Latin root Basic meaning Example words
-dict- to say contradict, dictate, diction, edict, predict
-duc- to lead, bring, take deduce, produce, reduce
-gress- to walk digress, progress, transgress
-ject- to throw eject, inject, interject, project, reject, subject
-pel- to drive compel, dispel, impel, repel
-pend- to hang append, depend, impend, pendant, pendulum
-port- to carry comport, deport, export, import, report, support
-scrib-, -script- to write describe, description, prescribe, prescription, subscribe, subscription, transcribe, transcription
-tract- to pull, drag, draw attract, contract, detract, extract, protract, retract, traction
-vert- to turn convert, divert, invert, revert

From the example words in the above table, it is easy to see how roots combine with prefixes to form new words. For example, the root -tract-, meaning “to pull,” can combine with a number of prefixes, including de- and re-. Detract means literally “to pull away” (de-, “away, off”) and retract means literally “to pull back” (re-, “again, back”). The following table gives a list of Latin prefixes and their basic meanings.

Latin prefix Basic meaning Example words
co- together coauthor, coedit, coheir
de- away, off; generally indicates reversal or removal in English deactivate, debone, defrost, decompress, deplane
dis- not, not any disbelief, discomfort, discredit, disrepair, disrespect
inter- between, among international, interfaith, intertwine, intercellular, interject
non- not nonessential, nonmetallic, nonresident, nonviolence, nonskid, nonstop
post- after postdate, postwar, postnasal, postnatal
pre- before preconceive, preexist, premeditate, predispose, prepossess, prepay
re- again; back, backward rearrange, rebuild, recall, remake, rerun, rewrite
sub- under submarine, subsoil, subway, subhuman, substandard
trans- across, beyond, through transatlantic, transpolar

Words and word roots may also combine with suffixes. Here are examples of some important English suffixes that come from Latin:

Latin suffix

Basic meaning Example words
-able, -ible forms adjectives and means “capable or worthy of” likable, flexible
-ation forms nouns from verbs creation, civilization, automation, speculation, information
-fy, -ify forms verbs and means “to make or cause to become” purify, acidify, humidify
-ment forms nouns from verbs entertainment, amazement, statement, banishment
-ty, -ity forms nouns from adjectives subtlety, certainty, cruelty, frailty, loyalty, royalty; eccentricity, electricity, peculiarity, similarity, technicality