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

Previous: English Vocabulary R–Z