More than 60% of English words have Greek or Latin origins, rising to over 90% in scientific and academic vocabulary. Learning common roots, prefixes, and suffixes dramatically expands reading comprehension and vocabulary across all subjects.
| Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Root (Base) | The core of the word carrying its fundamental meaning | port (carry) → transport, portable, import |
| Prefix | Added before the root to change or qualify meaning | un- + happy = unhappy |
| Suffix | Added after the root to change meaning or part of speech | teach + -er = teacher (noun) |
| Infix | Element inserted within a word (rare in English) | -bloody- in "abso-bloody-lutely" (informal intensification) |
| Free Morpheme | Can stand alone as a word | book, run, happy |
| Bound Morpheme | Cannot stand alone; must attach to another morpheme | -ness, un-, -ing |
| Compound Word | Two or more free morphemes combined | sunlight, toothpaste, ice cream |
| Root | Meaning | English Derivatives |
|---|---|---|
| aud | hear | audio, auditorium, audible, inaudible |
| bene | good, well | benefit, benevolent, benefactor, beneficial |
| cap / cept | take, seize | capture, concept, intercept, reception |
| corp | body | corpse, corporation, incorporate, corporal |
| dict | say, tell | dictate, diction, predict, contradict |
| duc / duct | lead | conduct, deduce, introduction, aqueduct |
| fac / fact / fic | make, do | factory, manufacture, fiction, efficient |
| fer | carry, bear | transfer, refer, fertile, conifer |
| form | shape | reform, conform, formula, deform |
| gen | birth, origin, kind | generate, genuine, gender, genesis |
| grad / gress | step, go | progress, gradual, transgress, aggression |
| jud | judge | judge, judicial, prejudice, adjudicate |
| lit / liter | letter, read | literature, literacy, literal, literate |
| loc | place | location, local, allocate, locomotive |
| luc / lum | light | lucid, illuminate, translucent, luminous |
| mal | bad, evil | malice, malfunction, malevolent, malnourished |
| man / manu | hand | manual, manuscript, manufacture, manage |
| mit / miss | send | transmit, missile, mission, dismiss |
| mort | death | mortal, mortuary, immortal, mortgage |
| mot / mov | move | motion, motor, remove, promote |
| port | carry | transport, portable, import, export |
| rupt | break | rupture, interrupt, erupt, corrupt |
| scrib / script | write | describe, manuscript, prescription, inscribe |
| sens / sent | feel, perceive | sense, sensitive, consent, dissent |
| spec / spect | look, see | spectacle, inspect, perspective, specimen |
| ten / tain | hold | contain, retain, sustain, detention |
| terr | earth, land | terrain, territory, terrestrial, subterranean |
| tract | pull, drag | attract, contract, extract, tractor |
| vac | empty | vacant, vacuum, evacuate, vacation |
| ver | truth | verify, verdict, veracity, verisimilitude |
| vid / vis | see | vision, video, evident, supervise |
| vit / viv | life | vital, vivid, survive, revive |
| voc / vok | call, voice | vocal, vocabulary, invoke, evoke |
| Root | Meaning | English Derivatives |
|---|---|---|
| anthrop | human | anthropology, philanthropy, misanthrope |
| arch | rule, chief, first | monarchy, archive, archbishop, archaic |
| ast / astr | star | astronomy, asterisk, astrology, disaster |
| bi / bio | life | biology, biography, biome, antibiotic |
| chron | time | chronology, anachronism, synchronize, chronic |
| dem | people | democracy, epidemic, demographic, demagogue |
| dyn | power, force | dynamic, dynasty, dynamo, aerodynamics |
| geo | earth | geography, geology, geometry, geothermal |
| graph / gram | write, record | graphic, biography, telegram, diagram |
| hydr | water | hydrogen, hydrant, dehydrate, hydraulic |
| log / logy | word, study, reason | logic, biology, dialogue, monologue |
| micro | small | microscope, microphone, microorganism |
| mono | one, single | monologue, monotone, monopoly, monarch |
| morph | shape, form | metamorphosis, morpheme, amorphous |
| path | feeling, disease, suffering | empathy, pathology, sympathy, apathy |
| phil | love | philosophy, philanthropy, bibliophile |
| phon | sound | phonics, telephone, symphony, microphone |
| photo | light | photograph, photosynthesis, photon |
| poly | many | polygon, polyglot, polynomial, polytheism |
| psych | mind, soul | psychology, psyche, psychiatry, psychic |
| scope | see, examine | telescope, microscope, periscope, scope |
| tele | far, distant | telephone, television, telescope, telegram |
| therm | heat | thermometer, thermostat, thermal, hypothermia |
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| a- / an- | not, without | atypical, anarchy, anemia |
| anti- | against | antibiotic, antidote, antisocial |
| auto- | self | autobiography, automatic, autonomy |
| bene- | good | beneficial, benevolent, benefit |
| bi- | two | bilingual, bicycle, biannual |
| circum- | around | circumference, circumvent, circumspect |
| co- / con- / com- | together, with | cooperate, connect, community |
| contra- | against | contradict, controversy, contrary |
| de- | down, away, remove | decrease, devalue, deconstruct |
| dis- | not, opposite | disagree, dishonest, disconnect |
| ex- / e- | out of, former | export, exhale, exclude, emit |
| hyper- | over, excessive | hyperactive, hyperbole, hypersensitive |
| hypo- | under, below | hypothesis, hypoglycemia, hypodermic |
| in- / im- / ir- / il- | not | incorrect, impossible, irregular, illegal |
| inter- | between, among | international, interrupt, intercept |
| intra- | within | intramural, intravenous, intrapersonal |
| macro- | large | macroeconomics, macroscopic |
| mis- | wrongly | misuse, mistake, misunderstand |
| multi- | many | multitask, multilingual, multiply |
| over- | too much, above | overload, overcome, overestimate |
| post- | after | postwar, postpone, postmodern |
| pre- | before | predict, prefix, preview, precede |
| pro- | forward, in favor of | progress, pro-democracy, propose |
| re- | again, back | return, rewrite, recycle, redo |
| semi- | half, partly | semicircle, semifinal, semicolon |
| sub- | under, below | submarine, subway, subordinate |
| super- | above, beyond | superficial, supernatural, superior |
| trans- | across, beyond | transport, transfer, transform |
| un- | not, reverse | unhappy, unable, undo, unusual |
| Suffix | Meaning / Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -able / -ible | capable of, worthy of (adj.) | readable, flexible, visible |
| -age | state or result of action (n.) | storage, drainage, marriage |
| -al | of, relating to (adj.) | musical, cultural, historical |
| -ance / -ence | state, quality of (n.) | resistance, excellence, persistence |
| -ant / -ent | one who, having quality of | assistant, student, dependent |
| -ation / -tion / -ion | act, state, result of (n.) | education, invention, inflation |
| -cide | killing of | homicide, pesticide, genocide |
| -er / -or | one who (n.) | teacher, actor, director |
| -ful | full of (adj.) | hopeful, grateful, beautiful |
| -fy / -ify | to make, cause to be (v.) | simplify, classify, magnify |
| -ic / -ical | of, relating to (adj.) | historic, logical, cosmic |
| -ist | one who practices (n.) | scientist, pianist, activist |
| -ism | doctrine, belief, practice (n.) | socialism, capitalism, realism |
| -ity / -ty | state or quality of (n.) | equality, reality, ability |
| -ize / -ise | to make, to cause to be (v.) | organize, modernize, realize |
| -less | without (adj.) | hopeless, careless, helpless |
| -logy / -ology | study of (n.) | biology, psychology, geology |
| -ment | action, state, result (n.) | development, movement, argument |
| -ness | state, quality of (n.) | darkness, kindness, happiness |
| -ous / -ious | having the quality of (adj.) | curious, generous, victorious |
| -phobia | fear of (n.) | claustrophobia, arachnophobia |
| -ship | state, skill, quality (n.) | friendship, leadership, scholarship |
| -ward / -wards | in the direction of | forward, backward, upward |
| Phrase | Literal Meaning | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| ad hoc | for this | Improvised; made for a specific purpose |
| ad infinitum | to infinity | Without limit; endlessly |
| bona fide | in good faith | Genuine; authentic |
| carpe diem | seize the day | Make the most of the present |
| de facto | from the fact | In practice; actually existing |
| e.g. (exempli gratia) | for example | Introduces an example |
| et al. (et alii) | and others | In citations with multiple authors |
| etc. (et cetera) | and the rest | And so on |
| i.e. (id est) | that is | Clarifies or restates |
| in situ | in place | In its original position |
| ipso facto | by the fact itself | By that very fact |
| per se | by itself | In itself; intrinsically |
| prima facie | at first sight | Based on first impression; accepted until disproved |
| status quo | the existing state | The current situation or condition |
| vice versa | with the position turned | With the main terms reversed |