LibGuides: HUM 115 : Critical Thinking: Word Prefixes & Suffixes

Why Learn Greek & Latin Roots?

According to the Oxford Companion to the English Language (1992), "A large part of the lexicon of Latin has entered English in two major waves: mainly religious vocabulary from the time of Old English until the Reformation, and mainly scientific, scholarly, and legal vocabulary . . . from the Middle Ages onwards." The influence of classical Greek on English has been largely indirect, through Latin and French.

In general, the further a person progresses educationally the more likely he or she is to have a need for English words derived from Greek or Latin roots.

Recommended Web Resources

Common Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words
Jennifer DeFores at Michigan State University developed this webpage to assist students preparing for standardized tests, such as the Graduate Records Examination (GRE), which focus heavily on vocabulary.
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The English language has its roots in several languages, including Greek, Latin, and older forms of English, German, and French. Learning to recognize common roots and affixes (prefixes and suffixes) will help you build your vocabulary and improve your ability to make educated guesses about unknown words you encounter in reading and test-taking situations. Good dictionaries will give you information about the origins of words. Whenever you look up a new word, make a point of reading this information. Some of the roots and affixes that appear in a large number of words. Learning these will enhance your ability to comprehend course readings and learn new terminology
Word Root Quick Reference
Developed by the non-profit LearnThat Foundation, LearnThatWord.org and the companion Open Dictionary of English offers many basic language learning and improvement resources free.
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CFCC Books & eBooks

Practical Vocabulary by Judith N. Meyers
Call Number: CFCC eBook (Online)
Words from Law, Politics, and Current Events, Word Meaning from Sight, Words from Literature, the Arts, and Popular Culture, Word Meaning from Sound, Words from Science and Technology, Word Meaning from Structure, Words from Medicine and Health Care, Word Meaning from Roots, Words from Business and Finance, Word Meaning from Prefixes, Words from Names, Word Meaning from Suffixes, Words from Other Lands and Languages, Word Meaning from Context, Words from Computer Technology, Idioms and Vocabulary Variations, New and Emerging Vocabulary, CampusSpeak
Vocabulary & Spelling Success in 20 Minutes a Day by Judith N. Meyers
Call Number: CFCC eBook (Online)
Listening to and Looking at Words (the connection between hearing language and learning new words; words that are not spelled the way they sound), Divide and Conquer (dissecting words into syllables, vowel groups, and letters in order to correctly sound them out), Coming Up by the Roots (using Greek and Latin roots & word structures), More Rooting Around (learning words from roots), Prefixes that Change Meaning (using prefixes to recognize meaning), Suffixes that Identify the "Job" (using suffixes that can identify the part of speech of a word), Using Context Clues to "Psych Out" Meanings (words that come from other languages, context clues of definition), Contrast, More Context Clues (words that come from the names of people, places, or events; examples and restatements as context clues), Words from the World of Work (general terms associated with employment), What's the Good (New) Word? (new words from computer and communications technology, how to continue to add new words to your vocabulary)