Word Roots and Prefixes
English Vocabulary
Word Roots and Prefixes
These Greek and Latin word roots and prefixes form parts of many English words today.
| Root | Meaning | Words | ||
| aer, aero |
air |
aerial, aerate, aerobic, aerodynamic, aeronautical | ||
| ambi, amphi | both | ambiguous, ambivalent, ambidextrous, amphibian | ||
| amo | love | amorous, amiable, paramour | ||
| andro | male | androgynous, android | ||
| anthrop | human, humankind | anthropology, misanthrope, philanthropy | ||
| aqua, aque | water | aquatic, aquarium, aqueduct, aqueous | ||
| aud | hear | audible, audience, audit, auditory | ||
| bene | good, well | benefit, benefactor, benevolent | ||
| bio | life | biology, biography, amphibious, antibiotic | ||
| chron | time | chronic, chronological, anachronism, synchronize | ||
| cid | kill | homicide, genocide, suicide, patricide, pesticide | ||
| cogn | know, knowledge | cognitive, cognition, recognize, incognito | ||
| con, com | with, together | combine, commerce, convene, conjoin, concomitant | ||
| corp | body | corporeal, corpse, incorporate | ||
| cred | believe, belief | creed, credible, credence, incredible, incredulous | ||
| cyclo | circle, around | cycle, cyclone, bicycle, encyclopedia | ||
| dict | speak, speech | dictate, dictionary, predict, contradict, verdict | ||
| flu, flux | flow | fluid, fluctuate, mellifluous, flux, influx | ||
| gen | birth, beginning | generation, genesis, regeneration, genital, gene | ||
| graph | written, drawn | graphic, autograph, biography, monograph | ||
| gyn | female | gynecology, misogynist, androgynous | ||
| hetero | different | heterogeneous, heterosexual | ||
| homo | same | homogeneous, homonym, homosexual, homophone | ||
| lat | side | lateral, unilateral, translate, latitude | ||
| leg, log, logo | word, study, thought | logic, logo, legend, legible, analogy, biology | ||
| locu, loqu | speak, talk | loquacious, locution, eloquent, grandiloquence | ||
| luc, lum | light, clarity | lucid, elucidate, translucent, luminous, illuminate | ||
| mal | bad, evil | malicious, malady, malevolent, malediction, malpractice | ||
| manu | hand | manual, manufacture, manuscript | ||
| mater, matr | mother | matron, matrimony, matriarch, matrilineal, matricide | ||
| med, mid | middle, between | mediate, medium, median, intermediate | ||
| met | measure | metric, perimeter, thermometer, symmetry | ||
| mis | hate | misanthrope, misogynist | ||
| mor, mori | death | mortality, mortuary, morbid, moribund | ||
| moti, moto, mobi | move, motion | motivate, motor, motility, mobile | ||
| nat | birth | native, natural, nation, prenatal, renaissance | ||
| nom, nym | name | nominate, nomenclature, pseudonym, patronymic | ||
| pater, patr | father | paternal, patriarch, patriotic, patrilineal, expatriate | ||
| ped | teach, child | pediatric, pedagogy, pedantic, encyclopedia | ||
| ped, pod | foot | pedal, pedestrian, podiatry, tripod | ||
| per | through | persuade, permeate, pervade, impervious | ||
| phil | love | philosophy, philanthropy, philology, bibliophile | ||
| phon | sound | phonics, cacophony, symphony, telephone, homophone | ||
| port | carry | portable, porter, deport, import, rapport, transport | ||
| prim | first | prime, primary, primitive, primate, primordial | ||
| sanct | holy, sacred | sanctify, sanctuary, sacrosanct | ||
| sci | know, knowledge | science, omniscient, prescient | ||
| scrib, script | write | scribe, inscription, prescribe, describe, scribble | ||
| sec, seg | cut, split | section, sectarian, dissect, segment | ||
| somn | sleep | somnolent, insomnia | ||
| soph | wisdom | sophistry, sophomore, philosophy | ||
| spect | look | spectacle, prospect, retrospect, aspect, inspect | ||
| sym, syn | together | sympathy, symbiotic, symmetrical, synchronize | ||
| temp | time | temporary, tempo, contemporary, extemporaneous | ||
| therm | heat | thermal, thermometer, hypothermia | ||
| tract | drag, draw | traction, tractor, attract, protract, detract, intractable | ||
| vac | empty | vacant, vacuous, vacuum | ||
| vert, vers | turn | extrovert, introvert, vertex | ||
| vid, vis | see, sight | visible, vision, visual, evident, video | ||
| viv, viva | life, live | vivacious, vivid, revive, vivisection | ||
| voc | call | vocal, vocation, provocation, invocation, voice |
| Prefix | Meanings | Words | ||
| a–, an– | not, without | amoral, apolitical, asymmetrical, atypical, anarchy | ||
| ante– | before, in front | anterior, antecedent, antebellum, antechamber | ||
| anti– | against | antipathy, antithesis, antibiotic, antiseptic | ||
| auto– | self | automatic, autobiography, autonomous, autograph | ||
| bi– | two | bilateral, bisect, bigamy, bisexual, bifurcate | ||
| circum– | around | circumference, circumvent, circumlocution | ||
| contra–, counter– | against | contradict, contravene, counteract | ||
| dis–, dys– | not, bad | disinterested, disingenuous, disparity, dysfunctional | ||
| equi–, equa– | equal | equity, equivalent, equanimity | ||
| ex–, e– | out, away | exorcise, exhume, export, exhaust | ||
| extra– | above, beyond | extraordinary, extraterrestrial | ||
| hyper– | above, over | hyperactive, hyperbole, hypertension | ||
| hypo– | below, under | hypodermic, hypothermia | ||
| im–, in– | not | impossible, impregnable, inarticulate, infallible | ||
| inter– | between | intermediate, international, intervene | ||
| intra– | within | intravenous, intraoffice, intramural, intramuscular | ||
| mon–, mono– | one | monogamy, monopoly, monocle | ||
| multi– | many | multiple, multitude, multifarious | ||
| neo– | new | neophyte, neonatal, neolithic | ||
| omni– | all, universal | omnipotent, omniscient, omnivorous | ||
| pan– | all, complete | panorama, panacea, panoply, pantheistic, pandemic | ||
| poly– | many | polygamy, polytheism, polygon, polyglot | ||
| post– | after, behind | postpone, postscript, posthumous, posterior | ||
| pre– | before | predict, predisposed, preliminary, prescient, previous | ||
| semi–, hemi–, demi– | half, part | semicircle, semiannual, hemisphere, demigod | ||
| sub– | under, below | submerge, subterranean, submarine, subjugate | ||
| super– | over, above | superior, superlative, supersede, supreme | ||
| tele– | far, distant | telepathy, telephone, telecommunication | ||
| trans– | across | translate, transform, transfusion, transatlantic | ||
| un–, uni– | one | uniform, unique, union, unified, unity, universe |
