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Roots and Affixes: How Words Are Created

This document discusses word parts, specifically roots and affixes. It provides examples of common prefixes, suffixes, and roots from Latin and Greek. It explains how the meaning of unfamiliar words can be determined by analyzing the meanings of the individual word parts. Word families that share the same root are also introduced. Examples are given to demonstrate analyzing words into their component parts and determining meanings based on word families.

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Christian Jake Flores
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120 views14 pages

Roots and Affixes: How Words Are Created

This document discusses word parts, specifically roots and affixes. It provides examples of common prefixes, suffixes, and roots from Latin and Greek. It explains how the meaning of unfamiliar words can be determined by analyzing the meanings of the individual word parts. Word families that share the same root are also introduced. Examples are given to demonstrate analyzing words into their component parts and determining meanings based on word families.

Uploaded by

Christian Jake Flores
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Roots and Affixes

How words are created


Word Parts
• There are two kinds of word parts: roots and
affixes.
• A root is a word part that comes from another
language, such as Greek or Latin.

• An affix is a word part that can be attached to


either a root or a base word to create a new
word.
Affixes
• Affixes can be divided into two categories:
prefixes (appear at the beginning of words) and
suffixes (appear at the end of words).
Common Prefixes Common Suffixes
Bi- two -al adjectival suffix
Anti- against -fy verb suffix
Inter- between -ic adjectival suffix
Pre- before -ion noun suffix
Super- above -ism noun suffix
Trans- across -ize verb suffix
Dis- not -ous adjectival suffix
Check it out
Roots Affixes

Latin Root: tang, Prefix: in-, meaning


meaning “touch” “not”

Greek Root: chrome, Suffix: -ible, meaing


meaning “color” “able to”
Meaning
• The meaning of a word is related to the meaning
of its word parts.
• To unlock the meaning of an unfamiliar word,
break the word down into its component parts;
then think about the meaning of the word’s
affixes and root.
Apply
• For example one could analyze the word
intangible, using the chart shown previously.
• First break the word into its parts:
PREFIX ROOT SUFFIX ENGLISH WORD
In- + tang + -ible = intangible

Tang is a latin roots meaning “touch”


In- is a prefix meaning “not”
-ible is a suffix meaning “able to”
Word Families
• A group of English words may be derived from
the same word part of root. Such a group is
called a word family.
• You can use this knowledge to help you
determine the meaning of unknown words.
• Try this out:
Shared roots: solo, solitary, solitude
Root: sol= ?
Answer: Alone, can you think of other
words in the family?
• Solitare
• Soloist
• Based on your knowledge of the root and the
meaning of other words in the same family, try
to define the meaning of the above words.
• Solitare- a card game played by one person
• Soloist- one who performs alone
Try one:
Words:
• Diminish
• Diminutive
• Minimum

• What do these words have in common?


• Which words do you know?
• What do you think the meaning of the root is?
Word Family Practice Questions:
• Word family: ethnicity, ethnic, ethnographer
Root: ethn
Meaning:
▫ Ocean
▫ Nation
▫ Hesitation
Word Family Practice Questions:
• Word family: maniac, maniacal
Root: mania
Meaning:
▫ Education
▫ Sanitation
▫ Madness
Word Family Practice Questions:
• Word family: epidermis, dermatology
Root: derm
Meaning:
▫ Skin
▫ Body
▫ Mind
Word Family Practice Questions:
• Word Family: laboratory, labor
Root: lab
Meaning:
▫ Work
▫ Good
▫ Weak
Let’s see what you know:
• Divide and indivisible are members of the same
word family. Which root so they share?
A. –vis- B. -visible- C. -div-

• What is the meaning of this root?


A. separate B. shrink C. junk

• What is another member of the same word


family?
A. December B. dividend C. invisible

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