Vocabulary · 3 min read
Word Parts: Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Understanding word parts helps readers decode unfamiliar words by breaking them into meaningful components.
Common Prefixes
A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a root word to change its meaning.
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| un- | not | unhappy (not happy) |
| re- | again | rewrite (write again) |
| pre- | before | preview (view before) |
| dis- | not, opposite | disagree (not agree) |
| mis- | wrongly | misspell (spell wrongly) |
| in-/im- | not | invisible (not visible) |
| sub- | under | submarine (under the sea) |
| super- | above, beyond | superhuman (beyond human) |
| inter- | between | interact (act between) |
| trans- | across | transport (carry across) |
| anti- | against | antiwar (against war) |
| bi- | two | bicycle (two wheels) |
| tri- | three | triangle (three angles) |
| multi- | many | multicolor (many colors) |
| semi- | half | semicircle (half circle) |
| auto- | self | autobiography (self-written life story) |
| non- | not | nonfiction (not fiction) |
| over- | too much | overeat (eat too much) |
| under- | too little | underpaid (paid too little) |
| mid- | middle | midnight (middle of night) |
Common Suffixes
A suffix is a word part added to the end of a root word to change its meaning or part of speech.
| Suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ful | full of | hopeful (full of hope) |
| -less | without | careless (without care) |
| -able/-ible | can be done | readable (can be read) |
| -tion/-sion | act or process | creation (act of creating) |
| -ment | state of | excitement (state of being excited) |
| -ness | state of being | kindness (state of being kind) |
| -er/-or | one who | teacher (one who teaches) |
| -ly | in a way | quickly (in a quick way) |
| -ous/-ious | having quality of | famous (having fame) |
| -ist | one who practices | artist (one who practices art) |
| -ive | having nature of | creative (having nature of creating) |
| -al | relating to | musical (relating to music) |
| -en | made of, to make | wooden (made of wood) |
| -ity/-ty | state of | equality (state of being equal) |
| -ward | direction | backward (toward the back) |
| -y | characterized by | rainy (characterized by rain) |
Common Greek and Latin Roots
| Root | Meaning | Origin | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| aud | hear | Latin | audience (those who hear) |
| bene | good | Latin | benefit (good result) |
| bio | life | Greek | biology (study of life) |
| chron | time | Greek | chronological (in time order) |
| dict | say, speak | Latin | dictionary (book of words said) |
| geo | earth | Greek | geography (study of earth) |
| graph | write | Greek | paragraph (written section) |
| ject | throw | Latin | reject (throw back) |
| log/logy | study, word | Greek | zoology (study of animals) |
| man/manu | hand | Latin | manual (done by hand) |
| mit/miss | send | Latin | transmit (send across) |
| mort | death | Latin | mortal (subject to death) |
| path | feeling | Greek | sympathy (feeling with) |
| phon | sound | Greek | telephone (sound from far) |
| port | carry | Latin | transport (carry across) |
| rupt | break | Latin | interrupt (break into) |
| scrib/script | write | Latin | manuscript (written by hand) |
| spec/spect | see, look | Latin | inspect (look into) |
| struct | build | Latin | construct (build together) |
| terr | earth, land | Latin | territory (area of land) |
| therm | heat | Greek | thermometer (heat measurer) |
| vid/vis | see | Latin | visible (able to be seen) |
| voc | voice, call | Latin | vocabulary (words called upon) |
Applying Word Part Knowledge
To analyze an unfamiliar word using word parts:
1
Find the prefix
Identify any prefix at the beginning of the word.
2
Find the suffix
Identify any suffix at the end of the word.
3
Find the root
Identify the root in the middle.
4
Combine
Combine the meanings of each part.
5
Check in context
Check whether your definition makes sense in the sentence.
Worked Example
"The team captain's excuse for skipping practice was indefensible."Breaking down "indefensible":
Prefix
in- (not)
Root
defens (from defend, meaning to protect)
Suffix
-ible (able to be)
Combined meaning
not able to be defended or protected; cannot be justified.
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