Root Words & Affixes: Prefix and Suffix

Prefix1

100

anti-

Against or opposing: 

antagonist; antifreeze; antibacterial

200

bi-

two: 

bicycle, bilingual

300

dis-

not; apart; exclude (leave out): 

disapprove; discord

400

ex-

from; out of; outside: 

exclude; exit; explicit

500

im- in- non- un-

not; the absence of: 

impossible; incapable; nondescript; unlucky

600

inter-

between; among: 

international, interpersonal

700

mis-

wrong; incorrect: 

misspell, mistake, misunderstand

800

mono-

one; only: 

monolingual, monoxide, monopoly

Prefix2

100

re-

again; back: 

replay, relearn, reheat

200

pre-

before; early: 

preview, preheat

300

multi- poly-

many: 

multitude, polyglot

400

pro-

for; forward: 

progress, proclaim

500

sub-

below; under: 

submarine, subpar

600

super-

best, great; over, above: 

superb, superficial, superscript

700

di-

separate; two: 

divide, diverge

800

trans-

across: 

transport; transplant

Suffix1

100

-able, -ible

capable, able to, fit for: 

comfortable, visible

200

-ful

characterized by; full of: 

colorful, hopeful

300

-less

without:

friendless, hopeless

400

-ous

full of something: 

cautious, obvious, gracious

500

-sion -tion

process, act, condition: 

decision, precision, exhibition, execution

600

-ate

act on - verb; group - noun:

operate, cooperate; senate, certificate

700

-ic

form of, consisting of: 

acidic, iconic, chaotic

800

-ory

a place of or for: 

conservatory, repository

Suffix2

100

-graph

written, text, recorded: 

telegraph, phonograph, biography

200

-ence -ance

action, process (noun): 

experience, persistence, exuberance

300

-ist -or -er

one who does: 

dentist, therapist, doctor, mentor, teacher, dancer

400

-ify

become, make, cause: 

fortify, exemplify

500

-ly

in this manner (adverb): 

quickly, friendly

600

-ize

change, alter, treat as: 

characterize, criticize, theorize

700

-ism

a belief: 

Judaism, feminism, altruism

800

-ity

quality, state of being: 

hostility, enmity

Root Words1

100

bio

life: 

biology, biography

200

geo

earth: 

geography, geology

300

astr

star: 

astronomy, astrology

400

therm

heat: 

thermometer, thermal

500

meter

measure: 

thermometer, odometer

600

struct

build: 

instruct, constructive

700

ped

foot, kid: 

pedestrian, pediatrician

800

jur, jud

law: 

jury, judicial

Root Words2

100

port

carry: 

transport, portable

200

cred

believe: 

credible, credulous

300

dic, dict

speak: 

diction, dictate

400

tract

pull: 

tractor, traction

500

chron

time: 

chronological, chronograph

600

grad, gress

step: 

graduate, progress

700

dent

tooth: 

dentist, orthodontist

800

scrib script

write: 

scribe, inscription