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Knowledge Article

Word Origins

Word parts are often related to the origin or history of a word. A word's origin is also known as its etymology or derivation. When learning new words, remember that there may be two or more possibilities for the root. For example, homo- means "same" in Greek, but it also means "man" in Latin. Homonym and homogeneous employ the Greek root homo, meaning "same." The words homicide and Homo sapiens use the Latin root, meaning "man."

Another point to remember is that your dictionary will probably indicate the word's origin in only one form of a word. That means you may need to look at a few entries to find information about the origin of a word. For example, the history of the word explanation may appear under explain, the root of that word.

It may not always be clear what prefix or root makes the meaning of the word. The word contract begins with the letters contra-, a prefix meaning "against." But using your knowledge of the word and its context, you can probably see that this meaning does not make sense. In this case, the actual prefix is con-, meaning "with" or "together," and the root is tract. Even without knowing the specific meaning of the root tract, you know enough about the word contract to know it is something that brings people together, not against each other.

The word parts (roots, prefixes, suffixes) below represent only some of the many word parts that can help you decode unfamiliar words. You may recognize some of the word parts from words you already know. The benefit of studying word parts is that you can use them to understand new and unfamiliar words. Use a dictionary to define any of the examples you do not know. Find additional examples of your own to use in the submission for this lesson, and practice combining word parts to create other words.

Studying long lists in isolation is not usually the best way to learn, but if you practice what you see here, you will find that word recognition based on roots and affixes is extremely helpful.

1

Root

arch

aud bene brev cede, ceed chron derm dic, dict fer geo gen graph hydro jur, just log, logue luc magn meter, metri

osteo path

Common Roots Meaning

ancient

rule, chief, first

hear good, well short to move, go time

skin

speak, word carry earth birth, race, kind write water law word, thought light, clear giant, great, large

measure

bone feeling

2

Examples archetype monarch, matriarch, anarchy audible, auditorium benefit, benefactor brevity, abbreviate proceed, exceed, recede chronicle, chronology hypodermic, epidermis, dermatology dictionary, predict transfer, refer geology, geography generate, generation autograph, biography hydrate, hydrogen jury, justice dialogue, monologue lucid, translucent magnificent, magnitude thermometer, speedometer osteoporosis, osteopath sympathy, empathy

phil phon port script, scrib sol spec ver vid, vis vit

love sound carry write alone look, see truth see life

philosophy, bibliophile telephone, phonics import, transport, portable description, prescribe solitary, solitude spectacle, spectrum verify, veracity videotape, visual vital, vitality

The chart below lists common prefixes. Many of these word parts, like the roots above, are derived from Latin. They show up often in words that stretch across all subjects and purposes.

abambi ante-

Prefix

anti-

autobibio-

co-, com-, con-

disex-

Common Prefixes Meaning

away, from both before

against

self two life

with, together

opposite, away from, apart out of, beyond

3

Examples absent, abstain ambidextrous, ambivalent antecedent, anterior antifreeze, antigovernment automobile bicycle, biennial biology, biography cooperate, commiserate, connect

disable, disassemble

export, exceed

hepthex-, ses-

hyper-

hypo-

il-, im-, in-, ir-

interintramalmicromonomisneoomnipanpentaperipolypostpreproquadr-, quatr, quartresubsuper-, suprsym-, syntri-, ter-

seven six

above, over

under

not

between within wrong, bad small one wrong new all all five all around many after before before, for four back, again under, below over, above with, together three

4

heptameter hexagon, sestet hyperactive, hypertension, hypersensitive hypothesis illegal, immature, invisible, irregular interstate, interaction intrastate, intravenous malice, malpractice microbiologist, microbe monogram, monopoly mismatch, misspell neonatology, neophyte omnipotent, omnipresent pantheon, panorama pentagon, pentameter periscope, perimeter polygon, polygamy postpone, postdate prepare, predict procession, provide quadrangle, quartile regress, refer, repeat subtract, submarine superior, supernatural sympathetic, synonym tricycle, tripod, tertiary

un-, in-, a-

not

uni-

one

unlikable, unproductive, inappropriate, asocial

union, unit

In the suffix chart below, you'll see an additional column for part of speech. While prefixes add meaning to or change the definition of words, suffixes are a bit different. In most cases, suffixes change the original word's part of speech. If you have a solid understanding of suffixes, you'll be better able to determine the part of speech of unknown or unfamiliar words.

Suffix

-ance, -ence -age -al

-ate

-cy -dom -ful

-fy

-ible, -able -ic -ism

-ist, -ier

-ium

-ive

Common Suffixes

Meaning

Part of Speech

Examples

state or quality of being

noun

governance, abstinence

condition or act of action or result of to make, to become associated with state of being state of being full of to make, to cause to become

noun adjective verb noun noun adjective verb

courage, reportage natural, maternal regulate, concentrate, officiate lunacy, democracy freedom, kingdom meaningful, truthful

glorify, beautify

able to; capable

adjective audible, bearable

relating to act, state, theory of one who practices; one who believes in the state of

adjective noun noun noun

of, belonging to, quality of adjective 5

poetic, demonic

communism, realism

communist, realist, typist, cashier, financier

tedium, pandemonium

descriptive, attentive, persuasive

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