Updated June 14, 2023 |
Infoplease Staff
Table of contents
The following table lists some common Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
| Greek root | Basic meaning | Example words |
|---|---|---|
| -anthrop- | human | misanthrope, philanthropy, anthropomorphic |
| -chron- | time | anachronism, chronic, chronicle, synchronize, chronometer |
| -dem- | people | democracy, demography, demagogue, endemic, pandemic |
| -morph- | form | amorphous, metamorphic, morphology |
| -path- | feeling, suffering | empathy, sympathy, apathy, apathetic, psychopathic |
| -pedo-, -ped- | child, children | pediatrician, pedagogue |
| -philo-, -phil- | having a strong affinity or love for | philanthropy, philharmonic, philosophy |
| -phon- | sound | polyphonic, cacophony, phonetics |
The following table gives a list of Greek prefixes and their basic meanings.
| Greek prefix | Basic meaning | Example words |
|---|---|---|
| a-, an- | without | achromatic, amoral, atypical, anaerobic |
| anti-, ant- | opposite; opposing | anticrime, antipollution, antacid |
| auto- | self, same | autobiography, automatic, autopilot |
| bio-, bi- | life, living organism | biology, biophysics, biotechnology, biopsy |
| geo- | Earth; geography | geography, geomagnetism, geophysics, geopolitics |
| hyper- | excessive, excessively | hyperactive, hypercritical, hypersensitive |
| micro- | small | microcosm, micronucleus, microscope |
| mono- | one, single, alone | monochrome, monosyllable, monoxide |
| neo- | new, recent | neonatal, neophyte, neoconservatism, neofascism, neodymium |
| pan- | all | panorama, panchromatic, pandemic, pantheism |
| thermo-, therm- | heat | thermal, thermometer, thermostat |
Words and word roots may also combine with suffixes. Here are examples of some important English suffixes that come from Greek:
| Greek suffix | Basic meaning | Example words |
|---|---|---|
| -ism | forms nouns and means “the act, state, or theory of” | criticism, optimism, capitalism |
| -ist | forms agent nouns from verbs ending in -ize or nouns ending in -ism and is used like -er | conformist, copyist, cyclist |
| -ize | forms verbs from nouns and adjectives | formalize, jeopardize, legalize, modernize, emphasize, hospitalize, industrialize, computerize |
| -gram | something written or drawn, a record | cardiogram, telegram |
| -graph | something written or drawn; an instrument for writing, drawing, or recording | monograph, phonograph, seismograph |
| -logue, -log | speech, discourse; to speak | monologue, dialogue, travelogue |
| -logy | discourse, expression; science, theory, study | phraseology, biology, dermatology |
| -meter, -metry | measuring device; measure | spectrometer, geometry, kilometer, parameter, perimeter |
| -oid | forms adjectives and nouns and means “like, resembling” or “shape, form” | humanoid, spheroid, trapezoid |
| -phile | one that loves or has a strong affinity for; loving | audiophile, Francophile |
| -phobe, -phobia | one that fears a specified thing; an intense fear of a specified thing | agoraphobe, agoraphobia, xenophobe, xenophobia |
| -phone | sound; device that receives or emits sound; speaker of a language | homophone, geophone, telephone, Francophone |
| Latin and Greek Word Elements |
