Week One Vocabulary Study: Affixes (prefixes and suffixes) and Greek Roots

I. Word Structures: affixes (prefixes and suffixes)and roots (bases)A. Affixes: additional elements placed at the beginning or end of a root, stem, or word, or in the body of a word, to modify its meaning.

1. Prefixes: are added to the front of a root or base of a word. Knowing the meaning of prefixes can help students determine the meaning of a word in which the prefix appears.

Prefix Meaning Sample Wordsbi- Two Bicyclecom-, con- Together, with Compatriot, contractDe-, dis- Lower, opposite Devalue, disloyalFore-, pre- Before, ahead of time Forewarn, preplanIl-, im-,in-, ir-, non-, un- Not Illegal, impossible, inactive, irregular,

nonsense, unableIn-, im- In, into Inhale, importMid- Middle MidwayMis- Wrongly, badly Mistake, misbehaveRe- Again, back Redo, repaySub- Under, less than Submarine, subzeroSuper- Above, greater than Superimpose, superstarTri- three Triangle, trifecta

2. Suffixes: elements added to the end of a root or base of a word to modify its meaning and/or function. Knowing the meaning of the grammatical functions of each suffix can help you determine the meaning of a word and its function in a given sentence.

Noun Suffixes Meaning Sample Nouns-acy, -ance, -ence, -hood, -ity, -ment, -ness, -ship

state, quality or condition of, act or process of

adequacy, attendance, persistence, neighborhood, activity, judgment, brightness, friendship

-ant, -eer, -ent, -er, -ian, -ier, -ist, -or one who does or makes something contestant, auctioneer, resident, banker, comedian, financier, dentist, doctor

-ation, -ition, -ion act or result of organization, imposition, electionVerb Suffixes Meaning Sample Verbs

-ate to become, produce or treat validate, salivate, chlorinate, -en to make, to cause to be weaken-fy, -ify, -ize to cause, to make liquefy, glorify, legalize

Adjective Suffixes Meaning Sample Adjectives-able, -ible able, capable of believable, incredible-al, -ic relating to, characteristic of natural, romantic,-ful, -ive, -ous full of, given to, marked by beautiful, protective, poisonous-ish, -like like, resembling foolish, childlike-less lacking, without careless

Adverb Suffixes Meaning Sample Adverbs-ly a suffix forming adverbs from

adjectivesa suffix meaning “every,” attached to certain nouns denoting units of time:an adjective suffix meaning “-like”:

gladly, gradually, secondly

hourly, daily

saintly cowardly

B. Classical Roots: Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek roots. Greek Roots Meaning Sample Words

astr, aster, astro star Astral, asteroid, astronautauto self Autographbio life Biographychron, chrono time Chronic, chronologicalcosm, cosmo universe, order Microcosm, cosmopolitancryph, crypt hidden, secret Apocryphal, cryptographerdem, demo people Epidemic, democracydia through, across, between Diameterdog, dox opinion, teaching Dogmatic, orthodoxgen race, kind, origin, birth Generationgnos know Diagnosticgraph, graphy, gram write Graphite, autobiography, telegramlog, logue speech, word, reasoning Logic, dialoguelys break down Analysismetr, meter measure Metric, kilometermicro small Microchipmorph form, shape Amorphousnaut sailor Cosmonautphon, phone, phono sound, voice Phonics. Telephone, phonographpol, polis city, state Police, metropolisscop, scope watch, look at Microscope, telescopetele far off, distant Televisionthe put or place Parenthesis, thesis, antithesis