The Morphology of English Words

Beginning with an exploration of everyday base words and affixes, this post will show how to apply your knowledge of these patterns to the multisyllabic English words of Latin origin, and its potential to enhance vocabulary skills. You will discover why and how the roots of English have led to the belief, albeit unjustified, that the English spelling system is awkward and contradictory.

Pattern

prefix-root-suffix

Root: original meaning
Prefix: emphatic, direction or size
Suffix: property, meaning (sometimes)
Phonological change:
- letter: vowel + consonant
- vowel: a, e, i , o, u (e.g. rest/rust, shirt/short)
- semivowel: y, w (e.g. yes/fly)
- function: hyphen (i,u is the most common use) and no meaning
- consonant: pronunciation is similar, and they can be replaced
  - voiced: suffix is often for verb (d,t,s)(e.g. scribe)
  - voiceless: suffix is often for noun or adjective (e.g. script)
- sound laws in the Indo-European languages:
  - Grimm’s law
  - Verner’s law
  - Winter’s law
  - b = p = m = f = v (e.g. fin/pin/pen)
  - g = k = c = h (e.g. glue/clue, horn/corn)
  - m = n = l = r (e.g. sum/sol, moon/lun, palm = p + arm, bank = bar + k, desert = de + sand)
  - d = t = s = c = th (e.g. dent/teeth)
  - u = v = w
  - y = i (e.g. crisis = cry + sis, crime = cry + me)

The first three are the most important. Pronunciation change in English does not change its meaning, just extend in meaning, such as vinc and vict, they both mean winning, conquer.

80% of English vocabulary comes from foreign languages, and most of them are Latin, French, Germanic.

English Words Origin

Latin: university, library
French: beef (English call cow), pork (English call pig)
Germanic: machine, automatic
Greek: democracy, liberty
Japanese: tofu (Chinese, 豆腐), sensei (Chinese, 先生)，senpai(Chinese, 先辈)
Chinese: ketchup (Cantonese, 茄汁), kowtow (Cantonese, 叩头), lychee (荔枝), typhoon (台风), mandarin (满大人), wok (锅), wonton (云吞)
…

English has a history of 2,300 years. In the course of historical development, its meaning will be gradually extended.

Word Matrix

English thinking:

Synecdoche: concrete things are often used to extend or represent the whole thing
- bar(barrier) to represent the
Doubly consonant: British English often uses doubly consonant, American English often uses single consonant
- traveller, traveler

Alphabet Hieroglyphic

Proto-Canaanite (BC15) -> Phoenician (BC10) -> Latin (BC7)

The modern alphabet with 26 letters started in the 16th century. The development of the English alphabet had influences from the Semitic, Phoenician, Greek and Roman scripts. It’s quite interesting to learn how each letter was formed.

A/a: cow head -> alp(ha) -> head
- ace
- ache
- acid
- acupuncture
- acute
- alphabet
- alps
- alt
- altitude
- anger
- angle
- arrow
- ash
- aspect
- cash
- dash
- lash
- sharp
B/b: home -> two -> bet(ween) -> wood -> born
- abandon (a + ban + dan)
- back
- bag
- bald (ball + d)
- band
- bank
- bar
- bare
- basket
- base
- be
- belly
- belt (belly + tie)
- bend
- bike
- bind
- bio
- birth
- board
- boil
- bond
- born
- both
- boundary
- bounce
- bund
- bundle
- bow
- box
- bra
- brace
- brain
- branch
- breed
- breast
- brew
- bright
- broom
- brother
- brow
- bud
- build
- burn
- by
C/c: spear -> gamma -> sunken (borrow pronunciation like g, k)
- cap
- cash (a palm to catch)
- catch (a palm to catch with c shape)
- cave (cavity of a mountain)
- cavern
- canyon
- chant
- chap
- charm
- chin
- chop
- chord
- chorus
- cite
- clam
- clap
- claw
- crawl
- creep
- crescent
- crib
- cry
- concord
- confirm
- constitute
- copy
- cough
- cove
- cuff
- cup
- curse
- cut
D/d: door -> dome -> down
- dam
- dawn
- day
- deep
- dent
- depth
- derma
- desk
- dice
- dig
- dim
- diner
- dinner
- diss
- dock
- dog
- dome
- down
- drain
- drink
- drip
- drool
- drop
- dusk
- dust
E/e: cheer -> spread -> symmetry
- eager
- eat
- echo
- egg
- eight
- elite
- epic
- exit
- eye
- peep (watch with your palm around your eyes)
F/f: hook -> flow, palm
- factory
- fall
- fan
- farm
- fast
- fight
- find
- finger
- first
- five
- fix
- flirt
- float
- flu
- flurry
- fly
- force
- free
- fury
- future
G/g: tool
- dog
H/h: fence -> shelter -> ladder -> aspirate
- hack
- hall
- hammer
- hand
- happy
- hard
- hash
- hat
- heave
- head
- heart
- height
- helmet
- hello
- hey
- hi
- hit
- home
- honest
- honor
- hood
- hope
- horse
- hot
- house
- hug
- huge
- human
- hut
L/l: long -> horizontal
- lash
- lect
- leg
- level
- line
- lingua
- light
- long
- look
- love
M/m: peak
- mountain (mountains with several peaks)
- man, male (man is reliable as a mountain)
- match (match is a game between men)
N/n: snake -> fold
- connect (con - neck)
P/p: palm
- palm (it’s p + arm, a palm is a part connected the arm)
- patch
- phone
R/r: head
- root (the head of something)
S/s: plant
- Seed
T/t: symbol
- cat
V/v: valley -> hollow
- vase
- vagina
- vent
- vest
- village
- villa
- vessel
- v = w
  - wind
  - want
  - white
W/w: water
- woman (woman is mild like water)
- watch (man play match, woman watch it)
- weep (water in eyes, and wipe with palm)
Z/z: zip

Root

act: the same as ag (e.g. action, active, counteract, actual, exact, transact)
- From Latin actus, agere
after: more away, farther off (e.g. afternoon, afterward)
- From of off + -ter, a comparative suffix
ag: to do, perform, to drive, draw out or forth, move (e.g. agent, agenda, agile, agitate)
- From Latin agere
agro: a field, a farm; the country (e.g. agronomy)
al: beyond (e.g. allergy)
algi: pain (e.g. neuralgia)
alt: tall
alter: the other (e.g. alternate)
annu: year (e.g. annual)
anim: life (e.g. animal)
ant: front, forehead (e.g. antecede)
aqu: water (e.g. aqua, aqueduct)
- From Latin aqua
arch: chief, to rule, to begin, beginning, origin, first place (e.g. architect, archaic, archive. monarch, patriarch, matriarch, oligarch, anarchy, archetype)
aristo: best of its kind, noblest, bravest, most virtuous (e.g. aristocracy)
art: to do, make (e.g. artifact, artificial, artifice)
astr: star (e.g. astronaut, astronomy)
author: one who causes to grow, to increase (e.g. authority)
bar: bar, obstacle (e.g. embarrass, barrack, barricade)
- From Latin barra
bari: heavy, deep (e.g. baritone)
bal: the same as bar (e.g. balance, balk, baluster)
ban: the same as bar (e.g. abandon, banner, banquet, bank)
- Italian banchi, the root of the Italian word for banks
bat: to beat (e.g. battle, debate)
bene: fine (e.g. benefit, benefactor, benefice)
bow: to bend (e.g. bowstring)
canon: a rule or law (e.g. canonical)
capit: head (e.g. capital, capitol, captain, capitate, decapitate, capitulate, handicap, per-capita, escape = ex + cap + e, escapade)
cap: the same as capit; the same as cept (e.g. capable, capsule, cape, capful, uncap, recap, capstone)
capt: the same as cept (e.g. captor, capture, captivate)
cas: the same as cept (eg. cassette)
carn: flesh (e.g. carnage)
ceipt: the same as cept (e.g. receipt)
ceit: the same as cept (e.g. conceit, deceit)
ceiv: the same as cept (e.g. perceive, receive, deceive, conceive, transceiver)
cel: rise high, tower (e.g. excel, excellent)
cent: hundred (e.g. centimeter, century, percent, centipede, bicentennial, centigrade)
centr: sharp point, goad, sting of a wasp (e.g. centre, centripetal, centroplasm, orthocenter)
cept: to take; to grasp; to hold, contain (e.g. accept, except, concept, recept, incept, percept, intercept, deception, precept, contracept, sceptic)
cephal: the same as capit (e.g. cephalopod, anencephaly, autocephalous)
cerebr: brain (e.g. cerebral)
cip: the same as cap; the same as cept (e.g. emancipate, recipe, incipient, participant, precipice, precipitate, occipital)
cit: set in motion, call; refer (e.g. cite, excite)
ced: movement, migration, to go, withdraw (e.g. precede, intercede, antecede, recede, retrocede, intercede, concede, secede, decedent, accede, supercede)
- From Latin cedere
ceed: the same as ced (e.g. proceed, succeed, exceed)
cerebr: brain (e.g. cerebral)
cess: the same as ced (e.g. process, excess, recess, necessary, abscess, incessant, cesspool)
chapt: the same as capit (e.g. chapter)
chief the same as capit
chlor: chlor (e.g. chloroform)
chor: dance (e.g. choreography)
chutd: a fall (e.g. parachute)
cid: to cut (e.g. suicide, genocide)
cis: the same as cid (e.g. circumcise)
circ: round, circle, ring, to turn, bend (e.g. circuit, circus, circulate, encircle, circadian, semicircle)
circum: the same as circ (e.g. circumscribe, circumvent, circumstance, circumpolar, circumstellar)
cite: to move, set in motion, stir, rouse, call, invite (e.g. recite)
claim: to shout (e.g. acclaim, exclaim, disclaim, proclaim)
claus: the same as clude (e.g. clause)
cli: to wash, clean (e.g. clean)
cly: the same as cli (e.g. cataclysm)
clois: the same as clude (e.g. cloister)
clos: the same as clude (e.g. close, enclose, closet)
clot: the same as clude (e.g. cloture)
clude: to shut, close (e.g. include, seclude, occlude, preclude, exclude, conclude)
- From Latin cludere, the more literal sense of “close, shut up, prevent access to”
clus: the same as clude (e.g. recluse)
col: column (e.g. coliform, col + i + form)
cor: heart (e.g. cordial)
corn: horn, head (e.g. unicorn, corner)
- From root gon
cover: cover (e.g. coverall, bedcover, covert)
cracy: rule, power (e.g. aristocracy, democracy)
crani: head (e.g. cranial)
cras: tomorrow (e.g. procrastinate)
cre: arise, be born, increase, grow (e.g. create, increase, decrease, recreate, procreate, crease)
cresc: the same as cre (e.g. crescent, increscent, excrescent)
cret: the same as cre (e.g. concrete, accrete, excrete)
cri: to sieve (e.g. crisis, crime, endocrine)
cribr: sieve, tube with holes (e.g. cribriform)
cru: raw flesh (e.g. cruel)
cruc: cross (e.g. cruciform, crucifix, crucial)
- From Latin crux
crud: the same as cru (e.g. crude)
cumb: lie down (e.g. incumbent, succumb, encumber, recumbent)
cunei: cunei (e.g. cuneiform)
cup: the same as cept (e.g. occupy, recuperate, cupidity)
cur: to run (e.g. occur)
cure: care, concern (e.g. manicure)
cuss: strike, hit, shake (e.g. percuss)
cycl: the same as circ (e.g. cycle, cyclo, bicycle, unicycle, cyclograph, cyclorama)
deme: common people, district (e.g. pandemic)
- From Greek demos
demo: the same as deme (e.g. democracy)
dek: to take, accept (e.g. decorate, decorum)
dent: a hollow area in the surface of something (e.g. dental)
- From Latin dint
di: day; to shine (e.g. diet = di + et (eat), diary, meridian, meridional, antemeridian, postmeridian)
- From Latin dies a day.
dic: to show (e.g. dedicate, indicate)
- Cognate with Latin dicere “to show;”
- from PIE root *deik- “to show,” also “pronounce solemnly”
dict: to say, speak; to show; say often, prescribe (e.g. dictionary, dictate, verdict)
digm: the same as dic (e.g. paramdigm)
doc: to take, accept; to show, teach, cause to know (e.g. document, docile, docent)
doct: the same as doc (e.g. doctor, doctrine)
dom: house, household; lord, master (e.g. dome, domestic, domain)
domin: the same as dom (e.g. dominate, dominant, condominium)
don: to give, present as a gift, contribute (e.g. donate, doner, abandon)
dose: back, of the back (e.g. endorse)
dot: the same as don (e.g. anecdote)
dox: opinion (e.g. paradox)
draw: act of pulling (e.g. drawstring)
dress: straight, direct (e.g. address)
duc: to lead (e.g. produce, educate, introduce, seduce, induce, educe, edduce, transduce)
- From Latin ducere
duct: the same as duc (e.g. conduct, product, abduct, seduction, induct, viaduct, ventiduct)
earth: ground, soil, dirt, dry land; country, district (e.g. earthmover)
electr: resembling amber; electric (e.g. electric)
ennu: year (e.g. perennial)
erg: to do; work; activity (e.g. energy, synergy)
ev: age (e.g. medieval)
- From Latin aevum
ever: at any time (e.g. forever)
evite: to shun, avoid (e.g. inevitable)
fac: the same as fact (e.g. facile, facility, facsimile, faculty, face)
facil: easy to do (e.g. facile, facility, facilitate)
- From root fac
facul: the same as facil (e.g. faculity)
fact: to form, build, to make, to do, to set, to put; appearance, face (e.g. factor, factoid, artefact, factious, facture, faction, artifact, olfaction)
fall: downward movement (e.g. waterfall)
fame: fame, reputation
fan: to show, to appear, to bring to light (e.g. fancy, fantasy, fanatic, fanfare)
fasc: bundle of wood (e.g. fascine, fascicle, fascia, fascist)
feas: the same as fact (e.g. fease, feasible, misfeasance)
feat: the same as fact (e.g. defeat, feature)
fect: the same as fact (e.g. perfect, pluperfect, effect, defect, affect, infect, disinfect, confect)
feit: the same as fact (e.g. forfeit, surfeit, counterfeit)
fenc: the same as fend (e.g. fence, defence)
fend: to strike, hit, push (e.g. defend, fender, defendable, offend)
fens: the same as fend (e.g. defensible, indefensible, defenceless, offense)
fest: (able to be) seized (e.g. manifest, infest)
fer: to carry, to bear (e.g. confer, infer, transfer)
- From Latin ferre
fess: to speak, tell, say (e.g. profess, confess)
for: the same as fer
fore: outside, beyond (e.g. foreign, forfeit)
- From Latin foris (adv.) “outside,” literally “out of doors”
fortun: chance, fate, good luck (e.g. fortune)
- From Latin fortuna, Fortuna, in Roman religion, goddess of chance or lot who became identified with the Greek Tyche
fibr a thread, string (e.g. fiber, neurofibroma)
fic: the same as fact (e.g. office, officious, efficient, deficit, efficacy, benefice, difficult, traffic, suffice, proficient, artifice, aficionado, maleficent, superficial)
fict: the same as fact (e.g. fiction, fictive)
fig: the same as fact (e.g. figure)
fin: a limit, an end, close, conclusion; an extremity, highest point; greatest degree (e.g. define, final, finish, finance, infinite, confine, semifinal, quarterfinal, affinal, finale, finite, confine, refine)
fiss: to split (e.g. fission, fissiparous)
fit: the same as fact (e.g. profit, outfit, soffit, refit, discomfit, befit, soffit, maleficent)
flam: to shine, flash, burn (e.g. flame, aflame, flamboyance, inflame)
flagr: the same as flam (e.g. flagrant, conflagrate)
flu: the affects between objects (e.g. influence, flush)
- From Latin fluere
flux: the same as flu (e.g. fluctuate)
fore: former, earlier (e.g. forearm, forehand, foresee, foretaste)
form: shape, look, etc. (e.g. transform, formula)
- It comes from Latin formare
freq: to cram together; common, usual; happening at short intervals, often recurring (e.g. frequent, frequency, infrequency)
gage: pledge, have responsibility for; contact, on (e.g. engage)
gene: give birth, beget; race, kind; native, natural (e.g. general, generation, genuine, antigen, pathogen, parthenogenesis, genocide)
gn: the same as gene (e.g. pregnant)
gest: carry, bear, wage, perform (e.g. gesture)
gist: the same as gest (e.g. register)
glossa language, tongue
- From Greek glōtta
glotta: the same as glossa (e.g. polyglot)
gon: angle, corner (e.g. diagonal)
grad: to walk, step, go (e.g. grade)
gram: that which is drawn; a picture, a drawing (e.g. program)
graph: process of writing or recording (e.g. photograph, biography, autograph, cyclograph)
greg: herd, flock (e.g. segregate)
hale: breath (e.g. exhale, inhale)
half: half (e.g. halfway)
ham: hollow or bend of the knee (e.g. hamstring)
haust: to draw up, to scoop (e.g. exhaust)
heal: heal (e.g. healthy)
helic: spiral (e.g. helicopter)
helix: the same as helic
hemo: blood (e.g. hemostat)
high: high (e.g. highlight)
hind: back, rear (e.g. behind, hindsight)
hist: tissue (e.g. histoplasmin, histopathology)
hol: whole, entire, complete (e.g. whole, holistic, holocaust, hologram)
- From Greek holos
hu: clay (e.g. human)
hydra: water; wet (e.g. hydrate, hydrant)
hydro: the same as hydra (e.g. hydrogen, hydroplane, hydroelectric, hydrocephalus)
hypno: sleep (e.g. hypnosis, hypnotize)
ident: the same (e.g. identify, identical)
- From Latin idem
ig: the same as ag (e.g. exigent, navigate)
ill: bad, from evil (e.g. illness)
image: copy, statue, picture (e.g. imagination)
- From Latin imago
it: to go (e.g. exit, init, initial)
journ: of a day, to last long (e.g. journey, adjourn)
- From Old French journée
kep: the same as cep (e.g. skeptic, keep)
kno: to know (e.g. diagnose)
- PIE root gno
lat:take, borne, to bear, to carry (e.g. relate = re + lat + ate, oblate, collate, translate, illation, ablate, dilate, prelate, superlative, legislate)
- The same as fer
land: land (e.g. motherland, fatherland, landmark, mainland)
late: late
lax: loose (e.g. laxity, relax)
lay: leave, let (e.g. delay, relay, inlay, allay, layoff, overlay, underlay outlay, layer)
lect: to pick out, choose; to collect, gather; law; to say, to speak; count (e.g. collect, lecture, lexicon, elect, select, neglect, dialect, idiolect)
leg: the same as lect (e.g. delegate, legal, privilege, legend, legacy, college, legislate, decalogue)
legis: the same as leg (e.g. legisation)
lev: to raise; light, not heavy, having little weight (e.g. level, lever, elevate, alleviate, relevant)
lex: the same as lect (e.g. lexicon, lexicography)
lic: to be allowed, be lawful (e.g. license)
- Possibly source also of Lettish likstu “I come to terms”
lif: the same as lev (e.g. lift)
lig: the same as lect (e.g. intelligent, eligible, negligent, diligent)
liqu: to flow, run (e.g. liquid, liquidate, liquidity, semiliquid, illiquid, liquefy, liquefaction, liqueur)
lit: to dispute, carry on a suit (e.g. litigate)
- From Latin litigare
lith: stone (e.g. monolith, lithography)
liter: letter, alphabetic sign; literature, books (e.g. literature)
- From Latin litera/littera
loc: a place, spot (e.g. local, locality, locomote, matrilocal, allocate, relocate)
- From Latin locus
locut: the same as log (e.g. locution, elocution, interlocutor)
log: speech; to speak; word, speech, thought; the same as lect (e.g. logo, logger, apology, catalogue, waterlog, logarithm, syllogism, blog = weblog, ideologue, homologue, decalogue, apology, dialog, logic, monologue, eulogy, epilogue, neologize, slogan, philology, analog, phonological, genealogical, tautological, prologue, pseudology, antilogy, dyslogy)
- From Greek legein = to speak, logos = word, speech, though
- From Latin loqui = to speak
logos: the same as log
loqu: the same as log (e.g. eloquence, quoloquy, ventriloquy, soliloquy, loquacious, grandiloquent)
low: low
lun: moon (e.g. lunar)
ly: to loosen, divide, cut apart (e.g. paralysis)
main: the same as man (e.g. maintain)
mand: to order; to commit to one’s charge; to give into one’s hand (e.g. demand, mandate, countermand, command)
man: hand (e.g. manufactor, manuscript, mandate, manumit, emancipate, manner, manage, manacle, manumission, maintain, manifest, emancipate, manicure)
- From Latin manus
marc: the same as mark (e.g. demarcate)
mark: boundary, border (demark, marker)
mari: of the sea; body of the sea (e.g. marine)
matri: mother, woman (e.g. matriarch)
mast: great; chief, head, director, teacher (e.g. master)
merit: to earn (money) (e.g. demerit)
milit: to fight; soldier (e.g. military, paramilitary)
migr: to change, go, move (e.g. migrate, immigrate, emigrate)
mist: the same as mast (e.g. mistress)
miss: the same as mit (e.g. mission, admission, commission, dismiss, missle, promise)
mit: let go, send (e.g. admit, permit, commit, submit, manumit, omit, transmit, emit, remit, immit)
- From Latin mittere
me: to measure (e.g. meter, measure)
med: to mix (e.g. meddle)
medi: in the middle, between; from the middle; intermediate (e.g. immediate, medieval, mediaeval)
medit: to meditate, think over, reflect, consider (e.g. meditate)
mel: honey (e.g. mellifluous)
- From Latin mel, related to Greek meli
men: moon; month (e.g. menarche)
mend: sign, mark; fault, error; the same as mand (e.g. amend, commend, recommend)
mem: to think (e.g. remember, mnemonic, memory)
merg: plunge, dip, to wash (e.g. immersion, emerge)
mers: the same as gerg (e.g. immerse)
mit: send (e.g. submit, permit)
mix: to mix (e.g. admix, endomixis)
mixt: the same as mix (e.g. mixture)
misc: the same as mix (e.g. miscellaneous, miscegenation, promiscuity, remix)
mob: the same as mov (e.g. mob, mobster)
mobile: mobile (e.g. mobility)
mon: the same as mun (e.g. common)
mono: single, alone (e.g. monarch, monolithic, monopoly)
morph: form, shape (e.g. morphology)
- From Greek morphe
mot: the same as mov (e.g. promote, locomote, emote, motif)
mov: act of moving from a stationary position, a change of position or relation (e.g. move, movie)
mow: cut (e.g. mowable)
mun: mutual, exchange (e.g. municipal)
- From Latin munus
mut: the same as mun (e.g. mutual)
nap: to doze, slumber, sleep lightly (e.g. night)
nat: be born (e.g. native, nature, naturopathic)
nau: boat, ship, sailor (e.g. astronaut, nausea, nautical)
nav: the same as nau (e.g. navigate = nav + ig + ate)
nec: not (e.g. neglect)
nec: the same as noc (e.g. internecine)
neme: assign, allot; take; manage; law or custom, administering (e.g. nemesis, nemeses)
neo: new (e.g. neonatal)
nerv: tendon, sinew; to give strength or vigor (e.g. nervous, eneravte)
- From Latin nervus, Greek neuros
neur: the same as nerv (e.g. neural)
news: message (e.g. newspaper, newsstand)
- Message from North, East, West and South
nic: the same as noc (e.g. pernicious)
noc: to harm (e.g. nocent, innocent, nocuous, innocuity, innocuous)
- From Latin nocere
non: no (e.g. nonperformance)
norm: carpenter’s square, rule, pattern (e.g. normal, enormous, abnormal, subnormal)
noun: to shout (e.g. pronounce, announce, denounce)
nox: the same as noc (e.g. noxious, obnoxious)
nui: the same as noc (e.g. nuisance)
number: to count, number
numer: the same as number (e.g. numerous, innumerous)
nym: name (e.g. acronym)
god: god (e.g. demigod)
gorg: to swallow, throat (e.g. gorge, gorgeous, disgorge, engorge)
grand: big, great; full, abundant, full-grown, strong, powerful, weighty, severe (e.g. grandparent)
gram: something is written or marked, a picture, a drawing (e.g. telegram, aerogram)
- From Greek gramma, that which is drawn
graph: write, draw, measure (e.g. photograph)
- From Greek
gress: walk (e.g. progress, ingress)
gyne: woman (e.g. gynecology, misogyny)
ocre: be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce. (e.g. mediocre, ocrea)
od: a way, path, track, road or manner (e.g. method, period, odograph, anode, cathode)
- Method from Latin methodus “way of teaching or going”, meta- + hodos, meth originally pursuit, a following after
ol: to smell (e.g. olfaction)
olig: few, small, little (e.g. oligarch)
opt: eyes; to choose, to take, grab (e.g. option, optic, cycloops, optoelectronic)
ord: row, order (e.g. order, orderly)
ordain: the same as ord (e.g. preordain)
ordin: the same as ord (e.g. ordinary, coordinate, subordinate, insubordinate, ordinal)
org: the same as erg (e.g. organize)
ori: to rise; to face the east (e.g. oriented, origin)
- From Latin, PIE heri, the position that sun rising from.
out: out (e.g. outperform)
oxy: sharp, acid, oxygen (e.g. oxygen, oxymoron)
pand: to spread, stretch (e.g. expand)
pans: the same as pand (e.g. expanse)
passi: the same as patho (e.g. passion, passive, compassion)
patheno: a virgin (e.g. parthenogenesis)
- From Greek parthenos
patho: to feel, to suffer (e.g. pathology)
- From Greek pathos
pathy: the same as patho (e.g. pathetic, apathy, sympathy)
pati: the same as patho (e.g. patient, compatible)
- From Latin pat(i)
pact: to fix, fasten (e.g. compact, impact, pactum, package)
par: to come forth, be visible; submit, obey (e.g. parent, primipara, fissiparous)
part: to divide, separate; to produce, procure; a part, piece, a share, a division (e.g. subpart, partial, impartial, counterpart, apart, depart, impart, compart, partake, particle, participate, parturient)
patr: chief or head of a family, father, man (e.g. patriarch, patriot)
peal: the same as pel (e.g. appeal, repeal)
pear: the same as par (e.g. appear, disappear, transparent)
ped: foot (e.g. centipede, expedite)
pel: to thrust, strike, drive (e.g. compel; propel)
penc: the same as pend (e.g. )
pend: to hang, cause to hang; weigh; to draw, stretch, spin; pay (e.g. depend, suspend, expend, spend = dis + spend, impend, perpend, stipend)
pens: the same as pend (e.g. suspense, dispense, pension, compensate, propensity)
pet: to rush, to fly (e.g. centripetal)
per: to try, risk
peri: the same as per (e.g. experience, peril)
pert: the same as per (e.g. expert)
phan: the same as fan (e.g. phantasy, phantom, diaphanous, sycophant)
pher: the same as fer (e.g. periphery)
pheme: speech, voice, utterance, a speaking (e.g. eupheme)
phone: voice; related to language (e.g. phonetic, telephone)
- English comes from Proto-Phoenician
phot: light (e.g. photo, photostat, photoelectric)
phys: of nature, natural (e.g. physical)
pin: peak, point (e.g. pinacle)
play: play (e.g. playbook)
ple: to fill, full (e.g. complement, accomplish, compliant, implement)
- From Latin plere
plen: the same as ple (e.g. plenty)
plet: the same as ple (e.g. complete, deplete, replete, expletive)
plect: the same as pli (e.g. complect)
plex: the same as pli (e.g. perplex, complex, multiplex)
please: please, aggreeable (e.g. unpleasant)
pli: to fold, to plait, to weave together; the same as ple (e.g. complicate, compliment, explicit, duplicate, application, simple, supple)
- From Latin plicare
plic: the same as pli (e.g. explicate, implicate, supplicate)
plo: the same as pli (e.g. employ, deploy, diploma)
ply: the same as pli (e.g. apply, imply, reply, supply, comply)
pond: the same as pend (e.g. )
pos: to put, place, the same as loc (e.g. position, deposit, repository)
preci: reward, honor, fame, prize, value, worth (e.g. precious, appreciate)
prais: the same as preci (e.g. appraise)
pric: the same as preci (e.g. price, pricy, pricey)
priz: the same as preci (e.g. prize, prizefight)
prehend: grap, grasp, arrest (e.g. comprehension)
- From Latin, prehendere
press: press (e.g. pressman, oppress)
- From Latin pressare
prem: the same as prim (e.g. premier, premium)
prim: very first, original (e.g. primipara)
priv: private (e.g. privilege)
proach: come nearer (e.g. approach, reproach)
proxim the same as proach (e.g. proximal)
psycho: breath, spirit, soul (e.g. psychology, psychopathology, psychoactive)
- From Greek psykhē
put: think
putr: to rot, stink (e.g. putrefaction)
- From Latin putrere
pod: the same as ped (e.g. cephalopod)
pol: citadel, fort, city (e.g. politic, polite, police)
- From Greek polis
pon: the same as loc (e.g. )
pond: the same as pend (e.g. ponder)
poor: poor
port: to lead, pass over (e.g. import, export, transport, portable)
pos: the same as loc (e.g. position)
poss: powerful; lord; (e.g. possess, possible)
pot: the same as pos (e.g. potential)
quar: four (e.g. square, quarantine)
que: to ask, to seek (e.g. quest, exquesite, requisite)
quire: the same as que (e.g. require, inquire, query)
raign: the same as reign (e.g. arraign)
ramp: a leap, spring, bound (e.g. rampage)
rang: the same as reign; rank (e.g. arrange)
rar: to separate; adjoin (e.g. rare, rarely, rarity, rarefy)
rear: back, behind; to rise (e.g. rearview, rearrange)
- From Latin retro
reign: to rule, to direct, keep straight, guide; to direct in a straight line (e.g. region, foreign)
rect: rect, right angle, a straight line (e.g. correct, direct)
reg: move in a straight line; to ask, to quest (e.g. )
render: to give (e.g. surrender)
rhine: nose (e.g. rhinoceros)
rive: shore, bank, break, brook (e.g. rival, archrival)
rog: the same as reg line (e.g. interrogate, rogatory, roger)
rout: the same as rupt (e.g. route, routine)
rupt: to break apart (e.g. corrupt, bankrupt)
sal: something from sea (e.g. salt, salty)
sau: to salt (e.g. sauce, salad = sauce + laid, sausage = sauce + age)
- From root sal
scen: to set, tent, booth (e.g. scene, scenario = scen + ary + o, obscene)
sci: to know (e.g. science, conscious, prescience, nescience)
- From Latin scire/scientis
scop: to observe; to look (e.g. fluoroscopy, spectroscope, telecsope, microscope, periscope)
- suffixed form of root spec
scribe: to write or something written (e.g. subscribe)
scribble: careless writing, drawing
script: the same as scribe (e.g. prescription)
se: to sow (e.g. seed, seminar)
sect: to cut (e.g. sector)
sem: one; as one, together with; something; same (e.g. seminar)
- Proto-Indo-European root
sembl: the same as sem (e.g. resemble, semblance, assemble)
ser: to join together, bind together, put in a row, to line up, link, arrange (e.g. series)
sert: (e.g. assert, desert, insert, exert)
serv: the same as slav (e.g. serve, service)
serv: to protect; keep watch, maintain (e.g. conserve, preserve)
- From Latin conservare
seri: weighty, important, serious, grave, strict, austere (e.g. serious)
- From Latin serius
sev: the same as seri (e.g. severe, persevere)
sol: sole (e.g. sojourn, soliloquy)
solet: to be used to, be accustomed (e.g. obsolete)
sim: the same as sem (e.g. simple)
simil: the same as sem (e.g. similar, facsimile)
simul: the same as sem (e.g. simulate)
sist: the same as st; take a stand, stand firm, to place (e.g. resist, consist)
slav: slave (e.g. slave)
som: the same as sem (e.g. some, sometime, something, someone)
son: to sound (e.g. sony, sonic)
sm: the same as sem
short: short
smog: smog
spec: look at, to observe (e.g. suspecion, speculate, spectrum, spectroscope)
- From Latin specere
speci: the same as spec (e.g. special, especial, specify, specie)
spect: the same as spec (e.g. aspect, respect, inspect, suspect, spectator, perspective, circumspect, conspectus, prospect, spectacle, retrospect, introspect, bespectacled)
sper: to hope (e.g. desperate, prosperity)
- From Latin sperare
spic: the same as spec (e.g. spice, suspicion, auspice)
spi: the same as spec
spir: breath (e.g. spirit, conspire, inspire, expire)
spite: dislike, regard with ill will (e.g. despite, spiteful, respite)
spond: to pledge (e.g. respond)
- From Latin spondere
spons: the same as spond
spong: spong (e.g. spongiform)
spy: the same as spec (e.g. spyglass, espy)
sid: to sit, to settle (e.g. consider, preside, reside)
- From Latin sidere, opposite with st
- The sid (sideris) means heavenly body, star, constellation
sign: seal, imprint, sign, mark (e.g. signal, signet, signature, signitory, design, resign, assign, consign, ensign)
sit: the same as sid (e.g. site, situate, position, visit)
sed: the same as sid (e.g. supersede, sediment, sedate, sedentary)
sess: the same as sid (e.g. possess, obsess, assess, session, sessile)
st: to stand, make or be firm (e.g. state, stand, still, stage, stay, rest, store, test, staff, stable, establish, institute, constitute, substitute, obstacle, obstinate, stall, stiff, install, prostitute, destiny, destination, stalemate, stalwart, oust, stiff, stub, stem, stamp, constant, instant, distant)
sist: the same as st (e.g. assist, exist, insist, persist)
soci: companion, ally (e.g. social, sociopath)
solu: the same as solv (e.g. solute, dissolute, absolute, soluble, insoluble)
solv: to loosen, divide, cut apart (e.g. solve, solver, absolve, dissolve, resolve)
sphere: globe, ball (e.g. hemisphere, atmosphere, centrosphere)
star: the same as ster
ster: star (e.g. )
stel: the same as ster (e.g. stellar)
stat: the same as st (e.g. state st + ate, upstate, restate, overstate)
stil: the same as st (e.g. still)
stem: the same as st (e.g. system)
stin: the same as st (e.g. mediastinal)
stit: the same as st (e.g. constitute)
- Meaning motionless, stable, fixed, stationary
- From Proto-Germanic *stilli- (source also of Old Frisian, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch stille, Dutch stil, Old High German stilli, German still)
sti: point, prick, pierce (e.g. stick, stimulus)
str: draw tight, bind tight, compress, press together
strain: the same as str (e.g. constrain, restrain, eyestrain)
strang: the same as str (e.g. strange, strangle, estrange)
stress: the same as str (e.g. distress)
strict: the same as str (e.g. stricture, restrict, district)
string: the same as str (e.g. drawstring, hamstring, bowstring)
stroph: to wind, turn (e.g. catastrophe)
struct: build (e.g. construct)
- From Latin, structura, from struere, the way an organization, system, market etc is organized or put together.
stub: to push, stick, knock, beat; be stunned, amazed, confounded (e.g. )
stup: the same as stub (e.g. stupid, stupefaction, stupor)
suit: to follow (e.g. suitcase)
- From Latin sequi
sum: whole, totality, gist; highest, uppermost (e.g. summary, summitry)
sume: to take, obtain, buy, distribute (e.g. consume, presume, subsume, assume, resume)
- From Latin sumere
sumpt: the same as sum (e.g. consumption, sumpter)
sui: one’s own (e.g. suicide)
- From Latin sui “of oneself” (genitive of se “self”)
swim: swim
syl: the same as syn (e.g. syllogism, syllabus)
syn: with, to place together, organize, form in order (e.g. synergy, syntactic)
- From stem of synistanai
sys: the same as syn (e.g. system)
tact: the same as tag (e.g. contact, tactual, tactile, intact, tactless, tactic, syntactic, stereotactic)
tag: to touch, handle; arrange (e.g. tag, contagion, taxonomy)
tail: to cut in pieces (e.g. tailor, detail, retail)
tail: the base of the back (e.g. tailer)
tain: to hold, to stretch, strain, tight (e.g. attain, contain, detain, retain, maintain, countenance, entertain, obtain, sustain, abstain, pertain)
tane: time (e.g. simultaneously)
tang: the same as tag (e.g. entangle, tangent, tangible, tango, tangy)
tast: the same as tag (e.g. taste, foretaste, aftertaste)
techn: art, skill (e.g. technology, techn + o + logy)
- From Latin technicus, also from Greek tekhnikos
tect: the same as text (e.g. architect)
teg: the same as tag (e.g. integer = in (not) + teg + er, integrity, integer, integral, integrate, tegument)
ten: the same as tain (e.g. content, maintenance, sustenance, abstention, tenant, tenancy, tenement, detente)
tend: the same as tain (e.g. intend, extend, distend, content, tendency)
tens: the same as tain (e.g. tense, intense, extension)
tent: the same as tain (e.g. extent)
ter: surface, aspect, the same as term (e.g. territory, exterior)
terra: earth (e.g. terratory, mediterranean)
term: boundary, end (e.g. term)
termin: the same as term (e.g. terminal, terminate, determine, exterminate)
text: to weave, to fabricate (e.g. )
thentes: doer, being (e.g. authentic = auto + thentes)
thermo: to heat, warm (e.g. thermostat, thermoelectric)
thes: the same as loc
tig: the same as tag (e.g. )
tin: the same as tain (e.g. continue, continent, pertiner, tenet, tenure)
tine: sharp point, spike (e.g. quarantine)
ting: the same as tag (e.g. contingency)
tire: become weary, exhausted (e.g. overtire)
tom: divide (e.g. atom, prostatectomy)
ton: a sound, tone, accent; to thunder; the same as tain (e.g. tone, tonic, tonal, tony, diatonic, baritone, intone, monotone, tongue, astonish)
tong: the same as tag (e.g. tongue)
top: top
torn: a turn, trick, round, circuit, circumference (e.g. attorney, tornado)
tort: to twist (e.g. extort)
tour: the same as torn (e.g. tourist, detour, contour, entourage)
tourn: the same as torn (e.g. tournament, touriquet, tourney)
toxi: poison (e.g. toxic, toxin = toxic + in)
tra: to pull, drag, draw (e.g. portray = por + tra + y)
- From Latin trahere
trac: the same as tra (e.g. trace, traceble)
track: the same as tra (e.g. tracksuit)
tract: the same as tra (e.g. traction, attract, contract, extract, distract, abstract, protract, retract, detract, intractable)
trail: the same as tra (e.g. trailer, trailhead, contrail)
train: the same as tra (e.g. trainer)
trait: the same as tra (e.g. portrait, traitor)
traught: the same as tra (e.g. distraught)
treat: the same as tra (e.g. treatment, mistreat, maltreat, entreat)
try: attemp to do; to pick out, cull; (e.g. trial)
tun: the same as ton (e.g. tune, attune)
tutor: to protect; to be strong (e.g. tutorial, tuition)
twi: two, twice, double, in two ways; to divide, separate (e.g. twilight, twist)
unda: a wave; to flow (e.g. inundate)
under: under (e.g. underline)
urb: city, walled town (e.g. urban, suburb, exburb, interurban, conurbation)
urg: the same as erg (e.g. urge, surgery=s hand + urg + ery)
vac: be empty, free, or at leisure (e.g. vacation, evacuate)
vacu: the same as vac (e.g. vacuity, vacuous, vacuum)
vain: the same as vac
vall: valley (e.g. )
vamp: patch up, repair (e.g. revamp)
van: the same as vac (e.g. vanity, vanish, evanish, evanesce)
vanc: the same as vant (e.g. advance, vanguard, vanward)
vant: front, forehead (e.g. vantage, advantage)
var: varied, different, spotted (e.g. vary, various, invariable, variform)
void: the same as vac
vas: a tube, duct, or conduit for conveying blood, lymph, semen, etc. (e.g. vasopressor, vasoconstriction)
veg: the same as viv (e.g. vegetal, vegetable)
ven: to come, to go (e.g. revenue, intervene, contravene, avenue, souvenir, provenance)
- From Latin venire, from the three-V instrument.
vent: the same as ven (e.g. advent, ventiduct, event, convention, invent, prevent, circumvent, convenient, venture, subvention)
ventr belly (e.g. ventriloquy)
ver: true, trustworthy (e.g. verdict, very, verify, aver)
- From Greek Veritas
verb: a word; to speak, say (e.g. verbal)
vers: the same as vert (e.g. versatile, version, reverse, universe, diverse)
vert to turn, bend (e.g. convert, revert, subvert, versatile, extrovert, introvert)
vey: the same as vid (e.g. survey, purvey)
vi: road (e.g. via, obviate, obvious, previous, trivia, diviate)
via: the same as vi (e.g. viaduct)
vict win (e.g. victim)
- The ancient Roman mythological character Victoria, goddess of victory.
vinc: overcome, conquer (e.g. convince)
- It comes from Latin word vincere.
- After Caesar put down the rebellion, he issued a three-V instrument, which is “Veni, Vedi, Vici”, and it means “I came, I saw, I conquered”.
vid: the same as vis (e.g. video, provide, providence, evident) From Latin videre
vil: the same as vall (e.g. village, villa)
view: the same as vid (e.g. viewpoint, interview, review, preview, overview, rearview, purview)
vis: to see (e.g. visit, vision, advise, revision, visual, supervise, previse, televise, improvise, proviso, provision, visa, visage)
vir: a man, a hero; moral strength; qualities, abilities (e.g. virile, virtue, virilocal)
virt: the same as vir, almost or very nearly the thing described (e.g. virtue, vertual)
vit: the same as viv (e.g. vital, vitamin)
viv: to live, life (e.g. survive = super + vive, vivid, revive, convivial, viviarium = viv + i + ary + um, viva)
- From Latin vivere
voc: voice, call (e.g. voice, vocational, advocate)
vol: to turn, revolve, roll; will (e.g. revolve, evolve, involve, volume)
vola: to fly; to steal (e.g. volatile, volant)
vorc: the same as vers (e.g. divorce)
voy: way, journey (e.g. voyage)
- From French
watch: keep watch, be awake (e.g. watchdog)
way: way
wave: wave (e.g. waveform)
wed: pledge (e.g. wedding)
were: the same as vir (e.g. werewolf)
wis: the same as vis (e.g. wish, wise)
wit: the same as vis (e.g. witness)
with: to take back, away; against, opposite, from, toward, by, near (e.g. to withdraw, withhold, withstand)

Prefix

a: off, of, off from, away from; down, aside, to; emphatic (e.g. away, alike apart, ascribe, atom, abandon, apply, apathy, avenue, accede, acentric)
- From Latin
ab: the same as a(e.g. abuse, abduct, abstain, abscess, abnormal)
ac: the same as a (e.g. account, acclaim, accredit)
acro: highest, topmost (e.g. acronym)
acu: cusp (e.g. acupressure)
ad: the same as a (e.g. advocate, admit, adduce, adjourn, admix, advance, address)
aero: air (e.g. aerostat, aerobatics)
af: the same as a (e.g. affinal)
an: the same as un (e.g. anarchy, anecodote = an + ec=ex + dot=to give)
ana: on, upon, above; back; again (e.g. analog, anatomy)
- Before vowels an-, word-forming element
andeno: gland-like (e.g. andenoma, andenovirus)
andro: man, male, masculine (e.g. androcentric)
ant: in front of, forehead, before (e.g. antedate, anteroom, anticipate, antique, antemeridian)
anthropo: like or concerning human beings (e.g. anthropocentric)
anti: opposed to or against something (e.g. anti-virus, antibiotic, antipathetic, anti-cheating, antilogy)
ap: the same as a (e.g. append, appeal, appear)
as: the same as a; the same as ex (e.g. assist, assign, astonish, assure)
agri: relating to farming (e.g. agriculture, agribusiness)
agro: the same as agri (e.g. agrobiology, agro-industry)
al: all; the same as a (e.g. alway, allay, alleviate)
apo: off, away from (e.g. apology, apostate)
- From Greek
as: all so, also
atmo vapor, steam (e.g. atmosphere)
au: the same as eu (e.g. auspice)
auto: self, one’s own, of oneself, of itself (e.g. autograph, autocycle)
be: about, around, on all sides (e.g. bemuse)
bi: two (e.g. binary, biweekly, bicycle, bicentennial, bisexual, bilingual)
bi(o): relating to or using living things (e.g. biomedical, biography, biocentric)
by: the same as be (e.g. bypass, bygone, bylaw, bystander)
cardio: relating to the heart (e.g. cardiograph)
cephal: head, uppermost or top part, source (e.g. cephalopod, encephalopathy)
- Modern Latin combining form of Greek kephalē
cata: down; completely (e.g. catastrophe, catalyst, catalog, cataclysm)
cath: the same as cath (e.g. cathode)
circum: around, round about, all around, on all sides (e.g. circumstance)
- From Latin adverb and preposition circum “around, round about,” literally “in a circle,” probably accusative form of circus “ring” (see circus).
co: the same as com (e.g. costar, cognate, cooperate, coexist, coeducation)
col: the same as com (e.g. colleague, collocation, collection)
com: with, together, together with, in combination; sometimes merely emphatic; (e.g. compress, commix, compart)
- From Latin com, cum
con: the same as com (e.g. confirm, convergence, constant, constitute, conscious, confess, confine, contact, configure)
- It is the form of com- used in Latin before consonants except -b-, -p-, -l-, -m-, or -r-.
cor: same as con (e.g. corrupt, correct, correlate)
- The form used for com- before the letter r
cryo: of or involving very low temperatures (e.g. cryostat)
contra: against or opposite (e.g. contraband, contradictory, contracept, contravene)
counter: against, in opposition; in return; corresponding, (e.g. counteract, counterfeit, countermove, counterpart, countermand)
- from Anglo-French countre-, French contre-, from Latin contra “opposite, contrary to, against, in return,” also used as a prefix (see contra (prep., adv.)
de: opposite, remove, reduce, from, entirely, completely, off, away, without (e.g. deform, deviate, describe, demote, debate, deserve, derive, derail, deduct, detail, determine, demand, deploy, deselect, deplete, desperate, descend, despite, deactive, defeat, detain, dedicate, decedent, define, depart, demerit, denounce, deposit)
- used to add the meaning “opposite”, “remove”, or “reduce” to a noun or verb:
deca: ten (e.g. decalogue)
deci: the same as deca (e.g. decimal)
demi: the same as semi (e.g. demigod, demitasse)
detrite: erosion (e.g. detrition)
di: two, double, twice, twofold; apart, asunder(e.g. direct, divergence, diploma, dielectric, diverse, divorce)
- From Greek, cognate with bi-, meaning “two, twice”
- From Latin, dis-, meaning “apart, asunder”
dia: across, between; two; through, throughout (e.g. dialect, dialog, dialogue, diatonic, diaphanous, diagnose, diagonal)
- before vowels, di-, word-forming element meaning “through, in different directions, between,”
dis: not or opposite; apart, away (e.g. disagree, disfigure, difficult, dispense, distant, disclaim)
du: the same as di (e.g. duplicate, duplex)
dys: bad, ill; hard, difficult; abnormal, imperfect (e.g. dysfunction, dyslogy)
- From Greek dys-
e: same as ex (e.g. evict, educe, emigrate, route)
ec: the same as ex- (e.g. eclectic)
eco: house, dwelling place, habitation; clan (e.g. ecocentric)
ecto: outside, external (e.g. ectoderm)
- Word-forming element generally before vowels ect-
- From Latinized form of Greek adverb ektos “outside, out of; free from; exempt”
ego: the self; that which feels, acts, or thinks; I (e.g. egocentric)
electro: electrical, electricity (e.g. electrotechnics)
em: the form used for en- before b, m, or p (e.g. empower, embody)
en: in, into, on, onto, upon; put on (e.g. enslave, envalope, endorse, entitle)
endo: inside, within, internal (e.g. endogenous, endocrine, endomixis, endothermic)
- Word-forming element from Greek endon “in, within”
enter: the same as inter (e.g. entertain)
epi: on, upon, above;in addition to; toward, among; (e.g. epimetheus, epistemic, episode, epilogue, epicenter)
- Before vowels reduced to ep-, before aspirated vowels eph-
es: to be (emphatic) (e.g. essence, espresso)
- Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to be.”
ethno: race, culture (e.g. ethnocentric, ethnomusicology)
eu: good, well, pleasant (e.g. eupheme, eulogy, euphony)
ex: out of, from, upwards, completely, deprive of, former (e.g. express, extra = ex + trans, extort, exact, exigent, explicit, escape, exclaim, exhale, expedite)
- From Latin ex “out of, from within; from which time, since; according to; in regard to”
- From PIE *eghs “out” (source also of Gaulish ex-, Old Irish ess-, Old Church Slavonic izu, Russian iz).
- In some cases also from Greek cognate ex, ek
- Often reduced to e- before -b-, -d-, -g-, consonantal -i-, -l-, -m-, -n-, -v- (as in elude, emerge, evaporate, etc.).
extra: outwards, outside
extro: the same as extra (e.g. extrovert)
for: outside, beyond (e.g. forfeit, forgive, foreign)
- From Latin foris
geo: relating to the Earth or its surface (e.g. geostationary)
glot: language, tongue (e.g. polyglot)
gyre: the same as gyro (e.g. gyrencephalic)
gyro: a ring, circle (e.g. gyrate, gyroscope)
- From Greek gyros
helio: sun (e.g. heliocentric)
hemi: the same as semi (e.g. hemicycle, hemisphere)
hetero: other, opposite, different (e.g. heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterocyclic)
homo: one and the same (e.g. homogeneous, homosexual, homologue)
homeo: like, resembling, of the same kind; equal (e.g. homeopathy)
- Latinized from Greek homio-, from homoios
hypo: under, less than usual, especially too little; the same as sub-, under (e.g. hypotherm, hypostatic, hypothesis, hypocrisy)
idio: one’s own, personal, private (e.g. idiolect, idiomatic, idiopathic)
il: used instead of in- before the letter l (e.g. illegal, illiterate, illiquid)
im: not, opposite of; in, into, on, upon; emphatic (e.g. immobile, immigrate impersonal, implant, impress, immovable, impassion, immit, impossible, impart)
- The form used for in- before b, m, or p
- In some English words it alternates with em-
in: the same as im- and en- (e.g. invalid, insufficient, inform, inland, inquire, intact, indicate, inevitable, increase, inundate, instant, inhale)
infra: below, under (e.g. infrastructure)
inter: among, between or involving two or more different things (e.g. internet, interact, intercede)
intra: the same as intro (e.g. intraparty)
intro: inside, into, especially into the inside (e.g. introduce, introvert)
immun: free, exempt (e.g. immunosuppression)
- From Latin immunis “exempt from public service, untaxed; unburdened, not tributary,” literally “not paying a share,” from assimilated form of in- “not, opposite of” (see in-) + munis “performing services” (compare municipal), suffixed form of root *mei- “to change, go, move.” Specific modern medical sense of “exempt (from a disease)
ir: used instead of in- before the letter r (e.g. irregular)
is: separate, apart (e.g. island)
macro: extremely large (e.g. macromedia)
mal: bad (e.g. malware, malefactor, malfeasance)
main: main (e.g. main)
magn: big
matri: of or relating to women, mother (e.g. matrimony, matrilocal)
merid: the same as mid (e.g. meridian)
meta: beyond or at a higher level; relating to a change of state or position; (e.g. metaphysical, metabolism, metastatic)
micro: extremely small (e.g. microphone, microwave)
mid: middle (e.g. middle)
mini: less; subordinate; small (e.g. minimum, minister, minutia)
mis: badly, wrongly (e.g. mistake, misinform, misunderstand)
mono: single, alone (e.g. monolith)
multi: multiple (e.g. multiform, multicolor, multination, multiuse)
mus: music, art, entertainment (e.g. music, museum)
- In classical Greece, any art in which the Muses presided, but especially music and lyric poetry.
myo: relating to the muscle tissue (e.g. myocardial, cardiomyopathy, myoelectric)
miso: hate, hatred (e.g. misogyny, misanthropy)
nano: nano (e.g. nanostructure, nanotechnology)
ne: the same as neg (e.g. nescience)
neg: not; to deny (e.g. negtive)
net: net (e.g. internet)
non: not, none = no one (e.g. nonformal)
nephro: kidney (e.g. nephrology)
ob: toward(emphatic), against, before, near, across, down, away; in front of, in the way of (e.g. obstruct, obsess, omit, obliterate, oblate, obscene, obtain, obsolete)
oc: the same as ob- (e.g. occupy, occlude, occipital, occur)
omni: everything or everywhere, all (e.g. omnipresent, omnidirectional, omniscient)
op: the same as ob- (e.g. oppress)
- assimilated form of ob- before -p-
ortho: straight, true, correct, regular (e.g. orthostatic, orthocenter)
- before vowels, word-forming element, now mostly in scientific and technical compounds, from Greek orthos.
osteo: relating to bones (e.g. osteopath)
over: beyond; above, in place or position higher than; upon; in; across, past; more than; on high (e.g. overfly, overstate)
- From Old English ofer, PIE root uper.
pan: all, every, whole, all-inclusive (e.g. pandemic)
- From Greek pan-, combining form of pas
para: alongside, beyond; altered; contrary; irregular, abnormal; defense against (e.g. paradigm, paramedic, parastatal, paralegal, paraeducator, paranormal, parachute, paramount, paralysis, paradox)
- From Greek para-, before vowels, par-, word-forming element.
per: forward; through; throughout; thoroughly; entirely, utterly; very (e.g. perfect, perform, persist, permit, persevere, pertain)
peri: round about; around (e.g. periphery, periscope)
pedo: boy, child; foot (e.g. pedology, pedophile, pedometer, pedestrian)
pseudo: false, lying; falsely; deceived (e.g. pseudologue)
phallo: penis; male (e.g. phallocentric)
pir: pear (e.g. piriform)
plat: small place (e.g. platform)
poly: multiple, many, entire (e.g. polytechnic, polycyclic, polyglot)
por: the same as pro (e.g. portray, portrait)
post: later than, after (e.g. postmeridian)
pre: before, ahead (e.g. preformed, prefigure)
- From Latin prae-, before, ahead
pro: forward, before, forth (e.g. promote, prostitute, produce, profess, profit, prologue, procrastinate, proclaim, propel, pronounce)
- It comes from Prometheus, who can predict the future.
pur: the same as pro (e.g. purpose, purview, purvey)
- A variant of Latin pro “before, for” (see pro-)
- The earliest form of the prefix in English, and it is retained in some words, but in others it has been corrected to Latinate pro-.
pyro: something related to fire (e.g. pyrotechnics)
From Greek pyr (genitive pyros)
quad: related to quantity of four
quasi: as if, as it were (e.g. quasi-static, quasi-legal, quasi-science)
quin: five, fifth (e.g. quincentennial)
re: back, again (e.g. response, review, reunite, revolve, replete, recipe, revenue, revamp, resign, reverse, relevant, restate)
retina: net-like tunic (e.g. retinal, retinopathy)
- From Latin rete “net”
retro: backward, reverse (e.g. retrospect, retroactive, retrocede)
rheo: a flowing, stream, current (e.g. rheostat)
- from Greek rheos, which is related to rhein “to flow”
se: without, apart, aside, away, on one’s own (e.g. select, secret, seduce, seclude, segregate, secede)
seam: to bind, sew (e.g. seamstress)
semi: half (e.g. semicolon, semicircle)
sens: understanding or feeling of something (e.g. sense)
sent: the same as sens (e.g. consent)
sesqui one and a half; one-half more (e.g. sesquicentennial)
soci: partner (e.g. social, soci + al)
sof: the same as sub (e.g. soffit)
sol: uninjured, in good health, safe (e.g. solid)
- From Latin salvificus “saving”
sou: the same as sub (e.g. souvenir)
stereo: solid, firm; three-dimensional; stereophonic (e.g. stereotype, stereotactic)
- From Greek stereos “solid”, before vowels stere-, word-forming element
sub: under, up to (e.g. subway(Americanism, underway is british style), substructure, subtitle, submarine, subtle, subnormal)
suf: the same as sub (e.g. suffice)
sup: the same as sub (e.g. suppress, support, supple)
- Assimilated form of sub- before -p-
sur: over, above, beyond, in addition; the same as sub (e.g. surface, survey, surfeit, surpass, surreal, surrender, survive, surreal)
- From Anglo-French and Old French, from Old French sour-, sor-, sur-, from Latin super
- Assimilated form of sub- before -r-.
sus: the same as sub (e.g. sustain, suspend)
- Assimilated form of sub- before -s-.
super: above (e.g. superstructure, superstring)
tauto: the same (e.g. tautological)
tele: at or over a long distance (e.g. television, telephone, telegraph, telecast, telemeter)
tetra: four (e.g. teracycline)
- before vowels tetr-, word-forming element
theo: god (e.g. theocentric)
therm: heat, hot, warm (e.g. hetertherm, thermostat)
tra: the same as trans
traf: the same as trans (e.g. traffic)
trans: across, beyond, through, on the other side of, to go beyond (e.g. transparent, transcribe)
tres: the same as trans (e.g. trespass)
tre: fourteen (e.g. trecento)
tri: three, having three, once every three (e.g. trivia, triangle, tricycle, triplex)
tro: the same as trans (e.g. retrospect)
under: below, beneath; between, among; before (e.g. undertake, understand)
uni: one, single, un + i (e.g. uniform)
use: use (e.g. usage)
uxor: wife (e.g. uxorious, uxoricide)
vore: devour (e.g. devore)
vaso: container, vessel (e.g. vasopressin, vasopressor, vasodilation)
- Combining form of Latin vas (see vas)
zymo: make, brew (e.g. zymotechnics)
- From Greek zymo-, branch of chemistry which deals with wine-making and brewing
…

Vowel + 2 Consonant patterns:

a??: emphatic (e.g. attention, apprehend, afflux, assure, assiduous, apparent, acquire, allege, alliterate)
e??: out of, same as ex- (e.g. eccentric, effluent, efflux)
i??: not, emphatic, same as ir- (e.g. irregular)
o??: opposite of, emphatic, same as op- (e.g. oppress)

Variants:

com- = con- = col- = cor- = co-
di- = dis- = de- = is-
in- = im- = il = ir = un- (e.g. impolite, illigal, irregular)
sub- = sup- = sur- = sus- = sou- (e.g. subway, souvenir)
en- = em- = in- = im- (e.g. enrich, enlarge, encourage, impassion)
super- = over-
inter- = intel- = enter- (e.g. )
trans- = tra- = tro = tro (e.g. extra, extro, intra, intro, retra, retro)

Suffix

a: noun (e.g formula, primipara, quota, plena, media, summa, visa, partita, agenda = ag + end + a, per-capita, apologia, excreta, insignia, militia, curricula)
able: adjective
ability: noun (able + i + ty)
acle: noun (e.g. obstacle, spectacle, manacle, pinacle)
acy: noun; quality, state, or condition (e.g. obstinacy, legacy, mediacy, efficacy)
ade: noun (e.g. blockade, barricade, escapade)
- Word-forming delement denoting an action or product of an action
- Denoting an action or product of an action, via French, Spanish, or Italian, ultimately from Latin -ata, fem.
ado: the same as ade (e.g. tornado, aficionado)
adu: the same as ade (e.g. )
age: noun, the same as ic (e.g. formage, sausage, entourage, rampage)
- Word-forming element in nouns of act, process, function, condition, from
- From Old French and French -age, from Late Latin -aticum “belonging to, related to,” originally neuter adjectival suffix
al: noun or adjective (e.g. verbal, medial, similar, animal, signal)
ain: the same as an (e.g. domain)
an: noun or adjective, pertaining to (e.g. median, partisan, urban)
ance: noun (e.g. performance, appearance, balance, governance, finance)
- The action, state, or quality of doing something or of being something
ant: noun (e.g. informant, assistant, redundant, significant)
- Someone or something that does something
ar: noun, the same as -er, someone who does somthing; adjective, relating to somthing (e.g. liar, polar, circular, stellar, commissar)
ary: adjective or noun; having to do with, characterized by, tending to, place for (e.g. arbitrary, monetary, plenary, centenary)
- from Middle English -orie, from Old North French -ory, -orie (Old French -oir, -oire), from Latin -orius, -oria, -orium
ase: noun, used in naming enzymes, from ending of diastase (biochemistry); verb, the same as -ise (e.g. transcriptase, increase, crease)
at: noun or verb (e.g. formate, commissariat)
ate: verb or adjective or noun (e.g. tractate, fortunate, state)
- Verb, make something doing (e.g. regulate, control somthing or make it regular)
- Adjective, full of or showing a particular quality; connected with or belonging to (e.g. affectionate, collegiate, passionate)
- Noun, job, rank, or degree of a particular quality/type/duty…
ation: noun (ate + ion)
ative: noun (ate + ive)
cide: noun (e.g. suicide)
- used to form words referring to substances that kill a particular thing
craft: noun, skill
crat: noun, governing (e.g. democrat)
cracy: noun, same as ocrat (e.g. e.g. democracy)
dom: noun, abstract suffix of state (e.g. freedom, random, officialdom)
- From Old English dom “statute, judgment” (see doom)
don: verb (e.g. abandon)
e: noun (e.g. promote, movie, motorcade, cycle, home, vehicle, creme, sauce, tine, square, crime, envalope, nerve, urbane, finale, suspense, dome)
- Sometime is adjective (e.g. remote, marine, simple)
ed: adjective, past tens
- For the past tens, ed = end = en, given = give + end
el: noun (e.g. barrel, cruel)
- instrumental word-forming element, expressing “appliance, tool,” from Old English -ol, -ul, -el, representing PIE *-lo- (see -ule). In modern English usually -le except after -n-.
- Suffix -al origins from here
en: verb, adjective or noun is rarely seen (e.g. barren)
ence: the same as ance (e.g. violence)
end: noun (e.g. legend)
ent: adjective or noun (e.g. different, recipient, patient, parent, scient)
- Making adjectives from nouns or verbs, from French
er: noun, executor of an action
ery: noun or adjective, the same as -ary (e.g. stationery)
ese: noun, language name (e.g. legalese, officialese)
esce: verb, to leave, abandon, give out (e.g. evanesce)
ess: noun, female (e.g. actress, waitress, tigress, directress, mistress)
esis: noun, the same as etic (e.g. pathogenesis)
et: noun, small or lesser (e.g. signet)
etic: adjective, pertaining to (e.g. pathetic)
- From Greek -etikos, adjectival suffix for nouns ending in -esis
ette: noun, a small thing of a particular type (e.g. barrette, snackette, statuette, cassette, serviette)
fest: noun, referring to events that have a lot of a particular thing or have a very great effect of a particular kind (e.g. talkfest)
fic: adjective, making, creating (e.g. scientific)
- From French -fique and directly from Latin -ficus “making, doing”
ful: full of, having, characterized by (e.g. hateful, hopeful, bellyful)
- Word-forming element attached to nouns (and in modern English to verb stems)
fy: verb, make, make into (e.g. rectify, verify, falsify, qualify, specify, signify)
- From French -fier
- From Latin -ficare, combining form of facere “to make”
heid: noun, cognate with hood (e.g. apartheid, cepheid)
hood: noun (e.g. likelihood, parenthood, childhood, neighborhood)
- state or condition of being, from old English
i: noun (e.g. literati)
- The same as -a, -e
ia: noun, in names of countries, diseases, and flowers (e.g. Asia, suburbia)
- From Latin and Greek -ia, noun ending, in Greek especially used in forming abstract nouns (typically of feminine gender);
ible: the same as able (e.g. invincible)
ibility: noun (ible + i + ty)
ic: adjective, having to do with, having the nature of, being, made of, caused by, similar to (e.g. iconic, music, electric)
- From French -ique and directly from Latin -icus or from cognate Greek -ikos
ics: noun, ic + s, the study of something (e.g. bioinformatics)
icle: the same as -acle (e.g. particle, fascicle)
id: noun or verb, rarely adjective (e.g. liquid, fluid, solid = sol + id; polyploid = poly + plo + id, vivid, factoid, stupid, centroid, rancid)
ile: the same as ible (e.g. ductile, protractile, virile, tactile, turnstile, volatile, mobile, exile, agile, facile, fictile, percentile, docile, versatile)
ine: none (e.g. vaccine)
im: noun, meaning man (e.g. victim)
ine: adjective or none, of, like (e.g. aniline, aquiline, tetracycline, internecine, facine, figurine, masculine, feminine, doctrine, routine, marine)
ina: the same as ine (e.g. retina = rete + ina)
ing: adjective (e.g. fitting)
ion: noun (e.g. formation, vision)
ish: noun or adjective or verb, something of one place, quite (e.g. nourish, youngish, finish, vanish)
ism: noun, principle (something’s abstraction) (e.g. tourism)
ist: noun, people, principle (e.g. formalist)
it: the same as id (e.g. unit, complicit, explicit)
ite: the same as ate (e.g. tripartite, urbanite)
itude: noun, something’s abstraction (e.g. plenitude)
ity: noun, related to a state or quality, i + ty (e.g. performatity)
- Added to adjectives to form nouns
itis: noun, an illness or infection that affects a particular part of your body (e.g. neuritis, encephalitis)
ium: noun (e.g. scriptorium, technetium, medium)
ive: adjective (e.g. active, fictive)
ise: verb (Americanism)
- none, from French (e.g. treatise)
ize: verb (British Style)
istic: ist + ic (e.g. formalistic)
itis: noun (e.g. periodontitis)
- An illness or infection that affects a particular part of your body
ix: the same as ics (e.g. appendix)
kin: little (e.g. napkin)
latry: noun, worship of (e.g. technolatry, bardolatry)
- From Greek -latreia “worship, service paid to the gods, hired labor,” related to latron (n.) “pay, hire,” latris “servant, worshipper,” from PIE *le- (1) “to get” (see larceny).
le: noun, verb, repeat (e.g. scribble, strangle, missile, subtle)
less: adjective, negation (e.g. homeless, hopeless, careless, meaningless, useless, regardless)
let: noun, small one (e.g. booklet, outlet, coverlet)
logy: noun, study (e.g. philosophy)
ly: adverb (e.g. easily)
ma: noun, mass or lump (e.g. phyma, neuroma, gemma)
ment: noun, to show actions, the people who do them, or their results (e.g. government, judgment, figment)
- Used to form a noun from a verb
mony: noun, action, state, condition (e.g. matrimony)
ness: noun (e.g. formlessness, sickness, highness, suppleness)
- A quality or a condition (used to form nouns from adjectives)
nomy: method; subject; manage (e.g. autonomy, economy, economic, astronomy, agronomy, taxonomy)
o: noun (e.g. proviso)
- The same as -a, -e, -i
ol the same as al (e.g. capitol)
or: the same as -er (e.g. resistor, liquor)
ora: noun (e.g. plethora)
ory: noun, the same as -ary, a place or thing that is used for doing something (e.g. victory, directory, formulary, mandatory, territory)
ous: adjective, refer to a quality or condition (e.g. numerous, fictious)
pathy: adjective, path + y; feeling, suffering, emotion; disorder, disease (e.g. neuropathy, homeopathy, sympathy)
- From Latin -pathia, from Greek -patheia
pathic: adjective, the same as path + ic (e.g. neuropathic)
phile: noun, someone who likes something (e.g. technophile)
phobe: noun, someone who dislikes or hates something (e.g. technophobe)
plasm: a growth, a development; something molded (e.g. centroplasm)
rama: noun, sight, view, spectacular display or instance of (e.g. cyclorama)
ship: noun, abstraction (e.g. friendship, directorship, musicianship)
sis: nouns, denoting action, process, state, condition (e.g. paralysis)
some: adjective (e.g. venturesome, troublesome)
- Word-forming element used in making adjectives from nouns or adjectives (and sometimes verbs)
- Meaning “tending to; causing; to a considerable degree,” from Old English -sum
ster: noun, a person who is associated with something (e.g. baluster, gangster)
- Old English -istre, from Proto-Germanic *-istrijon, feminine agent suffix used as the equivalent of masculine -ere (See -er)
on: noun, ion, an atom or small group of atoms (e.g. electron = electric + on, cyclotron, photon)
tude: the same as -ude (e.g. attitude, aptitude, latitude)
ty: noun
ude noun, adjective (e.g. attitude, rectitude, magnitude)
- Making abstract nouns from adjectives and participles, is fixed to a base or to another suffix ending in -t or -te
- From French -ude, from Latin -udo (stem -udin-). The equivalent of native -ness
ul: adjective, the same as al (e.g. formula, form + ul + a)
um: noun (e.g. forum, museum, premium, vacuum, plenum, medium, viviarium, centrum, curriculum, pendulum, decorum)
ur: noun, the same as -er (e.g. voyageur, liqueur)
ure: noun or verb (e.g. structure, mixture, figure, feature)
- Suffix forming abstract nouns of action, from Old French -ure, from Latin -ura, an ending of fem. nouns denoting employment or result.
us: noun (e.g. exodus, humerus, rectus, stimulus, genius, literatus, locus)
ute: verb or noun (e.g. institute)
- verb is same as -ate
ward: adverbial suffix expressing direction, toward (e.g. inward, onward, upward, award, backward, downward, eastward, vanward)
y: verb (e.g. portray)
…