Latin Prefixes and Roots Ms. Elrod April 5 th, 2013

Standard  ELACC8L4b: Use common, grade- appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word.  An affix is a word element, such as a prefix or suffix, that can only occur attached to a base, stem, or root.  Today, we will focus on prefixes.

What is a prefix?  A prefix is a word part placed in front of a base word that usually changes the meaning of the root word.  The prefix “un-” is placed at the beginning of the word “happy”. Because “un-” means “not”, this changes the meaning of the word.

What is a prefix?  The word “prefix” is composed of a the prefix “pre-”, meaning “before”, and the root word “fix”, meaning to fasten or attach.  So, the word “prefix” literally means something that is attached to the beginning of something else.  Prefixes are attached at the beginning of root words and typically change the meaning of these roots.

Examples of prefixes

Adding and recognizing prefixes  The spelling of the base word never changes. Simply add the prefix to the beginning of the base word, as in the word unhappy.  The spelling of the prefix never changes. A prefix will be spelled the same no matter what base word it is attached to. For example, if you learn to spell the prefix poly, as in polygon, you can depend on poly to be spelled the same in the words polygraph, polyester, and polygram.  Be aware that double letters can occur. If you add the prefix un to natural, both the prefix and the base word retain their original spelling. The result is unnatural.  Watch out for prefix look-alikes. Some words contain the same string of letters as a prefix, but upon closer examination you’ll find that they are not prefixes. The re in real is not a prefix. Other examples include uncle, pretty, press, interest, reach, irony, dish, and antique.

Practice 1  Remember that prefixes are added to the beginning of root words. The spelling of both the prefix and the root word do not change.  Using the Latin prefix “un-”(meaning “not”), determine whether these words contain this prefix or not: 1. Unemployed 4. Unhealthy 2. Uncle 5. United 3. Unstable 6. Unicorn  How does the prefix change the word’s meaning?

Practice 2  Use the meaning of the sentences to identify a word with the correct prefix.  Example: I did not think the game was fair. 1. I had to read my book again. 2. I lost my cell phone. 3. I had to warm up the oven before I baked my cookies. 4. I did not spell the word correctly. Unfair

What is a root?  A root is the basic element of a word.  We add prefixes and suffixes to make it into a new word.  Some roots are words by themselves and do not require other word elements.  Example: un- + -happy. “Happy” is the root word and can stand alone without the prefix.

Roots  However, some roots cannot independently stand on their own as words.  Example: dy- + -archy. “Dy-” means “two” and “-archy” means “government”.  The word “dyarchy” means a government with two leaders.  The root, “-archy”, cannot stand alone because it is not an actual word, but a derivative of the Latin or Greek language.

Practice 3: Identify the prefix and the root word in these examples.  Coauthor  Disbelief  Nonviolence  Postwar  Submarine  Transcontinental

Why should I learn this?  An understanding of Latin prefixes is obviously essential for writing and communicating with others.  A basic understanding of Latin prefixes and roots can help you on important tests, such as the SAT.

Why should I learn this?  Another reason for learning Latin prefixes is that they are commonly used in the medical field. Many medical terms contain Latin components.  Examples: cerebr(o)- Of or pertaining to the brain Latin (cerebrum), brain Cerebrology ocul(o)- Of or pertaining to the eye Latin (oculus), the eye Oculist