English Word Roots to Improve Your Vocabulary

ENGLISH WORD ROOTS

TO IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY

WORD ROOTS

English has many common word parts: prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

WORD ROOTS

If you learn some of these word parts, it will be easier for you to figure out the meanings of new words.

WORD PARTS = VOCABULARY POWER!

WORD ROOTS

A word root can be at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.

GRAPH (writing) + OLOGY (study)= GRAPHOLOGY (study of handwriting)

WORD ROOTS

A word root can be at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.

BIO (life) + GRAPH (writing) + IC (related to)= BIOGRAPHIC (related to a life story)

WORD ROOTS

A word root can be at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.

PHOTO (light) + GRAPH (writing) =

PHOTOGRAPH (writing with light)

ANTHRO(PO)

Examples: Anthropology Philanthropy Misanthrope

Meaning:“human”

ARCH

Examples: Monarchy Architect Matriarch

Meaning:“chief”

AUDI, AUDIT

Examples: Auditorium Audience Audible

Meaning:“sound”

CED

Examples: Precede Recede Succeed

Meaning:“go, move”

CHRON

Examples: Chronological Chronic Chronometer

Meaning:“go, move”

DICDICT

Examples: Dictator Diction Predict Dictation

Meaning:“speech”

DUC

Examples: Conduct Educate Induction

Meaning:“lead”

FACTFECT

Examples: Factory Defective Manufacture

Meaning:“do, make”

FLECT

Examples: Flexible Reflect Deflection

Meaning:“bend”

GAM

Examples: Monogamous Bigamy Homogamy

Meaning:“marriage”

GRAPH

Examples: Telegraph Photograph Program Grammar

Meaning:“writing”

HETERO

Examples: Heterosexual Heterogeneous Heteronormative

Meaning:“different”

HOMO

Examples: Homosexual Homogenized Homeopathy

Meaning:“same”

LOGLOGY

Examples: Biological Psychology Sociologist

Meaning:“study”

MAN(U)

Examples: Manuscript Manage Manufacture

Meaning:“hand”

MITMISS

Examples: Missionary Submit Permission

Meaning:“send”

MORPH

Examples: Amorphous Metamorphosis Anthropomorphic

Meaning:“form”

ONYMNOMEN

Examples: Synonym Antonym Nominate Nominal

Meaning:“name”

PATH(Y)

Examples: Sympathy Telepathy Pathology Sociopathic

Meaning:“feeling, disease”

PHON

Examples: Telephone Microphone Phonology

Meaning:“sound”

PONPOS

Examples: Postpone Position Posture

Meaning:“put, place”

SCRIBSCRIPT

Examples: Describe Script Inscription

Meaning:“write”

SEQUSECUT

Examples: Consequence Consecutive Sequel

Meaning:“follow”

SPECT

Examples: Inspect Spectator Respect Aspect

Meaning:“see, look”

SPIR

Examples: Inspiration Spirit Respiratory

Meaning:“breath”

TELE

Examples: Telegraph Telephone Teleportation

Meaning:“across distance”

THE(O)

Examples: Theology Polytheism Monotheistic

Meaning:“god”

VEN(E)

Examples: Convention Venue Adventure

Meaning:“come”

VOCVOKE

Examples: Vocal Invocation Revoke

Meaning:“call”