Base words are words that exist as recognizable words in the English language. These words cannot be divided into smaller units. Prefixes and suffixes can be added to these words to create new words. There are two theories about root words. Some people use the term root word as a synonym for the base word. However, in some contexts, root words refer to the part of the base word that comes from another language. This article will mainly focus on this second meaning. The key difference between base word and root word is that base words are recognizable words in the English language whereas root words are from another language.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Base Word
3. What is a Root Word
5. Side by Side Comparison – Base Word vs Root Word in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is a Base Word?
There are two types of words in the English language: the words that can be broken down into smaller units and words that cannot be broken down into smaller units. Words that cannot be broken down into smaller units are known as base words. In other words, base word is the base form of a word and gives its basic meaning. For example, let’s look at the two words happy and unhappy. The word happy cannot be broken down into smaller units, but unhappy can be broken down into two units since this word is made by adding the prefix un to the base word happy. Prefixes and suffixes are always added to base words.
Prefixes and Suffixes
- Prefix is a word element is found in front of a base word.
- Suffix is a word element is found after a base word.
Look at the following words and see if you can identify the base word by removing the suffixes and prefixes.
Reusable, disappear, unhappiness, unacceptable, disqualified, childish, unlikely, reinvention
The base words of the above list are underlined in the following section.
- Reusable – re + use + able
- Disappear – dis + appear
- Unhappiness – un + happy + ness
- Unacceptable – un + accept + ble
- Disqualified – dis + qualify + ed
- Childish – child + ish
- Unlikely – un + like + ly
- Reinvention – re + invent + ion
What is a Root Word?
In linguistics, the term root word is often used synonymously with base word, and refers to a morpheme from which words have been created by the addition of prefixes or suffixes. For example, the word transportation is formed from the root word transport.
However, the term root word also refers to the origin of the word. In this sense, root word is the part of the base word that comes from another language. For example, the word maternal comes from Latin mater and gives the meaning mother. So, this Latin word, mater can be considered as the root word of maternal. The root words of words like maternity, maternally, maternalism, etc. is also the Latin word mater.
Examples of Base Words and Root Words
Let’s look at some other examples to understand the meaning of base words and root words more clearly.
- Tricycle
Base word = cycle, Root word = Latin cyclus (circle)
- Transportation
Base word = transport, Root word = Latin port (to carry)
- Immoderately
Base word = moderate, Root word = Latin moderatus (reduced, controlled)
What is the Difference Between Base Word and Root Word?
Base Word vs Root Word |
|
| Base Word is a morpheme from which words have been created by the addition of prefixes or suffixes. | Root word is the part of the base word that comes from another language. |
| Individual Meaning | |
| Base word can stand alone. | Root word cannot often stand alone. |
| Nature | |
| Base words cannot be further divided. | Root word comes from another language. |
Summary – Base Word vs Root Word
Base word is a form of a word to which affixes can be added to create new words. Base words and root words are two terms that are sometimes used as synonyms. However, root words are also defined as parts of the base word that come from another language. This is the difference between base word and root word.
Download PDF Version of Base Word vs Root Word
You can download PDF version of this article and use it for offline purposes as per citation note. Please download PDF version here Difference Between Base Word and Root Word
References:
1. Merrell, Shelly. “Base Words: Definition & Examples.” Study.com, Available here.
2. Nordquist, Richard. “Base Forms of Words in English.” ThoughtCo, Available here.
Teachers frequently debate this question: What’s the difference between a root, base word, and stem? The reason teachers are forced to debate this question is that their textbooks present a model that quickly falls apart in the real world.
If teachers are confused, their students will also be confused. By the end of this page, you won’t be confused. To end this confusion, we will look at two systems:
1. The Traditional Root and Base-Word System for Kids
2. A Modern System of Morphemes, Roots, Bases, and Stems from Linguistics
The Traditional Root and Base-Word System for Kids
Here is a problem-filled system that, unfortunately, some students still learn.
Students learn that ROOTS are Greek and Latin roots. Most of these roots cannot stand alone as words when we remove the prefixes and suffixes.
Q e.g., Word: justify Latin Root: jus (law)
Students also learn that BASE WORDS can stand alone as words when we remove all of the prefixes and suffixes. Students learn that if it cannot stand alone when we remove all of the prefixes and suffixes, then it is not a base word.
Q e.g., Word: kindness Base Word: kind
The problem comes later in the day when the teacher is teaching verb tenses.
Q Teacher: Look at these two verbs: responded and responding. What’s the base word?
Q Student #1: Respond.
Q Teacher: Correct!
Q Student #2: Isn’t re- a prefix? If re- is a prefix, then respond can’t be a base word. I suspect that spond is a Latin root. Is it?
Q Teacher: I’m not sure. Let me research this. Yes, the word respond has the prefix re- attached to the Latin root spond. The Latin root spond comes from sponder, which means to pledge.
Although the teacher was looking for the answer “respond,” Student #2’s answer was the correct answer according to this Traditional System. That’s how easily the Traditional System falls apart. And the problems get worse from here.
Are you an elementary or middle school teacher? Have you taken a look at Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay on the homepage?
Modern Linguistics
I looked at a few current student textbooks from major publishers, and most of them don’t mention the terms base or base word. They only use the term root in their basic word studies. I suspect that this is because modern linguistics has created a new meaning for the term base.
In case you are not aware, modern linguistics and modern grammar fix many of the broken models from centuries past—i.e., models and definitions that quickly fall apart when you question them. These days, most books on linguistics and morphology present a somewhat standardized model. In English Word-Formation (1983), Laurie Bauer explains this model succinctly and definitively. Let’s take a look.
English Word-Formation (1983) by Laurie Bauer
As you can see below, Bauer acknowledges the root/stem/base problem and then explains a model that removes the ambiguity.
The Problem: “‘Root’, ‘stem’ and ‘base’ are all terms used in the literature to designate that part of a word that remains when all affixes have been removed. Of more recent years, however, there has been some attempt to distinguish consistently between these three terms.”
Root: “A root is a form which is not further analysable, either in terms of derivational or inflectional morphology. It is that part of word-form that remains when all inflectional and derivational affixes have been removed… In the form ‘untouchables’ the root is ‘touch’.”
Stem: “A stem is of concern only when dealing with inflectional morphology. In the form ‘untouchables’ the stem is ‘untouchable’.” [In short, when you remove the inflectional suffixes, you have the stem.]
Base: “A base is any form to which affixes of any kind can be added. This means that any root or any stem can be termed a base… ‘touchable’ can act as a base for prefixation to give ‘untouchable’.”
This model holds up across the curriculum. This model is the foundation of what I teach my students.
My Perfect Model: Roots, Stems, and Bases
I always like to have a complete model in mind that holds up across the curriculum. This lets me find teaching moments and ensures that I can answer my students’ questions clearly and consistently. Although I may not teach my students the entire model, at least the concepts are straight in my mind.
For this reason, I created this “Perfect Model of Roots, Stems, and Bases.” To be clear, this model is an interpretation and fuller explanation of what you might find in a linguistics book. Let me explain it to you. It all begins with morphemes.
Keep in mind that teachers don’t need to teach their students this entire model. In fact, most teachers will want to keep their morphology lessons simple and focus on roots, prefixes, and suffixes. But all teachers will want to understand this entire model.
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Morphemes
The term morpheme unifies the concepts of roots, prefixes, and suffixes, and therefore, it is an extremely valuable word. In short, words are composed of parts called morphemes, and each morpheme contributes meaning to the word. Morphemes are the smallest unit of language that contains meaning. Roots, prefixes, and suffixes all have one thing in common—they are all single morphemes. In contrast, stems and bases can be composed of one or many morphemes.
Root / Root Morpheme
When I use the term root, I always mean the root morpheme. The root is always the main morpheme that carries the main meaning of a word. Since a morpheme is the smallest unit of language that contains meaning, we can’t divide or analyze the root morpheme any further. Although a root can be a stand-alone word, to avoid confusion, I never use the term “root word.” I use the term root, and I use the term root morpheme to reinforce what a root is.
We have two types of root morphemes:
1. Dependent (bound) Roots: These roots cannot stand alone as words. These roots are usually Greek and Latin roots. Here are a few examples:
-
- liberty root: liber (free)
- interrupt root: rupt (break)
- similar root: sim (like)
2. Independent (free) Roots: These roots are stand-alone words. Practically speaking, these roots are almost always single-syllable words. You know the ones. It seems to me that most multi-syllable words can be further divided and further analyzed. With a little research, one finds that an ancient prefix or suffix has merged with a root. In short, most multi-syllable words are not root morphemes.
Here is what they thought 150 years ago. Although modern linguistics does not agree with these statements, it’s still food for thought. My point is that most of the independent roots that we deal with inside of the classroom are single-syllable words.
Q “All languages are formed from roots of one syllable.” – New Englander Magazine (1862)
Q “All words of all languages can be reduced to one-syllable roots.” – New Jerusalem Magazine (1853)
Here are a few examples:
-
- replaced root: place
- mindfulness root: mind
- carefully root: care
The Terms: Dependent Root and Independent Root
Modern linguistics use the term bound (for dependent) and free (for independent) to classify morphemes. Since teachers spend so much time teaching students about dependent clauses and independent clauses, I transfer this knowledge and terminology over to morphemes. Put simply: independent morphemes CAN stand alone; dependent morphemes CAN’T stand alone.
Q PREFIXES and SUFFIXES are almost always dependent morphemes—i.e., they can’t stand alone as words.
Q ROOTS are either dependent or independent morphemes.
Now, we will examine words that contain one root and words that contain two roots. As you examine these words, pay special attention to the dependent root and independent root aspect.
One Root: Many words have just one root. That one root may be a Dependent Root or an Independent Root. Remember, the root carries the main meaning of the word.
Q Word: justify Dependent Root: jus
Q Word: kindness Independent Root: kind
Two Roots: Some words have two roots. The roots may be Dependent Roots or Independent Roots. With two roots, each root contributes near equal meaning to the word.
Two Dependent Roots
Q Word: geography Dependent Root: geo (earth) Root: graph (write)
Q Word: carnivore Dependent Root: carn (flesh) Dependent Root: vor (swallow)
Q Word: cardiovascular Dependent Root: cardi (heart) Dependent Root: vas (vessel)
Two Independent Roots
Q Word: bathroom Independent Root: bath Independent Root: room
Q Word: downfall Independent Root: down Independent Root: fall
Q Word: popcorn Independent Root: pop Independent Root: corn
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Stem
I use the term stem just as Bauer does. To find the stem, simply remove the inflectional suffixes. It’s that simple.
When to Use the Term Stem: The term stem is quite unnecessary in many classrooms, as all stems are bases. For this reason, teachers can always use the term base instead of stem. However, the concept of stems is helpful in teaching students about inflectional suffixes. Inflectional suffixes are different from derivational affixes (derivational prefixes and derivational suffixes).
Q Word: reddest Stem: red
Q Word: girls’ Stem: girl
Q Word: boats Stem: boat
Q Word: preapproved Stem: preapprove
Q Word: justifying Stem: justify
Q Word: responded Stem: respond
Q Word: unjustifiable Stem: no stem
Q Word: kindness Stem: no stem
Base / Base Word
Bauer says, “A base is any form to which affixes of any kind can be added. This means that any root or any stem can be termed a base.”
In the table below, I use two labels to show how base and root relate to each other. Sometimes a base is a root (marked Q Base/Root), and sometimes it is not a root (marked Q Base).
To be clear, we can add a prefix or suffix to every base even if it already has a prefix or suffix. Furthermore, if we can add a prefix or suffix to something, we can call it a base.
Word: reread Q Base/Root: read
Word: unhelpful Q Base: helpful Q Base/Root: help
Word: justifying Q Base: justify Q Base/Root: jus
Word: unreliable Q Base: reliable Q Base/Root: rely
Word: preponderance Q Base: ponderance (uncommon) Q Base/Root: ponder
Word: responded Q Base: respond Q Base/Root: spond
Word: preapproved Q Base: preapprove Q Base: approve Q Base: approved Q Base: proved Q Base/Root: prove
Base vs. Base Word: To keep things simple, teachers should probably strike the term “base word” from their vocabulary. However, if the base is a complete word that can stand alone, teachers may choose to (or through force of habit) refer to it as a base word. If the base can’t stand alone, be sure not to call it a base word.
When to Use the Term Base: The term base is somewhat of a generic term for when we are not interested in or concerned with the root morpheme. As an example, we may choose to use the term base when we are ADDING prefixes and suffixes. When we are adding prefixes and suffixes, we often are unconcerned with finding or discussing the root morpheme. (Remember, we often add prefixes and suffixes to words that already contain prefixes and suffixes.) We may also choose to use the term base when removing a single, specific prefix or suffix, as the word may still contain other prefixes or suffixes.
Putting It All Together
Here is a table to help get you started in your word analysis studies related to root, stem, and base.
| Example Word | Stem | Root: Dependent | Root: Independent | Base |
| 1. undeniable | deny ** | deny; deniable | ||
| 2. reinvented | reinvent | ven/vent | ven/vent; invent; reinvent | |
| 3. deforestation | forest *** | forest; forestation | ||
| 4. interacted | interact | act * | act; interact | |
| 5. demographics | demographic | demo | graph * | demo; graph; demographic |
| 6. responding | respond | spond | spond; respond | |
| 7. preserving | preserve | serv | serv; preserve | |
| 8. hopefully | hope | hope; hopeful |
The Asterisks: The asterisks may be the most important part of this table. They help illustrate that every word has a unique history that often makes analysis and classification complicated and debatable.
* act and graph are also Latin roots
** deny is from Latin denegare = de (away) + negare (to refuse; to say no); since deny technically
has a Latin prefix (de-), you may choose to classify the word differently.
*** forest is from Latin foris meaning outdoors, and unlike the word deny, cannot be analyzed as
having a prefix or suffix attached.
What is a root or base word?
Root Words vs. A base word is a standalone English word that can also form other words with affixes (prefixes and suffixes). A root word is the Latin or Greek basis of a word that, generally speaking, can’t be used as a standalone word.
What is the origin of the word disappoint?
Etymology. Disappoint is traced to the Middle English disappointen by way of the Old French desapointer. Its use in the sense of general frustration traces to the late 15th century, and it first appears recorded in English as an emotional state of dejection in the middle 18th century.
What is the prefix or suffix of disappointment?
Although the prefix “dis” in “disappoint,” as usual in English, means “not,” the story of “disappoint” is more than just a simple negation of “appoint” in its various senses.
What is the suffix of disappointed?
Only the noun retains evidence of its French origins, the suffix -ment in disappointment. The root of this word, French point, is what is left of Latin punctus “pricked, dot left by pricking”, the past participle of pungere “to prick”.
What is the root word in Disappointed?
The original French root of disappointed is desappointer, which has one meaning that’s basically “to fail to keep an appointment.” So you might imagine the word disappointed like this: you made an appointment with a friend, but he blew it off.
What’s another word for disappointment?
In this page you can discover 97 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for disappointment, like: displeasure, discouragement, despondency, frustration, defeat, blighted hope, unfulfillment, distress, delusion, pleasure and dissatisfaction.
How do you describe disappointment?
1 : unhappiness from the failure of something hoped for or expected to happen To her disappointment, the cookies were gone. 2 : someone or something that fails to satisfy hopes or expectations The movie was a disappointment.
Can God be disappointed?
While there’s no specific verse that exactly says you can’t disappoint God, Scripture as a whole shows us that we simply can’t disappoint God.
How do you express disappointment in one word?
Synonyms
- disappointed. adjective. unhappy because something that you hoped for or expected did not happen or because someone or something was not as good as you expected.
- disillusioned. adjective.
- dismayed. adjective.
- inconsolable. adjective.
- disenchanted. adjective.
- disgruntled. adjective.
- crestfallen. adjective.
- bitter. adjective.
What is a big word for disappointment?
Synonyms & Near Synonyms for disappointed. disenchanted, disillusioned, frustrated, unfulfilled.
How do you show displeasure politely?
Start the conversation by thanking them and asking how they’re doing. Before you start expressing your disappointment, take a moment to thank the person for taking the time to meet with you and gauge their mood. Ask them how they’re doing and if they’re prepared to talk with you about the issue.
What is a weaker word for disappointed?
saddened, upset, let down, disheartened, downhearted, cast down, downcast, depressed, dispirited, discouraged, despondent, dismayed, crestfallen, distressed, chagrined. disenchanted, disillusioned. displeased, discontented, dissatisfied, frustrated, disgruntled.
What is the opposite of being a disappointment?
Opposite of a feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the non-fulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations. gratification. satisfaction. happiness. joy.
What’s worse than being a disappointment?
“Despite all the hype, the event turned out to be a huge disappointment.”…What is another word for disappointment?
| regret | dissatisfaction |
|---|---|
| dejection | discontent |
| disenchantment | disillusionment |
| dismay | displeasure |
| despondency | disgruntlement |
What is the opposite of a disappointment?
Opposite of sad or displeased because of unfulfilled hopes or expectations. satisfied. delighted. fulfilled.
Whats the opposite of the opposite of 4?
For example, the opposite of 4 is -4, or negative four. On a number line, 4 and -4 are both the same distance from 0, but they’re on opposite sides. This type of opposite is also called the additive inverse.
What do you call a fake smile?
Eccedentesiast — one who fakes a smile, as on television. This word is from a list I had called Unusual Words. To add to this: Eccedentesiast is derived from Latin ecce, ‘I present to you,’ dentes, ‘teeth,’ and –iast, ‘performer. ‘ An eccedentesiast is therefore someone who “performs by showing teeth,” or smiling.
How do you express deep sadness?
6 Common Sad Idioms & Phrases in English
- Down in the mouth. The first idiom on our list that expresses sadness means to look unhappy.
- Down in the dumps.
- Reduce to tears.
- Lump in your throat.
- Feeling blue/to have the blues.
- Face like a wet weekend.
What do you call a person who loves sad music?
Saudade (English: /ˌsaʊˈdɑːdə/, European Portuguese: [sɐwˈðaðɨ], Brazilian Portuguese: [sawˈdad(ʒ)i], Galician: [sawˈðaðɪ]; plural saudades) is a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for something or someone that one cares for and/or loves.
Why do I cry when I get nostalgic?
Nostalgic people tend to remember memories that involve other people, even when the memories are sad or stressful. In truth, nostalgia is not always going to bring you the warm and fuzzies, so it’s normal to feel sad or bummed out when you think back on certain memories.
What is emotional contagion theory?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Emotional contagion is the phenomenon of having one person’s emotions and related behaviors directly trigger similar emotions and behaviors in other people. Emotions can be shared across individuals in many different ways both implicitly or explicitly.
How do you develop positive emotional contagion?
Action Steps:
- Be consciously aware of your own mood. If it’s not one that will be useful to your team, change it.
- Use your nonverbal behaviors to communicate emotional contagion.
- Make direct eye contact with everyone on the team.
- Neutralize a negative team member.
- Create a positive emotional culture within the team.
What is emotional contagion examples?
Someone with depression, for example, might express their feelings through body language, speech patterns, or facial expressions as well as words. “This can induce a similar emotional reaction in people who have more vulnerability to these cues,” he explains.
What is alexithymia?
Alexithymia is a broad term to describe problems with feeling emotions. In fact, this Greek term used in Freudian psychodynamic theories loosely translates to “no words for emotion.” While the condition is not well-known, it’s estimated that 1 in 10 people has it.
What is a root or base word?
by
Alex Heath
·
2019-05-03
What is a root or base word?
Root Words vs. A base word is a standalone English word that can also form other words with affixes (prefixes and suffixes). A root word is the Latin or Greek basis of a word that, generally speaking, can’t be used as a standalone word.
What type of word is howl?
verb (used without object) to utter a loud, prolonged, mournful cry, as that of a dog or wolf. to utter a similar cry in distress, pain, rage, etc.; wail. to make a sound like an animal howling: The wind howls through the trees.
Is howling a compound word?
Howling is a 7 letter word, used as a noun or as a adjective satellite, a compound word, and has the letters ghilnow (ghilnow). A compound word, howling has more than one word within it. There’s 2 words which are how, and ling.
What is a base word?
A base word is the core unit of the word that has no extra parts. While the base word gives the basic meaning of the word, the addition of prefixes, letters added to the beginning of words, and suffixes, letters added to the end of words, will change the base word’s meaning.
What is the base word of illegal?
The root/base word for illegal is legal.
What is an example of a base word?
In English grammar, a base is the form of a word to which prefixes and suffixes can be added to create new words. For example, instruct is the base for forming instruction, instructor, and reinstruct. Also called a root or stem. Put another way, base forms are words that are not derived from or made up of other words.
What word means full of joy?
sprightly; bustling; happy; lively; cheerful; gay; full of joy; buoyant; brisk; jolly; high-spirited; merry; upbeat; in high spirits; good-tempered.
What is the root word of disagree?
The word comes from combining the Old French agreer, “to receive with favor or take pleasure in” with the Latin prefix dis, which here means “do the opposite of.” Definitions of disagree.
How do you disagree?
5 Ways to (Respectfully) Disagree
- Don’t make it personal.
- Avoid putting down the other person’s ideas and beliefs.
- Use “I” statements to communicate how you feel, what you think, and what you want or need.
- Listen to the other point of view.
- Stay calm.
What is the synonyms of disagree?
other words for disagree
- clash.
- contradict.
- differ.
- dissent.
- diverge.
- counter.
- depart.
- discord.
What is another word for strongly agree?
The words coincide and concur are common synonyms of agree.
What does I beg to differ mean?
: to politely disagree with someone You say that the candidates are essentially the same, but I beg to differ.
What do you say when you disagree with a friend?
The way that you can tell your friend that you disagree with them without hurting their feelings is by politely stating your opinion. You can let them know why you disagree. For example, you could just say “I am sorry, but I just don’t agree with you.”.
Why would someone disagree with everything you say?
Usually when someone incessantly disagrees or argues with you no matter what you say, it isn’t because they have an issue with what you’re saying. Rather, it’s because they have a personal and negative bias towards you and what they really disagree with is the fact that you’re the one saying it.
How do you disagree with someone more powerful?
How to Disagree with Someone More Powerful than You
- WHY DISAGREEING WITH YOUR BOSS IS A DIFFICULT THING.
- BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN.
- DECIDE WHETHER IT’S THE RIGHT TIME OR PLACE TO VOICE YOUR DISAGREEMENT.
- START WITH SOMETHING POSITIVE.
- IDENTIFY A SHARED GOAL.
- REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO DISAGREE.
- ALWAYS REMAIN CALM AND COLLECTED.
- AVOID MAKING JUDGMENTS.
How do you argue calmly?
Neuroscience Tips to Remain Calm in an Argument
- Focus on what the other person is really trying to say.
- Don’t raise your voice.
- Pay attention to your body posture.
- Breathe.
- Exit an argument earlier than you think you need to.
- Think of something calm or funny.
- Don’t bring other issues into the argument.
Why is disagree important?
If you earnestly seek, understand, and integrate disagreement with your position before making a decision, you can massively increase the quality of the decisions you make. That includes deciding not to take action in some situations — which can save you wasted time and effort.
How do you love someone you disagree with?
But love and respect don’t mean endorsement of choices we disagree on….1. Move towards, not away.
- Move towards, not away. Spend time, listen well, sit around a table together.
- Don’t expect someone with a different world view to make the same choices you do.
- Major on the majors.
- Affirm all you can in every way you can.
Why do I get so angry when someone disagrees with me?
Some individuals get so angry when others disagree with them that extreme behaviors may occur. This can include physical violence, verbal abuse, or humiliation. Other individuals are comfortable and respectful to those with whom they disagree.
The English language is a mix of many different languages. Understanding a base word vs. a root word can be confusing. The difference between a base word and a root word may seem simple, but they are actually two entirely different things. One can stand alone, while the other has its roots in ancient language and relies on the addition of other parts of words to be complete.
Basic Parts of a Word
There are three parts to a word. These are:
- Root
- Prefix
- Suffix
Most of the words used in the English language have their origins in Latin or Greek. This is the main meaning of the word. A prefix or suffix added to the root word or base word changes its meaning or defines it in a more concise way.
What Is a Prefix?
A noun prefix is a word or letter or even a number that is placed before a main word. A verb prefix is when something at the beginning is added. An example is, “A preface was prefixed to the history book.”
A short list of prefixes includes:
- Mis- bad or incorrect
- Non- not
- Pro- before or forward
- In- without
- Un- opposite or against
- Re- back or again
- De- away, reverse, from or down
- Dis- opposite or away
- Im- without
For example, the prefix de- when added to the word code changes the meaning of the word and is more concise. The prefix dis- added to the word agree creates an opposite meaning of the original word.
What Is a Suffix?
A group of letters that is placed after a root word is a suffix. Some examples of suffixes include:
- -less without or not affected by
- -er comparative
- -ible capable of
- -able capable of
- -al relating to
- -ness a state or a condition
- -ly in what way
- -est superlative
- -y diminutive or denoting a condition
For instance, the base word comfort with the suffix -able turns it into comfortable. The base word strong with the suffix -est becomes strongest.
What Is a Root Word?
Root words in the English language hail from Latin or Greek words. The root word, or word root, from these ancient languages cannot stand alone. It does not have a prefix at the front of the word or a suffix attached to the end. It is the main lexical unit of a word family and can’t be broken down into words that can stand on their own with meaning.
A few examples of root words include:
- Aud: From Latin, it relates to hearing. Root words include «audible» and «auditorium.»
- Acri: It means bitter and is the base of the root word «acrimony.»
- Corp: This relates to the body and is found in the word «corporate» or «corporation.»
- Deca: From the Greek, this means «ten,» such as «decade.»
What’s a Base Word?
A base word is a word that can stand on its own. It conveys full meaning on its own and doesn’t need a prefix or suffix to carry its connotation.
Happy is a base word and not a root word because it means what it is. Add the prefix un- and it completely changes its meaning into an entirely different word, which is unhappy.
The word view is a base word. Add the suffix -er, and it denotes someone who looks at a view: viewer. Now, add the prefix re- to the base word and you change the word to review. Add both the prefix and suffix for yet another change to the base word view: reviewer.
Table of Contents
- What is the root word for argument?
- What is base word?
- What are the top 3 chronic diseases?
- Does chronic mean forever?
- What does chronic mean in English?
- Can chronic disease cured?
- What type of word is chronic?
- What does diabolically mean?
- What is the word for monotonous?
- What is a monotone voice?
- What is opposite of monotonous?
Root Words vs. A base word is a standalone English word that can also form other words with affixes (prefixes and suffixes). A root word is the Latin or Greek basis of a word that, generally speaking, can’t be used as a standalone word.
What is the root word for argument?
early 14c., “statements and reasoning in support of a proposition or causing belief in a doubtful matter,” from Old French arguement “reasoning, opinion; accusation, charge” (13c.), from Latin argumentum “a logical argument; evidence, ground, support, proof,” from arguere “make clear, make known, prove” (see argue).
A base word is the core unit of the word that has no extra parts. While the base word gives the basic meaning of the word, the addition of prefixes, letters added to the beginning of words, and suffixes, letters added to the end of words, will change the base word’s meaning.
What are the top 3 chronic diseases?
Chronic diseases – such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and arthritis – are the leading causes of disability and death in New York State and throughout the United States.
Does chronic mean forever?
a human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. The term chronic is often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months.
What does chronic mean in English?
1a : continuing or occurring again and again for a long time chronic indigestion chronic experiments. b : suffering from a chronic disease the special needs of chronic patients.
Can chronic disease cured?
Most chronic illnesses do not fix themselves and are generally not cured completely. Some can be immediately life-threatening, such as heart disease and stroke. Others linger over time and need intensive management, such as diabetes.
What type of word is chronic?
adjective. constant; habitual; inveterate: a chronic liar. continuing a long time or recurring frequently: a chronic state of civil war. having long had a disease, habit, weakness, or the like: a chronic invalid.
What does diabolically mean?
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the devil : devilish a diabolical plot.
What is the word for monotonous?
tedious, repetitious, boring, repetitive, dreary, humdrum, tiresome, dull, ho-hum, plodding, blah, colorless, flat, nothing, pedestrian, prosaic, recurrent, soporific, unchanged, unchanging.
What is a monotone voice?
‘Mono’ means ‘one’ or ‘single’. ‘Tone’ can mean many things but in this context it means ‘voice expression’ or ‘pitch’. So what does it mean to have a monotone voice? It means that your voice sounds like it doesn’t vary in pitch, that it’s on one note – vocally inexpressive.
What is opposite of monotonous?
Antonyms: lively, modulated. Synonyms: monotonic, unglamourous, monotone, commonplace, humdrum, unglamorous, prosaic, flat. flat, monotone, monotonic, monotonous(adj)