Transcription of Prefix-Suffix-Root List by Grade Level
1 1 Prefix-Suffix-RootList by Grade Level (Generally, prefixes and suffixes change the meanings of roots, but it is usually the suffix that denotes the part of speech.)1stGradePrefixSuffixDefinitionEx amplesOriginAdditionalInformation-s,-esp lural, more than onehats, pigs, boxes,wishesAnglo-Saxon-ingaction/proces shelping, skipping,running, seeing,thinkingAnglo-SaxonPresent participle ofverb-edpast tensejumped, helpedAnglo-SaxonPast tense verb2ndGrade(Please review affixes from prior Grade .)PrefixSuffixDefinitionExamplesOri ginAdditionalInformationun-not/oppositeu nlock, unsafeAnglo-Saxonre-again/ backreread, rewrite,returnLatindis-not/ opposite ofdislike, distrustLatin-erperson connectedwith/ comparativedegreeteacher, writer,baker, bigger,colder, tallerAnglo-Saxon-estsuperlative degreebiggest, coldest,tallestAnglo-SaxonUsually an adjective3rd Grade (Please review affixes from prior grades.)
2 PrefixSuffixDefinitionExamplesOriginAddi tionalInformationdis-not/ opposite ofdislike, distrustLatinin -notinactive, insane,Latin2inexpensive-fulfull ofbeautiful, painfulAnglo-SaxonUsually an adjective-lesswithoutcareless, helplessAnglo-Saxon-ycharacterized by/ likecloudy, fishyAnglo-Saxon-lycharacteristic ofbadly, friendly,quicklyAnglo-SaxonUsually an adverb4thGrade(Please review affixes from prior grades.)PrefixSuffixDefinitionExamplesOr iginAdditionalInformationunder-too little/ belowunderfed,undergroundAnglo-Saxonover -too much/ aboveoverdone, overheadAnglo-Saxonnon-notnonfat, nonsenseLatinpre-beforepreplan, pretestLatinbi-twobicycle, binocularLatintri -threetricycle, triangleLatin/ Greekquad-fourquadrilateral,quadrantLati noct-eightoctagon, octopusLatin/ greek -ion, ation sion, -tionact of/ state of/result ofattention, vision,invitationAnglo-SaxonNoun(See 6thgrade forexplanation)
3 -nesscondition/ state ofdarkness, fairnessAnglo-SaxonUsually a noun-lycharacteristic ofbadly, friendly,quicklyAnglo-SaxonUsually an adverb-mentact/ processenjoyment,replacementLatin-er , -orone who/ that whichbaker, boxer,conductor, survivorLatinUsually a nounUse orwith Latinroots for nouns(inventor, elevator)Use erwithAnglo-Saxon roots(heater, swimmer)35thGrade(Please review affixes from prior grades.)PrefixSuffixRootDefinitionExampl esOriginAdditionalInformationsemi-halfse micircle,semicolonLatinsuper-above/ on topof/ beyondsuperfine,superhuman,supersonicLat inmulti-many/ muchmulticolor,multifamilyLatinpoly-many / muchpolygon,polysyllableGreektele-distan t/farTelevision,tel ephoneGreekmis-bad or badly/wrong orwronglymisbehave,misread,misspellLatin inter-betweenintercept,interview,interst ateLatinmid-middlemidnight,midweekAnglo- Saxonsub-under, beneath,below/secondarysubway, subsoil,substituteLatindeca- deci-tendecathlon,decade,decimal,decimet erLatin/ Greekkilo-1,000kilogram.
4 KilowattGreekmilli- mille-1,000millennium,millimeterLatin4ce nti-100centimeter,centipedeLatin-able, -iblecan be doneenjoyable,sensible, likableLatin-ableending wordshave roots that canstand wordshave roots that cannot stand ,-anone having acertain skill/relating to/belonging toelectrician,magician,American,suburban LatinUsually a noun-shipcondition of/skillchampionship,friendship,hardship ,leadershipAnglo-SaxonUsually a noun-istone who does aspecific actionartist, touristLatin/ GreekUsually a noun-logy,-ologyscience of/study ofbiology,chronologyGreek-ismact/ belief/practice ofpatriotism,idealism,absenteeism, latin / GreekUsually a noun-ence, -anceact/ conditionofpersistence,excellence,assist ance,importanceLatinUsually a noun-enceand ancesound alike becauseof the schwa.
5 Enceis used somewhatmore often than , lionessLatin/ GreekUsually a noun5max(i)greatmaximum,maximizeLatinmet er,metrmeasurediameter,odometer,metric,p erimeterGreekphotolightphotograph,teleph oto,photocopyGreekportto carryportable,transportLatinphobia,phobi c,phobeirrational fearor hatred/ onewho fears/hatesaquaphobia,claustrophobictech nophobeGreekThere are names formore than 500phobias, most ofwhich come from thefield of burstbankrupt,rupture,disruptiveLatinFYI : Erupt means toexplode. (Thevolcano erupted.)Irrupt means to rushor burst in. (Thepolice irrupted intothe hideout.)scrib,scriptto writedescribe,manuscriptLatinVerbs usually usescribe,as inprescribe; nounsusually usescript,asin ,graphwritten/ drawnautograph,paragraph,telegramGreekdi ctto say/ telldiction, dictatorLatinjectto throwinject, objectionLatin6spect,specto see/ watch/observeprospect,respect,specimenLa tin6thGrade(Please review affixes and roots from prior grades.)
6 PrefixSuffixRootDefinitionExamplesOrigin AdditionalInformationen -, em-to cause to be/to put into oronto/ to go intoor ontoencounter,enable, employ,embark, encircleLatinfore-before/ earlierforearm,forewordAnglo-Saxonde-red uce down/away fromdefeat, deform,decreaseLatintrans-across/ change/throughtransformation,transportat ion,transferLatinanti-opposite/againstan tibiotic,antifreezeGreekdi-, dia-two/ through/acrossdigraph,dialogue,diagonalG reekex -out of/ awayfromextract, exhale,extendLatin/ Greekauto-selfautograph,automaticGreekin - (il -, im-, ir -)notinability,impatient,irregular, illegalLatinil -used before rootsbeginning withlillegibleim -used before rootsbeginning withb, m,pimmature, imbalance,impatient7ir- used before rootsbeginning withrirregularin - (il -, im-, ir -)
7 In/ on/ towardinfer, illustrate,improve, irrigateSame prefix usage isapplied as abovebio-lifebiography,biologicalGreekmi ni-smallminiature,minimumLatinFrom the latin Moderngenerations shortenedminiature minutemicrobiology,microscopeGreekuni-on e/ singleunicorn,unicycle,uniformLatin-enma de of/ tomakewooden,dampen, tightenAnglo-Saxon-domcondition ofboredom,freedom,kingdomAnglo-SaxonUsua lly a noun-itystate of/ qualityofprosperity,equalityLatinUsually a noun-al, -ialrelated to/characterizedbycolonial,biennial, dental,betrayalLatinUsually an adjective-ion, -ation sion, -tionact of/ state of/result oftension,attention,elevation, unionAnglo-SaxonThe real suffix is ion.
8 Puttingsortinfront of ionissimply determined bythe spelling of a noun-ishrelating to/characteristicchildish, foolishAnglo-SaxonUsually an adjective8of-ent,-antan action/conditionstudent,contestant,immig rantLatinOften a nounThe suffix antoftenindicates a , -antcausing aspecific actionobedient,absorbent,abundant,elegan tLatinOften an adjective-entand antsoundalike because of theschwa. entis usedsomewhat more oftenthan state/ thecondition/ thequalityboyhood,likelihoodAnglo-SaxonU sually a nounHistory of the suffix hood Old English:-had Middle English:-hod Modern English:-hoodaquawateraquarium,aquamarin eLatinactput in motion/process ofdoingaction, react,transactLatinmitto sendemit, transmitLatinanni, annu,enniyearanniversary,semiannual,mill enniumLatinUsually a nounarchchief/ rulerarchenemy,matriarchGreekduct,duclea dinduce, conductLatingeoearth/ ground/soilgeography,geologyGreekmanhand manicure,manuallyLatin9nym,onymname/ wordantonym,synonymGreekphonvoice/ soundtelephone,symphonyGreekthermheatthe rmometer,thermostatGreektoxpoisontoxic,t oxicologyLatinscopeto watch/ seehoroscope,microscope.
9 TelescopeGreek7thGrade(Please review affixes and roots from prior grades.)PrefixSuffixRootDefinitionExampl esOriginAdditionalInformationante-in front of/beforeantecedent,antebellumLatinFun information antepenultimatemeans next to thenext to the can usually befound on the awayabsent, absorb,abnormalLatina-on/ in/ toacross, aboard,asideAnglo-Saxon/Latina-without/ notatypical, amoral,asocialAnglo-Saxon/Latinco-, con-, com-together/ withcooperate,concede,combineLatinConcre te meaningto harden or to growtogetherpro-forward/before/ insupport ofproceed,pronoun,prohibitLatin/ GreekSome words withpro-as a prefix areoften hyphenated, sobe sure to check.
10 IntramuralLatinmega-great/ hugemegabyte,megaphoneGreekpost-after/ followingpostpone,postwarLatin-ous,-ious ,-eousfull of/characterizedbyadventurous,nervous,my sterious,courteousLatinUsually an adjective-ive,-itive,-ativeinclined/tend ing towardan actionfestive,talkative, active,sensitiveLatinWords that end with de (intrude) changethe de to s then add ive (intrusive).Words that end withsilent e (create) dropthe e then add ive(creative).-icrelating to/characterizedbyenergetic,historicLati n/ GreekUsually an adjective-izeto make/ tocause tobecomefertilize,criticize,apologizeLat in/ GreekUsually a verb-fy , -ifyto makesatisfy, magnifyLatinUsually a verb-ageresult of anaction/collectionmanage,drainage,acrea geLatin-somecharacterizedby a specifiedquality,condition, oractionawesome,lonesomeAnglo-SaxonPrima rily used withAnglo-Saxon ,Greek11synchronizetemptimetemporary,tem peratureLatinaer,aeroairaerial, aerospaceGreekcede,ceedto go/ yield/surrenderproceed, secede,precede,concedeLatincept.
