January 21, 2010
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Word Roots and Prefixes, Page 3 | Robert A.
Harris January 21, 2010 |
| Root or Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
| re | back, again | report, realign, retract, revise, regain, reflect, rename, restate, recombine, recalculate, redo |
| retro | backwards | retrorocket, retrospect, retrogression, retroactive |
| sanct | holy | sanctify, sanctuary, sanction, sanctimonious, sacrosanct |
| scrib, script | to write | inscription,
prescribe, proscribe, manuscript, conscript, scribble, scribe, postscript, transcript |
| sect, sec | cut | intersect, transect, dissect, secant, section |
| semi | half | semifinal, semiconscious, semiannual, semimonthly, semicircle |
| spect | to look | inspect, spectator, circumspect, retrospect, prospect, spectacle |
| sub | under, below | submerge, submarine, substandard, subnormal, subvert, subdivision, submersible, submit |
| super, supra | above | superior, suprarenal, superscript, supernatural, supercede, superficial, superhero, superimpose |
| syn | together | synthesis, synchronous, syndicate, synergy, snyopsis, syncretism |
| tele | distance, from afar | television,
telephone, telegraph, telemetry, telepathy, teleconference |
| theo, the | God | theology,
theist, polytheist, pantheism, atheist, monotheist, theophany |
| therm, thermo | heat | thermal, thermometer, thermocouple, thermodynamic, thermoelectric |
| tract | to drag, draw | attract, tractor, traction, extract, retract, protract, detract, subtract, contract, intractable |
| trans | across | transoceanic, transmit, transport, transducer, transit, intransitive |
| un | not | uncooked, unharmed, unintended, unhappy, unenlightened, unremarkable |
| veh, vect, vey |
to carry | vector, vehicle,
convection, vehement, convey, conveyance, conveyor |
| vert, vers | to turn | convert, revert, advertise, versatile, vertigo, invert, reversion, extravert, introvert |
| ven, vent | to come | convention,
prevent, intervention, convent, Advent, invent, inventory |
| verm | worm | vermin, vermicelli, vermiculite, vermicide, vermiform, vermilion |
| vita | life | vital, vitality, vitamins, revitalize |
| vol | to will | benevolent, volition, voluntary, malevolent |
Don't forget to study the many, powerful conjunctions that join words and phrases and clauses together.
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| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
| mono, uni | one | monopoly, monotype, monologue, mononucleosis, monorail, monotheist, unilateral, universal, unity, unanimous, uniform |
| bi, di | two | divide, diverge, diglycerides, bifurcate, biweekly, bivalve, biannual, billion |
| tri | three | triangle, trinity, trilateral, triumvirate, tribune, trilogy, tricycle, trillion |
| quat, quad | four | quadrangle, quadruplets, quaternary, quarter, quadrillion |
| quint, penta | five | quintet, quintuplets, pentagon, pentane, pentameter, quintillion |
| hex, ses, sex | six | hexagon, hexameter, sestet, sextuplets, sextillion |
| sept | seven | septet,
septennial, septillion, September |
| oct | eight | octopus,
octagon, octogenarian, octave, octillion, October |
| non | nine | nonagon, nonagenarian, nonillion |
| dec | ten | decimal, decade,
decalogue, decimate, decillion, December |
| cent | hundred | centennial, century, centipede, centillion |
| mill, kilo | thousand (10^3) | millennium, kilobyte, kiloton |
| mega | million (10^6) | megabyte,
megaton, megaflop, megawatt |
| giga | billion (10^9) | gigabyte,
gigaflop, gigahertz, gigawatt |
| tera | trillion (10^12) | terabyte,
teraflop, terawatt |
| peta | quadrillion (10^15) | petabyte |
| exa | quintillion (10^18) | exabyte |
| zetta | sextillion (10^21) | zettabyte |
| yotta | septilion (10^24) | yottabyte |
| milli | thousandth (10^-3) | millisecond,
milligram, millivolt, milliwatt, millimeter, millipede |
| micro | millionth (10^-6) | microgram,
microvolt, microwave, microsecond |
| nano | billionth (10^-9) | nanosecond,
nanobucks, nanofarad, nanometer, nanomachine, nanotube, nanotechnology,
nanogram, nanoscale |
| pico | trillionth (10^-12) | picofarad,
picocurie, picogram, picomole, picosecond |
| femto | quadrillionth (10^-15) | femtosecond |
| atto | quintillionth (10^-18) | attosecond, attometer |
| zepto | sextillionth (10^-21) | zeptosecond |
| yocto | septillionth (10^-24) | yoctosecond |
End note: In my second year of Latin in high school, we were required to find twenty-five Latin word roots and for each root to find five English words containing the root. This exercise not only helped to increase my vocabulary, but it gave me a valuable insight into the way many English words are constructed. As technology advances, new words are coined to cover some new idea or thing, and often these words are created from existing roots. A little root knowledge here can therefore help us to begin to understand a new word even before we read about its meaning.
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