Common Roots List

See list of common word roots below along with their meanings and examples associated with each one.

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Common Suffixes
Common Roots List

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Root / Suffix / Prefix

ROOT	MEANING	EXAMPLE
act, agi	drive, do	activate, agitate
aer, aero	air	aerial, aerodynamics
aqu	water	aquatic, aqueduct
al, alt	other	alien, altruist
arch	chief, ruler	monarchy, anarchist
aster, astr	star	astronomy, asterisk
aud, audit	hear	audible, audition
biblio	book	bibliography, Bible
bio	life	biology, biography
cad, cas, cid	fall	cadence, cascade
capit, cap, chap, cheif	head	caption, chapter
chrome	color	monochrome, chromatic
chron	time	anachronism, chronicle
cide, cis	cut, kill	matricide, scissors
cit, civ	government	citizen, civil
clause, clos(e), clus, clud	shut	claustrophobia, foreclose
corp	body	corporate, corpulent
cre, creas(e), cres	grow	increment, increase
cred	believe	credible, credit
cur, cour	run	recurrent, recourse
circ, cycl	circle	cyclone, circus
dem	people	democratic, epidemic
dent, dont	teeth	denture, orthodontist
derm	skin	dermatologist, hypodermic
doc, fox	opinion, belief	doctrine, orthodox
duc	lead	conductive, aqueduct
dynamo	power	dynamic, dynamo
equa, equi	equal	equanimity, equilibrium
fac, fec, fic	make, do	facilitate, fiction
fal, fals	deceive	fallacy, falsify
fend, fens	against, from	defendant, offensive
fer	carry	prefer, ferry
fid	faith	confidant, infidel
fin	limit	infinite, finish
fix	stationary	prefix, fixate
flect, flex	bend	inflection, reflex
fort, forc	strong	fortress, reinforce
fract, frag	break	fraction, fragment
fund, fuse, found	pour or melt	fusion, profound
gamy	marriage	bigamy, misogamy
geo	earth	geology, geography
gen, gin	birth, origin, race	genetic, genocide
grad, gress	go, walk, step	digress, graduate
gram, graph	write	telegram, graphics
grat, grac	pleasing, thanks, favor	gratis, ingrate
her, hes	stick	adhesive, inherent
hydr, hydro	water	dehydrate, hydroelectric
jug, junc, just	join	conjugate, juncture
jud, jus, jur	right	judicial, injure
kine, cine	move	kinetic, cinema
labor	work	collaborate, laboratory
lect, leg	gather, rea, law	collect, legal
libr, liber	book, free	library, liberal
lic, liqu	permit, leave	elicit, derelict
liter	letter	literate, literature
loc	place	location, allocate
luc, lum, lus, lun, lux	light	lucid, luminous
magna, max	great	magnify, maximum
man, manu	hand	manual, emancipate
mania	madness	kleptomania, maniac
mis, mit	send	emit, emissary
mort	die	mortal, mortuary
nat, neo, nov	new, born	prenatal, neoclassic
c naut, nav	water	astronaut, navigate
ocle, ocul, opt	eye	monocle, optical
pac, pact	peace, solid	pacify, compact
pass, path	feel, disease	antipathy, pathology
ped, pod	child, foot	pediatrician, podiatrist
pel, puls	drive	compel, repulsive
pend, pens, pond	hang, weight, pay	expense, ponder
pet, peat	seek, request	repetitious, perpetual
phil	love	philanthropy, philologist
phobia	fear	claustrophobia, hydrophobia
phon	sound	phonograph, symphony
photo, phos	light	photographic, phosphorus
pict, pig	paint	depict, pigment
plac, plea	please, calm	placate, implacable
plic, plex, ply	bend, gold	implicate, perplex
polis, polit, poly	city, citizen	cosmopolitan, politician
port	carry	porter, opportune
punct, pung, point	prick	impinge, poignant
quer, quis	ask, seek	inquisition, inquest
reg, rect, right	straight, direct	irregular, erect
rog	ask, seek	derogatory, interrogate
scope	see	telescope, microscope
scrib, scrip	write	inscribe, manuscript
sens, sent	feel, think	sensual, sentiment
sequi, secut, suit	follow	persecute, sequence
sid, sed, sess	sit	sediment, session
sim, syl, sys	together, same	simulate, synthesis
sign	mark, signal	insignia, designate
sol	alone	solo, solitude
son, sound	sound	sonar, resound
solv, solu	loosen, explain	solvent, resolute
spir	breathe	respiration, expire
sta, sist, sti	stand	static, consist
struct	build	construct, structure
tract	draw, pull	subtract, traction
ten, tain, tin	hold	contain, retention
tend	stretch	tendon, extensive
ter	earth	interment, terrestrial
text	weave, construct	textile, texture
therm	hot, warm	thermos, thermometer
thesis	put, place	synthesis, hypothesis
torq, tort	twist, wind	torque, contort
urb	city	urbane, suburban
vac, void	empty	vacuum, evacuate
val, valu	worth, strength	ambivalent, evaluate
ven, vent	come	intervene, adventure
verb	word	adverb, verbatim
vers, vert, verg	turn	versus, avert
vic, van, vinc	conquer, change	invincible, victory
vita, viv	life	vital, vivacious
volv, volu	roll, will	revolve, voluntary

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