50 Common Word Roots for the GRE
Below find, a list of 50 common word roots, prefixes, and suffixes that may help you on
the GRE, as well as some words that use each of those roots. This list was drawn up by
looking at what roots appeared repeatedly on official GRE prep materials.
Root, Prefix, or
Meaning Examples
suffix
a- without amoral, amorphous, asexual
ambi- on both sides ambidextrous, ambivalent
ante- before or in front antecedent, antedate
anti- against antipathy, antisocial
aqu/aqua- water aquatic, aqueous, aquarium, aqueduct
bene- good benefit, benediction, benevolent
bi- two bifurcate, biannual, bisect
bio- life biology, biography, biome
cede/ceed go or yield precede, exceed, recede
circumscribe, circumnavigate,
circum- around
circumvent
contradiction, contraception,
contra- against or opposite
controversy
cycl circle bicycle, cyclical
de- reduce or remove deescalate, defenestrate, decelerate
di-, dis- apart or away digress, disappear, diverge
edict, dictation, dictator, prediction,
dict speak or say
contradiction
dox belief orthodox, paradox, heterodox
du-, duo- two dual, duology, duochrome
em-, en- into, in embrace, enclose, encircle
coalesce, adolescence, obsolescent,
esce becoming
tumescent
ex- out or way exit, exhale, extirpate, exile
extra-, extro- beyond or outside extraordinary, extraterrestrial
fid/e faith bonafide, fidelity, confide
before, previously, forestall, before, forebear, forebode,
fore
earlier forecast
gram writing, letters diagram, grammar, epigram, telegram
graph writing, recording stenography, autograph, graphics
heterosexual, heterozygous,
hetero- different
heterogeneous, heterodox
homogenous, homosexual,
homo- same
homologous
hyper- excessive hyperactive, hyperbole
hypo- under, below hypothermia, hypocrite, hypoglycemic
inter- between intercede, interlude
intra-/intro- inside, within introvert, intramural, intravenous
junct joining juncture, conjunction, disjunct
-less without listless, aimless, heartless
-logy the study of biology, geology, psychology
mal, male bad, evil malediction, malice
mis- bad or incorrect misprint, misbehave, misstep
-ness state of being likeness, greatness
non- not, without nonfiction, nonresident
ob- against or before obdurate, obfuscate
omni- all, everything omnipotent, omniscient, omnivorous
pedi, pede foot pedestrian, pedicure
phil love or affinity bibliophile, philanthropy
pre- before or earlier pretest, preamble
pro- before or forward proceed, prologue
re- again, backwards reaction, rebound, reuse
sub- under or lower submarine, subprime
temp time temporal, contemporary, temporarily
tort twist tortuous, contortion
trans- across or beyond transnational, transit
un- not or opposite unimpressive, unwanted, unwarranted
