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Common Word Roots--Guide to Vocabulary--Academic Support
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Introduction Common Word Roots
Etymology
Root Meaning Example Definition
Using a
Dictionary field-crop production and
agri field agronomy
soil management
Interpreting a
Dictionary anthropo man anthropology the study of man
Entry
one who travels in
astro star astronaut
Structural interplanetary space
Analysis
bio life biology the study of life
Common Word
cardio heart cardiac pertaining to the heart
Roots
cede go precede to go before
Word
Relationships chromo color chromatology the science of colors
demos people democracy government by the people
Using Word
Relationships derma skin epidermis the outer layer of skin
characterized by power and
Analogies dyna power dynamic
energy
Context Clues
geo earth geology the study of the earth
Importance of any plant that turns toward
helio sun heliotrope
Reading the sun
growing of plants in water
hydro water hydroponics
reinforced with nutrients
a state of sleep induced by
hypno sleep hypnosis
suggestion
ject throw eject to throw out
magni great, big magnify to enlarge, to make bigger
man(u) hand manuscript written by hand
mono one monoplane airplane with one wing
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Common Word Roots--Guide to Vocabulary--Academic Support
ortho straight orthodox right, true, straight opinion
pod foot pseudopod false foot
study of the mind in any of
psycho mind psychology
its aspects
an instrument for
pyro fire pyrometer
measuring temperatures
script write manuscript hand written
terra earth terrace a raised platform of earth
instrument for measuring
thermo heat thermometer
heat
zoo animal zoology the study of animals
Common Prefixes
ante- before antebellum before the war
liquid used to guard
anti- against antifreeze
against freezing
self-acting or self-
auto- self automatic
regulating
an act of kindness;
bene- good benefit
a gift
to draw a line
circum- around circumscribe
around; to encircle
contra- against contradict to speak against
remove the leaves
de- reverse, remove defoliate
from a tree
dis- apart dislocate to unlodge
dys- bad dysfunctional not functioning
parasite living on
ecto- outside ectoparasite the exterior of
animals
marriage within the
endo- within endogamy
tribe
ex- out excavate to dig out
equi- equal equidistant equal distance
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Common Word Roots--Guide to Vocabulary--Academic Support
extra- beyond extraterrestrial beyond the earth
hyper- over hypertension high blood pressure
hypo- under hypotension low blood pressure
in- in interim in between
inter- between intervene come between
within bounds of a
intra- within intramural
school
to look within, as
intro- in, into introspect
one's own mind
large enough to be
macro- large macroscopic observed by the
naked eye
mal- bad maladjusted badly adjusted
so small that one
micro- small microscopic needs a microscope
to observe
one having two or
multi- many multimillionaire
more million dollars
neo- new neolithic new stone age
one who does not
non- not nonconformist
conform
a temple dedicated
pan- all pantheon
to all gods
poly- many polygonal having many sides
post- after postgraduate after graduating
pre- before precede to go before
pro- for proponent a supporter
first or original
proto- first prototype
model
false name; esp.,
pseudo- false pseudonym an author's pen-
name
re-, red- back again rejuvenate to make young
to put together
re-, red- together reconnect
again
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Common Word Roots--Guide to Vocabulary--Academic Support
a looking back on
retro- backward retrospect
things
semi- half semicircle half a circle
sub- under submerge to put under water
super- above superfine extra fine
seeing or viewing
tele- far telescope
afar
trans- across transalpine across the Alps
Number prefixes
uni- one tetra- four oct- eight
mono- one quint- five nov- nine
bi- two pent- five dec- ten
duo- two sex- six lat- side
di- two hex- six ped- foot
tri- three sept- seven pod- foot
quad- four hept- seven
Math & Science Affixes and Roots
Root or Affix Example
aqua (water) aquarium
hydro (water) hydroplane
hemi (half) hemisphere
semi (half) semicircle
equi (equal) equivalent
tele (far off) telescope
micro (small) microfilm
onomy (science of) astronomy
ology (study of) geology
uni (one) universe
bi (two) bicycle
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Common Word Roots--Guide to Vocabulary--Academic Support
tri (three) triangle
octa (eight) octagon
dec (ten) decade
centi (hundred) centimeter
milli (thousand) millimeter
bio (life) biology
astro (star) astronaut
thermo (heat) thermodynamic
meter (measure) diameter
ped (foot) pedestrian
pod (foot) tripod
Prefixes that mean "no": a- de- dis-, in- non- un-,
contra
Examples: disqualify, nondescript, unscrupulous, contradict,
inadvertent
Prefix Meaning Examples
asexual, atypical, amoral,
a-, an- without, not
anarchy
reverse action, defrost, demystify,
de-
away desensitize, deduct
dissatisfied, disorganized,
dis-, dif-, di- not, apart
different, divert
inappropriate, invisible,
in-, il-, it-, im- not
illegal, impossible
nonproductive, nonessential,
non- not
nonsense
unlikely, unnoticeable,
un- not
unreliable
contra-, contrary, contradict,
against
counter- counterproductive
Prefixes that indicate "when," "where," or "more":
pre-, post-, ante-, inter-, infra-, traps-, sub-, circum-,
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Common Word Roots--Guide to Vocabulary--Academic Support
ultra-
Examples: premature, postscript, anteroom, intervene,
transformation
Prefix Meaning Examples
pre-dinner, preliminary,
pre-, pro- before
previous, prologue
postwar, postoperative,
post- after
postpone
ante- before antecedent, antechamber
inter- between, among interstate, intercept, interfere
intramural, intrastate,
intra- within
intravenous
transcontinental, transparent,
trans- across
transaction
submarine, submerge,
sub- under
subjugate
circum- around circumnavigate, circumference
beyond, on the
ultrasonic, ultraviolet,
ultra- far side of,
ultraconservative
excessive
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Greek and Latin Root Words
Greek and Latin Root Words*
Root Meaning English Words
chief, primary or
arch archetype
first
archaeo ancient/primitive archaeology
aster/astra star astronomy
audi hear audible
bene good/well benefit
bio life biology
brev short abbreviation
chloro green chlorophyll
chrono time chronology
derm skin dermatologist
dic/dict speak dictionary
fer carry transfer
fix fasten affix
gen birth generate
geo earth geography
graph write graphic
hemo blood hemoglobin
herb plants herbaceous
hydro water hydrate
jur/just law jury
log/logue word/thought dialogue
luc light lucid
manu hand manual
meter/metr measure thermometer
neg no negate
ocu eye ocular
olig few oligarchy
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Greek and Latin Root Words
op/oper work operation
osteo bone osteoporosis
path feeling sympathy
ped child pediatrics
phil love philosophy
phys body/nature physical
pod foot podiatrist
proto first prototype
pseudo false pseudonym
scrib/script write scribble
sect cut dissect
sol alone solitary
struct build construct
tact touch contact
tele far off telephone
ter/terr earth territory
vac empty vacant
ver truth verify
verb word verbal
vid/vis see video
Greek and Latin Prefixes-/-Suffixes*
Prefix/Suffix Meaning English Words
ad- to addict
-al relating to maternal
ambi- both ambidextrous
ante- before antecedent
anti- against antifreeze
-arium place of aquarium
auto- self autobiography
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Greek and Latin Root Words
centi- hundred centimeter
circum- around circumvent
con- with concert
de- from/down depart
deci- ten decimeter
di- two diameter
dis- opposite disable
-dom quality/state freedom
ex- out exit
hetero- different heterogeneous
hypo- too little hypoactive
-ic relating to poetic
-ile quality/state juvenile
in- not invalid
inter- between interstate
intra- within intramurals
-ism quality/state catholicism
-ist one who practices biologist
macro- large macrobiologist
micro- small microbiologist
milli- thousand millipede
mis- bad miscarriage
mono- single monotheism
nano- billion nanosecond
neo- new neonatology
-ology study of biology
omni- all omniscient
-ous quality/state nebulous
pan- all pantheon
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