – true, real, not made-up; nonsense – without sense.
	not	mark	notable – marked as worthy of attention; notarize – to certify a signature on a legal document; annotate – to add remarks.
	noun, nunc	declare	announce – to declare in public; denounce – to proclaim harsh criticism; enunciate – to speak or declare something clearly.
	nov	new	innovate – to introduce a new way; novelty – something new; novice – a person who is new at a job; renovate – to make something like new again.
	numer	number	enumerate – to name a number of items on a list; numerology – the study of magical uses of numbers; numerous – a large number.
	ob, op	in the way, against	object – to be against something; obscure – hard to understand; opposition – the act of resistance or action against.
	oct/a/o	eight	octagon – a figure with 8 sides and 8 angles; octogenarian – person in his or her 80s; octopus – sea animal with 8 arms.
	ocu	eye	binoculars – lens device for seeing distances; monocula – relating to one eye; oculist – an eye doctor.
	omni	all	omnipotent – with all the power; omniscient – knowing all things; omnivorous eating all foods.
	op/t/s	eye, visual condition, sight	optic – relating to the eyes; optician – a person who fits eyeglasses; autopsy – the examination of a dead body.
	opt	best	optimal – the best, the most desirable; optimize – to make the best of; optimum – the best something could be.
	ortho	straight	orthodontist – a dentist that straightens teeth; orthopedic – a doctor concerned with the proper alignment of the bones; orthography – the correct way of writing.
	osteo	bone	osteoarthritis – inflammation caused by degeneration of the joints; osteopathy – therapy that uses among others manipulation of the skeleton to restore health; osteology – the study of bones.
	out	goes beyond, surpasses, exceeds	Outgoing – being of lively, sharing nature; outdoing – doing better than; outdoor – outside.
	over	excessive	overconfident – more confident than is appropriate; overstock – more supplies than is desirable; overexcited – ,more excited than one should be.
	oxy	sharp	oxymoron – combining two ideas that sharply contradict each other; oxydize – corrode a surface.
	pale/o	ancient	paleontology – study of ancient fossils; paleography – the study of ancient forms of writing; Paleolithic – period of the Stone Age.
	pan	all, any, everyone	panacea – a cure for all diseases or problems; panorama – an all-around view; pantheism – the worship of all gods; pandemic – affecting all.
	para	beside, beyond, abnormal, assistant	parasite – an organism that lives on and off another living being; parallel – alongside and always an equal distance apart; paragraph – a portion of a writtenn document that presents a distinct idea.
	para	protection from	parachute – protection from falling; parasol – an umbrella used to protect from the sun;
	pater, patr/i	father	paternal – relating to fathers; paternity – fatherhood; patriarch – a man who rules a group.
	path	feeling, emotion	antipathy – a feeling of great dislike; apathy – a lack of feeling or interest; empathy – ability to understand another’s feelings.
	ped/i/e	foot, feet	pedal – a lever pushed by the foot; pedestrian – one who walks; pedicure – cosmetic treatment of feet and toes.
	pel	drive, force	compel – to force someone to act; expel – to drive someone out of a place; repel – to force back.
	pent/a	five	pentagon – shape having 5 angles and 5 sides, pentagram – a five-pointed star formerly used as a symbolic figure in magic; pentathlon – an athletic contest that includes five events.
	pept, peps	digestion	dyspepsia – abnormal digestion; peptic – aiding digestion; pepsin – a digestive enzyme.
	per	through, throughout	permanent – lasting throughout all time; permeate – to spread throughout; persist – to continue for a long time; perennial – lasting through many years.
	peri	around, enclosing	periodontal – pertaining to bone and tissue around a tooth; peripheral – lying outside of the center; perimeter – the outer boundary of an area.
	phag/e	to eat	esophagus – muscular tube that carries food to the stomach; anthropophagy or sarcophagy – cannibalism; xylophagous – feeding on wood.
	phil/o	love, friend	philanthropist – one who loves humanity; philology – the love of words; philosophy – the love of wisdom; bibliophil – loving books.
	phon/o /e/y	sound	cacophony – loud, unpleasant sounds; microphone – a device that records and amplifies sound; phonetic – relating to human speech sounds.
	phot/o	light	photogenic – caused by light; photograph – image made on light-sensitive film; photon – the smallest possible unit of light.
	phyll/o	leaf	chlorophyll – a group of green pigments found in leaves; phyllotaxis – the arrangement of leaves on a stem; phyllite – a rock that forms sheets, similar to slate.
	phys	nature, medicine, the body	physical – relating to the body; physician – a doctor; physique – nature and shape of one’s body.
	phyt/o/e	plant, to grow	epiphyte – a plant growing independently on the surface of another; hydrophyte – a plant that grows only in water; neophyte – a beginner, especially a person recently converted to a new belief.
	plas/t/m	to form, development, forming cells	protoplasm – something that is the first made or formed, also the living portion of a cell; plastic – able to be formed, especially when warm; plaster – a mixture of lime, sand and water that forms a smooth solid covering for walls.
	pneum/o	breathing, lung, air, spirit	pneumonia – inflammation of the lungs; pneumatic – using the force of air; dyspnea – difficulty breathing.
	pod/e	foot	podiatrist – a doctor for the feet; podium – a small platform to stand on; tripod – a stand or frame with 3 legs.
	poli	city	metropolis – a large city; police – people who work for the government to maintain order in a city; politics – actions of a government or political party.
	poly	many, more than one	polychrome – with many colors; polyglot – a person fluent in many languages; polygon – shape with 3 or more straight sides.
	pon	place, put	opponent – a person who places him/herself against an action, idea, etc.; postpone – to put off doing something.
	pop	people	popular – appealing to a lot of people; population – all of the people who live in a particular area; populist – a supporter of the rights of people.
	port	carry	export – to carry goods out of a place to another; portable – able to be carried; porter – a person who carries luggage.
	pos	place, put	deposit – to place or drop something; expose to place out into the open for all to see; position – the place where someone is.
	post	after, behind	posthumous – after someone’s death; postpone – to delay something; postscript – an addition to an already completed document.
	pre	earlier, before, in front of	preamble – a part in front of a formal document; prepare – to get ready in advance; prediction – a statement foretelling the future.
	pro	before, in front of, for, forward	prognosis – a prediction of what will happen; prologue – a passage before the main part; prophet – a person who foretells the future.
	prot/o	primitive, first, chief	prototype – the first of a kind; proton – on of the very basic parts of an atom; protocol – a first draft from which a document is prepared.
	pseud/o	wrong,false	pseudonym – a fictitious name; pseudoscience – theories presumed without proof of a scientific nature; pseudopregnancy – a false pregnancy.
	psych/o	mind, mental	psyche – the human spirit or soul; psychic – relating to the human mind or someone who has supernatural mental abilities; psychology – the study of the mind.
	pugn/a, pung	to fight	pugnacious – having a quarrelsome or aggressive nature; repugnant – distasteful, offensive or revolting; pungent – piercing.
	pul	urge	compulsion – a very strong urge; expulsion – to someone out; impulsive – having a spontaneous urge to do something.
	purg	clean	purge – remove anything undesirable; purgatory – according to Roman Catholics a place where souls must clean themselves of sin; expurgate – remove objectionable passages from a publication.
	put	think	computer – an electronic thinking device; dispute – to disagree with what another person thinks; input – contribution of one’s thinking.
	pyr/o	fire, heat	pyrotechnics – the art of making fireworks; pyrometer – a thermometer for measuring high temperature; pyretic – relating to or producing fever.
	quad/r/ri	four	quadrant – open space with buildings on 4 sides; quadrennium – period of 4 years; quadruped – a 4-footed animal.
	quart	fourth	quarter – one fourth; quart – a fourth of a gallon; quartet – a musical composition or group involving 4 voices or instruments.
	quin/t	five, fifth	quintett – a composition for 5 voices or instruments; quintessence – pure essence, based on the ancient philosophy that there was a fifth element that was present in all things; quintuple – fivefold.
	radic, radix	root	eradicate – pull out at the roots; radical – fundamental, looking at things from a drastic point of view; radish – an edible root of the mustard family.
	radio	radiation, ray	radioactive – emitting radiation; radiologist – someone diagnosing or treating via radiation.
	ram/i	branch	ramification – the resulting consequence of a decision; ramify – to spread or branch out; ramus – a branchlike part.
	re	again, back, backward	rebound -to spring back again; rewind – to wind something backward; reaction: a response; recognize: to identify someone or something seen before.
	reg	guide, rule	regent – a person who rules on behalf of a king or queen; regime – a government that rules; regulate – to apply a rule.
	retro	backward, back	retroactive – relating to something in the past; retrogress – to go back to an earlier condition; retrospect – the remembering of past events.
	rhin/o	nose	rhinoceros – a species of animals with a big horn on the snout; rhinoplasty – surgery of the nose; rhinovirus – viruses that are causing the common cold.
	rhod/o	red	rhododendron – a flower with red/pink flowers; rhodium – an element which produces a red solution; rhodopsin – a purple pigment in the retina that is needed for vision.
	rid	laugh	deride – to make fun of someone; ridicule – to make fun or mock; ridiculous – silly, causing laughter.
	rrh/ea /oea/ag	flow, discharge	diarrhea – abnormally excessive bowl movement; hemorrhage – heavy blood flow; catarrh – inflammation of a mucous membrane, especially the nose and throat.
	rub	red	ruby – deep red color and a precious stone of the same color; rubella – measles; bilirubin – reddish pigment in bile.
	rupt	break, burst	bankrupt – unable to pay because you’re “broke”; interrupt – to break into a conversation or event, to disturb; rupture – a break in something.
	san	health	sane – mentally healthy; sanitary – relating to cleanliness and health; sanitation – maintenance of public health and cleanliness.
	scend	climb, go	ascend – to climb upward; crescendo – a climbing up of the volume of music; descend – to go or climb down.
	sci	know	conscience – sense of knowing right from wrong; conscious – knowing what is happening; omniscient – knowing everything.
	scler/o	hard	arteriosclerosis – hardening of the arterial walls; multiple sclerosis – disease which causes the tissue of the brain and spinal cord to harden; sclerometer – instrument for measuring hardness.
	scop/e/y	see, examine, observe	microscope – a device used to see tiny things; periscope – a seeing instrument on a submarine; telescope – a device used to see over a distance.
	scrib, script	write, written	inscribe – to write letters or words on a surface; scribe – a person who writes out documents; describe – to represent with words or pictures.
	se	apart	secede – to formally break away from; seclude – to keep away from; serum – a liquid isolated out of another.
	sect	cut	dissect – to cut apart piece by piece; intersection – the place or point where two things cross each other; bisect – to cut into two equal parts.
	self	of, for, or by itself	self-discipline – the ability to discipline yourself; self-respect – respect for yourself; selfish concerned only with your own interests.
	semi	half, partial	semiannual – every half year; semicircle – half a circle; semiconscious – partly conscious; semiannual – every half of a year.
	sept/i	seven	September – this used to be the seventh month in the Roman calendar; septet – a group of seven musicians; septuagenarian – a person in his/her seventies.
	serv	save, keep	conserve – to save or keep something safe; preserve – to save something; reservation – a place kept for a person.
	sex	six	sextet or sextette – a composition or group of six, sextuple – sixfold; sexagenarian – person in his/her sixties.
	sol	alone	desolate – lonely, dismal, gloomy; solitary – done alone, by yourself; solo – a performance done by one person alone.
	sol	sun	solar – involving the sun; parasol – umbrella protecting from the sun; solarium – a room where one is exposed to sun light.
	somn/I	sleep	insomnia – inability to fall asleep; somniloquy – talking in your sleep; somnolent – feeling sleepy.
	son	sound	consonant – a speech sound; sonorous – producing loud, full, rich sounds; supersonic – faster than sound; unison – as one voice.
	soph	wise	philosopher – a wise person; sophisticated – wise about the ways of the world; sophism – a clever but misleading argument.
	spec/t, spic	see, look	circumspect – cautious, looking all around; retrospective – a looking back at past things; spectator – a person who sees an event.
	sphere	ball	biosphere – the whole round surface of the earth; hemisphere – half the earth spherically shaped like a ball.
	spir	breathe	inspire – to stimulate or animate; transpire – to give of vapor with waste product through the skin or a membrane; spirit – invisible life force.
	sta	stand	stable – standing steady and firm; stagnant – standing still, not moving; stationary – at a standstill, fixed.
	stell	star	constellation – a group of stars that forms a pattern; interstellar – between the stars; stellar – relating to stars.
	struct	build	construct – to build; destruction – the act of destroying something that was built; structure – something built; infrastructure – underlying framework of a system.
	sub	under, lower than, inferior to	submarine – an underwater boat; submerge – to put underwater; substandard – inferior to accepted standards.
	sum	highest	sum – the combined total of everything; summation – the total, highest amount; summit the highest point or top.
	super	higher in quality or quantity	Super bowl – the final annual football game; superior – above average, better in quality; supersonic – faster than the speed of sound.
	sy/m /n/l/s	together, with, same	symmetry -similarity in size, form or arrangement; synergy – the combined effect; synchronize – to cause to occur at the same time.
	tact, tang	touch	contact – a state in which two things touch; tactile – relating to the sense of touch; tangible – able to be touched; intact – with nothing missing.
	tax/o	arrangement	syntax – the systematic arrangement of words; taxonomy – the science of classification; ataxia – loss of the ability to coordinate muscle action.
	techno	technique, skill	technology – the practical application of knowledge; technocracy – rule of technology; technologically – characterized by technology.
	tel/e/o	far, distant, complete	telephone – a device to talk to a distant person; telescope – a device to view distant objects; television – a device to receive pictures from afar; telecommuting – working remotely, bridging the distance via virtual devices.
	temp/or	time	contemporary – existing at the same time; temporal – relating to time; temporary – lasting for a limited time.
	term/ina	end, limit	determine – to find something out at the end of an investigation; terminate – to end; exterminate – to destroy or get rid of completely.
	terr/a/i	land, earth	extraterrestrial – existing outside the earth; terrain – ground or land; territory – an area of land.
	tetra	four	tetrapod – having 4 legs; tetrarchy – government by 4 rulers; tetrose – a monosaccharide with four carbon atoms.
	the/o	god	monotheism – belief in one god; polytheism – worshiping more than one god; theology – the study of religion, god, etc.
	therm/o	heat	thermal – relating to heat; thermos – an insulated jar that keeps heat in; thermostat – a device that controls heat.
	tort	twist	contortion – a twisted shape or position; distort – to alter the shape or condition of; retort – reply in a manner that is supposed to change the effect of something previously said.
	tox	poison	detoxification - the process of removing poisons; toxic – poisonous; toxicology – the study of poisons; intoxicated – influenced by drugs.
	tract	pull, drag	attract – to pull objects nearer; distract – to drag attention away from something; tractor – a motor vehicle that pulls things.
	trans	across,beyond, through	transcontinental – across the continent; transfer – to move from one place to another; transport – to carry something across a space.
	tri	three, once in every three, third	triangle – a figure with 3 sides and 3 angles; triathlon – an athletic contest with 3 events; tricycle – a 3-wheeI vehicle with pedals.
	ultra	beyond, extreme, more than	ultrahigh – extremely high; ultramodern – more modern than anything else; ultrasonic – sound waves beyond human hearing.
	un	not,opposite of, lacking	unabridged – not shortened; unfair – opposite of fair; unfriendly – lacking friendliness.
	uni	one, single	unicycle – a vehicle with one wheel; unilateral – decided by only one person or nation; unique – the only one of its kind; unison – as one voice.
	urb	city	suburb – residential area on the edge of a city; urban – relating to a city; urbanology – the study of city life.
	vac	empty	evacuate – to empty a dangerous place; vacant – empty, not occupied; vacation – a time without work.
	ven/t	come	circumvent – to go around or bypass restrictions; convention – a gathering or assembly of people with a common interest; intervene - to come between.
	ver/I	truth	veracious – truthful, honest; veracity – the truth; verify – to make sure that something is true.
	verb	word	verbalize – to put into words; adverb – a word relating to a verb; proverb – a short saying that expresses a well-known truth.
	vers, vert	turn	reverse – to turn around; introvert – being turned towards the inside; version – a variation of an original; controversy – a conversation in which positions are turned against each other.
	vice	acting in place of, next in rank	vice-president – the person next in rank to the president
	vid	see	evident clearly seen
	vince, vic	conquer	convince – to win someone over; invincible – not able to be conquered; victory – the conquest of an enemy.
	vis, vid	see	vision – the ability to see; envision – to picture in the mind; evident – clearly visible.
	viv/i vit	live, life	revival – the act of bringing back to life; vital – pertaining to live; vivacious – high-spirited and full of life.
	voc/i	voice, call	advocate – to speak in favor of; equivocate – to use misleading language that could be interpreted two different ways; vocalize – to produce with your voice.
	vol/i/u	wish, will	benevolent – showing good will and kindness; volition – the act of making a choice or decision, voluntary – resulting from your own free will.
	vor, vour	eat	carnivorous – meat-eating; voracious – desiring or eating food in great quantities; devour – to eat quickly.
	xen/o	foreign	xenophobic – afraid of foreigners; xenogenesis – the creation of offspring that is completely different from either parent; xenophile – attracted to foreigners.
	xer/o/I	dry	xerophyte – a plant that grows in dry climate; xerography – a dry photocopying process; xeric – requiring small amounts of moisture.
	zo/o	animal life	zoology – study of animals; zooid – resembling an animal; zooplankton – minute floating aquatic animals.
	zyg/o	pair	zygote – a cell formed by the union of two gametes and the organism developing from that; zygomorphic – pertaining to organisms that can be divided into symmetrical halves along one axis only.