Prefixes and Suffixes

The English language has its roots in several languages, including Greek, Latin, and older forms of English, German, and French. Learning to recognize common roots and affixes (prefixes and suffixes) will help you build your vocabulary and improve your ability to make educated guesses about unknown words you encounter in reading and test-taking situations. Good dictionaries will give you information about the origins of words. Whenever you look up a new word, make a point of reading this information. Some of the roots and affixes that appear in a large number of words. Learning these will enhance your ability to comprehend course readings and learn new terminology.

Prefixes

Prefix	Meaning	Example
a, an	without, not	asexual, amoral, anarchy, anhydrous, Anabaptist, anachronism
ab, abs, a	apart, away from	abnormal, abduct, abductor (muscle), abscission .See ad in Prefixes,
ad	toward	adhere, adductor (muscle) . See ab in Prefixes section), adumbrate
agere	act	agent, agency, agenda
amphi, ambi	round, both sides	amphitheater, amphibian, ambidextrous, ambivalent
ante	before	antedate, anteroom, antecedent, anterior
anthro	man	anthropology, anthropomorphic
anti	against	antipathy, antitank, anticlimax
aqua	water	aquarium, aqueous
archaios	ancient	archeology, archetype, archaic, archeozoic
archos	leader, first, chief	monarchy, oligarchy, anarchy, archetype, architect
audio	hear	audiophile, audiometer, auditory
auto	self	automatic, automaton, auto-immune
bi	two	bi-partisan, bisexual, biennial, binary, bicuspid, bivalve
bene	well, favorable	benefit, benevolent, benefactor, beneficent
bible	book	bibliography, Bible, bibliophile
bio	life	biology, biography, bio-active
caco	Bad	cacophony
cide	kill	homicide, parricide, germicidal, ecocide
circum	around	circumference, circumlocution, circumnavigate
constitutus	stand	constitution, statute
corpus	body	corpse, corporeal punishment, corpus callosum
cracy	rule	democracy, theocrat, technocracy
credo	belief	credit, (see also roots section)
demos	people	democracy, demographic
di	two, double	dimorphism, dicotyledon, diatomic
dia	across, through	diagonal, dialectic, dialogue, diagnosis
dis	not, apart	disperse, disinherit, disenfranchise, distend
dominus	lord	dominant, dominion
dynasthai	be able	dynamic, dynamo, dynasty, dynamite
ego	I, self	ego, egomaniac, egocentric,
epi	upon, over	epidermis, epidemic, epigram, epitaph, epithet, epiphyte, epistasis, epinephrine, epiphysis
ex	out	exotic, exterior, extraneous, extemporaneous, exophalmic, exogenous, exothermic, exoskeleton
federis (see also Roots section)	league, pact	federation, confederate
frater	brother	fraternize, fraternity, fraternal, fratricide
geo	earth	geology, geography, geocentric, geomancy
graph (see also Roots section)	write, record	graphic, graphite, graphology,
hetero	mixed, unlike	heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodox, heterodont, hetero atom, heterocyclic, heterozygous,
homo	same, alike	homogeneous, homogenized, homozygous, homolytic fission, Homo sapiens, homonid, homeostasis
idem	the same	identity, idiopathic, I, individual
ideo	idea	ideology, ideation, ideal
idios	one's own	idiom, idiosyncrasy, idiopathic
in	in	incarcerate, incorporate, inculcate, induction, inductance, indigenous, indicator, inspiration
in, im	not	incredible, ignoble, inglorious, inhospitable, infinite, infinitesimal, immoral
inter	between	interact, interstellar, interpret, interstitial
legis (lex)	law	legal, legislature
lexis	word	lexicon, lexicography
liber	free, book	liberty, library, liberal
locus	place	locality, local, circumlocution
macro	large	macroeconomics, macroscopic, macrophage
mania (see Roots section also)	obsession	maniac, Beatlemania
meter (see Roots section also)	measure	metronome, speedometer, odometer
micro	small	microscope, micron, micrometer, microorganism
mittere, mitto (see Roots section also)	send	mission, transmit, remit
mono	one, single	monocle, monopoly, monogamy, monovalent, monomania, monarchy
mortis	death	mortician, mortuary, moribund, morbid
nomen	name	noble, ignominy, nomenclature, nominal
olig	few	oligarchy, oligopoly
pater	father	paternal, paternity, patricide
ped (see Roots section also)	foot	pedestrian, pedal, pedicure, podiatrist
peri	around	peripatetic, periscope, perineum, peritoneum
phage (see Roots section also)	eat	phagocyte, phagocytosis
philo	love	philosophy, philanthropy
phobos (see Roots section)
phon (see Roots section)
polein	sell	monopoly
polis (see Roots section also)	city	political, metropolitan
poly (see Roots section also)	many	polygamy, polyphonic, hoi polloi
porto	carry	porter, export
post	after	post script (p.s.), ex post facto, post hoc, post-mortem
pre	before	premier, preview, premium, prescient
pro	before, in favor of	project, projectile,
psyche	mind, soul	psychology
publicus	people	public, republic, pub, publican
riparia	river	riparian
scope	examine	microscope, oscilloscope
scribo (see Roots section also)	write	transcribe, scribe, script
solus	alone	solo, solitary
subter	under, secret	subterfuge, subtle, subaltern, subterranean
sin (sys before b, p, or m)	together, with	synchronize, symphony, sympathy, syncretic, syncope
tele	distance	telegraph, telephone, teleology
trans	across	transport, transcend, transmogrify
utilis	useful	utility, utilitarian
vide, visibil, vis	see	video, vision, visible

Suffixes

Suffix	Meaning	Example
able, ible	able, capable	capable, agreeable, edible, visible
ade	result of action	blockade
age	act of, state of, result of	storage, wreckage, damage
al	relating to	gradual, manual, natural
algia	pain	neuralgia, nostalgia, myalgia
an, ian	native of, relating to	African, riparian,
ance, ancy	action, process, state	assistance, allowance, defiance
ary, ery, ory	relating to, quality, place where	aviary, bravery, dormitory
cian	possessing a specific skill or art	magician, physician,
cy	action, function	hesitancy, prophecy, normalcy
cule, ling	very small	molecule, ridicule, animalcule, duckling, sapling
dom	quality, realm	freedom, kingdom, wisdom
ee	one who receives the action	refugee, nominee, lessee
en	made of, to make	silken, frozen, wooden
ence, ency	action, state of, quality	difference, confidence, urgency, agency
er, or	one who, that which	baker, miller, professor
escent	in the process of	adolescent, senescence, putrescence
ese	a native of, the language of	Javanese, Japanese, Balinese
esis, osis	action, process, condition	genesis, hypnosis, neurosis, osmosis
ess	female	goddess, lioness, actress
et, ette	small one, group	midget, baronet, sextet, lorgnette
fic	making, causing	scientific, specific
ful	full of	frightful, careful, helpful
fy	make	beautify, fortify, simplify
hood	order, condition, quality	manhood, adulthood
ic	nature of, like	metallic, acidic, bucolic, simplistic
ice	condition, state, quality	justice, malice
id, ide	a thing connected with or belonging to	fluid, fluoride, bromide
ile	relating to, suited for, capable of	juvenile, senile, purile, missile
ine	nature of	feminine, genuine, medicine
ion, sion, tion	act, result, or state of	cancellation, contagion, infection, crenellation
ish	origin, nature, resembling	foolish, Irish, clownish, impish
ism	system, manner, condition, characteristic	alcoholism, communism, capitalism,
ist	one who, that which	artist, dentist, flautist
ite	nature of, quality of, mineral product	prelate, Mennonite, dynamite, graphite, Israelite
ity, ty	state of, quality	celebrity, captivity, clarity, poverty
ive	causing, making	abusive, exhaustive, abortive
ize, ise	make	emphasize, exercise, bowdlerize, bastardize, idolize, fanaticize
logy	study, science, theory	biology, anthropology, geology, neurology
ly	like, manner of	carelessly, fearlessly, hopelessly
ment	act of, state or, result	containment, contentment, amendment
ness	state of	carelessness, restlessness
nomy	law	autonomy, economy, taxonomy
oid	resembling	asteroid, spheroid, rhomboid, anthropoid
ous	full of, having	gracious, nervous, pompous,
ship	state of, office, quality	assistantship, friendship, authorship
some	like, apt, tending to	lonesome, lissome, threesome, gruesome
tude	state of, condition of	gratitude, aptitude, multitude
ure	state of, act, process, rank	culture, literature, rupture, rapture
ward	in the direction of	eastward, downward, backward
y	inclined to, tend to	cheery, crafty, faulty

Source: https://www.msu.edu/