Latin Roots, Suffixes and Prefixes

Roots Definition

A root (also known as a base) refers to the core form of a word. It has a distinct meaning and can make sense on its own.

A root carries most of a word's meaning. Once you learn the root of a word, you will be able to construct new words. For example, take the verb 'slow.' This is a root word. You can add 'ly' to the end to turn it into the adverb 'slowly.' The ending 'ly' is known as a suffix.

Here's a definition of suffix:

Suffix Definition

A suffix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word to create a new meaning. Suffixes can be added to a root word for a variety of reasons, such as:

1. To change tense

It is important to be aware that the grammar rules in English are not always consistent, and words are not always 'regular.' This means that the suffixes and prefixes added to words will not always be the same or follow the exact same pattern. For example, if you wanted to turn the verb 'run' into the past tense, you would not add an 'ed' suffix, as 'runned' does not make grammatical sense. Instead, you would say 'ran.'

2. To express plurality (more than one of something)

The addition of 's/es' suffixes to create a plural does not always work... Take 'sheep' as an example - the plural of 'sheep' is still 'sheep.'

3. To change the word class

When 'able' is used, sometimes letters from the root words get dropped. For example, adding 'able' to the root 'adore' does not make it 'adoreable' - instead, it's 'adorable.'

Prefix Definition

A prefix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a root word to create a new meaning. Prefixes can be used for a couple of reasons, including:

1. To negate a word (make the meaning negative)

Fig. 1 - Illegal has negative connotations, whereas legal has positive connotations.

Other prefixes used to create a negative meaning are:

• in- (e.g., incorrect)

• im- (e.g., impossible)

• ir- (e.g., irresponsible)

• un- (e.g., unimpressed)

• dis- (e.g., disapprove)

2. To show repetition

Sometimes, prefixes can be hyphenated so as to not be misread or mispronounced. This is often the case if the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the root word are the same. For example, the word 're-enter' is often written with a hyphen - otherwise, it may be pronounced as 'reen-ter.'

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Example

Let's look at some examples of roots, suffixes, and prefixes derived from Latin. Did you know these words came from Latin?

Latin Roots Examples

Latin Suffixes Examples

Latin Prefixes Examples

Did you know the 'pre' in the word 'prefix' is a Latin prefix itself? It derives from the Latin 'prae', which means 'before/prior to.'

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Words

Now that you know some Latin roots, suffixes and prefixes, let's take a look at some English words that use them!

We'll begin with the Latin root words and the English words that use these roots:

Latin Roots and English Words

Latin Suffixes and English Words

Latin Prefixes and English Words

The Influence of Latin on English

Why does English have so many Latin words? One important term to discuss is...

Loanwords

Loanwords are words that have been taken from one language and integrated into the vocabulary of another. This is often done when two countries/cultures come into close contact, usually due to migration, trade, and/or war between countries.

During the Roman Empire, Latin was the lingua franca in most of Europe - a lingua franca is a common language used between countries that have different native languages. This means it was widely spoken and other European countries were often exposed to Latin vocabulary. Many English words were either directly taken from Latin, or new words were created using Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes.

Below is a pie chart of the languages with the most influence on English. This shows the percentage of words in the English language that derive from each of these languages:

Fig. 2 - Pie chart showing the percentage of words in English that derive from other languages

Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Review

So, what do we now know about Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes?

Here are a few key points:

• A root is the core form of a word. It makes sense on its own.

• A suffix is added to the end of a root word. This can be done to change the tense, express plurality, or change the word class.

• A prefix is added to the beginning of a root word. This can be done to negate a word or show repetition.