Greek & Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes
Most long English words are built from parts. Learn the parts, and you can read words you have never seen.
Prefix
Added to the front of a word to change its meaning: unhappy, rewrite, preview, misunderstand.
Suffix
Added to the end, often changing the word class: teacher, hopeful, careless, quickly.
Root
The core that carries the meaning, often from Latin or Greek: transport, inspect, biology.
Take a word apart
Pick a word, then tap each part to see what it means. The literal meaning builds up as you go.
Revealed 0 of 3 parts.
Build words from one root
Keep the root, change what goes around it. Every combination here is a real English word.
Greek and Latin roots
| Root | Meaning | From | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| aqua | water | Latin aqua | aquarium, aqueduct, aquatic, aquifer, aquamarine |
| aud | hear | Latin audire | audio, audience, audible, auditorium, audit |
| auto | self | Greek autos | automobile, automatic, autograph, autobiography, autonomous |
| bio | life | Greek bios | biology, biography, antibiotic, biome, biodiversity |
| cap/cept | take, seize | Latin capere | capture, accept, receive, concept, except |
| chron | time | Greek chronos | chronology, synchronize, chronic, anachronism, chronicle |
| dict | say, speak | Latin dicere | predict, dictionary, verdict, contradict, dictate |
| duct | lead | Latin ducere | conduct, produce, reduce, aqueduct, educate |
| fac/fact | make, do | Latin facere | factory, manufacture, artifact, affect, perfect |
| geo | earth | Greek ge | geography, geology, geometry, geothermal, geopolitical |
| gram/graph | write, record | Greek graphein | photograph, diagram, grammar, autograph, paragraph |
| hydr | water | Greek hydor | hydrogen, hydrate, hydraulic, dehydrate, hydroelectric |
| log/logy | word, study, reason | Greek logos | biology, dialogue, logic, geology, psychology |
| luc/lum | light | Latin lux/lumen | lucid, illuminate, luminous, translucent, luminance |
| man/manu | hand | Latin manus | manual, manufacture, manage, manuscript, manicure |
| micro | small | Greek mikros | microscope, microphone, microwave, microchip, microbe |
| mit/miss | send | Latin mittere | transmit, mission, dismiss, permit, submit |
| mort | death | Latin mors/mortis | mortal, mortgage, immortal, mortuary, mortify |
| nov | new | Latin novus | novel, innovate, renovate, novice, novelty |
| path | feeling, suffering, disease | Greek pathos | sympathy, empathy, pathology, apathy, telepathy |
| ped | foot | Latin pes/pedis | pedestrian, pedal, expedite, impede, centipede |
| phon | sound, voice | Greek phone | telephone, microphone, symphony, phonics, saxophone |
| port | carry | Latin portare | transport, portable, export, import, porter |
| pos/pon | place, put | Latin ponere | deposit, compose, postpone, expose, position |
| psych | mind, soul | Greek psyche | psychology, psychiatry, psychic, psychosis, psychotherapy |
| rupt | break | Latin rumpere | interrupt, rupture, corrupt, bankrupt, erupt |
| scope | look at, examine | Greek skopein | telescope, microscope, horoscope, periscope, stethoscope |
| scrib/script | write | Latin scribere | describe, prescription, inscribe, manuscript, scripture |
| spec/spect | look, see | Latin specere | inspect, spectacle, respect, expect, suspect |
| tele | far, distant | Greek tele | telephone, television, telescope, telegraph, teleport |
| temp | time | Latin tempus | temporary, contemporary, tempo, temporal, temperature |
| terr | earth, land | Latin terra | territory, terrain, terrace, terrestrial, Mediterranean |
| therm | heat | Greek therme | thermometer, thermostat, thermal, thermos, hypothermia |
| vert/vers | turn | Latin vertere | convert, reverse, advertise, divert, universe |
| vid/vis | see | Latin videre | video, visible, vision, provide, evidence |
| voc/vok | voice, call | Latin vox/vocare | vocal, invoke, vocabulary, advocate, provoke |
Common prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| un- | not; reverse of | unhappy, undo, unfair |
| re- | again; back | rewrite, return, rebuild |
| in-/im- | not; into | inactive, impossible, import |
| dis- | not; apart; away | disagree, disconnect, displace |
| pre- | before | preview, predate, prepare |
| mis- | wrongly; badly | misuse, mislead, misspell |
| sub- | under; below; secondary | submarine, subset, substandard |
| inter- | between; among | international, interact, interlude |
| trans- | across; beyond; through | transport, transform, transatlantic |
| anti- | against; opposing | antiwar, antibody, antidote |
| de- | remove; reverse; reduce | defrost, decode, devalue |
| ex- | out of; former | export, exclude, ex-president |
| non- | not; absence of | nonfiction, nonprofit, nonverbal |
| over- | above; excessive; across | overload, overcome, overflow |
| super- | above; beyond; greater | superhero, supermarket, supernatural |
| co- | together; joint; mutual | cooperate, coauthor, coexist |
| bi- | two; twice | bicycle, bilingual, biannual |
| tri- | three | triangle, tricycle, trilingual |
| semi- | half; partially | semicircle, semifinal, semiconductor |
| auto- | self; same; spontaneous | autobiography, autopilot, automatic |
| micro- | very small; one millionth | microscope, microwave, microchip |
| tele- | distant; far off | telephone, telescope, television |
| post- | after; behind | postwar, postpone, postgraduate |
| circum- | around; about | circumference, circumnavigate, circumvent |
Common suffixes
| Suffix | Meaning | Makes a | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| -able | capable of; fit for; worthy of | adjective | readable, portable, comfortable |
| -ible | capable of; fit for | adjective | visible, edible, flexible |
| -tion | act, process, or state of | noun | action, nation, creation |
| -ness | state, condition, or quality of | noun | happiness, darkness, kindness |
| -ly | in a specified manner; having the qualities of | adverb or adjective | quickly, softly, friendly |
| -er | one who performs an action; comparative degree | noun or adjective | teacher, writer, faster |
| -ment | result, action, or state of | noun | movement, treatment, agreement |
| -ful | full of; characterized by; tending to | adjective | hopeful, careful, beautiful |
| -less | without; lacking; unable to act or be acted on | adjective | hopeless, careless, endless |
| -ous | having the quality of; full of | adjective | joyous, famous, dangerous |
| -ity | state, quality, or condition of | noun | equality, clarity, activity |
| -ism | doctrine, practice, system, or condition | noun | capitalism, realism, criticism |
| -ist | one who practices or believes in | noun or adjective | artist, scientist, pianist |
| -ize | to make or cause to become; to subject to | verb | organize, realize, modernize |
| -al | of, relating to, or characterized by | adjective or noun | natural, musical, arrival |
| -ance | action, state, or quality of | noun | performance, resistance, urance |
| -ence | action, state, or quality of | noun | difference, silence, patience |
| -ive | tending to; having the nature of | adjective | active, creative, sensitive |
| -ship | state, condition, office, or skill of | noun | friendship, leadership, scholarship |
Questions people ask
What are 20 examples of prefixes and suffixes?
Prefixes: unhappy, rewrite, preview, misread, disagree, impossible, nonstop, overcook, submarine, interact. Suffixes: teacher, hopeful, careless, quickly, kindness, enjoyment, readable, dangerous, activity, friendship. Click any prefix or suffix in the tables for 15 more examples each.
What is a root word?
A root is the core part of a word that carries its main meaning, like port (“carry”) in transport, portable and export. Many English roots come from Latin or Greek and cannot stand alone as words; a base word such as “read” in reread can.
What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?
Both are affixes. A prefix goes before the root and usually changes the meaning (un-happy, re-write). A suffix goes after it and usually changes the word class: -ness turns an adjective into a noun (kindness), -ly turns an adjective into an adverb (quickly).
Why learn Greek and Latin roots?
A few dozen roots unlock thousands of words. Knowing that spect means “look” lets you work out inspect, spectator and retrospect without a dictionary, which is why roots are part of most school vocabulary curricula.
Can I always work out a meaning from the parts?
Not always. Meanings drift: “nice” comes from Latin nescius, “ignorant”. Use roots as a strong hint, then confirm with context or the dictionary.
How many prefixes are there in English?
Dictionaries list well over a hundred, but a small set does most of the work. Studies for reading instruction (White, Sowell and Yanagihara, 1989) found that just four prefixes, un-, re-, in-/im- and dis-, account for about 58% of prefixed words in school texts.