Guess Word Meanings
Guess from Suffixes
suffix | POS | Meanings | example |
---|---|---|---|
-able, -ible | For Adjectives | (turns verb into adjective) | drinkable |
-an, -ian | For nouns | person/place | Italian, Musician |
-ancy | For Nouns | state | infancy |
-ant, -ent, -ary, -eer, -er,-ess, -ist, -or | noun | person | one who (does something) |
-arium | For Nouns | place | aquarium |
-ate, -ify | For Verbs | none | simplify |
-ation | For Nouns | action | confirmation |
-cide | For Nouns | murder | genocide |
-dom | for nouns | none | freedom |
-ee | for nouns | person recieving | employee, trainee |
-en | For Verbs | none | broaden |
-en, -ent, -ic, -ish, -ive, | For Adjectives | (turns verb into adjective) | dismissive |
-ence | For Nouns | none | independence |
-er | for nouns | person doing | employer, trainer |
-ion, -tion, -ity | For Nouns | none | information, |
-ise, -ize | For Verbs | none | socialize |
-ism | For Nouns | belief | Buddhism |
-less | For Adjectives | without | useless |
-logy, -ology | For Nouns | study of | sociology |
-ly | For Adverb | makes noun/verb into adverb | gentlemanly |
-ment | For Nouns | none | commitment |
-ness | for nouns | none | hardness |
-ory | For Nouns | place | laboratory |
-ose, -ous, -ious | For Adjectives | makes an adjective | ambitious |
-ship | For Nouns | none | friendship |
-ward(s) | For Adverbs | direction | upward |
-wise | For Adverbs | method | counterclockwise |
Guess from Roots
Root | Meanings | Example |
---|---|---|
agr | field | agriculture |
ann | year | annual |
aqua | water | aquarium |
astro, aster | star | astronomy, asteroid |
audi | hear | audience, auditorium |
bibli | book | bibliography |
bio | life | biological |
capit | head | capital, |
celer | fast | accelerate |
chron | time | chronological |
clud | close, shut | excludem conclude |
cosm | world | cosmos, microcosm |
crat/cracy | rule | autocrat, democracy |
cred | believe | incredible |
cur | run | cursive |
demo | people | democracy |
dict | speak | predict |
duc | lead | conductor, conduct, induce |
fac | make | manufacture, factory |
flect | bend | reflect |
frater | brother | fraternity |
fund | pour | refund |
gen | race, birth | genesis |
geo | earth | geography |
graph | write | photograph |
gress | step | progress |
hydr | water | dehydrate |
ject | throw | reject |
jud | judge | judiciary |
lect | choose, gather | select |
loc | speak | circumlocution |
log | word | monologue |
luc | light | translucent |
manu | hand | manufacture |
mari | sea | marine |
mater | mother | maternity |
medi | middle | mediate |
mini | less, little | minimum |
mit | send | manumission |
mort | death | mortal |
naut | sail | cosmonaut |
neo | new | neoclassic |
neuro | nerve | neurosis |
nom | law, order | astronomy |
nomin, nomen | name | nominate |
pater | father | paternal |
path | suffering, disease | pathological |
ped, pod, pus | foot | quadruped |
pend | hang, weigh | suspend |
phil | love | philanthropist |
phob | fear | claustrophobia |
phon | sound | microphone |
phot, phos | light | photon |
plex, plic | fold | application |
poli | city, state | metropolis |
poly | many | monopoly |
pon, pos | place, put | postpone |
port | carry | export |
post- | after | postgraduate |
pre- | before | prerequisite |
Prefix | Meaning | Example |
pro- | forward, before | promote |
psych | mind | psychology |
re- | back, again | return |
reg, rect | rule, right | regulation |
rupt | break | interrupt |
scop | look | microscope |
scrib, script | write | description |
sens, sent | feel | sensation |
soph | wise | philosophy |
spec, spic | look | spectator, spectacles |
tact, tang | touch | tactful, tangible |
tens/tend/tent | stretch | tension, extend |
therm | heat | thermometer |
typ | image, impression | typical |
vac | empty | vacuum |
ven | come | eventually, |
vid, vis | see | video, visual |
vita, viv | life | vitality, vital organ |
voc, voke | call | evocative, vocal |
vor | eat | herbivore, carnivorous |
Guess from prefixes
Root | Meanings | Example |
---|---|---|
a- | not, without | amoral |
ab- | away from | abduct |
ante- | before, in front | antecedent |
anti- | against, opposite | antisocial |
auto- | self | automatic |
bene- | well, good | benefit |
bi- | two | bicycle |
circum- | around | circumference |
co- | with | cooperation Community |
col- | with | colleague |
con- | with | convention |
counter- | against, opposite | counterclockwise |
de- | not, away, down | decelerate |
dif- | apart, away, not | differ |
dis- | apart, away, not | disagree |
ex- | out, away | exclude |
extra- | outside, beyond | extraordinary |
hetero- | other, different | heterosexual |
homo- | same | homonym |
hyper- | above | hyperactive |
hypo- | under | hypodermic |
il-, in-, im-, ir- | not | illegal, impossible, irresponsible |
inter- | between | international |
intra- | within | intranet |
mal- | bad, ill, wrong | malice |
mega- | large, one million | megabyte |
micro- | small | microscopic |
mis- | bad, badly | misunderstand |
mono- | one, alone | monopoly |
non- | not | nonentity |
over | too much | overpay |
peri- | around | perimeter |
poly- | many | polygon |
re- | again | reapply, reopen |
retro- | backwards | retroactive |
se- | apart | separate |
semi- | half | semicircle |
sub- | below | submarine, subway, substandard |
super-, sur- | over | supervision |
syn- sym- | together | symbiosis |
tele- | distant | telescope |
trans- | from A to B | transfer, translate |
ultra- | beyond | ultraman |
un- | not | unable |
under- | not enough | underpay, underestimate |
uni- | one | unicycle |
vice- | taking the place | vice president |
Want more?
- Try this memrise course on prefixes and suffixes: http://www.memrise.com/course/55674/prefixes-suffixes-2/
- Read this list: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/prefixes
- Here is a longer list: https://msu.edu/~defores1/gre/sufx/gre_suffx.htm