|
|
 |
a/n |
not, without |
Greek |
abyss - without bottom; achromatic - without color; anhydrous - without water |
|
a |
on |
Latin |
afire - on fire; ashore - on the shore; aside - on the side |
|
a, ab/s
|
from, away, off |
Latin |
abduct - carry away by force; abnormal - away from normal, not normal; absent - away, not present; aversion - the act of turning away from; abbreviate: to shorten. |
|
a/c/d |
to, toward, near |
Latin |
accelerate - to increase the speed of; accessible - easily entered, approached, or obtained; admittance - allowing into;
|
|
acro |
top, height, tip, beginning |
Greek |
acrobat - a "high walker"; acronym - a word formed from the first (capital) letters of a word; acrophobia - fear of height
|
|
act |
do |
Latin |
activity - something that a person does; react - to do something in response; interaction - communication between two or more things |
|
aer/o |
air |
Greek |
aerate - to let air reach something; aerial - relating to the air; aerospace - the air space |
|
agr/i/o |
farming |
Latin
Greek |
agriculture - management of the land, agribusiness - making money by utilizing land; agrarian - relating to the management of land |
|
alg/o |
pain |
Latin |
neuralgia - pain caused by a nerve; analgesic - a drug that makes one pain free; nostalgia - aching for the familiar |
|
ambi, amphi |
both, on both sides, around |
Latin |
ambidextrous - able to use both hands equally; ambiguous - having more than one meaning; ambivalence - conflicting or opposite feelings toward a person or thing |
|
ambul |
walk, move |
Latin |
amble - to walk in a slow, relaxed way; ambulant - walking or moving around; ambulance - a vehicle that moves a patient |
|
ami/o |
love |
Latin |
amiable - friendly, pleasant, lovable; amity - friendly and peaceful relations; amorous - showing romantic love |
|
ana |
up, back, against,
again, throughout |
Greek |
analysis - a close examination of something; anatomy - the structure of something as visible when cut up for analysis; anachronism - not being in the right place in time |
|
andr/o |
man, male |
Greek |
androgynous - being both male and female; android - resembling a human; misandry - hatred towards men |
|
anim |
life, spirit |
Latin |
animal - a living organism; animate - to make alive; equanimity - of balanced spirit |
|
ann/enn |
year |
Latin |
anniversary - a date observed once a year; annual - happening once a year; millennium - 1,000 years |
|
ante |
before, in front |
Latin |
antecede - to come before something in time; antemeridian - before noon; anteroom- a small room before the main room |
|
anth/o |
flower |
Greek |
chrysanthemum and amaranth - names of flowers; anthology - a collection of treasured writings; anthozoan - half plant, half animal, like anemones and corals. |
|
anthrop/o |
human |
Greek |
anthropology - the study of mankind; anthropomorphism - giving human form to non-human things; philanthropy - the love to mankind (expressed through good deeds) |
|
anti |
against, opposite of |
Greek |
antibody - a substance that destroys micro-organisms; antiseptic - preventing infection; antisocial - opposing social norm |
|
apo, apho |
away, off, separate |
Greek |
aphorism - a short expression of a general truth; apology - an explicit expression of regret, apostrophe - a small dash used in place of an omitted letter |
|
aqu/a |
water |
Latin |
aquarium - a water container for fish; aquatic- relating to water; aqueduct - a pipeline for water |
|
arbor |
tree |
Latin |
arborist - someone working with trees; arbor - a shady area formed by trees; arborous - having many trees |
|
arch/i
|
chief, most important, rule |
Greek |
archbishop - the highest ranking bishop; archenemy - chief or worst enemy; matriarch - a female who rules a group; monarch - a king or queen |
|
arch/a/i |
primitive, ancient |
Greek |
archaeology - the study of ancient cultures; archaic - belonging to an earlier period; archive - a collection of historical materials |
|
arthr/o |
joint |
Latin
Greek |
arthroscope - a tool to see inside a joint; arthritis - inflammation of a joint; arthropod - invertebrates with jointed legs, like spiders, crustaceans, insects |
|
art |
skill |
Latin |
artifact - object made by a person's skill; artisan - a person skilled in a craft; artist - a person who creates skillfully |
|
astro,
aster |
star, stars, outer space |
Latin |
astronaut - a person traveling to the stars; astronomer - someone who studies the stars; asterisk - a star-shaped sign used as a reference tool |
|
aud/i/io |
hear |
Latin |
audible - loud enough to be heard; audience - people who listen to a program; audiovisual - relating to sound and vision |
|
auto |
self, same, one |
Greek |
autocrat - a person who governs with absolute power; autograph - a person's own signature; automatic - moving by itself |
|
avi/a |
bird |
Latin |
aviary - a large enclosure for birds; aviatrix - a female airplane pilot; aviation - the art of designing or operating aircraft |
|
bar/o |
pressure, weight |
Greek |
baric - pertaining to pressure, esp. of the atmosphere; milliard - metric unit, equal to 1/1000th of a bar; baryon - heavy elementary particle |
|
bell/i |
war |
Latin |
bellicose - warlike; belligerent - hostile, ready to fight; rebel - person who opposes and fights |
|
bene |
good, well |
Latin |
benefactor - person who gives money to a cause; beneficial - producing a good effect; benevolent - showing kindness or goodwill |
|
bi/n |
two, twice, once in every two |
Latin |
biannual - happening twice a year; binoculars - optical device with two lenses; bilateral - of or involving two sides |
|
bibli/o |
book |
Greek |
bibliography - a list of books used as sources; bibliomania - an extreme love of books; bibliophile - a person who loves books |
|
bio |
life, living matter |
Greek |
biography- a life story written by another person; biology - the science of life; biosphere - Earth's surface inhabited by living things |
|
blast/o |
cell, primitive, immature cell |
Greek |
blastula - an early stage of embryonic development; fibroblast - a cell that forms connective tissue; blastoderm - the layer surrounding the inside of an egg |
|
burs |
pouch, purse |
Latin |
bursar- an administrative officer in charge of funds; bursary- the treasury of a college or monastery; disburse- to expend especially from a public fund |
|
calc |
stone |
Latin |
calcite; calcium- the flame of acetylene gas generated by reaction of calcium carbide with water; calcification- impregnation with calcareous matter |
|
cand |
glowing, iridescent |
Latin |
candid- free from bias, prejudice, or malice; candle- something that gives light; incandescent- white, glowing, or luminous with intense heat |
|
capt, cept, ceive |
take, hold |
Latin |
intercept - to stop or interrupt;
perceive - to take notice of something; captivating - taking hold of
|
|
cardi/o |
heart |
Greek |
cardiac - relating to the heart; cardiogenic - resulting from heart disease; cardiologist - a heart doctor |
|
carn/i |
flesh, meat |
Latin |
carnivorous - flesh-eating; carnal - pertaining to the body or flesh; incarnate - given bodily form |
|
cata |
down, against
completely, intensive,
according to |
Greek |
cataclysm - a flood or other disaster, catalog - a complete listing; catastrophe - turning for the worst, a substantial disaster |
|
caust,
caut |
to burn |
Latin
Greek |
cauterize - to burn with a hot instrument; caustic - capable of burning or eating away; holocaust - total devastation, especially by fire
|
|
cede,
ceed,
cess |
go, yield |
Latin |
exceed - to go beyond the limits; recede - to go back; accessible - easily entered, approached, or obtained;
|
|
celer |
fast |
Latin |
accelerate - to increase the speed of; decelerate - to reduce the speed of |
|
cent/i |
hundred, hundredth |
Latin |
centennial- the 100th anniversary; centimeter - 1/100 of a meter; century - 100 years |
|
centr/o/i |
center |
Greek |
egocentric - self-centered; eccentric - not having a common center, not according to norm; centrifugal - moving outward from a center |
|
cephal/o |
head |
Greek |
encephalitis - inflammation of the brain; cephalic - pertaining to the head; cephalopod - marine mollusks like octopus and squid who have tentacles growing from their head |
|
cerebr/o |
brain |
Latin |
cerebral - pertaining to the brain; cerebrate - to use the brain; cerebrospinal - pertaining to the brain and the spinal cord |
|
cert |
sure |
Latin |
ascertain- to find out something with certainty; certain - being absolutely sure; certify - to state that something is true |
|
chrom/o chromat/o, chros |
color, pigment |
Greek |
achromatic - without color; chromium - a blue-white metallic chemical element, chromatics - the study of color |
|
chron/o |
time |
Greek |
chronic - lasting for a long time; chronological - arranging events in time order, synchronize - happening at the same time |
|
chrys/o |
gold, yellow |
Greek |
chrysanthemum and helichrysum - golden/yellow flowers; chrysolite - a yellowish gem |
|
cide, cise |
cut, kill |
Latin |
homicide - murder; incisor - a sharp tooth for cutting food; insecticide - a chemical used to kill insects |
|
circum,
circle |
around, about |
Latin |
circumnavigate - to sail around; circumscribe - to draw around; circumspect - looking around |
|
claim, clam |
shout, speak out |
Latin |
clamor - to shout and make noise; exclaim - to cry out loudly and suddenly; proclamation - something announced officially in public |
|
clar |
clear |
Latin |
clarification - an explanation; clarify - to make something clear; declare - to state something clearly |
|
clud, clus |
close |
Latin |
conclusion - the end or last part; exclusion - shutting out, rejecting; seclude - to keep away from; to isolate |
|
cline |
lean |
Latin |
inclination - a leaning toward; incline - a surface that slopes or leans; recline - to lean back and relax |
|
co |
with, together, joint |
Latin |
coauthor - writer who collaborates with another author; coeducation - educating males and females together; cohousing - planning your neighborhood in an intentional neighborly fashion |
|
col |
together, jointly |
Latin |
Collaborate - to work together; collision - smashing together; colloquial - words formed by everday interaction |
|
com |
together, common |
Latin |
commemorate - to memorize together; composition - an arrangement or putting together of parts; commune - living together while owning things in common |
|
cogn/i |
know |
Latin |
cognition - process of acquiring knowledge; incognito - disguised so no one knows you; recognize - to discover that one knows |
|
con |
with, jointly |
Latin |
concur - to agree with someone; contemporary - of the same time period as others; convention - a gathering of people with a common interest |
|
contra/o |
against, opposite |
Latin |
contradict to argue against, Contraflow, contraception, contrary not in agreement, controversy disagreement |
|
corp/o |
body |
Latin |
corporation - a company recognized by law as a single body; corpse - a dead body; corporal - pertaining to the body |
|
cosm/o |
universe |
Greek |
cosmonaut - a Russian astronaut; cosmos - the universe; microcosm - a miniature universe |
|
counter |
opposite, contrary, opposing |
|
counteract - to oppose the effects of an action; countermand - to cancel a previous order; counteroffensive - attack against an attack |
|
cranio |
skull |
Greek |
craniology - the study of skull characteristics; cranium - skull of vertebrates; cranial - pertaining to the skull |
|
cred |
believe |
Latin |
credence - belief that something is true or valid; credulous - believing things too easily, gullible; incredible - unbelievable |
|
cruc |
cross |
Latin |
crucial-characteristic of or having the form of a cross ; crucifix- the cross itself as a Christian emblem; excruciating- so intense as to cause great pain or anguish |
|
crypto |
hidden, secret |
Greek |
cryptic - of hidden meaning; cryptography - science of secret codes; encrypt - encode into secret code |
|
cumul |
mass, heap |
Latin |
accumulate - to gather or pile up; cumulative - gradually building up |
|
curr, curs |
run |
Latin |
concurrent- running parallel; current- flowing easily and smoothly; cursive- having a flowing, easy, impromptu character |
|
cycl |
circle, ring |
Greek |
bicycle - a vehicle with two wheels; cycle - a sequence that is repeated; cyclone - a storm with circling winds |
|
de |
reduce, away, down, remove |
Latin |
decelerate - to slow down, reduce speed; dethrone - to remove from power; debug - to remove bugs |
|
dec/a,
deka |
ten |
Greek |
decade - 10 years; decathlon - athletic contest that includes 10 disciplines in which each participant competes; December - formerly the 10th month of the Roman calendar |
|
deci |
one tenth |
Latin |
deciliter - a tenth of a liter; decimate - reduce dramatically; decibel - one tenth of the sound volume unit bel |
|
dem/o |
people |
Greek |
democracy - government of the people; demographic - the study of people; epidemic - spreading among people in a region |
|
demi |
half, less than |
Latin |
demitasse - a small cup of coffee; demimonde - someone of little respected life style |
|
dendr/o/i |
tree |
Greek |
philodendron - a climbing plant that grows on trees; dendrochronology - dating events by studying growth rings in trees; dendriform - in the shape of a tree |
|
dent, dont |
tooth |
Latin |
dental - relating to teeth; dentist - a doctor for the teeth; dentures - a set of false teeth |
|
derm/a |
skin |
Greek |
dermatologist - a doctor for the skin; pachyderm - a class of animals with very thick skin (elephant, rhinoceros); dermatitis - inflammation of the skin |
|
di/plo |
two, twice |
Greek |
dichromatic - displaying two colors; diploma - a certificate, literally "a letter folded double"; dilemma - a situation that requires a choice between two alternatives. |
|
di/s |
apart, away,
not, to the opposite |
Latin |
digression - a departure from the main issue, subject; disappear - to move out of sight; dissect - to cut apart piece by piece. |
|
dia |
through, between,
apart, across |
Greek |
diabetes - disease characterized by excessive thirst and discharge of urine; diagnosis - understanding a condition by going through a detailed review of symptoms; dialog - conversation between two people. |
|
dict |
speak |
Latin |
contradict - to express the opposite of; prediction - a statement foretelling the future; dictate - to speak out loud for another person to write down. |
|
domin |
master |
Latin |
dominate - to be the master of; domineering - excessively controlling; predominate - to have more power than others |
|
don/at |
give |
Latin |
donation - a contribution or gift; donor - someone who gives something; pardon - to give forgiveness for an offense |
|
duc/t |
lead |
Latin |
conduct - to lead musicians in playing music; educate - to lead to knowledge; deduction - a subtraction of an amount. |
|
du/o |
two, twice |
Latin |
duplicate - make an identical copy; duet - a musical composition for two voices or instruments; duo - a pair normally thought of as being together. |
|
dur |
harden, to last, lasting |
Latin |
durable - having the quality of lasting; duration - the length of time something lasts; enduring - able to last. |
|
dyn/a/am |
power, energy, strength |
Greek |
dynamo - a generator of energy; dynamic - having physical energy/power; dynamite - a powerful explosive. |
|
dys |
abnormal, bad |
Greek |
dyspepsia - abnormal digestion; dystopia - an imaginary place of total misery; dyslexia - impairment of the ability to handle words. |
|
e- |
out, away |
Latin |
eloquent - speaking beautifully and forcefully; emissary - a representative of a country or group sent on a mission; eject - throw out forcefully. |
|
ego |
self |
Latin
Greek |
egoistic - self-centered; alter ego - a higher aspect of oneself; egomania - excessive preoccupation with oneself. |
|
em, en |
into, cover with, cause |
|
empathy - intention to feel like another person; empower - put into power; engorge - make larger. |
|
endo |
within, inside |
Greek |
endotherm - a creature that can keep its inside temperature fairly constant; endocrine - relating to glands that secrete directly into the blood or lymph; endogamy - the custom to marry within one's clan, tribe etc. |
|
enn/i, anni |
years |
Latin |
bicentennial - of or relating to an age or period of 200 years; centennial - of or relating to an age or period of 100 years; perennial -lasting through many years. |
|
en, in |
inside, inwards |
Latin |
envision - to picture in the mind; enclose - lock inside; inwards - towards the inside. |
|
ep/i |
on, upon, over,
among, at, after,
to, outside |
Greek |
epidemic - the rapid spread of something negative; epilogue - a short speech delivered after a play; epicenter - the center of an earthquake. |
|
equ/i |
equal, equally |
Latin |
equidistant - an equal distance from two points; equanimity - calm temperament, evenness of temper; equation - a statement of equality. |
|
erg/o |
work |
Greek |
ergonomics - study of the working environment; energy - the power to accomplish work; energetics - science that looks at energy and its transformation. |
|
esth/aesth |
feeling, sensation, beauty |
Latin |
esthetician - someone who beautifies; aesthetic - pertaining to a sense of beauty; kinesthesia - the sensation of bodily movement. |
|
ethno |
race, people |
Greek |
ethnic - pertaining to a defined group of people; ethnocentric - focusing on the ethnicity of people; ethnology - the science of people and races. |
|
eu |
good, well |
Greek |
euphemism - replacing an offensive word with an inoffensive one; euphonious - having a pleasant sound; euphoria - feeling of well-being. |
|
ex |
from, out, |
Latin |
excavate - to dig out; exhale - to breathe out; extract - to pull out. |
|
extra, extro |
outside, beyond |
Latin |
extraordinary - beyond ordinary; extraterrestrial - outside the Earth; extrovert - an outgoing person. |
|
fac/t |
make, do |
Latin |
artifact - an object made by a person; factory - a place where things are made; malefact - a person who does wrong. |
|
fer |
bear, bring, carry |
Latin |
confer - to bring an honor to someone; ferry - a boat that carries passengers; transfer - to move to another place. |
|
fid |
faith |
Latin |
confide - place trust in someone, fidelity - faithfulness; fiduciary - a trustee; |
|
flect |
bend |
Latin |
deflect - to bend course because of hitting something; inflection - a bending in the voice's tone or pitch; flexible - easily bending. |
|
flor/a,
fleur |
flower |
Latin |
florist - someone working with flowers; floral - flowerlike; flora - the plant life of a particular time or area |
|
for |
completely (used to intensify
the meaning of a word) |
|
forsaken or forfeited - completely lost; forgiven - completely given (a release of debt). |
|
fore |
in front of, previous, earlier |
|
forebear - ancestor; forebode - to give an advance warning of something bad; forecast - a preview of events to be. |
|
form |
shape |
Latin |
conformity- correspondence in form, manner, or character; formation- something that is formed; reformatory- intended for reformation |
|
fract, frag |
break |
Latin |
fracture - a break; fragile - easy to break; fragment or fraction - a part or element of a larger whole; |
|
fug |
flee, run away, escape |
Latin |
fugitive - a person who is running away; refuge - a sheltered place to flee to; refugee - a person seeking protection |
|
funct |
perform, work |
Latin |
defunct - no longer working or alive; function - to work or perform a role normally; malfunction - to fail to work correctly. |
|
fus |
pour |
Latin |
confusion - being flooded with too much information that is hard to make sense of; fuse - to melt by heating; infuse - to put into. |
|
gastr/o |
stomach |
Greek |
gastric - pertaining to the stomach; gastronomy - serving the stomach by providing good food; gastritis - inflammation of the stomach. |
|
gen/o/e/
genesis |
birth, production,
formation, kind |
Greek |
genealogy - the study of the history of a family; generation - all the people born at approximately the same time; genetic -relating to heredity encoded in the genes. |
|
geo |
earth, soil, global |
Greek |
geography - study of the earth's surface; geology - study of the structure of the earth; geoponics - soil based agriculture. |
|
ger |
old age |
Greek |
geriatrics - medicine pertaining to the elderly; gerontocracy - the rule of the elders; gerontology - the science of aging. |
|
giga |
a billion |
Greek |
gigabyte - unit of computer storage space; gigahertz - unit of frequency (one billion Hz/sec); gigawatt unit of electric power (one billion watts). |
|
gon |
angle |
Latin
Greek |
decagon - a polygon with 10 angles; diagonal - a slanting line running across a space; octagon - a geometrical figure with 8 angles. |
|
gram |
letter, written |
Greek |
diagram - a simple drawing; grammar - rules of how to write words in sentences; telegram - a message sent by telegraph. |
|
gran |
grain |
Latin |
granary- a storehouse or repository for grain especially after it is threshed or husked; granola- a mixture of rolled oats and other ingredients; granule- a little grain (as of sugar) |
|
graph/y |
writing, recording, written |
Greek |
Graphology - the study of handwritings; autograph - written with one's own hand; seismograph - a machine noting strength and duration of earthquakes. |
|
grat |
pleasing |
Latin |
gratify - to please someone; grateful - feeling thankful; gratuity - a tip, token of appreciation. |
|
gyn/o/e |
woman, female |
Greek |
gynecology - the science of female reproductive health; gynephobia - fear of women; gynecoid - resembling a woman. |
|
gress, grad/e/i |
to step, to go |
Latin |
digression - a departure from the main issue, subject, etc.; progress - movement forward or onward; gradual - step by step. |
|
hect/o, hecat |
hundred |
Greek |
hectoliter - 100 liters; hectare - metric unit equaling 100 ares or 10,000 square meters; hectometer - 100 meters. |
|
helic/o |
spiral, circular |
Greek |
helicopter - an aircraft with horizontal rotating wing; helix - a spiral form; helicon - a circular tuba. |
|
heli/o |
sun |
Greek |
heliotropism - movement or growth in relating to the sun; heliograph - apparatus used to send message with the help of sunlight; helianthus - genus of plants including sunflowers. |
|
hemi |
half, partial |
Greek |
hemicycle - a semicircular structure; hemisphere - one half of the earth; hemistich - half a line of poetry. |
|
hem/o/a |
blood |
Latin
Greek |
hemorrhage - clotting of the blood; hemorrhoids - swelling of the blood vessels; hemoglobin - red blood particle. |
|
hepa |
liver |
Latin |
hepatitis - inflammation of the liver; hepatoma - a tumor of the liver; hepatotoxic - toxic and damaging to the liver. |
|
hept/a |
seven |
Greek |
heptagon - a shape with seven angles and seven sides; Heptateuch - the first seven books of the Old Testament; heptameter - a line of verse consisting of seven metrical feet. |
|
herbi |
grass, plant |
Latin |
herbicide - any chemical used to kill unwanted plants, etc.; herbivorous - plant-eating; herbal - relating to plants. |
|
hetero |
different, other |
Greek |
heterogeneous - made up of unrelated parts; heteronyms - words with same spelling but different meanings; heterodox - not conforming to traditional beliefs. |
|
hex/a |
six |
Greek |
hexagon - a shape with six angles/sides; hexameter - a verse measured in six; hexapod - having six legs. |
|
histo |
tissue |
Greek |
histology - study of the microscopic structure of tissues; histochemistry - study of the chemical constitution of cells and tissues. |
|
homo,
homeo |
like, alike, same |
Latin
Greek |
homogeneous - of the same nature or kind; homonym - sounding alike; homeopath - a therapy that is based on treating "same with same" |
|
hydr/o |
liquid, water |
Greek |
hydrate - to add water to; hydrophobia - intense fear of water; hydroponics - growing plants in liquid nutrient solution; hydraulic - operated by force created by a liquid. |
|
hygr/o |
moisture, humidity |
Greek |
hygrometer - tool used to measure humidity; hygrograph - instrument for recording variations in atmospheric humidity. |
|
hyper |
too much, over,
excessive, beyond |
Latin
Greek |
hyperactive - very restless; hypercritical - too critical; hypertension - above normal pressure. |
|
hyp/o |
under |
Greek |
hypoglycemia - an abnormally low level of sugar in the blood; hypothermia - abnormally low body temperature; hypothesis - a theory that is unproven but used under the assumption that it is true. |
|
iatr/o |
medical care |
Greek |
geriatrics - medical care of the elderly; pediatrician - a doctor who treats children; podiatry - medical care for feet. |
|
icon/o |
image |
Latin
Greek |
icon - an (often religious) image, in modern usage a simplified graphic of high symbolic content; iconology - science of symbols and icons; iconoclast - someone who destroys religious images and traditional beliefs. |
|
idio |
peculiar, personal, distinct |
Greek |
idiomatic - Peculiar to a particular language; idiosyncracy - a physical or mental characteristic typical or a particular person; idiot - someone who is distinctly foolish or stupid. |
|
il, in |
in, into |
Latin |
illuminate - to give light to; innovation - a new idea, method, or device; inspection - the act of examining or reviewing. |
|
ig, il, im,
in, ir |
not, without |
Latin |
illegal - not legal; impossible - not possible; inappropriate - not appropriate; irresponsible - not responsible. |
|
imag |
likeness |
Latin |
image - a likeness of someone; imaginative - able to think up new ideas or images; imagine - to form a picture or likeness in the mind. |
|
infra |
beneath, below |
Latin |
infrastructure - underlying framework of a system; infrared - below the regular light spectrum. |
|
inter |
between, among, jointly |
Latin |
international - involving two or more countries; intersection - place where roads come together; intercept - to stop or interrupt the course of. |
|
intra,
intro |
within, inside |
Latin |
intrastate - existing in one state; intravenous - inside or into a vein; introvert - shy person who keeps within him/herself. |
|
ir |
not |
Latin |
irredeemable - not redeemable; irreformable - not reformable; irrational - not rational. |
|
iso |
equal |
|
isobar - a line on a map connecting points of equal barometric pressure; isometric - having equality of measure; isothermal - having equal or constant temperature. |
|
ject |
throw |
Latin |
eject - to throw someone/something out; interject - to throw a remark into a discussion; project - to cast or throw something. |
|
jud |
law |
Latin |
judgment - a decision of a court of law; judicial - having to do with judges or courts of law; judiciary - a system of courts of law. |
|
junct |
join |
Latin |
conjunction - a word that joins parts of sentences; disjunction - a disconnection; junction - a place where two things join. |
|
juven |
young |
Latin |
juvenile - youthful or childish; rejuvenate - to bring back to youthful strength or appearance. |
|
kilo |
thousand |
Greek |
kilobyte - 1,000 bytes; kilometer - 1,000 meter; kilograms - 1,000 grams. |
|
kine/t
/mat |
motion, division |
Greek |
kinetics - study of the force of motion; psychokinesis or telekinesis - the ability to move objects with your mind; cinematography - motion picture making. |
|
lab |
work |
Latin |
collaborate - to work with a person; elaborate - to work out the details; laborious - requiring a lot of hard work. |
|
lact/o |
milk |
Latin |
lactate - to give milk, nurse; lactose - the sugar contained in milk; lactic acid. |
|
later |
side |
Latin |
bilateral - of or involving two sides; unilateral - affecting one side of something. |
|
leuk/o,
leuc/o |
white, colorless |
Greek |
leukemia - abnormal increase of white blood cells in the blood; leukocyte - a mature white blood cell; leucine - a white, crystalline amino acid. |
|
lex |
word, law, reading |
Greek |
lexicology - the study and history of words; alexia -loss of the ability to read; illegal - not authorized by the official rules or laws. |
|
liber |
free |
Latin |
liberate - to set free; libertine - a person with a free, wild lifestyle; liberty - freedom. |
|
lingu |
language, tongue |
Latin |
linguist - one who studies languages; multilingual - able to communicate in multiple languages; linguine - long, flat "tongue-shaped" pasta. |
|
lip/o |
fat |
Greek |
liposuction - the mechanical removal of fat reserves in the tissue; lipase - enzyme that breaks down fat; lipoid - resembling fat. |
|
lite, ite,
lith/o |
mineral, rock, fossil |
Greek |
apatite - a group of common minerals; granite - a hard, granular rock; monolith - a remarkable, unique stone. |
|
loc |
place |
Latin |
dislocate - to put something out of its usual place; location - a place; relocate - to move to a new place. |
|
log/o |
word, doctrine, discourse |
Greek |
logic - correct reasoning; monologue - a long speech by one speaker;analogy - similarity, especially between things otherwise dissimilar. |
|
loqu, locu |
speak |
Latin |
eloquent - speaking beautifully and forcefully ; loquacious - very talkative; elocution - art of public speaking. |
|
luc |
light |
Latin |
elucidate - to explain, to throw light on; lucid - easily understood, giving off light; translucent - allowing light through. |
|
lud, lus |
to play |
Latin |
prelude - introduction to the major performance; illusion - misleading optical image or impression; delude - to mislead, deceive. |
|
lumin |
light |
Latin |
illuminate - to fill with light; lumen - unit measuring light. |
|
lun/a/i |
moon |
Latin |
lunar - relating to the moon; lunarscape - the surface of the moon; lunatic - insane (as if driven mad by the moon). |
|
macro |
large, great |
Greek |
macroevolution - large scale evolution; macromolecule - a large molecule; macroeconomics - study of the overall forces of economy. |
|
magn/a/i |
great, large |
Latin |
magnify - make larger; magnificent - grand; magnate - a powerful person, especially in business or industry. |
|
mal/e |
bad, ill, wrong |
Latin |
malcontent - wrong content; malaria - "bad air", infectious disease thought to originate from the "bad air" of the swamps, but caused by the bite of an infected mosquito; malicious - showing strong ill will. |
|
man/i/u |
hand |
Latin |
maneuver - to move by hand; manual - done with the hands; manuscript - a book written by hand. |
|
mand |
to order |
Latin |
command - an order or instruction; demand - a hard-to-ignore order; mandate - an official order. |
|
mania |
madness, insanity,
excessive desire |
Greek |
bibliomania - a crazy love of books; egomania - a mad love of oneself; maniac an insane person. |
|
mar/i |
sea |
Latin |
marina - a harbor for pleasure boats; maritime - relating to the sea; submarine - an undersea boat; aquamarine - color of sea water.
|
|
mater,
matr/i |
mother |
Latin |
maternal - relating to motherhood; maternity - the state of being a mother; matriarch - a woman head of a household. |
|
max |
greatest |
Latin |
maximal - the best or greatest possible; maximize - to make as great as possible; maximum - the greatest amount. |
|
medi |
middle |
Latin |
medieval - pertaining to the Middle Ages; medium - in the middle; mediocre - only of medium (inferior) quality. |
|
mega |
great, large, million |
Greek |
megalopolis - an area with many nearby cities; megaphone - a device that projects a loud voice; megastructure - huge building or other structure. |
|
melan/o |
black |
Greek |
melancholy - a state of dark emotions; melanoma - malignant dark tumor of the skin; melodrama - a dark, pathetic drama. |
|
memor/i |
remember |
Latin |
commemorate - to honor the memory of, as by a ceremony; memorial - related to remembering a person or event; memory: an ability to retain knowledge or an individual's stock of retained knowledge. |
|
merge,
mers |
dip, dive |
Latin |
immerge or immerse - to put or dip something into a liquid; submerge to dip something completely into wate.r |
|
meso |
middle |
Latin
Greek |
Mesoamerica - Middle America; meson - elementary particle with a mass between an electron and a proton. |
|
meta |
change, after, beyond, between |
Greek |
metaphysics - study of nature and reality; metamorphosis - a complete change of form; metastasis - the transmission of disease to other parts of the body. |
|
meter,
metr/y |
measure |
Greek |
audiometer- an instrument that measures hearing acuteness; chronometer- an instrument that measures time; metric - measured. |
|
micro |
very small, short, minute |
Greek |
microbe - a very small living thing; microchip - a tiny wafer with an integrated circuit; microscope - a device to see very small things. |
|
mid |
middle |
Latin
Greek |
midriff - the area between the chest and the waist; midterm - middle of a term in school; midway - halfway between. |
|
migr |
move |
Latin |
immigrant - a person who moves to a new country to settle; migrant - person who moves from place to place; migration - the process of moving. |
|
milli |
onethousandth |
Latin |
millimeter - one thousandth of a meter; millibar - one thousandth of a bar; milliliter - one thousandth of a liter. |
|
min/i |
small, less |
Latin |
mini - something that is very small; minuscule - extremely tiny; minutiae - very small or trivial details. |
|
mis/o |
bad, badly, wrong, wrongly,
to hate |
Greek |
misbehave - to behave badly; misprint - an error in printing; misnomer - an error in naming a person or thing. |
|
miss, mit |
send, let go |
Latin |
dismiss - to send someone away; missile - a weapon sent into the air; emit - to send something out; admittance - entry. |
|
mob |
move |
Latin |
immobilize - to stop from moving; mobile - able to move freely; mobility - the quality of being able to move. |
|
mon/o |
one, single, alone |
Greek |
monochromat - having one color; monologue - a speech spoken by one person; monotheism - belief in one god. |
|
mot, mov |
move |
Latin |
motion - the act of moving; motivate - to move someone to action; promote to move someone forward; removable - able to be taken or carried away. |
|
morph/o |
form |
Greek |
metamorphosis - complete change of form; endorphins - chemical in the brain able to transform pain; amorphous - without distinct shape or form. |
|
mort |
death |
Latin |
immortal - living forever, unable to die; mortal - certain to die; mortician - an undertaker. |
|
multi |
many, more than one or two |
Latin |
multicolored - having many colors; multimedia - using a range of media; multitasking - doing many things at once. |
|
mut |
change |
Latin |
immutable - not changing; mutant - an organism that has undergone change; mutate - to undergo a change. |
|
my/o |
muscle |
Latin |
myocardium - the middle muscle of the heart; myasthenia - muscle fatigue or weakness; myosin - common protein in muscle tissue. |
|
narr |
tell |
Latin |
narrate - to tell a story; narrative - a story; narrator - a person who tells a story. |
|
nat |
born |
Latin |
innate - included since birth; natal - relating to birth; natural - gotten at birth, not afterward. |
|
nav |
ship |
Latin |
circumnavigate - to sail around a place; naval - relating to a navy or warships; navigate - to sail a ship through a place. |
|
necr/o |
dead, death |
Greek |
necrophil - loving death; necrosis - the death of tissue due to disease or injury; necrology - a list of persons who have recently died. |
|
neg |
no |
Latin |
negate - to say it didn't happen; negative - meaning "no"; renege - to go back on a promise. |
|
neo |
new, recent |
|
neoclassic - a revival of classic form, neocolonialism - the indirect ("new") economical and political control of a region by a more powerful foreign power; neonatal - a newborn child, especially the first few weeks. |
|
nephr/o |
kidney |
Greek |
nephritis - inflammation of the kidneys; nephrotomy - surgical incision of a kidney; nephron - a single, excretory unit in the kidney. |
|
neur/o |
nerve |
Greek |
neuralgia - pain along a nerve; neurologist - doctor specializing in the nerves; neurotic - mental disorder that usually does not include an impaired perception of reality. |
|
nom/in |
name |
Latin |
misnomer - an error in naming a person or thing; nominal - being something in name only but not in reality; nominate - to name for election or appointment, to designate. |
|
non |
no, not, without |
Latin |
nondescript - with no special characteristics; nonfiction - true, real, not made-up; nonsense - without sense. |
|
not |
mark |
Latin |
notable - marked as worthy of attention; notarize - to certify a signature on a legal document; annotate - to add remarks. |
|
noun,
nunc |
declare |
Latin |
announce - to declare in public; denounce - to proclaim harsh criticism; enunciate - to speak or declare something clearly. |
|
nov |
new |
Latin |
innovate - to introduce a new way; novelty - something new; novice - a person who is new at a job; renovate - to make something like new again. |
|
numer |
number |
Latin |
enumerate - to name a number of items on a list; numerology - the study of magical uses of numbers; numerous - a large number. |
|
ob, op |
in the way, against |
Latin |
object - to be against something; obscure - hard to understand; opposition - the act of resistance or action against. |
|
oct/a/o |
eight |
Greek |
octagon - a figure with 8 sides and 8 angles; octogenarian - person in his or her 80s; octopus - sea animal with 8 arms. |
|
ocu |
eye |
Latin |
binoculars - lens device for seeing distances; monocula - relating to one eye; oculist - an eye doctor. |
|
od |
path, way |
Greek |
diode - an electron tube having two electrodes, a cathode and an anode; odometer - an instrument attached to a vehicle to measure the distance traversed; triode - an electron tube with an anode, a cathode, and a control grid |
|
odor |
smell, scent |
Latin |
deodorant - a substance that helps prevent body odor; malodorous - having a terribly bad smell; odoriferous- something that bears or diffuses a scent
|
|
omni |
all |
Latin |
omnipotent - with all the power; omniscient - knowing all things; omnivorous eating all foods. |
|
op/t/s |
eye, visual condition, sight |
Greek |
optic - relating to the eyes; optician - a person who fits eyeglasses; autopsy - the examination of a dead body. |
|
opt |
best |
Latin |
optimal - the best, the most desirable; optimize - to make the best of; optimum - the best something could be. |
|
ortho |
straight |
Greek |
orthodontist - a dentist that straightens teeth; orthopedic - a doctor concerned with the proper alignment of the bones; orthography - the correct way of writing. |
|
osteo |
bone |
Greek |
osteoarthritis - inflammation caused by degeneration of the joints; osteopathy - therapy that uses among others manipulation of the skeleton to restore health; osteology - the study of bones. |
|
out |
goes beyond,
surpasses, exceeds |
|
Outgoing - being of lively, sharing nature; outdoing - doing better than; outdoor - outside. |
|
over |
excessive |
English |
overconfident - more confident than is appropriate; overstock - more supplies than is desirable; overexcited - ,more excited than one should be. |
|
oxi/oxy |
sharp |
Greek |
oxymoron - combining two ideas that sharply contradict each other; oxidize - corrode a surface. |
|
pale/o |
ancient |
Greek |
paleontology - study of ancient fossils; paleography - the study of ancient forms of writing; Paleolithic - period of the Stone Age. |
|
pan |
all, any, everyone |
Greek |
panacea - a cure for all diseases or problems; panorama - an all-around view; pantheism - the worship of all gods; pandemic - affecting all. |
|
para |
beside, beyond, abnormal,
assistant |
Greek |
parasite - an organism that lives on and off another living being; parallel - alongside and always an equal distance apart; paragraph - a portion of a writtenn document that presents a distinct idea. |
|
para |
protection from |
|
parachute - protection from falling; parasol - an umbrella used to protect from the sun; |
|
pater,
patr/i |
father |
Latin
Greek |
paternal - relating to fathers; paternity - fatherhood; patriarch - a man who rules a group. |
|
path |
feeling, emotion |
|
antipathy - a feeling of great dislike; apathy - a lack of feeling or interest; empathy - ability to understand another's feelings. |
|
ped/i/e |
foot, feet |
Latin |
pedal - a lever pushed by the foot; pedestrian - one who walks; pedicure - cosmetic treatment of feet and toes. |
|
pel |
drive, force |
Latin |
compel - to force someone to act; expel - to drive someone out of a place; repel - to force back. |
|
pent/a |
five |
Greek |
pentagon - shape having 5 angles and 5 sides, pentagram - a five-pointed star formerly used as a symbolic figure in magic; pentathlon - an athletic contest that includes five events. |
|
pept,
peps |
digestion |
Greek |
dyspepsia - abnormal digestion; peptic - aiding digestion; pepsin - a digestive enzyme. |
|
per |
through, throughout |
Latin |
permanent - lasting throughout all time; permeate - to spread throughout; persist - to continue for a long time; perennial - lasting through many years. |
|
peri |
around, enclosing |
Greek |
periodontal - pertaining to bone and tissue around a tooth; peripheral - lying outside of the center; perimeter - the outer boundary of an area. |
|
phag/e |
to eat |
Greek |
esophagus - muscular tube that carries food to the stomach; anthropophagy or sarcophagy - cannibalism; xylophagous - feeding on wood. |
|
phil/o |
love, friend |
Greek |
philanthropist - one who loves humanity; philology - the love of words; philosophy - the love of wisdom; bibliophil - loving books. |
|
phon/o
/e/y |
sound |
Greek |
cacophony - loud, unpleasant sounds; microphone - a device that records and amplifies sound; phonetic - relating to human speech sounds. |
|
phot/o |
light |
Greek |
photogenic - caused by light; photograph - image made on light-sensitive film; photon - the smallest possible unit of light. |
|
phyll/o |
leaf |
Greek |
chlorophyll - a group of green pigments found in leaves; phyllotaxis - the arrangement of leaves on a stem; phyllite - a rock that forms sheets, similar to slate. |
|
phys |
nature, medicine, the body |
Greek |
physical - relating to the body; physician - a doctor; physique - nature and shape of one's body. |
|
phyt/o/e |
plant, to grow |
Greek |
epiphyte - a plant growing independently on the surface of another; hydrophyte - a plant that grows only in water; neophyte - a beginner, especially a person recently converted to a new belief. |
|
plas/t/m |
to form, development,
forming cells |
Greek |
protoplasm - something that is the first made or formed, also the living portion of a cell; plastic - able to be formed, especially when warm; plaster - a mixture of lime, sand and water that forms a smooth solid covering for walls. |
|
plaud, plod, plaus, plos |
approve, clap |
Latin |
applaud- to show approval of especially by clapping the hands; explosion- an act of exposing something as invalid or baseless; plausible- worthy of being applauded |
|
pneum/o |
breathing, lung, air, spirit |
Greek |
pneumonia - inflammation of the lungs; pneumatic - using the force of air; dyspnea - difficulty breathing. |
|
pod/e |
foot |
Greek |
podiatrist - a doctor for the feet; podium - a small platform to stand on; tripod - a stand or frame with 3 legs. |
|
poli |
city |
Greek |
metropolis - a large city; police - people who work for the government to maintain order in a city; politics - actions of a government or political party. |
|
poly |
many, more than one |
Greek |
polychrome - with many colors; polyglot - a person fluent in many languages; polygon - shape with 3 or more straight sides. |
|
pon |
place, put |
Latin |
opponent - a person who places him/herself against an action, idea, etc.; postpone - to put off doing something. |
|
pop |
people |
Latin |
popular - appealing to a lot of people; population - all of the people who live in a particular area; populist - a supporter of the rights of people. |
|
port |
carry |
Latin |
export - to carry goods out of a place to another; portable - able to be carried; porter - a person who carries luggage. |
|
pos |
place, put |
Latin |
deposit - to place or drop something; expose to place out into the open for all to see; position - the place where someone is. |
|
post |
after, behind |
Latin |
posthumous - after someone's death; postpone - to delay something; postscript - an addition to an already completed document. |
|
pre |
earlier, before, in front of |
Latin |
preamble - a part in front of a formal document; prepare - to get ready in advance; prediction - a statement foretelling the future. |
|
pro |
before, in front of,
for, forward |
Greek
Latin |
prognosis - a prediction of what will happen; prologue - a passage before the main part; prophet - a person who foretells the future. |
|
prot/o |
primitive, first, chief |
Greek |
prototype - the first of a kind; proton - on of the very basic parts of an atom; protocol - a first draft from which a document is prepared. |
|
pseud/o |
wrong,false |
Greek |
pseudonym - a fictitious name; pseudoscience - theories presumed without proof of a scientific nature; pseudopregnancy - a false pregnancy. |
|
psych/o |
mind, mental |
Greek |
psyche - the human spirit or soul; psychic - relating to the human mind or someone who has supernatural mental abilities; psychology - the study of the mind. |
|
pugn/a,
pung |
to fight |
Latin |
pugnacious - having a quarrelsome or aggressive nature; repugnant - distasteful, offensive or revolting; pungent - piercing. |
|
pul |
urge |
|
compulsion - a very strong urge; expulsion - to someone out; impulsive - having a spontaneous urge to do something. |
|
purg |
clean |
Latin |
purge - remove anything undesirable; purgatory - according to Roman Catholics a place where souls must clean themselves of sin; expurgate - remove objectionable passages from a publication. |
|
put |
think |
Latin |
computer - an electronic thinking device; dispute - to disagree with what another person thinks; input - contribution of one's thinking. |
|
pyr/o |
fire, heat |
Greek |
pyrotechnics - the art of making fireworks; pyrometer - a thermometer for measuring high temperature; pyretic - relating to or producing fever. |
|
quad/r/ri |
four |
Latin |
quadrant - open space with buildings on 4 sides; quadrennium - period of 4 years; quadruped - a 4-footed animal. |
|
quart |
fourth |
Latin |
quarter - one fourth; quart - a fourth of a gallon; quartet - a musical composition or group involving 4 voices or instruments. |
|
quin/t |
five, fifth |
Latin |
quintett - a composition for 5 voices or instruments; quintessence - pure essence, based on the ancient philosophy that there was a fifth element that was present in all things; quintuple - fivefold. |
|
radic,
radix |
root |
Latin |
eradicate - pull out at the roots; radical - fundamental, looking at things from a drastic point of view; radish - an edible root of the mustard family. |
|
radio |
radiation, ray |
|
radioactive - emitting radiation; radiologist - someone diagnosing or treating via radiation. |
|
ram/i |
branch |
Latin |
ramification - the resulting consequence of a decision; ramify - to spread or branch out; ramus - a branchlike part. |
|
re |
again, back, backward |
Latin |
rebound -to spring back again; rewind - to wind something backward; reaction: a response; recognize: to identify someone or something seen before. |
|
reg |
guide, rule |
Latin |
regent - a person who rules on behalf of a king or queen; regime - a government that rules; regulate - to apply a rule. |
|
retro |
backward, back |
Latin |
retroactive - relating to something in the past; retrogress - to go back to an earlier condition; retrospect - the remembering of past events. |
|
rhin/o |
nose |
Greek |
rhinoceros - a species of animals with a big horn on the snout; rhinoplasty - surgery of the nose; rhinovirus - viruses that are causing the common cold. |
|
rhod/o |
red |
Greek |
rhododendron - a flower with red/pink flowers; rhodium - an element which produces a red solution; rhodopsin - a purple pigment in the retina that is needed for vision. |
|
rid |
laugh |
Latin |
deride - to make fun of someone; ridicule - to make fun or mock; ridiculous - silly, causing laughter. |
|
rrh/ea
/oea/ag |
flow, discharge |
Latin
Greek |
diarrhea - abnormally excessive bowl movement; hemorrhage - heavy blood flow; catarrh - inflammation of a mucous membrane, especially the nose and throat. |
|
rub |
red |
Latin |
ruby - deep red color and a precious stone of the same color; rubella - measles; bilirubin - reddish pigment in bile. |
|
rupt |
break, burst |
Latin |
bankrupt - unable to pay because you're "broke"; interrupt - to break into a conversation or event, to disturb; rupture - a break in something. |
|
san |
health |
Latin |
sane - mentally healthy; sanitary - relating to cleanliness and health; sanitation - maintenance of public health and cleanliness. |
|
scend |
climb, go |
Latin |
ascend - to climb upward; crescendo - a climbing up of the volume of music; descend - to go or climb down. |
|
sci |
know |
Latin |
conscience - sense of knowing right from wrong; conscious - knowing what is happening; omniscient - knowing everything. |
|
scler/o |
hard |
Greek |
arteriosclerosis - hardening of the arterial walls; multiple sclerosis - disease which causes the tissue of the brain and spinal cord to harden; sclerometer - instrument for measuring hardness. |
|
scop/e/y |
see, examine, observe |
Greek |
microscope - a device used to see tiny things; periscope - a seeing instrument on a submarine; telescope - a device used to see over a distance. |
|
scrib,
script |
write, written |
Latin |
inscribe - to write letters or words on a surface; scribe - a person who writes out documents; describe - to represent with words or pictures. |
|
se |
apart |
Latin |
secede - to formally break away from; seclude - to keep away from; serum - a liquid isolated out of another. |
|
sect |
cut |
Latin |
dissect - to cut apart piece by piece; intersection - the place or point where two things cross each other; bisect - to cut into two equal parts. |
|
sed, sid, sess |
sit |
Latin |
reside- be stationed; sediment- the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid; session- an actual or constructive sitting of a body |
|
self |
of, for, or by itself |
|
self-discipline - the ability to discipline yourself; self-respect - respect for yourself; selfish concerned only with your own interests. |
|
semi |
half, partial |
Latin |
semiannual - every half year; semicircle - half a circle; semiconscious - partly conscious; semiannual - every half of a year. |
|
sept/i |
seven |
Latin |
September - this used to be the seventh month in the Roman calendar; septet - a group of seven musicians; septuagenarian - a person in his/her seventies. |
|
serv |
save, keep |
Latin |
conserve - to save or keep something safe; preserve - to save something; reservation - a place kept for a person. |
|
sex |
six |
Latin |
sextet or sextette - a composition or group of six, sextuple - sixfold; sexagenarian - person in his/her sixties. |
|
sol |
alone |
Latin |
desolate - lonely, dismal, gloomy; solitary - done alone, by yourself; solo - a performance done by one person alone. |
|
sol |
sun |
Latin |
solar - involving the sun; parasol - umbrella protecting from the sun; solarium - a room where one is exposed to sun light. |
|
somn/I |
sleep |
Latin |
insomnia - inability to fall asleep; somniloquy - talking in your sleep; somnolent - feeling sleepy. |
|
son |
sound |
Latin |
consonant - a speech sound; sonorous - producing loud, full, rich sounds; supersonic - faster than sound; unison - as one voice. |
|
soph |
wise |
Greek |
philosopher - a wise person; sophisticated - wise about the ways of the world; sophism - a clever but misleading argument. |
|
spec/t,
spic |
see, look |
Latin |
circumspect - cautious, looking all around; retrospective - a looking back at past things; spectator - a person who sees an event. |
|
sphere |
ball |
Greek |
biosphere - the whole round surface of the earth; hemisphere - half the earth spherically shaped like a ball. |
|
spir |
breathe |
Latin |
inspire - to stimulate or animate; transpire - to give of vapor with waste product through the skin or a membrane; spirit - invisible life force. |
|
sta |
stand |
Latin |
stable - standing steady and firm; stagnant - standing still, not moving; stationary - at a standstill, fixed. |
|
stell |
star |
Latin |
constellation - a group of stars that forms a pattern; interstellar - between the stars; stellar - relating to stars. |
|
struct |
build |
Latin |
construct - to build; destruction - the act of destroying something that was built; structure - something built; infrastructure - underlying framework of a system. |
|
sub |
under, lower than,
inferior to |
Latin |
submarine - an underwater boat; submerge - to put underwater; substandard - inferior to accepted standards. |
|
sum |
highest |
Latin |
sum - the combined total of everything; summation - the total, highest amount; summit the highest point or top. |
|
super |
higher in quality
or quantity |
Latin |
Super bowl - the final annual football game; superior - above average, better in quality; supersonic - faster than the speed of sound. |
|
sy/m
/n/l/s |
together, with, same |
Greek |
symmetry -similarity in size, form or arrangement; synergy - the combined effect; synchronize - to cause to occur at the same time. |
|
tact, tang |
touch |
Latin |
contact - a state in which two things touch; tactile - relating to the sense of touch; tangible - able to be touched; intact - with nothing missing. |
|
tax/o |
arrangement |
Greek |
syntax - the systematic arrangement of words; taxonomy - the science of classification; ataxia - loss of the ability to coordinate muscle action. |
|
techno |
technique, skill |
Greek |
technology - the practical application of knowledge; technocracy - rule of technology; technologically - characterized by technology. |
|
tel/e/o |
far, distant, complete |
Greek |
telephone - a device to talk to a distant person; telescope - a device to view distant objects; television - a device to receive pictures from afar; telecommuting - working remotely, bridging the distance via virtual devices. |
|
temp/or |
time |
Latin |
contemporary- existing at the same time; temporal - relating to time; temporary - lasting for a limited time. |
|
ten, tin, tent |
hold |
Latin |
continent- serving to restrain or limit; detention- the act or fact of detaining, tenacious- having parts or elements strongly adhering to each other |
|
ter, trit |
rub |
Latin |
attrition- the act of rubbing together or wearing down; detritus- a product of disintegration or wearing away; trite- used or occurring so often as to have lost interest, freshness, or force |
|
term/ina |
end, limit |
Latin |
determine - to find something out at the end of an investigation; terminate - to end; exterminate - to destroy or get rid of completely. |
|
terr/a/i |
land, earth |
Latin |
extraterrestrial - existing outside the earth; terrain - ground or land; territory - an area of land. |
|
tetra |
four |
Latin |
tetrapod - having 4 legs; tetrarchy - government by 4 rulers; tetrose - a monosaccharide with four carbon atoms. |
|
the |
put |
Greek |
bibliotheca- a list or catalog of books; theme- a proposition for discussion or argument; thesis- a dissertation embodying results of original research and especially substantiating a specific view |
|
the/o |
god |
Greek |
monotheism - belief in one god; polytheism - worshiping more than one god; theology - the study of religion, god, etc. |
|
therm/o |
heat |
Greek |
thermal - relating to heat; thermos - an insulated jar that keeps heat in; thermostat - a device that controls heat. |
|
tort |
twist |
Latin |
contortion - a twisted shape or position; distort - to alter the shape or condition of; retort - reply in a manner that is supposed to change the effect of something previously said. |
|
tox |
poison |
Latin |
detoxification - the process of removing poisons; toxic - poisonous; toxicology - the study of poisons; intoxicated - influenced by drugs. |
|
tract |
pull, drag |
Latin |
attract - to pull objects nearer; distract - to drag attention away from something; tractor - a motor vehicle that pulls things. |
|
trans |
across,beyond, through |
Latin |
transcontinental - across the continent; transfer - to move from one place to another; transport - to carry something across a space. |
|
tri |
three, once in every three,
third |
Greek
Latin |
triangle - a figure with 3 sides and 3 angles; triathlon - an athletic contest with 3 events; tricycle - a 3-wheeI vehicle with pedals. |
|
ultra |
beyond, extreme, more than |
Latin |
ultrahigh - extremely high; ultramodern - more modern than anything else; ultrasonic - sound waves beyond human hearing. |
|
un |
not,opposite of, lacking |
Latin |
unabridged - not shortened; unfair - opposite of fair; unfriendly - lacking friendliness. |
|
uni |
one, single |
Latin |
unicycle - a vehicle with one wheel; unilateral - decided by only one person or nation; unique - the only one of its kind; unison - as one voice. |
|
urb |
city |
Latin |
suburb - residential area on the edge of a city; urban - relating to a city; urbanology - the study of city life. |
|
vac |
empty |
Latin |
evacuate - to empty a dangerous place; vacant - empty, not occupied; vacation - a time without work. |
|
ven/t |
come |
Latin |
circumvent - to go around or bypass restrictions; convention - a gathering or assembly of people with a common interest; intervene - to come between. |
|
ver/I |
truth |
Latin |
veracious - truthful, honest; veracity - the truth; verify - to make sure that something is true. |
|
verb |
word |
Latin |
verbalize - to put into words; adverb - a word relating to a verb; proverb - a short saying that expresses a well-known truth. |
|
vers,
vert |
turn |
Latin |
reverse - to turn around; introvert - being turned towards the inside; version - a variation of an original; controversy - a conversation in which positions are turned against each other. |
|
vice |
acting in place of,
next in rank |
Latin |
vice-president - the person next in rank to the president |
|
vid |
see |
Latin |
evident clearly seen |
|
vince,
vic |
conquer |
Latin |
convince - to win someone over; invincible - not able to be conquered; victory - the conquest of an enemy. |
|
vis, vid |
see |
Latin |
vision - the ability to see; envision - to picture in the mind; evident - clearly visible. |
|
viv/i
vit |
live, life |
Latin |
revival - the act of bringing back to life; vital - pertaining to live; vivacious - high-spirited and full of life. |
|
voc/i |
voice, call |
Latin |
advocate - to speak in favor of; equivocate - to use misleading language that could be interpreted two different ways; vocalize - to produce with your voice. |
|
vol/i/u |
wish, will |
Latin |
benevolent - showing good will and kindness; volition - the act of making a choice or decision, voluntary - resulting from your own free will. |
|
vor,
vour |
eat |
Latin |
carnivorous - meat-eating; voracious - desiring or eating food in great quantities; devour - to eat quickly. |
|
xanth |
yellow |
Latin |
xanthium- a genus of coarse and rough or spiny herbs; xanthochromia- yellowish discoloration (as of the skin or cerebrospinal fluid); xanthogenic |
|
xen/o |
foreign |
Greek |
xenophobic - afraid of foreigners; xenogenesis - the creation of offspring that is completely different from either parent; xenophile - attracted to foreigners. |
|
xer/o/I |
dry |
Greek |
xerophyte - a plant that grows in dry climate; xerography - a dry photocopying process; xeric - requiring small amounts of moisture. |
|
xyl |
wood |
Greek |
xylocarp; xyloid- resembling wood; xylophone-an organ percussion stop of similar tone quality |
|
zo/o |
animal life |
Greek |
zoology - study of animals; zooid - resembling an animal; zooplankton - minute floating aquatic animals. |
|
zyg/o |
pair |
Greek |
zygote - a cell formed by the union of two gametes and the organism developing from that; zygomorphic - pertaining to organisms that can be divided into symmetrical halves along one axis only. |
