Affixesare word parts added to words.

PrefixesA prefix is a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word to create a new word with a different meaning.

When adding a prefix, do not change the spelling of the original word.

Examples:

Dis + satisfy = dissatisfy

Mis + spell = misspell

Im + mature = immature

A prefix is a word part added before a root. The word created from a prefix and a root reflects the meanings of both of its parts.

Anti-

Opposition

against

Antibodies

Antiwar

Antifreeze

Antipathy

antithesis

Bi-

2 Bimonthly

Biannual

Bible

Bicarbonate

Bicycle

Bicentennial

Biceps

Bilingual

Dis-

Negation

Reversal

removal

Disarmed

Disable

Discharge

Mis-

Error

Wrongness

Misnamed

Miscarriage

MisadventureMisappropriate

Misbehave

Miscalculate

Miscellaneous

Mischief

Non-

not Nonentity

Nonnegiotiable

Non-profit

Non-renewable

Nonsense

Non-smoker

Non-stick

Non-stop

Pre-

Earlier

Prior to

before

Prehistoric

Preview

Prefix

Preclude

Prevent

Re-

again Restoration

Repetition

Remove

Revisit

Reappear

Recur

Replant

Revoke

Semi-

Part

Partial

half

Semiconscious

Semicircle

Semicolon ;

Semiofficial

Semiprivate

Sub-

Under

Beneath

Inferior

Less than

Subculture

Subordinate

Submarine

Substandard

Un-

Reversal

Not

Contrary to

Unlock

Undo

Unhappy

Unnecessary

Unwilling

SuffixesA suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to create a word with a different meaning.

When adding the suffix –ness or –ly, do not change the spelling of the original word.

Examples:

Plain + ness = plainness

Casual + ly = casually

Exception:

For most words ending in y, change the y to i before adding –ness or –ly.

Empty + ness = emptiness

Busy + ly = busily

2 main types of suffixes

Produces a grammatical signal of some kind. Does not greatly change the meaning. (-s, -ed, -ing)

Creates new words

-able

Worthy of

Inclined to

likely

Debatable

Knowledgeable

Tolerable

-dom

Condition of being

State

rank

Boredom

Freedom

Serfdom

Wisdom

-en

Causing to have or gain

Made of

like

Lengthen

Shorten

Ashen

Wooden

-ful

Fullness

Abundance

Marked by

Playful

Useful

Thankful

Useful

-hood

State, condition or quality of

Childhood

Manhood

Womanhood

Statehood

Neighborhood

-ish

Having qualities or characteristics of

Childish

Impish

-less

without Childless

Careless

Countless

Hopeless

-ly

Characteristic of

In a specified manner

Manly

Womanly

Carefully

Kingly

Yearly

-ment

Product

Action

state

Measurement

Pavement

Apartment

-ness

State or condition of

quality

Happiness

Kindness

Shortness

-ous

Possessing

Full of

Joyous

nebulous

Roots Foundation on which a word is built

Carries the word’s core meaning

Part to which prefixes & suffixes are added

Many come from Greek & Latin

Some roots come from base words & are relatively easy to define.

Example:

‘See’ in foreseeable

Other roots may be more difficult to define

Examples:

Diversion ( -vers- , “turn” )

Inspiration ( -spir- , “breathe” )

biblio

books Bibliography

Bibliophile

logy

Study of theory of Biology

Theology

Sociology

Psychology

Logic

micro

Small

Smaller part within

Microbiology

Microscope

Microbe

Microcosm

Micro-chip

Micro-computer

Microphone

Microwave

ped

Foot

feet

Moped

Pedal

Peddle

Peddler

Pedestrian

Pedometer

phon

sound Microphone

Phonics

Phonograph

Telephone

“E T phone home.”