Words that have prefix root word and suffix

Root, Prefix or Suffix Meaning Examples a, ac, ad, af, ag, al, an, ap, as, at to, toward, near, in addition to, by aside, accompany, adjust, aggression, allocate, annihilate, affix, associate, attend, adverb a-, an- not, without apolitical, atheist, anarchy, anonymous, apathy, aphasia, anemia ab, abs away from, off absolve, abrupt, absent -able, -ible Adjective: worth, ability solvable, incredible acer, acid, acri bitter, sour, sharp acerbic, acidity, acrid, acrimony act, ag do, act, drive active, react, agent, active, agitate acu sharp acute, acupuncture, accurate -acy, -cy Noun: state or quality privacy, infancy, adequacy, intimacy, supremacy -ade act, product, sweet drink blockade, lemonade aer, aero air, atmosphere, aviation aerial, aerosol, aerodrome ag, agi, ig, act do, move, go agent, agenda, agitate, navigate, ambiguous, action -age Noun: activity, or result of action courage, suffrage, shrinkage, tonnage agri, agro pertaining to fields or soil agriculture, agroindustry -al Noun: action, result of action referral, disavowal, disposal, festival -al, -ial, -ical Adjective: quality, relation structural, territorial, categorical alb, albo white, without pigment albino, albite ali, allo, alter other alias, alibi, alien, alloy, alter, alter ego, altruism alt high, deep altimeter, altitude am, ami, amor love, like, liking amorous, amiable, amicable, enamoured ambi both ambidextrous ambul to walk ambulatory, amble, ambulance, somnambulist -an Noun: person artisan, guardian, historian, magician ana, ano up, back, again, anew anode, anagram, anagenetic -ance, -ence Noun: action, state, quality or process resistance, independence, extravagance, fraudulence -ancy, -ency Noun: state, quality or capacity vacancy, agency, truancy, latency andr, andro male, characteristics of men androcentric, android ang angular angle anim mind, life, spirit, anger animal, animate, animosity ann, annu, enni yearly annual, annual, annuity, anniversary, perrenial -ant, -ent Noun: an agent, something that performs the action disinfectant, dependent, fragrant -ant, -ent, -ient Adjective: kind of agent, indication important, dependent, convenient ante before anterior, anteroom, antebellum, antedate, antecedent antediluvian anthrop man anthropology, misanthrope, philanthropy anti, ant against, opposite antisocial, antiseptic, antithesis, antibody, antinomies, antifreeze, antipathy anti, antico old antique, antiquated, antiquity apo, ap, aph away from, detached, formed apology, apocalypse, aphagia aqu water aqueous -ar, -ary Adjective: resembling, related to spectacular, unitary arch chief, first, rule archangel, architect, archaic, monarchy, matriarchy, patriarchy, Archeozoic era -ard, -art Noun: characterized braggart, drunkard, wizard aster, astr star aster, asterisk, asteroid, astronomy, astronaut -ate Noun: state, office, fuction candidate, electorate, delegate -ate Verb: cause to be graduate, ameliorate, amputate, colligate -ate Adjective: kind of state inviolate -ation Noun: action, resulting state specialization, aggravation, alternation auc, aug, aut to originate, to increase augment , author, augment, auction aud, audi, aur, aus to hear, listen audience, audio, audible, auditorium, audiovisual, audition, auricular, ausculate aug, auc increase augur, augment, auction aut, auto self automobile, automatic, automotive, autograph, autonomous, autoimmune bar weight, pressure barometer be on, around, over, about, excessively, make, cause, name, affect berate, bedeck, bespeak, belittle, beleaguer belli war rebellion, belligerent, casus belli, bellicose bene good, well, gentle benefactor, beneficial, benevolent, benediction, beneficiary, benefit bi, bine two biped, bifurcate, biweekly, bivalve, biannual bibl, bibli, biblio book bibliophile, bibliography, Bible bio, bi life biography, biology, biometricsm biome, biosphere brev short abbreviate, brevity, brief cad, cap, cas, ceiv, cept, capt, cid, cip to take, to seize, to hold receive, deceive, capable, capacious, captive, accident, capture, occasion, concept, intercept, forceps, except, reciprocate cad, cas to fall cadaver, cadence, cascade -cade procession motorcade calor heat calorie, caloric, calorimeter capit, capt head decapitate, capital, captain, caption carn flesh carnivorous, incarnate, reincarnation, carnal cat, cata, cath down, with catalogue, category, catheter caus, caut burn, heat caustic, cauldron, cauterize cause, cuse, cus cause, motive because, excuse, accusation ceas, ced, cede, ceed, cess to go, to yield, move, go, surrender succeed, proceed, precede, recede, secession, exceed, succession cent hundred centennial, century, centipede centr, centri center eccentricity, centrifugal, concentric, eccentric chrom color chrome, chromosome, polychrome, chromatic chron time chronology, chronic, chronicle chronometer, anachronism, synchronize cide, cis, cise to kill, to cut, cut down fratricide, homicide, incision, incision, circumcision, scissors circum around circumnavigate, circumflex, circumstance, circumcision, circumference, circumorbital, circumlocution, circumvent, circumscribe, circulatory cit call, start incite, citation, cite civ citizen civic, civil, civilian, civilization clam, claim cry out exclamation, clamor, proclamation, reclamation, acclaim clin lean, bend decline, aclinic, inclination clud, clus claus to close, shut include, exclude, clause, claustrophobia, enclose, exclusive, reclusive, conclude co, cog, col, coll, con, com, cor with, together cohesiveness, cognate, collaborate, convene, commitment, compress, contemporary, converge, compact, confluence, convenient, concatenate, conjoin, combine, correct cogn, gnos to know recognize, cognizant, diagnose, agnostic, incognito, prognosis com, con fully complete, compel, conscious, condense, confess, confirm contr, contra, counter against, opposite contradict, counteract, contravene, contrary, counterspy, contrapuntal cord, cor, cardi heart cordial, concord, discord, courage, encourage corp body corporation, corporal punishment, corpse, corpulent, corpus luteum cort correct escort, cortage cosm universe, world cosmos, microcosm, cosmopolitan, cosmonaut cour, cur, curr, curs run, course occur, excursion, discourse, courier, course crat, cracy rule autocrat, aristocrat, theocracy, technocracy cre, cresc, cret, crease grow create, crescent, accretion, increase crea create creature, recreation, creation cred believe creed, credo, credence, credit, credulous, incredulous, incredible cresc, cret, crease, cru rise, grow crescendo, concrete, increase, decrease, accrue crit separate, choose critical, criterion, hypocrite cur, curs run current, concurrent, concur, incur, recur, occur, courier, precursor, cursive cura care curator, curative, manicure cycl, cyclo wheel, circle, circular Cyclops, unicycle, bicycle, cyclone, cyclic de- from, down, away, to do the opposite, reverse, against detach, deploy, derange, decrease, deodorize, devoid, deflate, degenerate dec, deca ten, ten times decimal, decade, decalogue, decimate, decathlon dec, dign suitable decent decorate dignity dei, div God divinity, divine, deity, divination, deify dem, demo people, populace, population democracy, demography, demagogue, epidemic dent, dont tooth dental, denture, orthodontist, periodontal derm skin, covering hypodermic, dermatology, epidermis, taxidermy di-, dy- two, twice, double divide, diverge, diglycerides dia through, across, between diameter, diagonal, dialogue dialect, dialectic, diagnosis, diachronic dic, dict, dit say, speak dictation, dictionary, dictate, dictator, Dictaphone, edict, predict, verdict, contradict, benediction dis, dif not, opposite of, reverse, separate, deprive of, away dismiss, differ, disallow, disperse, dissuade, divide, disconnect, disproportion, disrespect, distemper, disarray dit give credit, audit doc, doct teach, prove docile, doctor, doctrine, document, dogma, indoctrinate domin master, that which is under control dominate, dominion, predominant, domain don give donate, condone dorm sleep dormant, dormitory dox thought, opinion, praise orthodox, heterodox, paradox, doxology -drome run, step syndrome, aerodrome, velodrome duc, duct to lead, pull produce, abduct, product, transducer, viaduct, aqueduct, induct, deduct, reduce, induce dura hard, lasting durable, duration, endure dynam power dynamo, dynamic, dynamite, hydrodynamics dys- bad, abnormal, difficult, impaired, unfavorable dysfunctional, dyslexia, dyspathy e- not, missing, out, fully, away, computer network related emit, embed, eternal,ether, erase, email, e-tailer ec- out of, outside echo, eclipse, eclectic, ecesis, ecstasy, exzema eco- household, environment, relating to ecology or economy ecology, economize, ecospheres, ecomanagement ecto- outside, external ectomorph, ectoderm, ectoplasm -ed Verb: past tense dressed, faded, patted, closed, introduced -ed Adjective: having the quality or characteristics of winged, moneyed, dogged, tiered -en Verb: to cause to become lengthen, moisten, sharpen -en Adjective: material golden, woolen, silken en-, em- put into, make, provide with, surround with enamor, embolden, enslave, empower, entangle -ence, -ency Noun: action or process, quality or state reference, emergency, dependence, eminence, latency end- inside, within endorse, endocardial, endergonic, endoskeleton, endoscope, endogenous epi- upon, close to, over, after, altered epicenter, epicarp, epilogue, epigone, epidiorite equi- equal equidistant, equilateral, equilibrium, equinox, equation, equator -er, -ier Adjective: comparative better, brighter, sooner, hotter, happier -er, -or Noun: person or thing that does something flyer, reporter, player, member, fryer, collector, concentrator -er, -or Verb: action ponder, dishonor, clamor erg work, effect energy, erg, allergy, ergometer, ergograph, ergophobia -ery collective qualities, art, practice, trade, collection, state, condition snobbery, bakery, geenery, gallery, slavery -es, -ies Noun: plural of most nouns ending in -ch, -s, -sh, -o and -z and some in -f and -y passes, glasses, ladies, heroes -es, -ies Verb: third person singular present indicative of verbs that end in -ch, -s, -sh, — and some in -y blesses, hushes, fizzes, defies -ess female actress, goddess, poetess -est, -iest Adjective or Adverb: superlative latest, strongest, luckiest, lyingest ev-, et- time, age medieval, eternal ex- out of, away from, lacking, former exit, exhale, exclusive, exceed, explosion, ex-mayor exter-, extra-, extro- outside of, beyond external, extrinsic, extraordinary, extrapolate, extraneous, extrovert fa, fess speak fable, fabulous, fame, famous, confess, profess fac, fact, fec, fect, fic, fas, fea do, make difficult, fashion, feasible, feature, factory, fact, effect, manufacture, amplification, confection fall, fals deceive fallacy, falsify, fallacious femto quadrillionth femtosecond fer bear, carry ferry, coniferous, fertile, defer, infer, refer, transfer fic, feign, fain, fit, feat shape, make, fashion fiction, faint, feign fid belief, faith confide, diffident, fidelity fid, fide, feder faith, trust confidante, fidelity, confident, infidelity, infidel, federal, confederacy, semper fi fig shape, form figurem, effigy, figure, figment fila, fili thread filigree, filament, filter, filet, filibuster fin end, ended, finished final, finite, finish, confine, fine, refine, define, finale fix repair, attach fix, fixation, fixture, affix, prefix, suffix flex, flect bend flex, reflex, flexible, flexor, inflexibility, reflect, deflect,circumflex flict strike affliction, conflict, inflict flu, fluc, fluv, flux flow influence, fluid, flue, flush, fluently, fluctuate, reflux, influx -fold Adverb: in a manner of, marked by fourfold for, fore before forecast, fortune, foresee forc, fort strength, strong effort, fort, forte, fortifiable, fortify, forte, fortitude form shape, resemble form, format, conform, formulate, perform, formal, formula fract, frag, frai break fracture, infraction, fragile, fraction, refract, frail fuge flee subterfuge, refuge, centrifuge -ful Noun: an amount or quanity that fills mouthful -ful Adjective: having, giving, marked by fanciful fuse pour confuse, transfuse -fy make, form into falsify, dandify gam marriage bigamy, monogamy, polygamy gastr, gastro stomach gastric, gastronomic, gastritis, gastropod gen kind generous gen birth, race, produce genesis, genetics, eugenics, genealogy, generate, genetic, antigen, pathogen geo earth geometry, geography, geocentric, geology germ vital part germination, germ, germane gest carry, bear congest, gestation giga billion gigabyte, gigaflop gin careful gingerly gloss, glot tongue glossary, polyglot, epiglottis glu, glo lump, bond, glue glue, agglutinate, conglomerate gor to gather, to bring together category, categorize grad, gress, gree to gather, to bring together, step, go grade, degree, progress, gradual, graduate, egress graph, gram, graf write, written, draw graph, graphic, autograph, photography, graphite, telegram, polygraph, grammar, biography, lithograph, graphic grat pleasing congratulate, gratuity, grateful, ingrate grav heavy, weighty grave, gravity, aggravate, gravitate greg herd gregarious, congregation, segregate, gregarian hale, heal make whole, sound inhale, exhale, heal, healthy, healthiness helio sun heliograph, heliotrope, heliocentric hema, hemo blood hemorrhage, hemoglobin, hemophilia, hemostat her, here, hes stick adhere, cohere, cohesion, inherent, hereditary, hesitate hetero other, different heterodox, heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodyne hex, ses, sex six hexagon, hexameter, sestet, sextuplets homo same homogenize, homosexual, homonym, homophone hum, human earth, ground, man humus, exhume, humane hydr, hydra, hydro water dehydrate, hydrant, hydraulic, hydraulics, hydrogen, hydrophobia hyper over, above hyperactive, hypertensive, hyperbolic, hypersensitive, hyperventilate, hyperkinetic hypn sleep hypnosis, hypnotherapy -ia Noun: names, diseases phobia -ian, an Noun: related to, one that is pedestrian, human -iatry Noun: art of healing psychiatry -ic Adjective: quality, relation generic -ic, ics Noun: related to the arts and sciences arithmetic, economics -ice Noun: act malice -ify Verb: cause specify ignis fire ignite, igneous, ignition -ile Adjective: having the qualities of projectile in, im into, on, near, towards instead, import in, im, il, ir not illegible, irresolute, inaction, inviolate, innocuous, intractable, innocent, impregnable, impossible, imposter infra beneath infrared, infrastructure -ing Noun: material made for, activity, result of an activity flooring, swimming, building -ing Verb: present participle depicting -ing Adjective: activity cohering inter between, among international, intercept, interject, intermission, internal, intermittent, intra within, during, between layers, underneath intramural, intranet, intranatal intro into, within, inward interoffice, introvert, introspection, introduce -ion Noun: condition or action abduction -ish Adjective: having the character of newish -ism Noun: doctrine, belief, action or conduct formalism -ist Noun: person or member podiatrist -ite Noun: state or quality graphite -ity, ty Noun: state or quality lucidity, novelty -ive Noun: condition native -ive, -ative, -itive Adjective: having the quality of festive, cooperative, sensitive -ize Verb: cause fantasize jac, ject throw reject, eject, project, trajectory, interject, dejected, inject, ejaculate, adjacent join, junct join adjoining, enjoin, juncture, conjunction, injunction, conjunction judice judge prejudice jug, junct, just to join junction, adjust, conjugal juven young juvenile, rejuvenate labor work laborious, belabor lau, lav, lot, lut wash launder, lavatory, lotion, ablution, dilute lect, leg, lig choose, gather, select, read collect, legible, eligible leg law legal, legislate, legislature, legitimize -less Adjective: without, missing motiveless levi light alleviate, levitate, levity lex, leag, leg law legal, college, league liber, liver free liberty, liberal, liberalize, deliverance lide strike collide, nuclide liter letters literary, literature, literal, alliteration, obliterate loc, loco place, area location, locally, locality, allocate, locomotion log, logo, ology word, study, say, speech, reason, study catalog, prologue, dialogue, zoology, logo loqu, locut talk, speak eloquent, loquacious, colloquial, circumlocution luc, lum, lun, lus, lust light translucent, luminary, luster, luna, illuminate, illustrate lude play prelude -ly Adverb: in the manner of fluently macr-, macer lean emaciated, meager magn great magnify, magnificent, magnanimous, magnate, magnitude, magnum main strength, foremost mainstream, mainsail, domain, remain mal bad, badly malformation, maladjusted, dismal, malady, malcontent,malfunction, malfeasance, maleficent man, manu hand, make, do manual, manage, manufacture, manacle, manicure, manifest, maneuver, emancipate, management mand command mandatory, remand, mandate mania madness mania, maniac, kleptomania, pyromania mar, mari, mer sea, pool marine, marsh, maritime, mermaid matri mother matrimony, maternal, matriarchate, matron medi half, middle, between, halfway mediate, medieval, Mediterranean, mediocre, medium mega great, million megaphone, megaton, megaflop, megalomaniac, megabyte, megalopolis mem recall, remember memo, commemoration, memento, memoir, memorable ment mind mental, mention -ment Noun: condition or result document meso middle mesomorph, mesoamerica, mesosphere meta beyond, change metaphor, metamorphosis, metabolism, metahistorical, metainformation meter measure meter, voltammeter, barometer, thermometer metr admeasure, apportion metrics, asymmetric, parametric, telemetry micro small, millionth microscope, microfilm, microcard, microwave, micrometer, microvolt migra wander migrate, emigrant, immigrate mill, kilo thousand millennium, kilobyte, kiloton milli thousandth millisecond, milligram, millivolt min little, small minute, minor, minuscule mis wrong, bad, badly misconduct, misinform, misinterpret, mispronounce, misnomer, mistake, misogynist mit, miss send emit, remit, submit, admit, commit, permit, transmit, omit, intermittent, mission, missile mob, mov, mot move motion, remove, mobile, motor mon warn, remind monument, admonition, monitor, premonition mono one monopoly, monotype, monologue, mononucleosis, monorail, monotheist, mor, mort mortal, death mortal, immortal, mortality, mortician, mortuary morph shape, form amorphous, dimorphic, metamorphosis, morphology, polymorphic, morpheme, amorphous multi many, much multifold, multilingual, multiped, multiply, multitude, multipurpose, multinational nano billionth nanosecond, nanobucks nasc, nat, gnant, nai to be born nascent, native, pregnant, naive nat, nasc to be from, to spring forth innate, natal, native, renaissance neo new Neolithic, nuveau riche, neologism, neophyte, neonate -ness Noun: state, condition, quality kindness neur nerve neuritis, neuropathic, neurologist, neural, neurotic nom law, order autonomy, astronomy, gastronomy, economy nom, nym name nominate, synonym nomen, nomin name nomenclature, nominate, ignominious non nine nonagon non not nonferrous, nonsense, nonabrasive, nondescript nov new novel, renovate, novice, nova, innovate nox, noc night nocturnal, equinox, noctilucent numer number numeral, numeration, enumerate, innumerable numisma coin numismatics ob, oc, of, op toward, against, in the way oppose, occur, offer, obtain oct eight octopus, octagon, octogenarian, octave oligo few, little Oligocene, oligosaccharide, oligotrophic, oligarchy omni all, every omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omnivorous onym name anonymous, pseudonym, antonym, synonym oper work operate, cooperate, opus -or Noun: condition or activity valor, honor, humor, minor ortho straight, correct orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic, unorthodox -ory Noun: place for, serves for territory, rectory -ous, -eous, -ose, -ious Adjective: having the quality of, relating to adventurous, courageous, verbose, fractious over excessive, above overwork, overall, overwork pac peace pacifist, pacify, pacific ocean pair, pare arrange, assemblage, two repair, impair, compare, prepare paleo old Paleozoic, Paleolithic, paleomagnetism, paleopsychology pan all Pan-American, pan-African, panacea, pandemonium (place of all the demons), para beside paradox, paraprofessional, paramedic, paraphrase, parachute pat, pass, path feel, suffer patient, passion, sympathy, pathology pater, patr father paternity, patriarch, patriot, patron, patronize path, pathy feeling, suffering pathos, sympathy, antipathy, apathy, telepathy ped, pod foot pedal, impede, pedestrian, centipede, tripod, podiatry, antipode, podium pedo child orthopedic, pedagogue, pediatrics pel, puls drive, push, urge compel, dispel, expel, repel, propel, pulse, impulse, pulsate, compulsory, expulsion, repulsive pend, pens, pond hang, weigh pendant, pendulum, suspend, appendage, pensive, append per through, intensive persecute, permit, perspire, perforate, persuade peri around periscope, perimeter, perigee, periodontal phage eat macrophage, bacteriophage phan, phas, phen, fan, phant, fant show, make visible phantom, fantasy phe speak blaspheme, cipher, phenomenon, philosopher phil love philosopher, philanthropy, philharmonic, bibliophile phlegma inflammation phlegm, phlegmatic phobia, phobos fear phobia, claustrophobia, acrophobia, aquaphobia, ergophobia, homophobia phon sound telephone, phonics, phonograph, phonetic, homophone, microphone, symphony, euphonious phot, photo light photograph, photoelectric, photogenic, photosynthesis, photon pico trillionth picofarad, picocurie, picovolt pict paint, show, draw picture, depict plac, plais please placid, placebo, placate, complacent pli, ply fold reply, implicate, ply plore cry out, wail implore, exploration, deploring plu, plur, plus more plural, pluralist, plus pneuma, pneumon breath pneumatic, pneumonia, pod foot, feet podiatry, tripod poli city metropolis, police, politics, Indianapolis, megalopolis, acropolis poly many polytheist, polygon, polygamy, polymorphous pon, pos, pound place, put postpone, component, opponent, proponent, expose, impose, deposit, posture, position, expound, impound pop people population, populous, popular port carry porter, portable, transport, report, export, import, support, transportation portion part, share portion, proportion post after, behind postpone, postdate pot power potential, potentate, impotent pre, pur before precede prehendere seize, grasp apprehend, comprehend, comprehensive, prehensile prin, prim, prime first primacy, prima donna, primitive, primary, primal, primeval, prince, principal pro for, foward propel proto first prototype, protocol, protagonist, protozoan, Proterozoic, protoindustrial psych mind, soul psyche, psychiatry, psychology, psychosis punct point, dot punctual, punctuation, puncture, acupuncture, punctuation pute think dispute, computer quat, quad four quadrangle, quadruplets quint, penta five quintet, quintuplets, pentagon, pentane, pentameter quip ship equip, equipment quir, quis, quest, quer seek, ask query, inquire, exquisite, quest re back, again report, realign, retract, revise, regain reg, recti straighten regiment, regular, rectify, correct, direct, rectangle retro backwards retrorocket, retrospect, retrogression, retroactive ri, ridi, risi laughter deride, ridicule, ridiculous, derision, risible rog, roga ask prerogative, interrogation, derogatory rupt break rupture, interrupt, abrupt, disrupt, ruptible sacr, sanc, secr sacred sacred, sacrosanct, sanction, consecrate, desecrate salv, salu safe, healthy salvation, salvage, salutation sanct holy sanctify, sanctuary, sanction, sanctimonious, sacrosanct sat, satis enough satient, saturate, satisfy sci, scio, scientia know science, conscious, omniscient, cognocienti scope see, watch telescope, microscope, kaleidoscope, periscope, stethoscope scrib, script write scribe, scribble, inscribe, describe, subscribe, prescribe, manuscript se apart, move away from secede sect, sec cut intersect, transect, dissect, secant, section sed, sess, sid sit sediment, session, obsession, possess, preside, president, reside, subside semi half, partial semifinal, semiconscious, semiannual, semimonthly, semicircle sen, scen old, grow old senior, senator, senile, senescence, evanescent sent, sens feel, think sentiment, consent, resent, dissent, sentimental, sense, sensation, sensitive, sensory, dissension sept seven septet, septennial sequ, secu, sue follow sequence, consequence, sequel, subsequent, prosecute, consecutive, second, ensue, pursue serv save, serve, keep servant, service, subservient, servitude, preserve, conserve, reservation, deserve, conservation, observe -ship Noun: status, condition relationship, friendship sign, signi sign, mark, seal signal, signature, design, insignia, significant simil, simul like, resembling similar, assimilate, simulate, simulacrum, simultaneous sist, sta, stit stand, withstand, make up assist, insist, persist, circumstance, stamina, status, state, static, stable, stationary, substitute soci to join, companions sociable, society sol, solus alone solo, soliloquy, solitaire, solitude, solitary, isolate solv, solu, solut loosen, explain solvent, solve, absolve, resolve, soluble, solution, resolution, resolute, dissolute, absolution somn sleep insomnia, somnambulist soph wise sophomore (wise fool), philosophy, sophisticated spec, spect, spi, spic look, see specimen, specific, spectator, spectacle, aspect, speculate, inspect, respect, prospect, retrospective, introspective, expect, conspicuous sper render favorable prosper sphere ball, sphere sphere, stratosphere, hemisphere, spheroid spir breath spirit, conspire, inspire, aspire, expire, perspire, respiration stand, stant, stab, stat, stan, sti, sta, st, stead stand stature, establish, stance -ster person mobster, monster strain, strict, string, stige bind, pull, draw tight stringent, strict, restrict, constrict, restrain, boa constrictor stru, struct, stroy, stry build construe, structure, construct, instruct, obstruct, destruction, destroy, industry, ministry sub, suc, suf, sup, sur, sus under, below, from, secretly, instead of sustain, survive, support, suffice, succeed, submerge, submarine, substandard, subnormal, subvert sume, sump take, use, waste consume, assume, sump, presumption super, supra over, above superior, suprarenal, superscript, supernatural, superimpose, supercede syn, sym together, at the same time sympathy, synthesis, synchronous, syndicate tact, tang, tag, tig, ting touch tactile, contact, intact, intangible, tangible, contagious, contiguous, contingent tain, ten, tent, tin hold, keep, have retain, continue, content, tenacious tect, teg cover detect, protect, tegular, tegument tele distance, far, from afar telephone, telegraph, telegram, telescope, television, telephoto, telecast, telepathy, telepathy tem, tempo time tempo, temporary, extemporaneously, contemporary, pro tem, temporal ten, tin, tain hold tenacious, tenant, tenure, untenable, detention, retentive, content, pertinent, continent, obstinate, contain, abstain, pertain, detain tend, tent, tens stretch, strain tendency, extend, intend, contend, pretend, superintend, tender, extent, tension, pretense tera trillion terabyte, teraflop term end, boundary, limit exterminate, terminal terr, terra earth terrain, terrarium, territory, terrestrial test to bear witness testament, detest, testimony, attest, testify the, theo God, a god monotheism, polytheism, atheism, theology therm heat thermometer, theorem, thermal, thermos bottle, thermostat, hypothermia thesis, thet place, put antithesis, hypothesis, synthesis, epithet tire draw, pull attire, retire, entire tom cut atom (not cutable), appendectomy, tonsillectomy, dichotomy, anatomy tor, tors, tort twist torture, retort, extort, distort, contort, torsion, tortuous, torturous tox poison toxic, intoxicate, antitoxin tract, tra, trai, treat drag, draw, pull attract, tractor, traction, extract, retract, protract, detract, subtract, contract, intractable trans across, beyond, change transform, transoceanic, transmit, transportation, transducer tri three tripod, triangle, trinity, trilateral trib pay, bestow tribute, contribute, attribute, retribution, tributary tribute give contribute, distribute, tributary turbo disturb turbulent, disturb, turbid, turmoil typ print type, prototype, typical, typography, typewriter, typology, typify ultima last ultimate, ultimatum umber, umbraticum shadow umbra, penumbra, (take) umbrage, adumbrate un not, against, opposite unceasing, unequal uni one uniform, unilateral, universal, unity, unanimous, unite, unison, unicorn -ure Noun: act, condition, process, function exposure, conjecture, measure vac empty vacate, vacuum, evacuate, vacation, vacant, vacuous vade go evade, invader vale, vali, valu strength, worth equivalent, valiant, validity, evaluate, value, valor veh, vect to carry vector, vehicle, convection, vehement ven, vent come convene, intervene, venue, convenient, avenue, circumvent, invent, convent, venture, event, advent, prevent ver, veri true very, aver, verdict, verity, verify, verisimilitude verb, verv word verify, veracity, verbalize, verve vert, vers turn, change convert, revert, advertise, versatile, vertigo, invert, reversion, extravert, introvert, diversion, introvert, convertible, reverse, controversy vi way viable, vibrate, vibrant vic, vicis change, substitute vicarious, vicar, vicissitude vict, vinc conquer victor, evict, convict, convince, invincible vid, vis see video, evident, provide, providence, visible, revise, supervise, vista, visit, vision, review, indivisible viv, vita, vivi alive, life revive, survive, vivid, vivacious, vitality, vivisection, vital, vitamins, revitalize voc, voke call vocation, avocation, convocation, invocation, evoke, provoke, revoke, advocate, provocative, vocal vol will malevolent, benevolent, volunteer, volition volcan fire volcano, vulcanize, Vulcan volv, volt, vol turn about, roll revolve, voluble, voluminous, convolution, revolt, evolution vor eat greedily voracious, carnivorous, herbivorous, omnivorous, devour -ward Adverb: in a direction or manner homeward -wise Adverb: in the manner of, with regard to timewise, clockwise, bitwise with against withhold, without, withdraw, forthwith -y Noun: state, condition, result of an activity society, victory -y Adjective: marked by, having hungry, angry, smeary, teary zo animal zoo (zoological garden), zoology, zodiac, protozoan

120 Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes PDF List

The English language is filled with words borrowed from ancient Greek and Latin, which makes supplementing your instruction with word parts practice that much more critical.  There are countless ways to incorporate word parts into your lesson plans. You may already have a structured plan in place, or you might be testing the waters. Either way, teach your students to be word detectives.  A word detective looks at all the clues to determine a word’s meaning. When students know how to decode large words by identifying root words and affixes, they will be sufficiently prepared to tackle higher level texts. 

The table below lists 120 commonly used Greek and Latin root words, prefixes, and suffixes.  It also includes the meaning of each word part and several example words. It’s a great place to start if you’re interested in adding a regularly scheduled word parts practice to your daily teaching agenda. 

Word Part	Meaning	Example Words
ab	away	absent, abnormal, absorb
ab	away	absent, abnormal, absorb
able/ible	capable of	reversible, breakable, visible
ad	to; toward	adhere, adjoin, adapt
al	having to do with	herbal, factual, seasonal
amb/ambi	around; both	ambient, ambiguous, amble
ante	before	anterior, antebellum, antecedent
anthrop	human	anthropology, misanthrope, philanthropist
anti	against	antibiotic, antisocial, antifreeze
aqu	water	aquarium, aqueduct, aquifer
ast	star	astronomy, astrology, asteroid
aud	hear	audio, audience, auditorium
auto	self	autograph, automobile, autobiography
ben/bene	good	benefit, benign, benevolent
bi	two	bicycle, bilingual, bisect
bio	life	biology, biography, biopsy
cent	hundred	century, percent, centipede
chrono	time	chronic, chronological, chronicle
circum	around	circumvent, circumscribe, circumference
co/con	with; together	construct, collaborate, confer
counter	opposing	counterbalance, counterfiet, counteract
cred	believe	incredible, discredit, credence
cycl	circle	recycle, bicycle, cyclone
dec	ten	decade, decimal, decibel
dem/demo	people	democracy, demographics, epidemic
di/du	two	duet, dissect, dialogue

dia	across; through	dialogue, diameter, diagnosis
dic/dict	speak; say	dictionary, dictate, contradict
dis	not	disagree, disinfect, disobey
ence/ance	state; condition	performance, conference, insurance
equ	equal	equator, equality, equation
ex	former; past	ex-girlfriend, ex-president, ex-mayor
fer	carry	transfer, conifer, aquifer
frac/frag	break	fraction, fragment, fragile
ful	full of	thoughtful, painful, helpful
gen	born	gene, gender, genesis
geo	earth	geology, geode, geography
grad	step	graduation, graduate, gradual
graph	write	paragraph, calligraphy, autograph
hydro/hydra	water	hydrate, hydrogen, hydroplane
hyper	over; beyond	hyperactive, hyperlink, hyperventilate
ian	related to; like	librarian, pedestrian, historian
ic/tic	having to do with	realistic, organic, metallic
ile	related to	reptile, sterile, juvenile
in	not	incapable, incomplete, inaudible
inter	between	internet, intermission, international
intra	within	intrastate, intramural, intrapersonal
ism	condition; belief in	racism, tourism, journalism
ist	person who does	soloist, artist, cyclist
ity	state of being	creativity, disability, equality
ject	throw	eject, reject, interject

junct	join	juncture, junction, adjunct
less	without	homeless, useless, wireless
log	word	monologue, prologue, eulogy
ly	how; how often	quickly, hourly, carefully
magn	large; great	magnify, magnitude, magnificent
mal	bad; evil	malady, malaria, malice
man	hand	manicure, manage, manual
medi	middle	mediocre, medium, medieval
mega	large	megabyte, megaphone, megalith
meter	measure	diameter, perimeter, thermometer
micro	small	microscope, microwave, microbe
min	small	miniature, minute, minimum
mis	wrong	misbehave, misspell, miscount
miss/mit	send	missile, transmit, dismiss
mon/mono	one	monument, monologue, monorail
mort	death	immortal, mortify, mortuary
multi	many	multicolored, multicolored, multigrain
non	not	nonviolent, nonstop, nonfiction
oct/octo	eight	octopus, octagon, octave
ology	study of	biology, zoology, psychology
ortho	straight	orthodontist, orthopedic, orthodox
ous	having	virtuous, adventurous, hazardous
pan	all	panorama, pandemic, pantheon
para	beside; related	parallel, parasite, paramedic
path	disease; feeling	pathogen, psychopath, sympathy

ped	foot	pedal, pedestrian, pedometer
phobia	fear	claustrophobia, hydrophobia, arachnophobia
phon	sound	telephone, saxophone, microphone
photo	light	photon, photography, photosynthesis
phys	body; nature	physician, physical, physique
plex	parts; units	complex, cineplex, duplex
poly	many	polygon, polytheism, polygraph
port	carry	airport, transport, import
pos	put; place	position, compose, deposit
post	after	posterior, postscript, postpone
pre	before	pregame, preview, prepay
psych	mind	psychology, psychic, psychiatrist
quad	four	quadruple, quadrant, quadratic
re	again	rebuild, refund, renew
retro	back; backwards	retrospect, retroactive, retrograde
rupt	break	disrupt, interrupt, erupt
scope	look; see	periscope, telescope, microscope
script/scrib	write	scribble, prescribe, manuscript
sect	cut	section, dissect, intersect
semi	half	semicircle, semifinal, semicolon
sens/sent	to feel	sentimental, sensitive, consent
soci	people	sociology, social, associate
sol	alone	solo, solitary, desolate
spec	see	inspect, spectacle, spectator
spir	breathe	conspire, inspire, respiratory
struct	build	construction, structure, instruct
sub	under	subway, submarine, subtitle
super	over; greater	superior, supervisor, superimpose
syn/sym	with; together	sympathy, synonym, symptom
tech	craft; skill	technique, technology, technician
tele	far	television, telephone, telescope
terr/terra	land; earth	terrain, terrace, territory
the/theo	god	theology, monotheism, polytheism
therm	heat	thermometer, thermos, hypothermia
tion	action; state of being	infection, addition, celebration
tract	drag; pull	attract, subtract, contraction
trans	across; through	transform, transaction, translate
tri	three	tripod, tricycle, triple
un	not	unhappy, unhealthy, unsafe
uni	one	unicycle, uniform, united
vac	empty	vacuum, vacant, evacuate
ven	come	prevent, venue, invent
vert/vers	turn	conversation, introvert, reverse
vid/vis	see	visible, video, television
zoo	animal	zoology, zookeeper, zoo

FREE! 120 Commonly Used Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

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Brooke Khan, M.A.Ed2021-12-30T08:46:49+00:00

Prefix + Root Word + Suffix

Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in. First Name* E-Mail Address* Country* ACTOR was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in ACTOR? ACTOR was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	an adjective into a noun

PIANIST was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in PIANIST? PIANIST was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a noun into an adjective

DIFFERENCE was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in DIFFERENCE? DIFFERENCE was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	an adjective into a noun

DIFFERENT was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in DIFFERENT? DIFFERENT was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a verb into an adjective

IGNORANCE was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in IGNORANCE? IGNORANCE was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	and adjective into a noun

ISLAMISM was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in ISLAMISM? ISLAMISM was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a noun into another noun

FRIENDSHIP was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in FRIENDSHIP? FRIENDSHIP was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a noun into another noun

RESPONSIBLE was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in RESPONSIBLE? RESPONSIBLE was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a noun into an adjective

CAREFUL was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in CAREFUL? CAREFUL was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a verb into an adjective

HAPPILY was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in HAPPILY? HAPPILY was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	an adjective into an adverb

INDIFFERENT was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in INDIFFERENT? INDIFFERENT was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a verb into an adjective

MISMATCH was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in MISMATCH? MISMATCH was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a noun into another noun

ENCOURAGE was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in ENCOURAGE? ENCOURAGE was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a noun into an adjective

BEFRIEND was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in BEFRIEND? BEFRIEND was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	a noun into an adjective

BEAUTIFULLY was formed by adding a What is the ‘root word’ in BEAUTIFULLY? BEAUTIFULLY was formed by changing

	a verb into a noun
	a noun into a verb
	an adjective into an adverb

Please enter the word that you see below.

  

In this study guide, you will learn about common prefixes and suffixes in English. You will discover how these change the meaning and form of a word. Examples are given to show you exactly how to use these prefixes and suffixes. Check out the exercises at the end to test your understanding! You can also download this guide as a free pdf to use offline. Let’s dive in!

What you will learn: 

• Prefixes – meanings & use
• Suffixes – common suffixes for nouns & adjectives
• Spelling rules & word families
• List of common prefixes & suffixes (with examples)
• Prefixes & suffixes: exercises

Prefixes and suffixes are collectively known as ‘affixes’. Some words have both a prefix and a suffix, for example:

prefix + root word + suffix
un-comfort-able

Understanding how words are formed using prefixes and suffixes can help you work out the meaning of words and make sense of difficult spellings.
 

The most commonly-used prefixes are those that change an adjective with a positive meaning into one with a negative or opposing meaning, for example: uncomfortable. Prefixes that change the word to a negative meaning include: in-, ir-, im- and dis-. Examples formed using this type of prefix are: inactive, irregular, impossible and dishonest.

Prefix	Meaning	Example
anti-	opposed/to prevent	antidote
counter-	opposite/ opposed to	counterproductive
de-	something is removed or reduced	de-activate
dis-	negative/opposite	disadvantage
ex-	former	ex-wife
extra-	outside/beyond	extra-curricular
fore-	before	forewarn
homo-	same	homosexual
hyper-	very/extremely	hyper-sensitive
il-	negative/opposite	illogical
im-	negative/opposite	immature
in-	negative/opposite	inexpensive
inter-	between	international
ir-	negative/opposite	irregular
mal-	bad/wrong	malpractice
mid-	middle	midwinter
mis-	bad/wrong	misplace
mono-	one	monorail
neo-	new	neoclassical
non-	not	nondescript
omni-	all	omnivore
out-	outside/beyond/bigger	outweigh
pre-	before	pre-date
re-	again	re-arrange
semi-	half	semicircle
sub-	under	submerge
super-	bigger/more powerful	superhero
un-	negative/opposite	unbelievable
under-	beneath/not enough	underplay

Some groups of prefixes have very specific meanings and uses. The table below summarises the most common prefixes for metric measures, those that describe multiples of units and those indicating fractions of units.

Prefix	Meaning	Example
deca-	ten times a unit	decathlon
kilo-	one thousand times a unit	kilometre
mega-	one million times a unit	megabyte
giga-	one billion units	gigawatt
deci-	one tenth of a unit	decilitre
centi-	one hundredth of a unit	centimetre
milli-	one thousandth of a unit	millimetre
micro-	one millionth of a unit (also means extremely small)	micro-organism

Suffixes: common suffixes for nouns & adjectives

Suffixes enable root words to change in different ways in order to form different classes of word. For example, the root word ‘create’ can be modified to creation (noun), creative (adjective) and creatively (adverb). Different classes of words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) have their own common suffixes.

Common suffixes for adjectives	Example		Common noun suffixes	Example
-able / -ible	adorable terrible	-ance / -ence	endurance conscience
-ant / -ent	pleasant confident	-ant	contestant
-ate	passionate	-dom	freedom
-ful	wonderful	-ee	employee
-ian	Canadian	-er / -or	painter conductor
-ic	energetic	-ery	scenery
-ical	methodical	-hood	neighbourhood
-ish	selfish	-ion	election
-ive	positive	-ism	socialism
-less	pointless	-ist	novelist
-like	business-like	-ity	regularity
-ous	adventurous	-ment	improvement
-some	wearisome	-ness	sadness
-y	noisy	-ship	friendship
		-ure	closure

Adverb suffixes	Examples		Verb suffixes	Examples
-ly	quickly	-en	eaten
-wise	clockwise	-ise	energise
-ward	northward	-ate	alternate

Spelling rules & word families

1. Suffix spelling rules

The following rules apply to British English spelling. See also the section below on American spelling rules.

For most short words ending in a single consonant, double the consonant when adding a suffix, e.g. big/bigger. For longer words ending in ‘-l’ you should also double the consonant, e.g. travel becomes traveller. Many verbs also follow this rule, for example modelling.

For words ending in ‘-e’, the final ‘e’ is often dropped when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added. Examples include: evolve/evolving and irritate/irritable. The ‘e’ is sometimes kept to help with pronunciation, for example, in the word knowledgeable.

This same spelling pattern occurs in manageable and changeable. Some words have two alternative spellings. For example loveable and lovable are both correct spellings. Words ending in ee, oe and ye do not drop the ‘e’ when a suffix is added. Examples include seeing and canoeing.

2. American spelling

There are some differences in spelling between British and American English. Here are some common differences:

American English	British English
analyze	analyse
traveled/traveling	travelled/travelling
defense	defence
civilization	civilisation
center	centre
humor	humour
dialog	dialogue

3. Word families

“Word families” are groups of words where different suffixes have been added to the same root word. It would be very difficult to learn all the word families in English, but knowing a few common word families can help you to learn spelling patterns and common prefix and suffix meanings.

English examinations often require students to ‘transform’ words by adding the appropriate prefixes and suffixes. So, familiarising yourself with prefixes and suffixes could help with your exam skills as well as your vocabulary.

The following word families demonstrate how root words can be transformed to create different forms with similar meanings.

Verb	Noun	Adjective	Adverb
succeed	success	successful	successfully
specialise	specialism	special	especially
attract	attraction	attractive	attractively
surprise	surprise	surprising	surprisingly

4. Hyphen or no hyphen?

In most cases where a prefix is added to a word, no hyphen (-) is used. However, hyphens can be used in some situations to make the meaning of the word clearer and to avoid confusion.

One example is where the prefix ends with the same letter that the word starts with. For example co– and owner. Adding co- without a hyphen could change the pronunciation of the word and make the meaning difficult to understand. For this reason co-owner is clearer than coowner.

Confusion can also occur where the word has two meanings. For example, a remark is a spoken comment, but re-mark means to mark/assess an exam again. Using a hyphen in this situation can avoid confusion.

A hyphen is often used with a prefix before a proper noun. Examples include: un-American and anti-British. Finally, the prefixes ex-, self- and co- are often used with a hyphen.
 

Prefixes & suffixes – examples

The list below summarises commonly used prefixes and suffixes in English. Example sentences are also provided to help you understand them in context.

Prefixes examples

Anti-

antiseptic, anti-climax, antifreeze, antibiotic, antibody, anticlockwise
The atheletes ran around the track in an anticlockwise direction.
Many infections can be treated with antibiotics.

Counter-

counterpart, counterproductive, counterclaim
Putting too much pressure on young people can be counterproductive.

De-

deteriorate, derail, deactivate
The discussion deteriorated into an argument.

Dis-

dissatisfied, disappointed, disloyal, disobedient, disruptive, distrust
Jane never did what she was told. She was a disobedient child.
Rob was disappointed when he didn’t get the job.

Ex-

ex-wife, ex-teacher, ex-husband, ex-policeman
I still meet my ex-husband sometimes.
No, he wasn’t a teacher before. He’s an ex-policeman.

Extra-

extracurricular, extracellular, extraordinary
Her journey across the world was extraordinary.

Fore-

forewarn, foreground, forefathers, forecast, forego, forefront
This robotics company is at the forefront of modern technology.
The weather forecast for tomorrow is good.

Homo-

homogeneous, homophone, homosexual
Air is a homogeneous mixture.

Hyper-

hypersensitive, hyperlink, hyper-intelligent
A hyperlink connects one page to another.

Il-

illogical, illegal, illiterate, illuminate
Driving under the age of 17 is illegal in the UK.

Im-

immature, immaterial, immediately, immense, impersonal, impatient
You need to speak to the headteacher immediately.
Jamie looks sensible but he is actually quite immature.

In-

inevitable, incorrect, indifferent, indoors, ineffective, insincere
The examiner told me that some of my answers were incorrect.
Unfortunately, the cancer medicine was ineffective.

Inter-

international, intermediate, interpreter, interval, interfere, interest
My husband is working for an international company.
Maggie decided not to be a teacher; she is training to be an interpreter.

Ir-

irresponsible, irrational, irregular, irrelevant
Irregular verbs are difficult to learn!

Mal-

malpractice, malfunction, malnourished, malnutrition
I couldn’t complete the work because laser cutting machine malfunctioned. 

Mid-

mid-July, midweek, mid-September, mid-sentence
I’m going to go out for a walk midweek. 

Mis-

misunderstanding, mistrust, misuse, misspell, misrepresent, mispronounce
We didn’t fall out – it was just a misunderstanding.
The newspaper report misrepresented what I said! 

Mono-

monorail, monotone, monochrome, monotonous, monosyllable, monopoly
That song has a boring tune; it’s monotonous.
A monorail has just one rail. 

Neo-

neonatal, neoclassical, Neolithic
Yes, that museum is a neoclassical building.

Non- (note the prefix ‘non’ is usually used with a hyphen)

non-event, non-stop, non-smoking, non-alcoholic, non-member, non-resident
Sorry, this is a non-smoking building.
Non-residents are welcome in the restaurant.

Omni-

omnivore, omnipresent
An omnivore eats plants and animals. 

Out-

outbreak, outgrow, outrun, outweigh, outbuilding, outspoken
He has outgrown all his baby clothes now.
Overall, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Pre-

pre-war, pre-recorded, pre-pay, pre-set, pre-tax
She has a pre-recorded message on her phone.
You can pre-pay for your dental treatment.

Re-

replay, rerun, re-record, re-write
She had to re-write her essay to get a higher grade.
The football match last weekend was a replay.

Semi-

semicircle, semi-darkness, semi-detached, semi-literate, semi-professional
They left the restaurant in semi-darkness.
Mary is a great tennis player. She is semi-professional.

Sub-

subtropical, subsection, sub-zero, subnormal, subsoil
They had to cope with sub-zero temperatures.
Much of North Africa has a sub-tropical climate.

Super-

supermarket, supernatural, super-tanker, super-rich, supervisor
Supermarkets have a greater range of products than local shops.
John has been my supervisor for the past year.

Un-

unbelievable, unkind, unusual, unable, uncomfortable, uncanny
My new shoes are uncomfortable.
That film was unbelievable!

Under-

underplay, underwear, under-valued, under-rated, under-paid
He was an under-rated actor.
I’m not selling that vase. I think it has been under-valued.

Suffixes examples

-able

unbelievable, comfortable, washable, likeable, knowledgeable, fashionable (adjectives)
Do you prefer fashionable or comfortable clothes?
Professor Smith is very knowledgeable about insects.

-ance

performance, allowance, disturbance, appearance, brilliance (nouns)
Tom is given a weekly allowance by his parents.
The police were called to a disturbance in the street.

-ant

pleasant, brilliant, disinfectant, servant, assistant, (nouns and adjectives)
We had a brilliant holiday in Spain.
He decided to employ an assistant.

-ate

activate, affectionate, regulate, electorate, mediate, fortunate (nouns and adjectives)
You can activate your PayPal account now.
His dog is well-behaved and affectionate.

-dom

freedom, kingdom, boredom (nouns)
Freedom of choice means you have more opportunity to make decisions.

-ence

presence, existence, occurrence, permanence (nouns)
I could feel a ghostly presence when I went into the room!
Most people dispute the existence of ghosts.

-ent

different, resident, president (nouns and adjectives)
She has been a resident in this area for many years.

-er

carpenter, painter, hotter, bigger, diner, photographer (nouns and adjectives)
He is training to be a painter.
She would love to be a photographer.

-ery

bravery, machinery, bakery, flattery (nouns)
You can buy bread at the bakery.
The fireman was praised for his bravery.

-ful

beautiful, wonderful, colourful, eventful, restful, careful (adjectives)
It was an eventful day.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday!

-hood

neighbourhood, childhood, priesthood (nouns)
This is a very quiet neighbourhood.

-ible

terrible, horrible, visible, edible (adjectives)
Is that plant edible?
Our house is visible from the road.

-ic

photographic, alcoholic, supersonic (adjectives)
SpaceX is planning to launch a supersonic plane.
The local pub serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

-ical

historical, identical, satirical (adjectives)
John and Steve are identical twins.

-ion

decision, promotion, completion, election, exhaustion, deception (nouns)
The results of the election will be announced tomorrow.
She made an important decision today.

-ism

Cubism, socialism, criticism, heroism (nouns)
Cubism was one of the most influential art movements of the twentieth century.

-ish

childish, selfish, reddish, snobbish, Spanish, English (adjectives)
She looks grown-up but she is a little childish.
He has reddish hair.

-ist

socialist, novelist, guitarist, pianist, sexist, racist
She is a brilliant guitarist.
Sexism and racism are not to be tolerated in schools.

-ity

creativity, popularity, regularity, sexuality, eventuality, familiarity (nouns)
Her strength is her creativity.
Jenny carefully planned her trip to allow for any eventuality.

-ive

creative, positive, negative, transitive, explosive, detective (nouns and adjectives)
My brother-in-law is working as a private detective.
My mother is a creative person.

-less

careless, ruthless, pointless, meaningless, tasteless, powerless (adjectives)
It was a careless mistake.
Sorry, but this soup is tasteless.

-ment

permanent, government, employment, arrangement, management (nouns and adjectives)
She is really pleased that she now has a permanent job.
Have you got any management experience?

–ness

shyness, loudness, sadness, loneliness (nouns)
He had to try hard to overcome his shyness.
Loneliness can be a big problem for older people.

-ous

adventurous, pretentious, cautious, dangerous, spacious (adjectives)
Her new flat is very spacious.
She is really adventurous. She often travels to faraway places.

-ship

friendship, hardship, fellowship, premiership, citizenship (nouns)
He has kept his friendship with Tony going for 20 years.
They suffered a lot of hardship when they first arrived in the country.

-some

troublesome, bothersome, loathsome (adjectives)
Wasps can be troublesome in late summer.

-ure

closure, fracture, measure, exposure, failure (nouns)
He said the marriage broke down due to a failure to communicate openly.
She was disappointed about the closure of the business.

-y

funny, scary, wintry, feathery, scaly, messy
My room is always messy!
It was a beautiful wintry scene on Christmas Day.
 

Prefixes & suffixes: exercises

Judith P.
— ESL Tutor.

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