1st Grade

Prefix Suffix Definition Examples

-s,-es plural, more than one hats, pigs, boxes,

wishes
-ing action/ process helping, skipping,
running, seeing, thinking

-ed past tense jumped, helped

2nd Grade (Please review affixes from prior grade.)
Prefix Suffix Definition Examples

un- not/ opposite unlock, unsafe

re- again/ back reread, rewrite,
return
dis- not/ opposite of dislike, distrust
-er person connected teacher, writer,
with/ comparative degree baker, bigger, colder,
taller
-est superlative degree biggest, coldest,
tallest
3rd Grade (Please review affixes from prior grades.)
Prefix Suffix Definition Examples

dis- not/ opposite of dislike, distrust

in- not inactive, insane,
inexpensive
-ful full of beautiful, painful
-less without careless, helpless
-y characterized by/ like cloudy, fishy
-ly characteristic of badly, friendly,
quickly
4th Grade (Please review affixes from prior grades.)
Prefix Suffix Definition Examples

under- too little/ below underfed,

underground
over- too much/ above overdone, overhead
non- not nonfat, nonsense
pre- before preplan, pretest
bi- two bicycle, binocular
tri- three tricycle, triangle
quad- four quadrilateral,
quadrant
oct- eight octagon, octopus
-ion, –ation act of/ state of/ attention, vision,
–sion, -tion result of invitation

-ness condition/ state of darkness, fairness

-ly characteristic of badly, friendly,
quickly
-ment act/ process

-er, -or one who/ that which baker, boxer,

conductor, survivor

5th Grade (Please review affixes from prior grades.)

Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples

semi- half semicircle,

semicolon
super- above/ on top superfine,
of/ beyond superhuman,
supersonic
multi- many/ much multicolor,
multifamily
poly- many/ much polygon,
polysyllable
tele- distant/far Television,
telephone

mis- bad or badly/ misbehave,

wrong or wrongly misread, misspell

inter- between intercept,

interview, interstate

mid- middle midnight,

midweek
sub- under, beneath, subway, subsoil,
below/ substitute
secondary
deca- deci- ten decathlon,
decade, decimal,
decimeter

kilo- 1,000 kilogram,

kilowatt
milli- mille- 1,000 millennium,
millimeter
centi- 100 centimeter,
centipede
-able, -ible can be done enjoyable,
sensible, likable

-ian, -an one having a electrician,

certain skill/ magician,
relating to/ American, suburban
belonging to
-ship condition of/ championship,
skill friendship,
hardship, leadership

-ist one who does a artist, tourist

specific action
-logy, -ology science of/ biology,
study of chronology
-ism act/ belief/ patriotism,
practice of idealism,
absenteeism,

-ence, -ance act/ condition persistence,

of excellence,
assistance,
importance

-ess feminine actress, lioness

max(i) great maximum,

maximize
meter, metr measure diameter,
odometer, metric,
perimeter

photo light photograph,

telephoto,
photocopy
port to carry portable,
transport
 phobia, irrational fear aquaphobia,
phobic, phobe or hatred/ one who claustrophobic
fears/ hates technophobe

rupt break/ burst bankrupt,

rupture, disruptive

scrib, script to write describe,

manuscript

gram, graph written/ drawn autograph,

paragraph, telegram

dict to say/ tell diction, dictator

ject to throw inject, objection
spect, spec to see/ watch/ prospect,
observe respect, specimen

6th Grade (Please review affixes and roots from prior grades.)
Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples

en-, em- to cause to be/ encounter,

to put into or onto/ enable, employ,
to go into or onto embark, encircle

fore- before/ earlier forearm,

foreword
de- reduce down/ defeat, deform,
away from decrease
trans- across/ change/ transformation,
through transportation,
transfer
anti- opposite/ antibiotic,
against antifreeze
di-, dia- two/ through/ digraph,
across dialogue, diagonal

ex- out of/ away extract, exhale,

from extend
auto- self autograph,
automatic
in- (il-, im-, ir-) not inability,
impatient, irregular,
illegal

in- (il-, im-, ir-) in/ on/ toward infer, illustrate,

improve, irrigate
bio- life biography,
biological
mini- small miniature,
minimum

micro- small/ minute microbiology,

microscope
uni- one/ single unicorn,
unicycle, uniform

-en made of/ to wooden,

make dampen, tighten
-dom condition of boredom,
freedom, kingdom

-ity state of/ quality prosperity,

of equality
-al, -ial related to/ colonial,
characterized by biennial, dental,
betrayal
-ion, -ation act of/ state of/ tension,
–sion, -tion result of attention, elevation,
union

-ish relating to/ childish, foolish

characteristic
of
-ent, -ant an action/ student,
condition contestant,
immigrant
 -ent, -ant causing a obedient,
specific action absorbent,
abundant, elegant

-hood the state/ the boyhood,

condition/ the likelihood
quality

aqua water aquarium,

aquamarine
act put in motion/ action, react,
process of doing transact

mit to send emit, transmit

anni, annu, year anniversary,
enni semiannual,
millennium
arch chief/ ruler archenemy,
matriarch
duct, duc lead induce, conduct
geo earth/ ground/ geography,
soil geology
man hand manicure,
manually
nym, onym name/ word antonym,
synonym
phon voice/ sound telephone,
symphony
therm heat thermometer,
thermostat
tox poison toxic,
toxicology
scope to watch/ see horoscope,
microscope,
telescope
7th Grade (Please review affixes and roots from prior grades.)
Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples
ante- in front of/ antecedent,
before antebellum

ab- from/ away absent, absorb,

abnormal
a- on/ in/ to across, aboard,
aside
a- without/ not atypical, amoral,
asocial
co-, con-, com- together/ with cooperate,
concede, combine

pro- forward/ proceed,

before/ in support pronoun, prohibit
of

intra- within intranet,

intramural
mega- great/ huge megabyte,
megaphone
post- after/ following postpone,
postwar
-ous, full of/ adventurous,
-ious, characterized by nervous,
-eous mysterious,
courteous

-ive, inclined/ festive,

-itive, tending toward an talkative, active,
-ative action sensitive

-ic relating to/ energetic,

characterized by historic

-ize to make/ to fertilize,

cause to become criticize, apologize

-fy, -ify to make satisfy, magnify

-age result of an manage,
action/ drainage, acreage
collection
-some characterized awesome,
by a specified lonesome
quality, condition,
or action

chron time chronology,

synchronize
temp time temporary,
temperature
aer, aero air aerial, aerospace
cede, ceed to go/ yield/ proceed, secede,
surrender precede, concede

cept, ceive to take/ catch/ accept, deceive

seize/ hold/
receive

fract, frag to break fracture,

fraction, fragment

gen race, kind, or gender, genetics,

species/ birth genesis
grat thanks/ congratulations,
pleasing gratify
liber free liberty, liberate
leg, lect, lig law/ to choose/ legend, legal,
to pick/ to read/ intelligent, elect,
to speak lecture

mater, matr, mother maternal,

matri matrimony,
matriarch
pater, patr father paternal, patriot
mot, mob to move motivate,
mobilize
opt eye/ to make a optometry,
choice optic, optional
ped, pod foot pedal,
pedestrian,
tripod
ped child pediatrician
 urb city urban, suburban

pop people population,

popular
tract to draw/ pull attract, distract,
retract
form to shape conform,
reform, transform

pend to hang/ weigh suspend,

pendulum
8th Grade (Please review affixes and roots from prior grades.)
Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples

hyper- over/ above/ hyperactive,

excessive hypercritical
hypo-, hyp- below/ less hypothermia,
than normal hypnosis
omni- all omnipresent,
omniscient
homo- same homogeneous,
homonym
hetero- different/ other heterochromatic,
heterogeneous

ultra- beyond in ultramarine,

degree/ ultraviolet
extreme
-cide kill germicide,
pesticide
-ery relating to/ imagery,
quality/ place pottery, bakery
where
-ary relating to/ dictionary,
place where/ infirmary
one who cautionary, dietary,
missionary

-ium chemical helium,

element/ group aquarium
 -tude condition/ altitude,
state/ quality of gratitude
aud to hear/ listen audible, audition
cred to believe credit,
incredible
archae, arche, primitive/ archaeologist,
archi ancient archives, achetype

belli war belligerent,

bellicose
claim, clam to declare/ call exclaim,
out/ cry out clamorous
crat, cracy rule/ strength/ democrat,
power aristocracy
hemo, hema blood hematology,
hemophilia
luna moon lunar, lunatic
mar sea maritime,
submarine
mort death mortuary,
mortality
path feeling/ apathetic,
suffering/ pathology
disease
pel to drive/ push expel, propeller
struc, struct to build construct,
instructor

vis, vid to see vision, evidence

voc, voke to call advocate,
revoke

cogn to know cognition,

recognize
loc, loqu to speak/ talk/ colloquial,
say ventriloquist,
loquacious
9th Grade (Please review affixes and roots from prior grades.)
Prefix Suffix Root Definition Examples

bene well/ good benediction,

beneficial
cardi heart cardiac,
cardiology
ego self egocentric,
egoism
don, donat give/ gift donate, donation
 luc, lum light translucent,
illuminate
mania madness/ maniac,
frenzy/ kleptomania
abnormal
desire/
obsession
nate, nat born native, innate
neg no/ deny negative, negate
neo new neonatal
nov new novice
phys nature physics,
physical
psych mind/ soul psychic,
psychopath
reg guide/ rule regime, regent
sci to know/ learn science,
conscience
sol alone solitary,
soliloquy
tact, tang to touch contact, tangible
terr land terrain, territory
vac empty vacate, evacuate
ver, veri true/ genuine verdict,
veritable
re
de
con
struct s
ed ing

de in ob sub ive ly
super infra or s
ion s
ism ist

ure s
ed ing

al ly
Origin Additional
Information
Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxon Present participle of

verb

Anglo-Saxon Past tense verb

Origin Additional
Information
Anglo-Saxon
Latin

Latin
Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxon Usually an adjective

Origin Additional
Information
Latin
Latin

Anglo-Saxon Usually an adjective

Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon Usually an adverb

Origin Additional
Information
Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxon
Latin
Latin
Latin
Latin/ Greek
Latin
Latin/ Greek
Anglo-Saxon Noun
(See 6th grade for
explanation)
Anglo-Saxon Usually a noun
Anglo-Saxon Usually an adverb

enjoyment, Latin
replacement
Latin Usually a noun
Use –or with Latin
roots for nouns
(inventor, elevator) Use
–er with
Anglo-Saxon roots
(heater, swimmer)

Origin Additional
Information
Latin

Latin

Latin

Greek

Greek

Latin

Latin

Anglo-Saxon

Latin

Latin/ Greek

Greek
Latin

Latin

Latin -able ending words

have roots that can stand
alone. enjoyable
-ible ending words have
roots that can not stand
alone. sensible

Latin Usually a noun

Anglo-Saxon Usually a noun

Latin/ Greek Usually a noun

Greek

Latin/ Greek Usually a noun

Latin Usually a noun

-ence and –ance sound
alike because of the
schwa. –ence is used
somewhat more often
than – ance.

Latin/ Greek Usually a noun

Latin

Greek

Greek

Latin
Greek There are names for
more than 500 phobias,
most of which come from
the field of medicine.

Latin FYI: Erupt means to

explode. (The volcano
erupted.) Irrupt means to
rush or burst in. (The
police irrupted into the
hideout.)

Latin Verbs usually use

scribe, as in prescribe;
nouns usually use script,
as in prescription.

Greek

Latin
Latin
Latin

Origin Additional
Information
Latin

Anglo-Saxon

Latin

Latin

Greek

Greek

Latin/ Greek

Greek
Latin il- used before roots
beginning with l
illegible
im- used before roots
beginning with b, m, p
immature, imbalance,
impatient

ir- used before roots

beginning with r
irregular
Same prefix usage is
applied as above
Greek

Latin From the Latin word

miniature… Modern
generations shortened
miniature to mini-.
Greek

Latin

Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxon Usually a noun

Latin Usually a noun

Latin Usually an adjective

Anglo-Saxon The real suffix is

–ion. Putting s or t in
front of –ion is
simply determined by the
spelling of the root.
Usually a noun

Anglo-Saxon Usually an adjective

Latin Often a noun

The suffix –ant often
indicates a person noun.
Latin Often an adjective
-ent and –ant sound alike
because of the schwa. –
ent is used somewhat
more often than –ant.

Anglo-Saxon Usually a noun

History of the suffix
–hood
 Old English: -had
 Middle English: -
hod
 Modern English:
-hood
Latin

Latin

Latin
Latin Usually a noun

Greek

Latin
Greek

Latin

Greek

Greek

Greek

Latin

Greek

Origin Additional
Information
Latin Fun information –
antepenultimate means
next to the next to the
last…this word can
usually be found on the
SAT.
Latin

Anglo-Saxon/
Latin
Anglo-Saxon/
Latin
Latin Concrete – meaning
to harden or to grow
together
Latin/ Greek Some words with
pro- as a prefix are often
hyphenated, so be sure to
check the dictionary.

Latin

Greek

Latin

Latin Usually an adjective

Latin Words that end with

–de (intrude) change the
–de to s then add
–ive (intrusive). Words
that end with silent e
(create) drop the e then
add –ive (creative).

Latin/ Greek Usually an adjective

Latin/ Greek Usually a verb

Latin Usually a verb

Latin
Anglo-Saxon Primarily used with
Anglo-Saxon base words.

Greek

Latin

Greek
Latin

Latin Additional roots with

same definition: cap
(captive) ceit (conceit)
cep (concept)
cip (municipal)

Latin

Latin

Latin

Latin
Latin The roots lect, lect,
and lig are related to the
Greek combining form
logos, meaning speech or
word.
Latin

Latin
Latin

Latin

Latin

Greek
Latin Exurb: a modern
word meaning large cities
that directly surround a
major city (Arlington is
an
exurb of Dallas.)
Latin

Latin

Latin

Latin

Origin Additional
Information
Greek

Greek

Latin

Latin

Greek Heteronyms: words

with the same spelling,
but different meanings
(dove – the bird;

dove – did dive)

Latin

Latin Usually a noun

Anglo-Saxon Usually a noun

Latin Noun/ adjective

Greek Usually a noun

Latin Usually a noun

Latin
Latin

Greek

Latin

Latin

Greek

Greek

Latin
Latin

Latin

Greek

Latin
Latin See Affix Matrix for
the root struct on final
page of this document.

Latin
Latin

Latin

Latin

Origin Additional
Information
Latin

Latin

Latin

Latin
 Latin

Greek

Latin
Latin
Greek
Latin
Greek

Greek

Latin
Latin

Latin

Latin
Latin
Latin
Latin

ly
s
s
ism ist

s
ed ing

ly