Content updated on 24 April 2026
How do words grow? Why does "happy" become "unhappy", "happiness", or "happily"? The secret lies in prefixes, suffixes, and root words — the building blocks of vocabulary. Mastering these word‑formation techniques unlocks the meaning of thousands of new words without needing a dictionary. This final vocabulary lesson, designed for Class 10, 11, and 12 students, covers 50 common prefixes, 50 suffixes, and 100 essential root words. Each entry includes the meaning and a clear example sentence. Click any group to expand and discover how to decode the English language from the inside out.
✅ Recommended for: Class 10–12 (Advanced Vocabulary Building) | CBSE & UP Board
(Click any topic to jump straight to that section)
Group 1: Common Prefixes (50 examples)
๐ View Group 1 (50 prefixes)
1. a‑ / an‑ (not, without) — atheist, anarchy
Sentence: An atheist lives without belief in a god.
2. ab‑ / abs‑ (away, from) — absent, abnormal
Sentence: She was absent from the meeting.
3. ad‑ / ac‑ / af‑ (to, toward) — admit, accept, affect
Sentence: They will admit the truth.
4. ante‑ (before) — anteroom, antedate
Sentence: Wait in the anteroom before the interview.
5. anti‑ (against) — antibiotic, antifreeze
Sentence: Doctors prescribe antibiotics to fight infection.
6. arch‑ (chief, most important) — archbishop, archenemy
Sentence: The archbishop led the ceremony.
7. auto‑ (self) — automatic, autobiography
Sentence: He wrote his autobiography last year.
8. be‑ (completely, thoroughly) — beloved, bewitch
Sentence: Her beloved grandmother told stories.
9. bene‑ (good, well) — benefit, benevolent
Sentence: Exercise benefits your health.
10. bi‑ (two) — bicycle, bilingual
Sentence: Being bilingual is a great advantage.
11. bio‑ (life) — biology, biography
Sentence: She studies marine biology.
12. circum‑ (around) — circumference, circumvent
Sentence: Measure the circumference of the circle.
13. co‑ / com‑ / con‑ (with, together) — cooperate, combine, connect
Sentence: Let's cooperate on this project.
14. contra‑ / counter‑ (against, opposite) — contradict, counterclockwise
Sentence: His statements contradict each other.
15. de‑ (down, away, reverse) — descend, deactivate
Sentence: The hikers began to descend the mountain.
16. dec‑ / deca‑ (ten) — decade, decathlon
Sentence: A decade has passed since graduation.
17. demi‑ / semi‑ / hemi‑ (half) — semicircle, hemisphere
Sentence: Draw a semicircle on the board.
18. dis‑ (opposite, not) — disagree, disconnect
Sentence: I disagree with the statement.
19. ex‑ / e‑ / ec‑ (out, former) — exit, exhale, eccentric
Sentence: Please exit the building calmly.
20. extra‑ (outside, beyond) — extraordinary, extraterrestrial
Sentence: Her performance was extraordinary.
21. fore‑ (before, front) — forecast, forehead
Sentence: The weather forecast predicts rain.
22. hyper‑ (over, excessive) — hyperactive, hypersensitive
Sentence: The child is hyperactive and needs sports.
23. il‑ / im‑ / in‑ / ir‑ (not) — illegal, impossible, inactive, irregular
Sentence: It is illegal to drive without a licence.
24. inter‑ (between, among) — international, interact
Sentence: Students from many countries attended the international meet.
25. intra‑ (within) — intramural, intravenous
Sentence: The college held intramural sports competitions.
26. mal‑ (bad, wrong) — malfunction, malnutrition
Sentence: The machine malfunctioned and stopped.
27. mega‑ (large, million) — megaphone, megabyte
Sentence: The leader shouted through a megaphone.
28. micro‑ (small) — microscope, microchip
Sentence: We observed the bacteria under a microscope.
29. mid‑ (middle) — midday, midnight
Sentence: The sun is hot at midday.
30. mis‑ (wrong, badly) — mistake, misunderstand
Sentence: Don't misunderstand my words.
31. mono‑ (one, single) — monopoly, monologue
Sentence: The actor delivered a powerful monologue.
32. multi‑ (many) — multiply, multipurpose
Sentence: This is a multipurpose hall.
33. non‑ (not) — nonsense, nonfiction
Sentence: I prefer reading nonfiction books.
34. ob‑ / op‑ (against, in the way) — object, oppose
Sentence: I object to the proposal.
35. out‑ (more than, external) — outperform, outlive
Sentence: She outperformed all her classmates.
36. over‑ (too much, above) — overload, overlook
Sentence: Don't overload the circuit.
37. poly‑ (many) — polygon, polyglot
Sentence: A polyglot speaks many languages.
38. post‑ (after) — postpone, postscript
Sentence: We had to postpone the meeting.
39. pre‑ (before) — preview, prehistoric
Sentence: Let's watch the preview of the movie.
40. pro‑ (forward, for) — promote, pro‑democracy
Sentence: They promote peace and tolerance.
41. re‑ (again, back) — return, redo
Sentence: Please redo the assignment.
42. semi‑ (half) — semifinal, semiconscious
Sentence: Our team reached the semifinal.
43. sub‑ / sup‑ (under, below) — submarine, suppress
Sentence: The submarine dived deep.
44. super‑ (above, beyond) — superstar, superficial
Sentence: The concert featured a superstar.
45. trans‑ (across, beyond) — transport, transform
Sentence: Buses transport students every day.
46. tri‑ (three) — triangle, tricycle
Sentence: The toddler rode a tricycle.
47. ultra‑ (extremely, beyond) — ultraviolet, ultramodern
Sentence: Ultraviolet rays can harm your skin.
48. un‑ (not, reverse) — unhappy, undo
Sentence: She felt unhappy about the result.
49. under‑ (below, insufficient) — underline, undercooked
Sentence: Underline the important words.
50. vice‑ (deputy, second in command) — vice‑principal, vice‑president
Sentence: The vice‑principal addressed the students.
Group 2: Common Suffixes (50 examples)
๐ View Group 2 (50 suffixes)
1. ‑able / ‑ible (capable of, fit for) — readable, visible
Sentence: The handwriting is barely readable.
2. ‑age (state, condition, action) — marriage, leakage
Sentence: The leakage was fixed by a plumber.
3. ‑al (relating to) — personal, national
Sentence: This is a personal decision.
4. ‑ance / ‑ence (state, quality) — importance, confidence
Sentence: Confidence is key to public speaking.
5. ‑ant / ‑ent (one who does) — assistant, student
Sentence: The assistant helped the manager.
6. ‑ar / ‑er / ‑or (one who) — liar, teacher, actor
Sentence: The actor received a standing ovation.
7. ‑ary (relating to, a place) — library, dictionary
Sentence: I borrowed a book from the library.
8. ‑ate (to make, to act) — activate, educate
Sentence: Please activate the alarm.
9. ‑cy / ‑ty (state, condition) — democracy, honesty
Sentence: Honesty is the best policy.
10. ‑dom (state, condition, domain) — freedom, kingdom
Sentence: Freedom is a fundamental right.
11. ‑ed (past tense, having the quality) — walked, tired
Sentence: I felt tired after the long walk.
12. ‑ee (one who receives) — employee, trainee
Sentence: The employee received a bonus.
13. ‑en (made of, to become) — golden, strengthen
Sentence: Exercise can strengthen your muscles.
14. ‑ence / ‑ency (state, condition) — independence, frequency
Sentence: India gained independence in 1947.
15. ‑er / ‑est (comparative, superlative) — faster, fastest
Sentence: She is the fastest runner in the class.
16. ‑ess (female) — actress, princess
Sentence: The princess lived in a palace.
17. ‑ful (full of) — beautiful, careful
Sentence: Be careful while driving.
18. ‑fy / ‑ify (to make, to cause) — simplify, beautify
Sentence: Let's simplify the explanation.
19. ‑hood (state, condition) — childhood, motherhood
Sentence: Her childhood was full of adventure.
20. ‑ian (relating to, one who) — musician, historian
Sentence: The musician played a sweet melody.
21. ‑ic (relating to) — heroic, scientific
Sentence: The scientific discovery changed the world.
22. ‑ing (action, process) — swimming, reading
Sentence: Swimming is my favourite hobby.
23. ‑ion / ‑tion / ‑ation (act, process) — action, education, creation
Sentence: Education is the key to success.
24. ‑ish (having the quality, somewhat) — childish, reddish
Sentence: The sky turned reddish at sunset.
25. ‑ism (belief, system) — patriotism, optimism
Sentence: His optimism is contagious.
26. ‑ist (one who practices) — artist, scientist
Sentence: The scientist conducted an experiment.
27. ‑ity (state, quality) — ability, clarity
Sentence: Clarity of thought is essential for a leader.
28. ‑ive (having the nature of) — active, creative
Sentence: She has a creative mind.
29. ‑ize / ‑ise (to become, to make) — realize, organise
Sentence: I didn't realize the time had passed.
30. ‑less (without) — fearless, hopeless
Sentence: The fearless firefighter saved the child.
31. ‑ly (in the manner of) — quickly, happily
Sentence: She completed the task quickly.
32. ‑ment (act, result) — movement, development
Sentence: The development of the city was rapid.
33. ‑ness (state, quality) — kindness, darkness
Sentence: Her kindness touched everyone's heart.
34. ‑or / ‑er (one who) — inventor, writer
Sentence: The inventor received a patent.
35. ‑ous / ‑ious (full of) — dangerous, curious
Sentence: The curious child asked many questions.
36. ‑proof (protected against) — waterproof, bulletproof
Sentence: I bought a waterproof jacket.
37. ‑ry / ‑ery (place, practice) — bakery, bravery
Sentence: The bakery sells fresh bread.
38. ‑ship (state, condition, skill) — friendship, leadership
Sentence: True friendship is priceless.
39. ‑some (tending to, full of) — handsome, troublesome
Sentence: That's a troublesome issue.
40. ‑th (state, quality) — strength, warmth
Sentence: The warmth of the fire was comforting.
41. ‑tude (state, condition) — gratitude, attitude
Sentence: Express gratitude to your parents.
42. ‑ure (act, process, result) — pressure, adventure
Sentence: The journey was an adventure.
43. ‑ward / ‑wards (direction) — forward, towards
Sentence: Step forward and introduce yourself.
44. ‑wise (in the manner of, with regard to) — clockwise, likewise
Sentence: Turn the knob clockwise.
45. ‑y (characterized by, tending to) — cloudy, funny
Sentence: It was a cloudy afternoon.
46. ‑ette (small) — kitchenette, cigarette
Sentence: The apartment has a small kitchenette.
47. ‑ling (small, offspring) — duckling, sapling
Sentence: The duckling followed its mother.
48. ‑oid (resembling, like) — humanoid, asteroid
Sentence: The robot had a humanoid shape.
49. ‑meter (measuring device) — thermometer, speedometer
Sentence: The thermometer showed a high fever.
50. ‑graph (writing, recording) — photograph, autograph
Sentence: I took a photograph of the sunset.
Group 3: Root Words A–M (50 examples)
๐ View Group 3 (50 roots A–M)
1. agri / agro (field, soil) — agriculture, agronomy
Sentence: Agriculture is the backbone of our economy.
2. am / ami / amor (love) — amiable, amorous
Sentence: She has an amiable personality.
3. anim (life, spirit) — animal, animate
Sentence: The cartoon had animated characters.
4. ann / enn (year) — annual, centennial
Sentence: The school's annual function is next week.
5. aqua / aque (water) — aquarium, aquatic
Sentence: We visited the city aquarium.
6. arch (rule, chief) — monarch, architect
Sentence: The architect designed the new library.
7. aud / audio (hear) — audience, audible
Sentence: The audience clapped loudly.
8. bene / ben (good, well) — benefit, benign
Sentence: The medicine had a benign effect.
9. bio (life) — biology, biodegradable
Sentence: Use biodegradable bags to help the environment.
10. cap / cip / cept (take, hold) — capture, receive, accept
Sentence: The police will capture the thief.
11. carn (flesh) — carnivorous, carnal
Sentence: Lions are carnivorous animals.
12. cent (hundred) — century, percent
Sentence: A century has a hundred years.
13. chron / chrono (time) — chronicle, synchronize
Sentence: The historian wrote a chronicle of the war.
14. cide / cis (kill, cut) — homicide, scissors
Sentence: The detective investigated a homicide.
15. civ (citizen) — civil, civilization
Sentence: The Indus Valley Civilization was advanced.
16. clar (clear) — clarify, declare
Sentence: Please clarify your statement.
17. cogn / cognit (know) — recognize, cognition
Sentence: I couldn't recognize him after so many years.
18. corp / corpor (body) — corporation, corpse
Sentence: The multinational corporation expanded its business.
19. cosm / cosmo (universe, world) — cosmos, cosmopolitan
Sentence: Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city.
20. cred (believe, trust) — credit, incredible
Sentence: Your story is incredible; it's hard to credit it.
21. cur / curr / curs (run, go) — current, occur, excursion
Sentence: We went on a school excursion.
22. dent / dont (tooth) — dentist, orthodontist
Sentence: I have an appointment with the dentist.
23. dict (say, speak) — predict, dictionary
Sentence: Can you predict the outcome?
24. duc / duct (lead, pull) — educate, conduct, product
Sentence: Teachers educate students with great dedication.
25. ego (I, self) — egocentric, egoist
Sentence: An egocentric person rarely listens to others.
26. equ / equi (equal, fair) — equation, equity
Sentence: The balance sheet shows the equity of the firm.
27. fac / fact / fect / fic (make, do) — factory, effect, manufacture, efficient
Sentence: The factory manufactures shoes.
28. fid / fidel (faith, trust) — confide, fidelity
Sentence: You can confide in me; I value fidelity.
29. fin (end, limit) — finish, infinite
Sentence: The universe seems infinite.
30. fort / forc (strong) — fortify, force
Sentence: They fortify the town with high walls.
31. gen / gener (birth, race, kind) — generate, generous
Sentence: Be generous to those in need.
32. geo (earth) — geography, geology
Sentence: Geography teaches us about the continents.
33. graph / gram (write, draw) — biography, telegram
Sentence: He sent an urgent telegram.
34. grat / grac (please, favour) — grateful, graceful
Sentence: I am grateful for your help.
35. hydr (water) — dehydrate, hydraulic
Sentence: Drink water so you don't dehydrate.
36. jet / ject (throw) — eject, project
Sentence: The machine will eject the finished product.
37. jur / jus / jud (law, right) — jury, justice, judge
Sentence: The jury delivered a fair verdict.
38. lab (work) — labour, laboratory
Sentence: The scientist worked late in the laboratory.
39. leg / lect / lig (read, choose, law) — legible, elect, eligible
Sentence: Are you eligible to vote?
40. liter (letter) — literature, literacy
Sentence: Literacy rates have improved significantly.
41. loc (place) — location, local
Sentence: The location of the hotel is convenient.
42. log / logy (word, study) — dialogue, biology
Sentence: The dialogue in the film was well‑written.
43. luc / lum (light) — lucid, illuminate
Sentence: Her explanation was lucid and easy to follow.
44. man / manu (hand) — manual, manuscript
Sentence: The author submitted the manuscript to the publisher.
45. mar / mari (sea) — marine, submarine
Sentence: Marine life is incredibly diverse.
46. mater / matr (mother) — maternal, matrimony
Sentence: Her maternal instincts were strong.
47. medi (middle) — medium, medieval
Sentence: The medieval castle attracts many tourists.
48. ment / mind (mind, think) — mental, remind
Sentence: Please remind me to call her.
49. mit / miss (send) — transmit, mission
Sentence: The satellite will transmit signals.
50. mort (death) — mortal, immortal
Sentence: Legends often speak of immortal heroes.
Group 4: Root Words N–Z (50 examples)
๐ View Group 4 (50 roots N–Z)
51. nat / nasc (born) — native, natural, nation
Sentence: She speaks her native language fluently.
52. nav (ship, sail) — navy, navigate
Sentence: The captain will navigate the ship safely.
53. neg (no, deny) — negative, neglect
Sentence: Don't neglect your studies.
54. neur / neuro (nerve) — neuron, neurology
Sentence: Neurology deals with the nervous system.
55. nom / nym (name) — nominate, synonym
Sentence: Find a synonym for the word "happy".
56. norm (rule, pattern) — normal, enormous
Sentence: It's normal to feel anxious before a speech.
57. nov (new) — novel, innovate
Sentence: The company aims to innovate every year.
58. numer (number) — numeral, numerous
Sentence: There were numerous reasons for the delay.
59. oper (work) — operate, cooperate
Sentence: The surgeon will operate tomorrow morning.
60. opt / optic (eye, sight) — optical, option
Sentence: You have the option to decline.
61. ord / ordin (order) — ordinary, coordinate
Sentence: He lives an ordinary life.
62. pac / peac (peace) — pacify, peaceful
Sentence: The village is quiet and peaceful.
63. pater / patr (father) — paternal, patriot
Sentence: A true patriot loves his country.
64. path / pathy (feeling, disease) — sympathy, empathy
Sentence: I feel sympathy for the homeless.
65. ped / pod (foot) — pedal, tripod
Sentence: The camera stood on a tripod.
66. pend / pens (hang, weigh, pay) — depend, suspend, expense
Sentence: Don't depend entirely on others.
67. phil / philo (love) — philosophy, philanthropist
Sentence: The philanthropist donated a large sum to the school.
68. phon / phono (sound, voice) — telephone, symphony
Sentence: I answered the telephone when it rang.
69. photo (light) — photograph, photosynthesis
Sentence: Plants use photosynthesis to make food.
70. plac (please, calm) — placid, placate
Sentence: The lake was placid and serene.
71. plic / ply (fold, bend) — complicate, reply
Sentence: Don't complicate a simple issue.
72. pon / pos / posit (place, put) — postpone, position, deposit
Sentence: Let's postpone the trip to next month.
73. port (carry) — export, transport
Sentence: India exports tea to many countries.
74. prim / prime (first) — primary, prime minister
Sentence: The primary reason is lack of funds.
75. psych / psycho (mind) — psychology, psychic
Sentence: She studies psychology to understand human behaviour.
76. rupt (break) — interrupt, erupt
Sentence: Please don't interrupt the meeting.
77. sci / scient (know) — science, conscience
Sentence: Science has improved our lives tremendously.
78. scrib / script (write) — describe, manuscript
Sentence: Can you describe the incident in detail?
79. sect / seg (cut, divide) — section, dissect
Sentence: The biology class will dissect a flower.
80. sens / sent (feel) — sensitive, consensus
Sentence: She is sensitive to criticism.
81. sequ / secut (follow) — sequence, prosecute
Sentence: The events occurred in a logical sequence.
82. serv (keep, serve) — preserve, servant
Sentence: We must preserve our natural resources.
83. sign (mark, sign) — signal, significant
Sentence: The discovery was very significant.
84. simil / simul (like, same) — similar, simultaneous
Sentence: The two events happened simultaneously.
85. sol (alone, sun) — solo, solar
Sentence: Solar energy is a renewable source.
86. soph (wisdom) — philosophy, sophisticated
Sentence: She has a sophisticated taste in music.
87. spec / spect / spic (look, see) — inspect, spectator, conspicuous
Sentence: The officer came to inspect the school.
88. spir (breathe) — inspire, respiration
Sentence: Great leaders inspire millions.
89. struct / stru (build) — construct, destroy
Sentence: The city plans to construct a new hospital.
90. tact / tang (touch) — contact, tangible
Sentence: There was no tangible evidence.
91. temp / tempor (time) — temporary, contemporary
Sentence: This is a temporary arrangement.
92. tend / tens / tent (stretch, strive) — extend, tension, attention
Sentence: Please pay attention to the board.
93. terr / terra (earth, land) — territory, terrace
Sentence: The children played on the terrace.
94. therm / thermo (heat) — thermometer, thermal
Sentence: I wore thermal clothes in the cold.
95. tract (pull, draw) — tractor, attract
Sentence: Flowers attract bees and butterflies.
96. uni (one) — unicorn, uniform
Sentence: We wear a uniform to school.
97. vac / van (empty) — vacant, vanish
Sentence: The magician made the coin vanish.
98. ver / veri (true) — verify, verdict
Sentence: The judge announced the final verdict.
99. vid / vis (see) — video, visible
Sentence: The stars were clearly visible last night.
100. voc / vok (call, voice) — vocal, provoke
Sentence: He is vocal about social issues.
How Word Formation Unlocks the English Language
Knowing prefixes, suffixes, and root words is like having a key to a vast treasure chest. Instead of memorizing every new word, you can break it down into its parts and guess its meaning. For example, if you know "bene" means good and "volent" means wishing, you instantly understand "benevolent" means kind and generous. This skill is invaluable for reading comprehension, competitive exams, and life‑long learning. Keep a root‑word journal, and whenever you meet a new word, try to dissect it. Your vocabulary will grow exponentially.
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- Worksheets Master Hub — Every practice sheet you need.
๐ Word Formation Worksheet – Class 10, 11 & 12
This worksheet covers prefixes, suffixes, and root words. It includes matching tasks, word‑building exercises, and sentence‑writing activities to solidify your understanding. Includes 50 questions.
Word Formation Worksheet »Answer key included • Aligned with CBSE & UP Board curriculum
