leg, lect read, choose legible, lectern, lecturer, election

COMMON ROOT WORDS AND WORD ORIGINS liter letter literature, illiterate, literal
ROOTS MEANING WORD loc place local, location
alter other alternate, alter ego log word monologue, epilogue
ami, amic- love amiable, amicable luc light lucid, elucidate
amphi both ends or all sides Amphibian magn large magnify, magnate, magnificent
ann, enni year anniversary, annual, biennial, perennial man hand manufacture, manual, manuscript
anthrop human, man anthropology, anthropomorphic, misanthrope mar sea marine, mariner
aqua, aque water aquatic, aquarium, aqueduct mater mother maternal, maternity, matriarchy, matricide
arch chief, leader, ruler archangel, monarch, archaic, archenemy mere part, segment mere
arthro joint Arthritis meta, met behind, between metacognitionbehind the thinking
aud sound auditorium, audible, audiologist, audiotape metri, meter- measure geometric, thermometer, odometer
bell war belligerent, bellicose min small minority, minuscule, minute
biblio book bibliography, bibliophile mit, miss send permit, submission, mission, emit,
bio- life biography, autobiography, biology, antibiotic mob, mot, mov move mobile, automobile, motion, promote, movie
brev short brief, abbreviate Mon warn premonition, admonition
cap take, seize capture, captivate, capacity mor, mort death mortal, mortician, immortality
carn meat carnivorous, chili con carne Morph form, structure metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology
ced yield, go recede, secede, proceed, intercede, concession Mut change mutant, mutability, mutate
chrom- color chromatic, monochrome, polychrome Neuro nerve neurology, neurosis, neurobiology
chron- time chronicle, chronology, chronometer, synchronize nomen /nomin name nominal, nominate, nomenclature
cogn know recognize, cognitive, incognito Nov new novel, renovate, innovation, novella
cord/chord cord Harpsichord nym, onym word, name synonym, acronym, anonymous, pseudonym
corp body corpus, corpse, corporal Odonto tooth orthodontistone who straightens teeth
crac, crat rule, ruler autocrat, democracy, bureaucrat, democracy ortho- straight, correct orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic
cred believe credible, credulous, credibility, credit, credo Pac peace pacify, Pacific Ocean, pacifist
cruc cross crucifix, crucial Pater father paternal, paternity, patricide, patrilineal, patriotic
crusta shell Crustacean Path feeling, suffering sympathy, apathy, empathy, telepathy, pathology
crypt hidden cryptogram, cryptology, cryptic ped, pod foot pedal, pedometer, centipede, gastropod
culp guilt culpable, culprit pel, puls push pulsate, repulsive, impulse, compel, propel
dei god deity, deify Pend hang, weigh pendulum, pendant, suspend, pending
demo- people demography, democracy, epidemic phon-, phono- sound, voice telephone, euphony, cacophony, phonograph
dent tooth dentist, dentifrice, dentin Plan flat planar, plantation, plane
derm- skin dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic Pneum lung pneumatic
dic speak, say dictate, predict, diction, indict Pod feet podiatrist
dox belief, opinion orthodoxy, paradox, heterodoxy port carry portable, transport, portage, report,
duc, duct lead induce, deduce, seduction, conduct, abduct pot power potent, omnipotent, potentate
duo two Duo psych- soul, spirit, mind psychology, psychic, psychobiography
dynam- power dynamo, hydrodynamics pugna fight pugnacious, pugilist
ego self egotist, egomania quer, quis ask query, inquisition,
equ equal equal, equity, equanimity, equate, equidistant scent, scend climb ascend, ascent
fac make, do manufacture, factory, benefactor schizo, schiz division, split schizophrenic
fil threadlike Filament sci know scientific
frater brother fraternal, fraternize sciss cut scissors
gam- marriage monogamy, polygamy, bigamy scrib, script write manuscript, scribe, proscribe, scripture
geo- earth geopolitical, geology, geography, geothermal sec, sect cut dissect, section
glyph vertical groove HieroglyphicsEgyptian sky writing sed, sess sit sedentary, session
grad, gress step gradual, progression, transgression sens, sent feel, be aware sensible, sentient
graph- writing, printing graphology, biography, telegraph, geography sequ, secu follow sequence, sequel, consecutive
gym naked Gymnasium serv serve, protect service
gyn- woman gynecologist, androgynous simil same similar, assimilate, simile, facsimile (fax)
hemo, hema, hem blood hemophilia, hematology, hemoglobin siphon tube siphon
holo whole, entire Holograph sol sun solar
hydro, hydr water dehydrate, hydraulics, hydroelectric, hydroplane son sound sonar, resonate, unison
iso equal, identical Isolate soph wisdom, knowledge philosophy, sophisticated, sophomore (wise fool)
ject throw inject, reject, subject, projection spec, spic look, see spectacles, spectator, inauspicious, prospect
jud judge judicial, judge, adjudicate
 spir coil spiral im- not imperfect, impolite, impossible
spir breathe inspire, respiration, conspire, perspiration im- into imbibe (drink in, take in)
in- not indiscreet, invisible
spond, spons promise, answer for respond, responsible
in- into incorporate (take into the body)
spont by one's own force spontaneous
inter- between intervene (come between), interstate
stat stay, position station
intra- within intrastate, intramural
tang, tact touch tactile, tangible
ir- not irregular, irrational, irredeemable
temp time temporary, temporize
macro- large macrocosm, macroeconomics
ten, tent hold tentative, tenable, tenuous
mal, male- bad, evil malediction malevolent, malnutrition
terr earth subterranean, terrain, terrestrial, disinter
meta- beyond metaphysical
theo god, deity theology, polytheism, atheist, monotheism micro- small microscope, microcosm, microeconomics
therm- heat thermal, thermos, thermometer mono- one, single monologue, monotheism, monarchy, monogamy
trophy nutrition, food atrophywithout nutrition neo- new, recent neologism, neo-liberal, neonatology. neolithic
uro urine urologist ob- against object, obstruct (build against)
vac empty vacation, vacuum, vacuous, vacant palin-, pali- back, again palindrome
ven, vent come, go intervene, convene, contravene pan- all, every pantheism, Pan-Hellenic, panorama, pandemic
ver truth veracity, verify, verity para- false paramilitary, paralegal, parachute
vert turn introvert, irreversible, vertigo per- through percolate (flow through) perforate (punch through)
vit life vital, revitalize, vitamin peri- around perimeter, periscope
voc call revoke, invocation, vocal, evocative, convocation phil-, philo- like, lover of philosophy, Francophile, bibliophile, philanthropy
zoo animal zoo, zoology, zoolatry poly- many, several polygon, polygamy, polytechnic, polytheism
post- after postgraduate, posthumous postpone
pre- before precede, predict (tell before)
PREFIXES pro- for, forward promote, project
PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLES pros- toward, in front prospectview in front, something coming up
a-, an- not, without amoral, anesthetic, apolitical, asocial proto- first prototype, protoplasm, protobiology
ab- away from abduction, abstain, abnormal pseudo false pseudonym, pseudoscience
ad- to, toward adjoin, adjacent (lying near to) re- again, back repeat, recede, regress (step back)
ambi- both ambidextrous, ambivalent retro- back retrogression, retroactive
ana- up, back, again analogy, anatomy, anagram se- away from seduce (lead away), secede
anti- against antipathy, antiwar, antisocial sub- under submarine, subject, subhuman subterranean
apo- from, away from apology, apologize sur-, super- over, above superhuman, superego, superintend, surpass
auto- self autobiography, automobile, autocracy, automaton syn-, sym-, syl-, sys- with, together symphony, synonym, system, syllable
bene- good benediction benevolent benefactor tele- distant, far off telephone, telepathy, television, telegram
cata-, cat- down, against catastrophe--a turning down trans- across transient, Transatlantic, transport (carry across)
centro, centri- around, center concentric, centrifugal
circum- around circumlocution circumference, circumvent SUFFIXES
com- with, together communal, community SUFFIX DEFINITION EXAMPLE
con- with, together connect, confide conspire -agog, -agogue leader demagogue, pedagogue
contra- against contradict, contravene -cide kill(ing) patricide, infanticide, herbicide. suicide
de- down, away descend, deject (cast down) -ectomy cutting appendectomy, splenectomy
dia-, di- through, across diameter, division
-ia, -y act, state amnesia, mania, democracy, anarchy
dis- apart, not disengage, discord, discomfort
dys- ill, difficult, bad dysfunctional, dysentery -ic, -tic, -ical, -ac having to do with anthropomorphic, dramatic, biblical, cardiac
e- out of, from elect (choose out of), eject (throw out) -ics things having to do with optics, physics
ecto- on the outside ectoderm--outer skin -isk, -iscus small asterisk--a little star
en-, em- In empathy--feeling in -ism the belief in pacifism, terrorism, socialism, communism
endo- within, inside endoscope--instrument for observing inside -ist one who believes in pacifist, terrorist, socialist, communist
epi- upon epitaph epidermis, epicenter
-ite one connected with meteorite, polite, cosmopolite
eso- inward, within esoteric--more inward, esophagus
eu- well, good euthanasia--good death -logy study field of biology, geology, etymology, cardiology
ex- out of, from exhume, exhale, exodus -oid resembling, like-shaped asteroid, spheroid
hetero- other, different heterosexual, heterodoxy, heterodox heterogeneous -or, -er one who takes part in doctor, actor, teacher, driver
homo- same homosexual, homogeneous, homogenized
-phobia exaggerated fear photophobia, claustrophobia, agoraphobia
hyper- over hypertension, hypersensitive, hyperactivity
hypo- under hypotension, hypodermic
-sis act, state, condition of analysis
il- not illegitimate, illicit, illegal, illegible