Word Root

What Is a Word Root?

A word root is the base part of a word (i.e., the word less any prefixes and suffixes).

To change the meaning of a word, a prefix can be added to the front of the word root, or a suffix can be added to the back. Quite often, a prefix and a suffix are added to a word root to change the meaning. (Prefixes and suffixes are known as affixes.)

Example of Word Roots with Prefixes and Suffixes

In these examples, the word roots are in shaded, but the prefixes and suffixes aren't.

• Word root: friend
  • friends, friendly, unfriendly, friendship
• Word root: normal
  • abnormal, normality, normalize, abnormality
• Word root: mature
  • immature, maturity
  (Notice how the "e" is dropped off the root word for "maturity." Often, there are spelling rules to consider.)

Word Roots with Greek Origins

Lots of word roots in English derive from Greek. For example:

Word Root	Meaning	Example
aster	star	asteroid, astronaut
auto	self	automatic, autobiography
biblio	book	bibliography, bibliophile
bio	life	biography, biology
chrome	color	monochromatic, phytochrome
chrono	time	chronic, chronicle
dyna	power	dynasty, dynamite
geo	earth	geography, geology
graph	write	autograph, graphic
hydr	water	dehydrate, hydrant
kinesis	movement	kinetic, psychokinesis
log	thought	logic, analogy
logos	word, study	astrology, logosglyph
narc	sleep	narcotic, narcolepsy
path	feel	empathy, pathetic
phil	love	philosophy, philanthropy
phon	sound	microphone, telephone
photo	light	photograph, photocopy
schem	plan	scheme, schematic
syn	together, with	synthetic, photosynthesis
tele	far	telescope, telepathy

Word Roots with Latin Origins

Lots of word roots derive from Latin. For example:

Word Root	Meaning	Example
acri	bitter	acrid, acrimony
aqu	water	aquarium, aquatic
audi	hear	audible, audience
bene	good	benefit, benefactor
brev	short	abbreviate, brief
circ	round	circus, circulate
dict	say	dictate, diction
doc	teach	document, doctrine
duc	lead, make	deduce, educate
fund	bottom	founder, foundation
gen	to birth	gene, generate
hab	to have	ability, exhibit
jur	law	jury, justify
lev	to lift	levitate, elevate
manu	hand	manual, manicure
mis, mit	send	missile, transmit
pac	peace	pacify, pacifist
port	carry	export, import
quit	silent, restive	tranquil, acquit
scrib, script	write	script, describe
sens	feel	sensitive, sentient
terr	earth	terrain, territory
vac	empty	vacuum, vacate
vid, vis	to see	video, invisible

A knowledge of these word roots can help greatly with spelling and deciphering the meanings of unfamiliar words. Read more about way to improve your spelling.

"Word Root" or "Base Word"?

Be aware that there are two different terminologies for dissecting words:

"Word Root" Method Some (like us) use these terms: Example: unfriendly "un" is a prefix. "friend" is the word root. "ly" is a suffix

"Base Word" Method Some use these terms: Example: unfriendly "un" is prefix. (A prefix is a type of root word.) "friend" is the base word. (A base word is a type of root word.) "ly" is a suffix. (A suffix is a type of root word.)

Here at Grammar Monster, we use the version on the left (i.e. "word root"), but be aware that you might encounter the version on the right (i.e., "base word" and "root words" to mean the base word and the affixes).

A List of Common Prefixes

Here is a list of common prefixes with some examples:

Prefix	Meaning	Example
a-, an-	without	amoral, atypical
ante-	before	antecedent, antenatal
anti-	against	anti-establishment
auto-	self	autopilot
co-	with	co-conspirator, co-pilot
com-, con-	with	companion, contact
de-	off	delist, devalue
dis-	not	disappear
en-	put into	enclose, envelop
ex-	out of, former	extract, ex-governor
extra-	beyond, more than	extracurricular
il-, im-, in-, ir-	not, without	illegal, impractical, inconsiderate, irresponsible
in-	into	insert
inter-	between	internet, intersection,
intra-	between	intranet, intravenous
mono-	one	monocle
non-	not, without	nonentity, nonstarter,
post-	after	post-mortem
pre-, pro-	before, forward	precede, project
sub-	under	submarine, substandard
super-	above	supervisor, superhuman
un-	not	undone, unfinished,
uni-	one	unicorn, unilaterally

Read more about prefixes.

A List of Common Suffixes

Here is a list of common suffixes with some examples:

Suffix	Meaning	Example
-able, -ible	can be done	comfortable, passable
-al, -ial	having the characteristics of	personal
-ed	past-tense verbs (weak verbs)	danced, jumped
-en	made of	golden, wooden
-er	comparative	tidier, nicer
-er, -or	one who	actor, narrator, worker
-est	superlative	nicest, greatest
-ful	full or full of	cupful, careful
-ic	having characteristics of	linguistic, sarcastic
-ing	verb form (present participle and gerund)	dancing, singing
-ion, -tion, -ation, ition	act or process	attraction, attrition
-ity, -ty	state of	humility, infinity
-ive, -ative, itive	adjective form of a noun	expensive, plaintive
-less	without	topless, fearless
-ly	adverb ending	nicely, quickly
-ment	action or process	enjoyment, entrenchment
-ness	state of, condition of	eagerness, kindness
-ous, -eous, -ious	possessing the qualities of	erroneous, joyous
-s, -es	plural	tables, foxes
-y	characterized by	fatty, happy, jumpy

Read more about suffixes.

The term "word root" does not just apply to nouns and creating new nouns (e.g., forming "player" from "play"). Word roots also apply to verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. For example:

• Word root: play
  • He plays football.
  (Here, the suffix "s" is added to the word root to ensure the verb fits grammatically.)
  • He played tennis.
  (The suffix "ed" forms the past tense.)
  • He had played badly.
  (The suffix "ed" forms a past participle.)
  • He skipped playfully.
  (The suffix "fully" forms an adverb.)
  • This game is not playable.
  (The suffix "able" forms an adjective.)

Why Word Roots Are Important

Here are four good reasons to care about word roots.

(Reason 1) Use root words to increase your vocabulary.

If you're learning English, you can quickly increase your vocabulary by learning some common word roots and the most common prefixes and suffixes.

(Reason 2) Use your understanding of word roots and affixes to decode the meanings of long words.

Often, you can decode the meaning of a word by identifying the word root and applying your understanding of any affixes. Here's an easy example with the word "disrespectfully":

• Disrespectfully" breaks down to dis-respect-ful-ly. This gets you to something like "not-respect-full of-adverb," which would lead to something like "done in a manner that is full of no respect." And, that's a great starting point for decoding its meaning.)

Here are some harder examples:

• lonelinesslessness
(With three suffixes, this is the concept of no loneliness.)
• semihemidemisemiquaver
(With four prefixes, this a hundred twenty-eighth note.)

(Reason 3) Use an affix to reduce your word count.

A word's meaning is changed when an affix is added. Sometimes, you can exploit this to reduce your word count and to create a more flowing text.

• Not aware > unaware
• Not sure > unsure
• to bake cakes > baking cakes
• a comparison of the data shows > comparing the data shows

(Reason 4) Break down long words to help with spelling

The word "antidisestablishmentarianism" (a 19th-century political position that sought the removal of the Anglican Church's status as the state church of England, Ireland and Wales) is best known not for what it represents but for its length (28 letters and 12 syllables). Can you spell it? No? I bet you can. If you break it down into its word root and affixes, it's pretty simple.

• Anti-dis-establ-ish-ment-arian-ism

This is well-used technique to help with spelling.

Key Points