Greek and Latin Roots Common Pre-fixes. What are roots? An English word can consist of three parts:...

36
Greek and Latin Roots Common Pre-fixes

Transcript of Greek and Latin Roots Common Pre-fixes. What are roots? An English word can consist of three parts:...

Greek and Latin Roots

Common Pre-fixes

What are roots?

• An English word can consist of three parts: the root, a prefix and a suffix. The root is the part of the word that contains the basic meaning (definition) of the word. The root is the base element of the word.

• Many roots to English words come from Greek or Latin words. Knowing Greek and Latin roots can help you figure out the meaning of words you don’t already know.

Common Greek Roots

auto

= self

autobiography

automatic

automobile

bio

= life, living

biology

biography

biome

geo

= life, living

geography

geology

graph

= write

autograph

biography

meter

= measure

meter (length)

kilometer

centimeter

phil

= love

philosophy

bibliophile

phobe

= fear

phobia

arachnophobia

claustrophobia

photo

= light

photograph

photosynthesis

phon

= sound

telephone

phonics

phonograph

tele

= distance

telephone

television

telescope

teleport

Common LatinRoots

act

= do

react

action

actor

aud

= hear

audio

aural

audience

fac

= make, do

facilitate

manufacture

factory

jur / jus

= law

jury

justice

jurisdiction

loc

= place

location

allocate

relocate

mob

= move

mobility

automobile

ped

= foot

pedals

pedestrian

sign

= mark

signature

signal

signify

spec

= see

spectacles (glasses)

spectacle (show)

spectator

vac

= empty

vacant

evacuate

vacuum

What are pre-fixes?

• Prefixes are word parts that you add to the beginning of the root or base word. Prefixes can change the meaning of a word.

Common Pre-fixes

anti- or contra-

= againstExamples:antisocialcontradict

cent-= hundred

Examples:centimetercentury

ex-= out

Examples:exitexileexcommunicate

ir- or in- or im-

= notExamples:irregular (ir- + regular)inconvenient (in- + convenient)imperfect (im + perfect)

non-= not

Examples:nonverbalnonsense

post-= after

Examples:postponepost-workout

pre-= before

Examples:preparepreviewpre-workout

pro-= forward

Examples:progressproactiveproduct

re-= again

Examples:reappearreplyredo

un-= not

Examples:undoneuncookedunhinged