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

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

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