Chapter 1 of 8
Long words aren't random
Most of the long words students meet in grades 3–8 are built from a few hundred parts. Split one and the wall of letters turns into pieces that each mean something.
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Most of the long words students meet in grades 3–8 are built from a few hundred parts. Split one and the wall of letters turns into pieces that each mean something.
Prefixes, roots, and suffixes from the three layers of English, with what each one means, the grades it is usually taught in, and words that use it. Select a part to see it in the galaxy.
Old English: short, everyday words and the endings that bend them.
| Part | Meaning | Type | Grades | Example words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| not; undo | prefix | 3–4 | unkind, unhelpful, unfriendly, unworkable, unpredictable | |
| wrongly, badly | prefix | 3–4 | misread, misinform, misplace, misjudge, mistrust | |
| before; front | prefix | 3–4 | forecast, foresee, forehead, foreword, foreground | |
| above; too much | prefix | 3–4 | overwork, overflow, overheat, overhead, oversleep | |
| below; too little | prefix | 3–4 | underground, underline, underwater, underfoot | |
| outside; more than | prefix | 3–4 | outrun, outgrow, outdoors, outplay, outnumber | |
| up, higher | prefix | 3–4 | upstairs, uphill, upload, update, uproot | |
| make; treat as | prefix | 5–6 | befriend, belittle, behead, bewitch | |
| back; against | prefix | 5–6 | withdraw, withhold, withstand, withdrawal | |
| help | base | 3–4 | helpful, helpless, helper, unhelpful, helplessness | |
| care, concern | base | 3–4 | careful, careless, carefully, carelessness, carefree | |
| gentle, caring | base | 3–4 | kindness, kindly, unkind, kindhearted, unkindness | |
| friend | base | 3–4 | friendly, friendship, unfriendly, befriend, friendless | |
| play | base | 3–4 | player, playful, replay, playground, outplay | |
| read | base | 3–4 | reader, reread, misread, readable, reading | |
| work | base | 3–4 | worker, overwork, rework, homework, unworkable | |
| fear | base | 3–4 | fearful, fearless, fearlessly, fearlessness | |
| hope | base | 3–4 | hopeful, hopeless, hopefully, hopelessness | |
| full of | suffix | 3–4 | helpful, careful, hopeful, playful, fearful, grateful | |
| without | suffix | 3–4 | helpless, careless, hopeless, fearless, friendless | |
| state of being | suffix | 3–4 | kindness, darkness, carelessness, unkindness, helplessness | |
| in a way; like | suffix | 3–4 | kindly, quickly, carefully, fearlessly, friendly | |
| one who | suffix | 3–4 | reader, worker, helper, player, teacher, photographer | |
| in the past; having | suffix | 3–4 | played, helped, worked, inspected, kindhearted | |
| doing; the act of | suffix | 3–4 | reading, helping, playing, working, transporting | |
| -es | more than one | suffix | 3–4 | friends, workers, boxes, wishes, reads |
| state; realm | suffix | 5–6 | freedom, kingdom, boredom, stardom | |
| state; skill | suffix | 5–6 | friendship, leadership, hardship, readership, citizenship | |
| state; time of life | suffix | 5–6 | childhood, neighborhood, brotherhood, adulthood | |
| make, become | suffix | 5–6 | darken, brighten, frighten, lengthen, strengthen | |
| made of | suffix | 5–6 | wooden, golden, woolen, earthen | |
| full of, having | suffix | 3–4 | windy, sandy, rainy, snowy, cloudy | |
| like; somewhat | suffix | 5–6 | childish, selfish, greenish, yellowish | |
| toward | suffix | 5–6 | backward, upward, downward, homeward, westward |
Through French and the church: the long words of school and law.
| Part | Meaning | Type | Grades | Example words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| again; back | prefix | 3–4 | replay, reread, report, return, reject, revise, recycle | |
| before | prefix | 3–4 | preview, predict, prefix, preheat, prevent, preschool | |
| di- | not; apart | prefix | 3–4 | disagree, dislike, disappear, disrupt, distract, dishonest |
| im-, il-, ir- | not | prefix | 3–4 | invisible, impossible, incorrect, illegal, irregular, incredible, immortal |
| im- | in, into, on | prefix | 5–6 | inspect, inspection, import, inject, inform, invent |
| not | prefix | 3–4 | nonfiction, nonstop, nonsense, nonliving, nonverbal | |
| sus-, su- | under, below | prefix | 3–4 | submarine, subway, subtract, submerge, subtitle, subzero |
| between | prefix | 5–6 | interrupt, international, interact, internet, interview | |
| across | prefix | 5–6 | transport, transportation, transfer, transform, transmit, transplant | |
| e-, ef- | out, out of | prefix | 5–6 | export, extract, eject, erupt, eruption, emotion |
| down; away; undo | prefix | 5–6 | defrost, decode, deport, deflect, deduct, dejected | |
| forward; for | prefix | 5–6 | project, produce, proceed, promote, pronoun | |
| com-, co- | with, together | prefix | 5–6 | construct, construction, conduct, contract, convert, coworker |
| after | prefix | 5–6 | postpone, postscript, postwar, postgame | |
| sur- | above; beyond | prefix | 5–6 | superhero, supervise, supernatural, superstar, superpower |
| half, partly | prefix | 5–6 | semicircle, semifinal, semicolon, semiannual | |
| many | prefix | 5–6 | multicolored, multimedia, multitask, multicultural | |
| one | prefix | 5–6 | unicycle, uniform, universe, unify | |
| two | prefix | 5–6 | bicycle, biweekly, bilingual, biannual | |
| three | prefix | 5–6 | tricycle, triangle, trilogy, tricolor | |
| around | prefix | 7–8 | circumference, circumnavigate, circumstance, circumvent | |
| through; fully | prefix | 7–8 | permit, percent, perspective, perfect | |
| bad, badly | prefix | 7–8 | malfunction, malnutrition, malpractice, malformed | |
| good, well | prefix | 7–8 | benefit, benefactor, beneficial, benediction | |
| carry | root | 3–4 | portable, transport, transportation, import, export, report, deport | |
| spic | look, see | root | 3–4 | inspect, inspection, inspector, respect, suspect, prospect, perspective |
| vise, vid | see | root | 3–4 | vision, visible, invisible, revise, supervise, television, evidence |
| say, tell | root | 3–4 | predict, predictable, unpredictable, dictate, diction, dictionary | |
| scribe, script | write | root | 3–4 | describe, description, subscribe, inscribe, manuscript, postscript, prescription |
| build | root | 3–4 | structure, construct, construction, destruction, instruct, reconstruct | |
| pull, drag | root | 3–4 | tractor, traction, subtract, extract, distract, contract | |
| break | root | 3–4 | erupt, eruption, disrupt, interrupt, rupture, bankrupt | |
| audi, audit, audio | hear | root | 3–4 | audible, inaudible, audience, audition, audiobook |
| throw | root | 5–6 | reject, inject, eject, project, projector, dejected | |
| miss | send, let go | root | 5–6 | transmit, transmission, submit, emit, dismiss, mission, permit |
| duce, duct | lead | root | 5–6 | conduct, conductor, product, produce, deduct, educate, aqueduct |
| carry, bring | root | 5–6 | transfer, refer, reference, confer, conference, circumference | |
| shape | root | 5–6 | transform, inform, uniform, reform, formation, conform, malformed | |
| pose, posit, pon, pone | put, place | root | 5–6 | position, deposit, compose, composition, component, postpone, expose |
| vene, vent | come | root | 5–6 | invent, invention, prevent, event, convention, intervene, circumvent |
| mote, move | move | root | 5–6 | motion, motor, emotion, promote, remote, remove, movement |
| step, go | root | 7–8 | progress, progression, congress, transgress | |
| cede, ceed, cess | go; give way | root | 7–8 | proceed, exceed, recede, precede, process, recess, procession |
| vers, verse | turn | root | 7–8 | reverse, convert, invert, divert, universe, anniversary |
| fact, fect, fic | make, do | root | 7–8 | manufacture, benefactor, beneficial, effect, defect, infect, perfect |
| cept, ceive | take, seize | root | 7–8 | capture, captive, receive, reception, except, intercept, deceive |
| voke | call, voice | root | 7–8 | vocal, vocation, evoke, provoke, revoke |
| believe | root | 7–8 | credible, incredible, credibility, discredit | |
| sense, sent, senti | feel | root | 7–8 | nonsense, sensation, sensible, sentiment, consent, resent |
| grate, gratul | pleasing; thanks | root | 7–8 | grateful, ungrateful, gratify, congratulate |
| mani | hand | root | 5–6 | manual, manuscript, manufacture, manicure |
| pede, pedi | foot | root | 5–6 | pedal, pedicure, centipede, biped |
| viv, vive | life, live | root | 7–8 | vital, revive, revival, survive |
| death | root | 7–8 | mortal, immortal, mortality, mortgage | |
| aqui, aque | water | root | 5–6 | aquatic, aqueduct, aquamarine, aquifer |
| annu, anni, enn | year | root | 5–6 | annual, anniversary, biannual, semiannual, centennial |
| fine | end, limit | root | 5–6 | final, finalist, semifinal, infinite, define |
| new | root | 7–8 | renovate, renovation, innovate, innovation | |
| centi | hundred | root | 5–6 | percent, centipede, centennial, centimeter |
| loco | place | root | 5–6 | local, locate, location, relocate, dislocate, locomotive |
| frag | break | root | 5–6 | fraction, fracture, fragment, refract |
| pens, pense | hang; weigh | root | 7–8 | pendant, depend, independent, suspend, suspense, expensive |
| flex | bend | root | 7–8 | reflect, reflection, deflect, flexible, reflex |
| join | root | 7–8 | junction, conjunction, juncture, injunction | |
| -sion, -ion, -ation | act or result of | suffix | 3–4 | inspection, construction, eruption, invention, transportation, vision, emotion |
| act or result of | suffix | 3–4 | movement, payment, government, fragment, sentiment | |
| -ible, -ibil | can be done | suffix | 3–4 | portable, readable, predictable, visible, audible, flexible, credible |
| one who; thing that | suffix | 3–4 | actor, inspector, conductor, tractor, projector, benefactor | |
| full of | suffix | 5–6 | joyous, dangerous, poisonous, mountainous, courageous | |
| tending to | suffix | 5–6 | active, captive, inventive, destructive, productive, expensive | |
| -ial | relating to | suffix | 5–6 | musical, national, final, local, vocal, manual, annual |
| act; result | suffix | 5–6 | structure, capture, fracture, rupture, juncture, manufacture | |
| make; act on | suffix | 5–6 | dictate, educate, locate, renovate, innovate, dehydrate | |
| place for; about | suffix | 5–6 | dictionary, anniversary, missionary, visionary | |
| state or quality | suffix | 7–8 | reality, electricity, equality, humanity, mortality, credibility | |
| -ance, -ience | state or act of | suffix | 7–8 | evidence, audience, reference, conference, appearance, circumference |
| -ant | one who; being | suffix | 7–8 | assistant, independent, component, pendant, hydrant |
| -fy | make | suffix | 7–8 | unify, gratify, classify, solidify, humidify |
Built into science: parts that snap together like LEGO.
| Part | Meaning | Type | Grades | Example words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| self | prefix | 5–6 | autograph, autobiography, automobile, autopilot, autocrat | |
| far | prefix | 5–6 | telescope, telephone, television, telegraph, telegram, telepathy | |
| small | prefix | 5–6 | microscope, microphone, microwave, microchip | |
| one, alone | prefix | 5–6 | monologue, monorail, monotone, monogram | |
| against | prefix | 5–6 | antibiotic, antifreeze, antisocial, antibody | |
| huge; million | prefix | 7–8 | megaphone, megabyte, megawatt, megacity | |
| many | prefix | 7–8 | polygon, polyhedron, polysyllabic, polyglot | |
| an- | not, without | prefix | 7–8 | apathy, anonymous, asymmetry, atypical, amorphous |
| syn- | together, same | prefix | 7–8 | symphony, sympathy, symmetry, synonym, synchronize, photosynthesis |
| over, too much | prefix | 7–8 | hyperactive, hyperlink, hypertext, hyperventilate | |
| around | prefix | 7–8 | perimeter, periscope, period, peripheral | |
| through, across | prefix | 7–8 | diameter, diagonal, dialogue, diagram | |
| gram | write, draw | root | 5–6 | autograph, photograph, paragraph, biography, geography, graphic, diagram |
| phone, phono | sound | root | 5–6 | telephone, microphone, megaphone, symphony, phonics, phonograph, saxophone |
| phot | light | root | 5–6 | photograph, photographer, photocopy, photosynthesis |
| life | root | 5–6 | biology, biologist, biography, autobiography, antibiotic | |
| earth | root | 5–6 | geography, geology, geologist, geometry, geothermal | |
| look at | root | 5–6 | telescope, microscope, periscope, stethoscope, kaleidoscope | |
| metr | measure | root | 5–6 | thermometer, perimeter, diameter, geometry, symmetry, centimeter, barometer |
| thermo | heat | root | 5–6 | thermometer, thermal, thermostat, geothermal |
| cycle | circle, wheel | root | 5–6 | bicycle, tricycle, unicycle, recycle, cyclist |
| logue | word, speech | root | 7–8 | dialogue, monologue, logic, catalog, epilogue |
| chrono | time | root | 7–8 | chronological, chronic, synchronize, chronometer |
| hydro | water | root | 7–8 | hydrant, dehydrate, hydroelectric, hydrogen |
| astro, aster | star | root | 7–8 | astronaut, astronomy, asterisk, disaster |
| psycho | mind, spirit | root | 7–8 | psychology, psychologist, psychic, psychiatry |
| feeling; suffering | root | 7–8 | sympathy, empathy, apathy, telepathy | |
| demo | people | root | 7–8 | democracy, democratic, epidemic, demographic |
| cracy | rule, power | root | 7–8 | democracy, democratic, autocrat, aristocrat, bureaucrat |
| morpho | shape, form | root | 7–8 | metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology, morpheme |
| -ology | study of | suffix | 5–6 | biology, geology, psychology, technology, morphology |
| one who does | suffix | 5–6 | artist, cyclist, dentist, biologist, finalist, tourist | |
| -tic | relating to | suffix | 5–6 | graphic, logic, magnetic, chronic, psychic, phonics |
| make, become | suffix | 7–8 | realize, modernize, memorize, symbolize, criticize, synchronize | |
| belief; quality | suffix | 7–8 | heroism, patriotism, criticism, magnetism, optimism | |
| field, act, state | suffix | 7–8 | biography, geography, geometry, symphony, sympathy, symmetry |
These words only look as if they are built from familiar parts.