Many English words are built from smaller parts. Understanding word roots and affixes helps you guess meanings, recognize word families, and learn vocabulary more efficiently.
A word root is the main part of a word. It carries the core meaning. Many English roots come from Latin or Greek.
| Root | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| act | do | action, active, react |
| bio | life | biology, biography |
| port | carry | transport, export, portable |
Affixes are added to a word root to change its meaning or grammar. There are two main types: prefixes and suffixes.
A prefix is added to the beginning of a word. Prefixes often change the meaning.
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| un- | not / opposite | unhappy, unclear |
| re- | again | redo, return |
| pre- | before | preview, prepay |
| mis- | wrongly | misunderstand, misplace |
A suffix is added to the end of a word. Suffixes often change the word’s grammar form.
| Suffix | Use / Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -er | person who does something | teacher, driver |
| -ness | state or quality | happiness, kindness |
| -ful | full of | helpful, careful |
| -less | without | careless, homeless |