300 Commonly Used Greek & Latin Root Words, Prefixes, & Suffixes

A medical example of a Greek-based color word is erythrokinetics (e·ryth·ro·ki·net·ics), defined as «A study of the kinetics of red blood cells from their generation to destruction.»

Today I am going to teach you Root Words methods to learn new English words. There are about 1000 words in my vocabulary list, download it. This PDF will help you to learn new words through Root Words method.

A suffix is an inseparable form that cannot be used alone but that carries an indication of quality, action, or relation. When added to a combining form, it makes a complete word and will determine whether the word is a noun, adjective, verb, or adverb.

In English grammar, a root is a word or portion of a word from which other words grow, usually through the addition of prefixes and suffixes. By learning root words, you can decipher unfamiliar words, expand your vocabulary, and become a better English speaker.

A quick example in English: Backpack and ratpack contain what looks like a suffix (pack), but, as we know, pack is a noun and verb on its own.

(Note: breathing marks are missing. These forms and the other tables are excerpted from Hough’s book but have been modified based on corrections submitted by readers.)

And from the Latin, we have:

A suffix combined with a root is different from a compound word which, in loose English usage, is usually thought of as just another case of root + suffix. Sometimes two Greek or Latin words are put together to form a compound word. Often we think of these words as suffixes when they aren’t, technically, although they may be thought of as end forms.

Most English words
are made up of smaller elements: roots, prefixes and suffixes. When you know
the common ones and how to combine them, you can understand hundreds of different
words.

The majority of academic vocabulary uses Latin
roots and affixes. (Affixes are prefixes and suffixes.) They are especially useful for English university study or professional work.

Here are more combining forms that are important to know since they are numbers. If you’ve ever had trouble remembering whether millimeter or kilometer was closer to an inch, pay attention here. Note that the milli- is Latin and the kilo- is Greek; the Latin is the smaller unit, and the Greek the larger, so millimeter is a 1000th part of a meter (.0363 of an inch) and the kilometer is 1000 meters (39370 inches).

Some of these numerals are derived from adverbs, most from adjectives.

John Hough, Scientific Terminology; New York: Rhinehart & Company, Inc. 1953.

The table on this page lists over 100 root words. It gives their
meanings, examples of English words made from them, and the pages
on EnglishHints where you can study and practice them.

This table also serves as
an index to the pages where you can learn English words from Latin and Greek
roots.

More than 80 of these roots are from Latin. (Many are from Latin via
French— the biggest source of English words after Old English).

The root words that
come from Greek have an asterisk (*) in front of them. (Many Latin words also
originally came from Greek. These are the ones that came more directly, or kept
their Greek form.)

If you recognize the Greek and Latin prefixes and affixes, you’ll understand the words as a whole.

The content of this article is based on Scientific Terminology by expert John Hough. Rather than an introduction to linguistics, it is meant to be an introduction to Classical stems and affixes.

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.

FREE! 120 Commonly Used Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

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Many words in the English language are formed by taking base words or root words and adding combinations of prefixes and suffixes to them.

A root word is the primary form of a word. While root words may contain the core meaning of the word, they cannot stand alone. For example, “bene” is the root in the word “beneficial.”

A base word is slightly different from a root because a base is the basic form of a word that can stand on its own. For example, “commit” is the base in the word “commitment.” To differentiate the two, just remember that a base can have affixes attached to it, but it does not have to; a root must have an affix (prefix or suffix), or another root, attached to it in order to make it a whole word.

A prefix is a word part that is placed at the beginning of a word to change or enhance its meaning. For example, “dis—” is the prefix of the word “disagree.”

A suffix is a word part that is placed at the end of a word to change or enhance its meaning. For example, “—ful” is the suffix of the word “thankful.”

Most English words are actually derivatives of ancient Greek and Latin words. Knowing Greek and Latin roots is an essential reading comprehension strategy for students because they could determine the meaning of an unknown word if they were familiar with any of the prefixes, suffixes, or root words attached to it. When context clues fail, breaking down words into their smallest parts can ensure your students will be successful.

For example, students might not know what the word “contradict” means, but if they know that “contra” means against and “dict” means speak, they can determine that contradict means: to assert the opposite against what someone has said. Another example is the word “incredulous.” If students know that “in” means not, “cred” means believe, and “ous” means  having, then they could conclude incredulous means: not having a readiness to believe things easily.

Greek and Latin word parts are a tool you want your students to have in their academic tool belt because having a strong vocabulary helps students tremendously with reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Below you can find a FREE, downloadable copy of the 300 most commonly used Greek and Latin root words, suffixes, and prefixes. You can choose particular word parts from the list below to use in your classroom or provide students with this comprehensive list to keep for reference.

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

Hope is a root word.
Malte Mueller / Getty Images

In English grammar and morphology, a root is a word or word element (in other words, a morpheme) from which other words grow, usually through the addition of prefixes and suffixes. Also called a root word.

In Greek and Latin Roots (2008), T. Rasinski et al. define root as «a semantic unit. This simply means that a root is a word part that means something. It is a group of letters with meaning.»

From the Old English, «root»Examples and Observations

Free Morphs and Bound Morphs

Here is our list of root words to help you with your writing.

Root words are essential to help readers understand the meaning of new English words derived from the original ones. They’re critical to improving vocabulary. Learning root words aids in developing excellent grammar and syntax as a writer. Read through this article to know how to apply these words in your writing.

What Is a Root Word?

Note that root and base words are similar but not interchangeable

A root word is a complete word that has its own meaning. You can’t possibly reduce a root word to a shorter one that still makes sense. People use root words in writing and speaking as they contain the core meaning of a word.

They’re also vital in forming new words included in dictionaries. These words may have similar or completely different meanings through prefixes and suffixes. Note that root and base words are similar but not interchangeable, this is because base words can stand alone but not every root word can be used as an independent word.

Below are examples of modern and traditional root words used in almost every English word today:

Do you want to be an excellent writer? What are the skills needed to become one? Check these 13 ways to become a writer in 2022.

English Root Words

Modern English root words can stand alone as a complete word. They’re also known as free morphemes. These words don’t need suffixes or prefixes to be part of the English language; they can also be a basis to form another word. Here are some examples of modern root words and how to use them as part of another English word:

William was hailed as the best actor in the stage play competition.

She worries so much about her appearance that it’s starting to affect her mental health.

He’s only getting a lot of attention because of his bad behavior.

Breaking the fourth wall is a great way to connect with your audience.

She always reminds her son to be careful wherever he goes.

You will need a guide to solve that cryptic crossword.

Being an egomaniac is a red flag many want to avoid in their relationships.

Last month, America recorded a 3.5% unemployment percentage, which is still within the ideal unemployment rate of 3% to 5%.

Everyone likes her because she’s a very friendly person.

Formulating a new design for this project in the short period they allotted us was challenging.

Instead of buying hot food, she prefers to reheat her leftovers to save money.

He believes downloading pirated copies of movies from the internet should not be illegal.

I’m frightened and intrigued by a submarine‘s mechanisms.

There’s a total of 1,000,000 millimeters per kilometer.

They want to hire a paranormal expert to solve this supernatural case.

Her employer promised to replace her if she didn’t change her attitude.

Dennis is such an exceptional player that the head coach told him he should pursue a professional career out of it.

When rulers misuse their power, the whole kingdom suffers.

All I ever wanted was to feel like I belonged; is that too much to ask? Check out this list of er words.

Traditional Root Words

Most English words have a Latin and Greek foundation. It’s the reason they’re called “traditional root words.” This type is the opposite of modern root words and needs to be attached to another word or affixes to be a complete word. Identifying words with Latin and Greek roots is not easy, so here’s a list of examples to help you become more familiar with them:

Cleo’s new aquamarine hair suits her very much; it makes her look like she just came out of a movie about mermaids.

You need to shock the audience, so they don’t easily forget your performance.

Daily morning exercises are beneficial to one’s health.

Unfortunately, her current circumstance doesn’t let her keep her children.

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, James wins the competition.

Don’t let other people dictate your life, do what you want.

Her mother has worked at the shoe factory for over five years.

Apple pickers carefully choose good apples and reject the bad ones.

The victim’s attorney is seeking judicial review of the decision.

The doctor explains that the old lady’s cancer is malignant; they can’t do anything about it anymore.

Nurse Angela likes to work in the hospital’s maternity unit.

The Mona Lisa’s popularity hangs on her smile; experts argue that it has multiple meanings.

Because his father died when he was young, Kean always wonders what paternal love feels like.

He prefers public transport even if he has a car since it’s cheaper.

The bombing strikes are causing massive disruption in the country.

Aya proudly says that she knows how to dissect a frog.

Parents must sign a consent form declaring they permit their children to participate in the summer camp.

He wants to restructure their house to eliminate clutter and make it look more inviting.

She’s an advocate for the deaf and mute, pushing laws requiring public establishments to have a representative who can help and communicate with them.

There’s a CCTV video that captured the bank robbery.

Latin and Greek prefixes, suffixes, and traditional root words are all examples of bound morphemes. To make a new word, bound morphemes need to be attached to one another or other morphemes. It’s why most words with Latin and Greek roots end or start with “dis,” “em,” “over,” “pre,” “able,” “ing,” “tion,” etc. Check the list of English words with Greek roots below to correctly use them in teaching or writing.

An antisocial personality disorder is a severe condition where the person disregards other people’s rights and feelings.

Cecile and her father are arguing whether automatic cars are better than manual cars.

Biology is an exciting subject with many subbranches explaining living things’ origins, behaviors, and classes.

The new employee likes to put the files in chronological order.

No one has the right to use dynamite when fishing.

Henry is an excellent graphic artist, and he’s good at exceeding his client’s expectations.

I still believe that gay and lesbian pairs will one day have the same rights as heterosexual couples.

Fevers can quickly dehydrate your body, so you must drink lots of water.

She is taking psychology to understand herself and other people better.

You need to carefully put the specimen under the microscope if you don’t want the slides to break.

The film shows the leading actor morphing into a giant wolf.

A synonym refers to words that have the same or similar meanings.

Her severe claustrophobia doesn’t let her ride any elevator.

Jake wants to enroll in photography classes this semester.

She writes her excellent stories under a pseudonym.

Excessive use of alcohol and drugs can turn an individual into a psychopath.

The doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to the heart’s murmur.

Because of financial issues, Lino’s parents ask him to enroll in a technological institute instead of a university.

His grandfather has a stack of old telegrams containing Morse codes and other important information.

I can’t believe my doctor still uses a traditional thermometer to see if I have a fever instead of a thermometer gun.

Common Root Words

Because people use root words so often, you won’t be able to notice these words unless you’re familiar with them. To strengthen your vocabulary and be comfortable using them in your writing, here are more examples of roots and common words formed by adding prefixes, suffixes, or both:

The government always seems to be ambiguous on this issue.

Mino knows that NASA has strict requirements to be an astronaut, but he is serious about being one in the future.

Smoking puts anyone at a higher risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Living in medieval castles shows how wealthy and powerful the royal family was during the 11th century.

The brand owner plans to raise the company’s return on equity to 25%.

The general explained that the easiest way to capture the enemy’s fortress was from the inside.

He needs to save money, so he only spends a fraction of his monthly income.

To avoid issues, all club members must have homogenous taste in music.

Seven mountaineers are suffering from hypothermia after the avalanche.

Kenneth wants to participate in this year’s intramural, but he can’t decide what sport he wants to join.

Lia prays she inherits her mother’s intelligence and kindness.

You look much shorter than I remember, but you’re still as lovely as ever.

To ensure you have a high-quality paper, do not misspell words, check grammar, and avoid typos.

My mom explains that money isn’t omnipotent, but people can’t survive in this world without it.

Jillian has been packing her things since this morning, preparing for her flight tomorrow.

Mia enjoys reading and doing her assignments on their school’s rooftop rather than in the library.

After her checkup, the doctor prescribes some medications to lessen the pain in her stomach.

The humble student feels unworthy to receive the award, but his family and friends assure him that he does and are proud of him.

Aina’s date takes her to a zoo without knowing she has zoophobia.

Expanding your vocabulary is critical to improving writing. See our list of emotion words you can use to express your thoughts better.

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Why Study Terminology

How knowing the etymology of rhinoceros will help you understand your doctor’s diagnoses:

Root Form & Spelling Differences

You might notice that some roots have several forms. I’ve tried to put the variant English forms in parentheses when they are quite different.

For example, the Latin root videre, to see, has English derivatives like ‘video’ and ‘evidence.’  But it also has ‘visual’ and ‘invisible’—from another form (the past participle) of videre. So after videre I added (vis).

Claudere (to close) is the root of include, inclusive, exclude and exclusive. I added (clus) after the verb name so you can see the second common base form. Pellere— to drive— often has a base form (puls). It’s the root of impel, impulse, repel, and repulsive, among others.

Vowels also often change. Au turns to u in claudere, above. Ae changes to e (or i) in aequare (equal, equity, and iniquity) or quaerere (quest,  inquire, and inquisitive.)

Root + Suffix/Prefix = Word

Prefixes are usually adverbs or prepositions derived from Greek or Latin that can’t be used alone in English and appear at the beginnings of words. Suffixes, which appear at the ends of words, aren’t usually adverbs or prepositions, but they can’t be used alone in English, either. While suffixes are often joined to the end of roots by separate connecting vowels, the transformation of these prepositional and adverbial prefixes is more direct, even though the final letter of the prefix may be changed or eliminated. In 2-letter prefixes, this can be confusing. Among other changes, n can become m or s and a final b or d may be changed to match the first letter of the root. Think of this confusion as designed to ease pronunciation.

This list won’t help you figure out antipasto, but it will prevent you from describing the antonym of precedent as antident or polydent.

Note: Greek forms are capitalized, Latin in normal case.

English Words from Other Latin Roots

Now use what you have learned about prefixes and suffixes. Try to guess the meanings of the English examples given after each of these Latin word roots. (Can you think of others?)

How Root Words Can
Help You Learn English

Recognizing word roots can increase your reading
comprehension as well as your vocabulary.

I started the roots and prefix section of EnglishHints after noticing
how much important vocabulary comes
from a fairly small group of Latin roots.

(They dominate the Academic Word List
and lists of frequent TOEFL words. Many are quite common in non-academic writing
as well.)

If you know prefixes and a root’s meaning, you can often
guess unknown English words that come from that root.

A few of the most common prefixes
and their meanings are listed below, to help you figure out word meanings.

You
can also check the List of Prefixes for a more complete list. (Greek and Latin Prefixes has a reverse list alphabetized by their meanings in English.)

For example, the Latin root cedere (and its English forms -cede, –ceed, or -cess) mean to go. The root gradi (-gress) means to step.

So the
English word precede means to go before. Process (& procedure) are the way
to do something— to cause it to go forward. A procession is (a lot of people) going
forward. Progress and progression are forward steps, Recede, recession,  regress, and regression all refer to going backward.

How to Decode New
English Words

The root words table below can help you decode English
words you don’t know. (To decode can mean to translate a secret code into
ordinary speech. It also means to look at the pieces of a word to figure out
its possible meaning.)

To decode an English word, drop its prefixes and suffixes
to find its root. (Take away the prefixes above and any others you recognize.
Also remove word endings like -ing, -tion, -ly, -ment, or –ness.) So the root of ‘demobilize’ is ‘mobil(e),’ and the root of ‘extractible’ is ‘tract.’

Then check this table to find the root word’s meaning and pages to practice it and learn
other, related words. (Many of those pages also explain meanings that have
moved away from the root meaning over time.)

The Roots of Words

Most words in the English language are based on words from ancient Greek and Latin. The root of the word «vocabulary,» for example, is ​voc, a Latin root meaning «word» or «name.» This root also appears in such words as «advocacy,» «convocation,» «evocative,» «vocal,» and «vowel.» By dissecting words such as these, etymologists can study how a word has evolved over time and tell us about the cultures they came from.

In some cases, root words might be slightly transformed en route to becoming part of words that we’re familiar with. In the above example, «vowel» is a word that’s clearly related to the voc root and its family of derivative words, and yet the «c» in «voc» is not present. There are several reasons for this sort of pattern, and the changes often depend on what language each individual word comes from, but it serves as a reminder that not every word with the same root will look exactly the same.

Root words are also useful for creating new words, especially in technology and medicine, where new innovations occur frequently. Think of the Greek root word tele, which means «far,» and inventions that traverse long distances, such as the telegraph, telephone, and television. The word «technology» itself is a combination of two other Greek root words, techne, meaning «skill» or «art,» and logos, or «study.»

H-L

If you already speak a Latin-based language like French, Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese, you have a huge advantage in reading academic English.

If not, you can still increase your vocabulary faster by studying roots and affixes.

As you study them you see will notice common patterns and recognize new words.

It’s easier to learn words in groups. Studying related words together helps you see the connections between them. That’s why I include so much information on the words made from each root.

The sections below on roots, prefixes and suffixes link to pages with details or practice.

M-P

Negatives from facere: disaffected (affected negatively), unaffected (not affected at all), declassify, defective, unedifying, ineffective, inefficient, unidentified, unjustified, imperfection, unspecific, unverified.

Prefixes and Suffixes

Practice prefixes of location and relationship (anti-, com-, ex-, in-, sub-, sym-, and trans- +) on 7+ Common Prefixes that Dominate Academic Vocabulary. The Prefix ‘Re-‘ has its own page, with examples and practice.

The Negative
Prefix List gives prefixes that make words negative. It has examples of each prefix and explains the
differences in their meanings and use. Check your understanding on the Practice Negative Prefixes page.

Useful Word Endings

Suffixes sometimes change the meanings of words. More often they change their positions in a sentence. It’s very helpful to know the different endings that belong to different parts of speech. Adding an ending can change a word from one part of speech into another.

For example, adding ‘-ive’ to ‘act’ (a noun or verb) makes the adjective ‘active.’ If you add’ -ly’ to ‘active’ you get the adverb ‘actively.’ You could add ‘-ate’ instead to get the verb ‘activate.’

Each suffix means something different and fills a different place in a sentence.

If you recognize more suffixes, you’ll understand more of what you read. You’ll also be able to use the words correctly when you write.

See also Word Families, Word Family Practice, and Word Formation Examples and Exercises.

Would you like a simpler, more organized way to learn the essentials for using roots and affixes?

The most efficient way to learn common roots and affixes is with a step-by-step course. This inexpensive course will teach you the most common prefixes, suffixes, and roots. You’ll get the background you need to continue learning them as you keep reading in English.

Whether you take a course or study a few at a time, learning common roots, prefixes, and suffixes is worth the effort. Knowing how they combine can help you recognize hundreds of new English words!

Didn’t find what you
needed? Explain what you want in the search box below.
(For example, cognates, past tense practice, or ‘get along with.’) Click to see the related pages on EnglishHints.

T-V

To study roots, see:

To practice words from a particular root, use the root words table above to find the right page or pages.

As you read new words, analyze them. Are parts familiar? Can you see a pattern?

For example, if you read about a retractable blade, you can guess its meaning before you look it up.

(Even better: guess instead of looking it up if its meaning isn’t essential.

Don’t break your concentration unless you need the word to understand what you’re reading. If not, write it down to check later.)

For retractable, you may know that the prefix ‘re’ means ‘again’ or ‘back.’  ‘Able’ means that something is possible. So you can guess ‘retractable’ is about the possibility of ‘tracting’ something back, or again.

‘Tract’ is also the base of ‘attract,’ ‘distract,’ and ‘traction,’ so it seems related to a pulling movement. Good guess! In fact, retractable wheels on an airplane can be pulled back into the body of the plane. Retractable hose is easy to rewind (pull back into storage.) Retractable awnings can be pulled back easily.

Here’s another example of how prefixes and suffixes can change the meaning and use of a root. These words come from ‘form’:

form, form, form, form, form, form, form, form, form, form, form, conform, form, form form, form

50+ Latin Word Rootsto Multiply your English Word Power!

The great majority of words in an English dictionary have Latin word roots. (Many came into English from Old French.) That’s especially true of words used in academic or professional writing.

Learning the most common word roots (and a few prefixes and suffixes)  will help you recognize or at least guess at thousands of these
academic words.

This will help you do well on tests, in
college courses, and in business. You will also find English reading
more enjoyable. It’s a fascinating study!

The list below includes over 50 Latin word roots, each with a few
examples of the English words that come from it.

I chose them for two reasons. They’re the base for important English vocabulary AND their English meanings are still close to the root meanings. (Why study roots if the words derived from them no longer have similar meanings?)

Look at the prefixes and
suffixes attached to each word root, and see if you can guess the
English meanings. I also included several negative forms. If no negative is given, you can make almost any other adjective negative with ‘un-.’ (For a detailed explanation and more examples, see Negative Prefix List.)

The list begins with a demonstration of how prefixes can be added to a word root to change its meaning. I used the root ‘mittere,’ since it takes so many prefixes.

Practice These Word Roots— & More

Practice some of the English words from these roots at Match These Words from Latin Roots and 50 Latin Word Roots Practice. (This is a gap-fill practice. There’s some explanation for a few words that are hard to understand to understand from the root alone.)

To keep this list from being too long, I skipped many common roots you might already know. See if you can think of any words from the Latin root bases lun- (moon), manu- (hand), sol- (sun), stella- (star). There are also many common words from Greek roots.

There are more Latin word roots, as well as more explanations and practice, at

So many English words come from the Latin root ponere (pon- or pos-). For example: «The opposing team imposed their will. They really exposed our weakness!»

More English roots— from Latin verbs of motion: attract (pull towards), & retract from the Latin root meaning ‘pull;’  compel, compulsive, expel, & repulsive from the root for ‘driven’— and more.

Find the pages to study or practice over 100 root words on EnglishHints. This reference table gives meanings, examples, & links.

You can review words from 10 of these roots with a fairly easy word search puzzle. (Check its answers here.)

If you’re interested in teaching roots, check out the inexpensive lessons and practice activities on Root, Prefix, and Suffix Worksheets.

Root + Suffix = Word

The suffix on please is an e. If you look at the word pleas-ure, it makes sense, since removing its suffix leaves the same root as in pleas-e. As John Hough, in Scientific Terminology, points out, roots rarely exist alone. They usually precede suffixes. The same is true of Greek and Latin, even if, when borrowing, we sometimes drop the suffix. Thus, the word cell in English is really the Latin cella, from which we’ve dropped the a suffix.

Not only do almost all English words contain roots plus suffixes, but, according to Hough, suffixes can’t stand alone. A suffix does not have meaning on its own but needs to be connected to the root.

Adjective + Root + Suffix = Word

The table below defines and illustrates 25 of the most common Latin roots.

​Understanding the meanings of the common word roots can help us deduce the meanings of new words that we encounter. But be careful: root words can have more than one meaning as well as various shades of meaning. In addition, words that look similar may derive from different roots.

In addition, a handful of root words can stand on their own as whole words in and of themselves. This list includes words such as photo, kinesis, chrome, port, and script. Words like this tend to have related meanings on their own, then can also act as roots for longer, more complex words.

Greek Root Words

The table below defines and illustrates 25 of the most common Greek roots.

Root Words, Meanings,Examples, & Practice Pages

* Remember, you can find the practice page names and links on the pink page abbreviations’ list just above the table.

F — L

Go to the list of abbreviations and page links if you want to practice any root.

Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes  has links to all the root words’ explanation and
practice pages. It also links to prefix and suffix lists. If you would like to
study the roots that contribute the most to English, start with:

So many English words come from the Latin root ponere (pon- or pos-) For example: The opposing team imposed their will until they exposed their weakness.

Learn and practice the Greek roots most commonly used in English (from tele: far and graph: writing to psych: soul and logy: study of).

Demonstration with the Latin verb mittere- ‘to send

Practice finding some of these words in a word search puzzle. (Answers are here.)