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English Morphemes

a table of English morphemes, by Leon... of Leon's EFL Planet
from years of study of the English language © 2000

First of all, what is a morpheme?

A morpheme is the smallest unit of written symbols that have meaning.  It could be a word, like "do"; or, it could be part of a word, like "re-" as in "redo".

What does 'morpheme' mean?

I like to look at the morphemes of a word when I define it.  The word morpheme is composed of 2 morphemes:

morph- (which means 'shape')
&
-eme (which means 'unit')

Hence, a morpheme is a 'unit of shape', but more specifically, 'the smallest unit of shape that has meaning'.

Now, Leon's EFL Planet presents:

the table of English's Latin-based & Greek-based morphemes

English meaning Latin-based
Morpheme		 Greek-based
Morpheme
above/over supra-, super-

suprasegmental, superior

 hyper-

hyperactive, hyperthermia
after/beyond -post-

postpone, post facto, post script (P.S.)

 meta-

metaphor, metamorphosis
metalanguage, metacognition, metaphysics, metaphysical
again re-

repair, respect, review

 ana-

analysis, anatomy
against contra-, counter

counter-terrorism, counter measures, counter attack

 -anti-

antidisestablishmentarianism
back retro-

retro, retrospect, retrograde

 -
bad -mal-

malady, malice, malevolent, malediction

 dys-

dysfunction, dyslexia, dyspepsia
bear/carry -fer

conifer, infer, defer, prefer, refer

 -
before pre-

prepare, prefix, preposition, predict, predictor, prediction

 -ante- / pro-

ante, antemeridian, antedilluvian, prognosticator
below/under sub-, infra-, infer-

submarine, subterranean

infrared, inferior

 hypo-

hypothermia, hypodermic
between inter-

interact, intercommunication, interface, intercom, interpret, international

 -
big grand-

grand, grandiose, grandiloquence

 mega-

megaphone, megabyte
body corp-

corpse, corpus, corporation, incorporate, corporal

 -soma-

psychosomatic
book libro-

library

 -biblio-

Bible, bibliophile
both ambi-

ambidextrous, ambiguity, ambivalence

 amphi-

amphibian
bottom found-

found, foundation

 -
brother frater-

fraternal, fraternity, fraternize

 -
child (offspring) -fili-

filial piety

 -
child (any) - -ped-

pedagogue, pedagogy, pediatrics, pediatrician
cold -frig-

frigid, refrigerator

 cryo-

cryogenics
color -color-

color, colorful

 -chrom-

chromatic, chromium, chromosome
come -vene-

convene, convention, intervene, invention

 -
cut - -tomy

anatomy, lobotomy, hysterectomy
crazy

craziness

 insane

insanity

 -maniacal

-mania
deer
(old meaning = animal)		 -anima-

animal, animate, animation, inanimate

 -zo-

zoo, zoology, zodiac, protozoa
die, death -mort-

mortal, immortal, mortality, mortician, morbid, post mortem

 necro-

necrology
disease infirmity patho- (suffering)

pathogen, psychopath, homeopathic
disease - -ia

phobia, mania, dyspepsia
drink bib-

bib, imbibe, bibber,

 -
earth, land -terra-

terra firma, terra cotta, territory, extra-terrestrial (E.T.), terrarium

 -geo-

geography, geothermal
{from Gea (mother earth)}
eat come-

comestible

 -phago-

phagocyte
eye oculus

ocular, occipital

 opt-

optometrist, optical
far - -tele-

telephone, telescope, telestial, teleport, telekinesis, telepathy
father pater-

paternal, paternity

 patri-

patriarch, patriot, expatriate
fear terror-

terror, terrorize, terrorism

 -phob-

phobia, phobic, phobe, claustrophobia, xenophobia,  
feel/feeling (mental) -sent-

sentiment, sentimental

 -pathos-

apathy, empathy, sympathy, telepathy
feel/feeling (physical) -sens-

sense, sensitive

 -
feet -ped-

pedal, pedestrian, pedastool biped, quadriped, pedantic

 -pod-

pod, podiatrist, tripod
finger digit-

digit, digital

 -phalange-

phalange, phalanx
first -prime-

prime, primal, primate

 -proto-

protocol, protozoa
flesh -carn-

carnate, carnal, incarnate, carnivore, carnival

 -
forward pro-

project, protest, provoke

 -
good -bene-

benevolent, benediction, benefit, benefactor, beneficiary

 eu-

euthanasia, Eugene, eugenics, eulogy, europe, Europa, eustress
group -greg-

agregate, congregation, gregarious

 -
hand manu-

manual, mano-a-mano, manufacture, manipulate

 chiro-

chiropractor, chiromancy
head -cap-

cap, capital, capitol, decapitate, captain

 -phren-

phrenology
hear/hearing -audio-

audience, audio, audition, auditory

 -
heart - -cardio-

cardiology, cardiac
home - dome-

dome, domecile, domestic
hot calor-

calorie, caloric

 -themo-

thermometer, thermal
human -human-

humane, inhuman, humanity

 -anthrop-

anthropology, anthromorph, philanthropy
in in-, intra-

innate, intramural, intrapersonal, 

 -
know (a concrete thing) -cogni-

cognize, recognize, cognition, precognition, cognizant, cognizance

 -

　
know (an abstract thing) -science-

science, conscience, prescience, omniscience

 -gnosis-

prognosis, prognosticator, gnostic, agnostic
leader - -arch-

patriarch, matriarch, oligarchy, monarch
live, life -viv-

survive, vivacious, vivify, vivid, vivacity

 -bio-

biology, biography, biosphere, biotic, biochemistry
level (level of group) -class-

class, classify, classification, declassify

 -
light -luz-, -luc-

lucid, elucidate, Lucifer

 -photo-

photograph, photosynthesis
love -amor-

amorous, enamored

 -phil-

Philip, philanthropy, philosophy, hemophilia, bibliophile, hydrophilic
make -fact-, -fy

factory, manufacture, beautify, testify, classify

 -ise[UK] -ize[US]

apologize, organize, globalize
make create

creation

 -gen-

generate, pathogen, methanogen, genesis
man homo-

homo sapiens

 andro-

android, androgen
mind -ment-

mental, dementia

 -psycho-

psychology, psychosomatic, psychic, 
moon -luna-

lunar, lunatic

 -selene-

Selena
mother mater-

maternal, maternity

 matri-

matriarch
mouth or-

oral, oration

 stoma-

stoma (of a leaf), stomach
new -nove-, -novi-

novel, novice, nova, Nova Scotia

 -
nose nas-

nasal

 rhino-

rhinoceros, rhinitis
old (not new) ancient archai-, archeo-

archaic, archeology
outside e-, ex-, extra-

elicit, elete, elect

expell, expose, expound

extra-terrestrial (E.T.), extra-marital

 ex-, exo-

exoskeleton, expatriate
peace paz, paci-

pacify, pacifist, pacifier, Pacific Ocean

 -
rock/stone

-petri- (from Greek)

petrify

 petro-, peter

petrol, petroleum, petrology, petroglyph, Peter
same -homeo-

homonym, homophone, homosexual, homeostasis

 syn-, sym-

synonym, sympathy
say -dict-

predict, dictate, dictator, dictionary, diction,

 -
see/seeing -vis-

vission, visual, visor, audio-visual

 -
self -auto-
(borrowed from Greek)

automobile, automatic, automate

 -

autograph, autobiography
shape -figur-

figure, disfigure

 -morph-

morphology, morpheme, metamorphisis, anthropomorph
sister soro-

sorority (sisterhood)

 -
sleep -dorm-

dormitory, dormant,

 narco-

narcotic, narcolepsy
small peca-, minute-

pecayune, minute

 micro-

microscope, microphone, microbiology, microbe
sound -son-

sonar, sonic

 -phono-

phonology, phonics, phoneme, telephone, microphone
speak -locu-, -loqu-

locutor, interlocutor, loquacious, eloquent

 -
star -stella-

stellar

 aster-, astro-

asteroid, asterix, astrology, astronomy, asto-physics
sun -sol-

solar

 -helio-

helium
swollen inflamation -itis

rhinitis, tendonitis,
tell -count-

recount, give an accounting of...

 -
time -tempo-

tempo, temporary, contemporary, extemporaneous

 -chronos-

anachronism, chonology, chonometer, chronicle
together con-, com-

congregate, connect, contact, convene, 

 -
touch -tact-

contact, intact, tactile, tactition

 -
true, truth -vera-

veracity, veracious, verily

 -
voice -voc-

vocal, invoke, invocation, vocation, vocabulary

 -
war mar-, mart-

Mars (god of war), martial, martial art

 polem-

polemic
water -aqua-

aquatic, aquarium, aquamarine,

 -hydro-

hydrogen, hydro-electric power, hydraulics,
weep -lament-

lament, lamentations, lamentable

 -
wind vent-

vent, ventilate

 anem

anemometer
woman - gyn-, gym-

gynecology, polygymy, OB-GYN
word -verb-

verb, verbose

 -lexis-

lexis, lexicon, lexicology
word
(generally: the spoken word)
(AKA: the word of reason)		 - -logos-

log, prologue, epilogue, eulogy, monologue, dialogue, logic

all the sciences that end in 
"-logy", like:

psychology, biology, etc.
write, writing -sribe-, -script-

scribe, scribble, script, post script, transcribe, transcript

 -graph-

autograph, graph, photograph, grapheme, graphic, biography

　

 

Numerical Morphemes

　

English meaning Latin morpheme Greek morpheme
one uni-

universe, unicycle, university, unique

 mono-

monogram, monologue,
two bi-

bicycle, biweekly, bimonthly, biannually

 di-, dy-, dia-

dyad, digress, divide, dialogue
three tri-

tricycle, triangle, triple

 tri-

triad
four quad-

quad, quadrilateral, quadruple

 tetra-

tetragram, tetrapod
five quint-

quintuplets, quintessential

 pent-

pentagon, Pentateuch, Pentecost, pentagram
six sex-

sextuplets

 hex-

hexagon
seven sept-

September

 hept-

heptagon
eight oct-

October

 -oct-

octagon
nine nov-

November

 -non-

nonagon
ten dec-

December, decade

 dek-

dekaliter, dekagram,

hundred cent-

century,

hect-

hectare
thousand mil-

millennium

 kilo-

kilometer, kilogram
many multi-

multiple, multiply

 poly-

polygon, polygymy

　Attention!

Special Thanks to Sam the Greek for help in filling in the Greek morpheme portion of this page.

This material is copyrighted but may be used.  Please give me credit for compiling the list as it did take a lot of time and effort.  I would also appreciate a link to this page.

Thanks,

Webmaster