English 10 / Unit 11: Vocabulary: Roots, Context and Connotation
11.2 Prefixes and Suffixes
Notes
A prefix comes before a root and changes its meaning; a suffix comes after and often changes the part of speech.
- Prefixes: ante- (before), anti- (against), circum- (around), contra- (against), inter- (between), intra- (within), sub- (under), trans- (across), mis- (wrongly).
- Suffixes: -ous (full of, adjective), -ify (make, verb), -ism (belief or practice, noun), -ology (study of), -cracy (rule by).
- Watch similar prefixes: ante- (before) vs. anti- (against); inter- (between) vs. intra- (within).
- Example: circumnavigate = circum (around) + navigate: to sail all the way around.
Practice
An "intramural" sports league is played:
"Intra-" means within; "inter-" means between.
What does the suffix in "theocracy" tell you about the word's meaning?
"-cracy" means rule by.
"Antebellum" describes the period:
"Ante-" means before; "bellum" is Latin for war.
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