Vocabulary

Roots, prefixes, and suffixes

You will meet words on the HSPT that you have never seen. A word part you recognize turns a blind guess into an educated one. Learn a handful per study session, not the whole table at once.

Prefixes

Attached to the front of a word. They usually flip, negate, or point the meaning in a direction.

Word part	Meaning	Examples
a-, an-	not, without	atypical (not typical); anonymous (without a name)
ab-	away from	absent (away, not present); abduct (to lead away by force)
ambi-	both	ambivalent (feeling both ways at once); ambidextrous (able to use both hands)
anti-	against	antidote (a cure that works against a poison); antisocial (against mixing with others)
auto-	self	autobiography (the story of one's own life); autonomous (self-governing)
bene-	good, well	benevolent (wishing others well); beneficial (producing good results)
bi-	two	bilingual (speaking two languages); biannual (twice a year)
circum-	around	circumference (the distance around a circle); circumvent (to get around an obstacle)
co-, com-, con-	with, together	coherent (holding together, making sense); concord (agreement)
contra-, counter-	against, opposite	contradict (to say the opposite); counteract (to act against)
de-	down, away, undo	descend (to go down); deflate (to let the air out)
di-	apart, two	digress (to stray away from the subject); divert (to turn aside)
dis-	not, apart	disparage (to speak of as worthless); dispel (to drive apart, scatter)
e-, ex-	out	emit (to send out); exclude (to shut out)
equi-	equal	equitable (fair, treating all equally); equilibrium (a state of balance)
extra-	beyond, outside	extraordinary (beyond the ordinary); extraneous (coming from outside, not needed)
fore-	before, in front	foresight (seeing ahead); forerunner (one who comes before)
hetero-	different	heterogeneous (made up of different kinds); heterodox (holding different, unaccepted beliefs)
homo-	same	homogeneous (made up of the same kind); homonym (a word with the same sound as another)
hyper-	over, too much	hyperactive (overly active); hyperbole (exaggeration)
hypo-	under, too little	hypothermia (dangerously low body heat); hypothesis (an idea placed under a test)
il-, im-, in-, ir-	not	illegible (not readable); impartial (not taking sides); irrelevant (not related to the matter)
in-, im-	in, into	induct (to bring into a group); immerse (to plunge into)
inter-	between	intervene (to come between); intermittent (stopping and starting)
intra-	within	intramural (within the walls of one school); intrastate (within one state)
mal-	bad, badly	malicious (meaning harm); malfunction (to work badly)
micro-	very small	microscope (a tool for seeing very small things); microbe (a very small living thing)
mid-	middle	midterm (an exam in the middle of the term); midpoint (the middle point)
mis-	wrong, wrongly	misconstrue (to understand wrongly); mishap (an unlucky accident)
mono-	one	monotonous (all on one note, dull); monopoly (control by one seller)
multi-	many	multitude (a great many); multifaceted (having many sides)
non-	not	nonchalant (not concerned, casual); nondescript (not easy to describe, plain)
omni-	all	omnivore (an eater of all foods); omnipresent (present everywhere)
pan-	all, everywhere	panoramic (showing a view all around); pandemic (a disease spread across all people)
post-	after	postpone (to put off until after); posthumous (after death)
pre-	before	precaution (care taken beforehand); premonition (a feeling about what is coming)
pro-	forward, in favor of	proceed (to go forward); proponent (one who argues in favor)
re-	again, back	rectify (to set right again); recede (to move back)
semi-	half, partly	semicircle (half a circle); semiconscious (partly aware)
sub-	under, below	subside (to sink down, settle); subordinate (lower in rank)
super-	above, beyond	superfluous (beyond what is needed); supervise (to watch over)
trans-	across	transient (passing across, brief); transparent (letting light across, clear)
un-	not, reverse of	unyielding (not giving way); unravel (to undo the threads)
uni-	one	uniform (all of one form); unanimous (of one mind)

Roots

The core of the word. If you know the root, you know what the word is about, even if not exactly what it means.

Word part	Meaning	Examples
am, amic	love, friend	amiable (friendly); amicable (done in a friendly way)
anim	life, spirit	animated (full of life); unanimous (of one spirit)
aqua	water	aquatic (living or taking place in water); aquarium (a tank of water for fish)
aud	hear	audible (able to be heard); auditorium (a place for hearing)
bell	war	belligerent (eager to fight); rebellion (war against authority)
bibli	book	bibliophile (a lover of books); bibliography (a list of books)
bio	life, living	biology (the study of living things); biography (the written story of a life)
cap, capt	take, seize	captivate (to seize the attention); capacity (how much can be taken in)
carn	flesh	carnivore (a flesh eater); incarnate (in the flesh, in bodily form)
ced, cess	go, yield	concede (to yield a point); recess (a going back, a break)
chrom	color	chromatic (having color); monochrome (in a single color)
chron	time	chronological (in time order); chronic (lasting a long time)
cred	believe	credible (believable); incredulous (not believing)
dent	tooth	dentist (a tooth doctor); indent (to set in from the edge, as with a notch)
derm	skin	dermatologist (a skin doctor); epidermis (the outer layer of skin)
dict	say, speak	contradict (to speak against); verdict (a true saying, a judgment)
duc, duct	lead	induce (to lead someone to act); conduct (to lead along)
ego	self	egotistical (loving oneself too much); egocentric (centered on oneself)
fid	faith, trust	confide (to tell in trust); fidelity (faithfulness)
flect, flex	bend	flexible (able to bend); deflect (to bend away)
gen	birth, kind	generate (to bring into being); genuine (of the true kind, real)
graph, gram	write	autograph (one's own writing); epigram (a short clever writing)
ject	throw	dejected (thrown down in spirit); reject (to throw back)
loqu, locu	speak	eloquent (speaking with skill); loquacious (very talkative)
luc, lum	light	lucid (clear, easy to see through); illuminate (to light up)
magn	great, big	magnify (to make bigger); magnanimous (great-hearted, generous)
man	hand	manual (done by hand); manipulate (to handle skillfully)
mar	sea	mariner (one who works at sea); submarine (a boat that travels under the sea)
max	greatest	maximum (the greatest amount); maximize (to make as great as possible)
mit, miss	send	omit (to leave out, not send); dismiss (to send away)
mort	death	mortal (subject to death); mortify (to shame nearly to death)
nom, nomin	name	nominate (to name someone for a position); misnomer (a wrong name)
nov	new	novice (a newcomer); innovative (bringing in new ideas)
numer	number	numerous (a large number of); enumerate (to count off one by one)
oct	eight	octagon (an eight-sided figure); octopus (a sea animal with eight arms)
pac	peace	placate (to make peaceful, calm down); pacify (to bring peace to)
path	feeling, suffering	apathetic (without feeling); empathy (feeling with another)
ped	foot	pedestrian (one on foot); impede (to get in the way of the feet, hinder)
pel, puls	push, drive	compel (to drive to act); repulse (to push back)
phil	love of	bibliophile (a lover of books); philanthropy (love of humankind, shown by giving)
phob	fear	arachnophobia (fear of spiders); claustrophobia (fear of closed-in spaces)
port	carry	portable (able to be carried); export (to carry out of a country)
rupt	break	abrupt (broken off, sudden); disrupt (to break apart)
scend, scent	climb	ascend (to climb up); descent (a climb down)
scrib, script	write	inscribe (to write on); transcript (a written copy)
sect	cut	dissect (to cut apart); intersect (to cut across)
spec, spect	look, see	circumspect (looking all around, careful); spectator (one who looks on)
tact, tang	touch	tactile (having to do with touch); intangible (not able to be touched)
ten, tain	hold	tenacious (holding on firmly); retain (to hold back, keep)
terr	earth, land	terrain (the lay of the land); subterranean (under the ground)
tract	pull, draw	retract (to pull back); distract (to draw attention away)
ven, vent	come	convene (to come together); intervene (to come between)
ver	true	verify (to prove true); veracity (truthfulness)
vid, vis	see	evident (easily seen); vigilant (keeping watch)
viv, vit	live, life	revive (to bring back to life); vivid (full of life, bright)
voc, vok	call, voice	vocation (a calling); provoke (to call forth, stir up)
zo	animal	zoology (the study of animals); zoo (a place that keeps animals)

Suffixes

Attached to the end. They tell you the part of speech and sometimes add a meaning such as 'without' or 'full of.'

Word part	Meaning	Examples
-able, -ible	able to be	durable (able to last); audible (able to be heard)
-ful	full of	wistful (full of longing); fretful (full of worry)
-ify, -ize	to make	rectify (to make right); scrutinize (to make a close study of)
-ism	belief, practice	optimism (the practice of expecting the best); skepticism (the habit of doubting)
-ist	one who	pessimist (one who expects the worst); novelist (one who writes novels)
-ity	quality of	brevity (the quality of being brief); clarity (the quality of being clear)
-less	without	relentless (without letting up); listless (without energy or interest)
-ous, -ious	full of, having	meticulous (full of care for detail); precarious (full of risk)
-tion, -sion	the act or state of	aversion (the state of turning away, dislike); elation (the state of great joy)

Next: the word list, or the study method that puts both to work.