Useful to know. A Root is a word in its first and simplest form

Derivations

A Root is a word in its first and simplest form. A word may be built up or have its meaning changed by an addition at either end. The addition at the beginning is known as a Prefix, e.g. dis-agree. The addition at the end is known as a Suffix, e.g. paint-er.

 

Word Meaning Examples

 

aqua water aquatic, aqueduct

audio I hear audible, audience, audit

centum a hundred centenarian, century

clamo I shout clamour, proclaim, exclaim

creo create creation, creature

dico I say edict, dictation, verdict

finis an end final, infinite

fortis strong fort, fortify

homo a man homicide, human

liber free liberal, liberty

octo eight octagon, octave, October

planus level plain, plan, plane

unus one unit, unity, union

vanus empty vanish, vanity

 

Exercise 21. Read the words paying attention to the prefix and suffixes they were built with. Find two more examples on each prefix and suffix.

PREFIXES

Prefix Meaning Examples

a- on afloat, ashore, aloft

a-; ab-,abs- away, from avert, absolve, abstract

ad-, ac-, ar- to adhere, accept, arrive

ante before antecedent, anteroom

bi-, bis- two, twice bicycle, biped, biscuit, bisect

circum- round circumference, circuit

com- together comparison, competition

contra- against contrary, contraband, contradiction

de- down depress, descend, describe

dif-, dis- apart, not different, disagree, disappear

fore- before forecast, forenoon, foretell, foresee

ex- out of exhale, export, extract

im-, in- in, into import, include

in- not incapable, inhuman

inter- between international, interrupt, interval

mis- wrong misdeed, misjudge, mistake

ob- against object, obstruction

post- after postpone, postscript, post-war

pre- before predict, prepare, pre-war

pro- forth proceed, produce

re- back retake, return, retrace

sub- under submarine, subway

trans- across transfer, transport, transpose

un- not, without unfit, unknown, unpaid, unsafe

vice- instead vice-captain, viceroy

 

SUFFIXES

Suffix Meaning Examples

-able, -ible capable of being movable, eatable, incredible

-ance, -ence state of repentance, existence

-ant one who assistant, servant

-ory a place for dormitory, factory

-er, -eer, -ier one who baker, engineer, furrier

-el, -et, -ette little satchel, locket, cigarette

-ess the female goddess, princess, waitress

-fy to make glorify, purify

-icle, -sel little particle, morsel

-oon,-on large saloon, flagon

-ock little hillock, buttock

-ous full of famous, glorious, momentous

 

Exercise 22. Find more suffixes and make the table dividing those according different parts of speech.

 

Section 3