50 Common Word Roots For the GRE Flashcards
a-
without
Examples: amoral, amorphous, asexual
ambi-
both sides
Examples: ambidextrous, ambivalent
ante-
Before or in front
Examples: antecedent, antedate
Anti-
Against
Examples: Antihero, antipathy, antisocial
Aqu/aqua-
Water
Examples: aquatic, aqueous, aquarium, aqueduct
Bene-
Good
Examples: benefit, benediction, benevolent
Bi-
Two
Examples: bifurcate, biannual, bisect, biracial
Bio-
Life
Examples: biology, biography, biome
Cede/Ceed
Go or yield
Examples: precede, exceed, recede
Circum-
Around
Examples: circumscribe, circumnavigate, circumvent, circumcise
Contra-
Against or opposite
Examples: contradiction, contraception, controversy
Cycl-
Circle
Examples: Bicycle, Cyclical
De-
Reduce or remove
Examples: deescalate, defenestrate, decelerate
Di/dis-
Apart or away
Examples: digress, disappear, diverge
-dict-
Speak or say
Examples: edict, dictation, dictator, prediction, contradiction
-dox
Belief
Examples: orthodox, paradox, heterodox
Du/duo-
Two
Examples: dual, duology, duochrome
Em/en-
Into/In
Examples: embrace, enclose, encircle
Esce-
Becoming
Examples: coalesce, adolescence, obsolescent, tumescent
Ex-
Out or way
Examples: exit, exhale, extirpate, exile