Prefixes attach to the beginning of a root word to alter its meaning or to create a
new word.
Roots or stems are the basic elements of a word that determine its meaning. Roots
or stems are not words. They must be combined with prefixes, suffixes, or both.
Groups of words from the same root word are called word families.
Suffixes attach to the end of a root word to change its meaning, help make it
grammatically correct in context, or form a new word. Suffixes often indicate
whether a word is a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.
Use the word list that follows to expand your word horizons. Once you begin to learn
the word parts on the list, youll be able to take apart unfamiliar words like a master
mechanic. As you make your way through the list, try to think of other words with the
same parts. If you have time, check their meanings in a dictionary and take a look at
the word origins in the entry.
Meaning
Example
not
amoral
ab
away from
absent
to, against
aggressive, attract
without
anarchy
ante
before
antedate
anti, ant
against
antipathy, antonym
an
A word can have a root, a prefix, and a suffix; it can have a root and two suffixes or a
root and one prefix. The possibilities are endless (almost), but you must always have a
root. Word analysis is a kind of arithmetic. Instead of adding numbers, we add the
meanings contained in each part of an unfamiliar word. The sum of these parts is the
definition of the whole word.
against an unfamiliar
Each kind of word part has a specific purpose. There are three basic types of word parts:
Different kinds of word parts work together to make a fully functioning word. Think
about it: If your car is going to do more than just sit there, it needs a collection of parts
put together in the right way. Two steering wheels wont do you any good if you dont
have a gas tank.
Practice word
TIP
www.petersons.com/arco
73
Meaning
Example
bene
well
benefactor
bi
two
biannual
circum
around
circumvent
together
commit, collate
contra
against
contraband
de
from, down
descend
dis, di
apart, away
distract, divert
dom
home, rule
domicile, dominate
ex, e
out, from
exit, emit
extra
beyond, outside
extracurricular
not
in, im
in, into
interest, imbibe
inter
between
interscholastic
within
intramural
mal
bad
malcontent
mis
wrong
misspell
non
not
nonentity
against
obstacle
all
omnivorous
per
through
permeate
peri
around, about
periscope
poly
many
polytheism
post
after
postmortem
pre
before
premonition
pro
forward, for
propose
re
again, back
review, redeem
se
apart, away
seclude
semi
half
semicircle
sub
under
submarine
super
above
superimpose
on, upon
surmount
syn, sym
together, with
sympathy
trans
across, beyond
transpose
not
unwelcome
www.petersons.com/arco
un
sur
omni
ob
intra, intro
Prefix
74
Suffix
Meaning
Example
able, ible
capable of
storage (n.)
pertaining to
instructional (adj.)
ance
relating to
reliance (n.)
ary
relating to
dictionary (n.)
ate
an action of
confiscate (v.)
cy
the quality of
democracy (n.)
ed
past action
subsided (v.)
ence
relating to
confidence (n.)
er, or
one who
ic
pertaining to
democratic (adj.)
ing
present action
surmising (v.)
ion
radiation (n.)
ious
full of
rebellious (adj.)
ive
creative (adj.)
ize
to make
harmonize (v.)
ly
carefully (adv.)
ment
the result of
amusement (n.)
ness
selfishness (n.)
condition of being
sanity (n.)
Stem
Meaning
Example
ag, ac
do
agenda, action
agri
farm
agriculture
aqua
water
aquatic
auto
self
automatic
biblio
book
bibliography
bio
life
biography
cad, cas
fall
cadence, casual
take
captive, accept
capit
head
capital
go
intercede
celer
speed
accelerate
chrom
color
monochromatic
chron
time
chronological
age
al
ty
www.petersons.com/arco
75
Meaning
Example
cut
incision
close, close in
include, cluster
cog, cogn
knowledge of
recognize
cur, curs
run
incur, recur
ded
give
dedicate
dent, dont
tooth
dental
duce, duct
lead
induce, deduct
make, do
perfect, fiction
carry
refer, dilate
bend, turn
reflect
break
infringe, refract
picture, writing
graphic, telegram
group, gather
gregarious
gress, grad
move
progress, degrade
hydr
water
hydrate
ject
throw
inject
jud
right
judicial
junct
join
conjunction
juris
law, justice
jurist
lect, leg
read, choose
collect
logue
speech, speaking
dialogue
logy
study of
psychology
speak
elocution
play, perform
elude
manu
by hand
manuscript
mand
order
remand
mar
sea
maritime
med
middle
intermediate
mind, memory
mention
meter
measure
thermometer
micro
small
microscope
min
lessen
miniature
send
remit, dismiss
mot, mov
move
remote, remove
change
commute
www.petersons.com/arco
mute
ment, mem
lude, lus
loq, loc
greg
graph, gram
fring, fract
flect, flex
fer, late
cide, cis
Stem
76
Stem
Meaning
Example
naut
sailor, sail
nautical
declare, state
announce, enunciate
ped, pod
foot
pedal
pel, pulse
drive, push
dispel, impulse
pend, pense
hang, way
depend, dispense
plac
please
placate
plic
fold
implicate
port
carry
portable
put, place
depose, component
rule
regulate, direct
rupt
break
disruption
scend, scent
move
ascent
scribe, script
write
describe
cut
bisect
sed
remain
sedentary
sert
state, place
insert
serve
keep, save
preserve
sist
stand, set
insist
look
inspect
breath, breathe
perspire
strict
tighten
restrict
tain
hold
detain
term
end
terminate
tort
twist
distort
tract
draw, drag
detract
come
intervene, invent
overcome, conquer
evict
roll, turn
evolve, evolution
nounce, nunci
pose, pone
reg, rect
sec, sect
spect
spire, spirat
vene, vent
vict
volve, volu
www.petersons.com/arco
77
The words in this list are grouped in families, by their stems. The stems are arranged
in alphabetical order. If you need help with words other than those listed here, check
with your dictionary or thesaurus.
WORD LIST
aqueouswatery
subaqueousunder water
AUTO: self
automaticself-operating
BIBLIO: book
bibliolatryworship of books
BIO: life
acceptto take in
concessionan admission
www.petersons.com/arco
78
CHRON: time
anachronismsomething contrary to a particular era
chronometera tool that measures time
www.petersons.com/arco
79
refractto break up
www.petersons.com/arco
80
HYDR: water
dehydrateto remove water from
hydrantsomething that gives out water
hydraulicrelating to water power
hydrogenwater gas
hydrologythe study of water
hydrophobiafear of water
hydrotherapycure by water
JECT: throw
conjecturesomething thrown together; a guess
dejectedthrown down
ejectto throw out
injectto throw in
projectilean object to throw forward
subjectedthrown under
JUNCT: join
conjunctiona word that joins parts of sentences together
enjointo join into; to enforce
injunctionan enjoining action
junctiona joining of two parts of something
www.petersons.com/arco
81
jurisprudencelegal science
colloquytalking together
elocutionclear speech
interlocutorsspeakers
allusiona reference to
mandatecommand
mandatoryordered or required
MANU: hand
manipulateto handle
www.petersons.com/arco
82
PLAC: please
implacablenot able to be pleased or appeased
placateto please
www.petersons.com/arco
83
placidquiet, pleasing
implicateto involve
erectstraightened upward
rectitudemoral uprightness
regulateto rule
RUPT: break
rupturea break
ascendto climb up
descentdownward slope
www.petersons.com/arco
84
www.petersons.com/arco
85
exterminateto eliminate
terminateto end
terminusending place
TORT: twist
protracteddrawn out
adventa coming
convinceto conquer
victorconqueror
involveto draw in
www.petersons.com/arco