English 10 Vocabulary Study
ROOT/PREFIX/Academic Vocabulary -- MEANING -- EXAMPLES
Set 1:
agi / act / ig -- do, act, set in motion (ex. actuate, agitate, exigency)
anim / anima -- life, mind, spirit (ex. animal, animate, inanimate)
clas / clast / clasm -- break, break in pieces (ex. aclastic, biblioclasm)
mono -- one, only, single (ex. monotone, monochromatic)
infer / inference -- arriving at a reasonable conclusion based on evidence (ex. He made the inference that his classmate came from
a wealthy family because of her clothes.)
agi / act / ig -- do, act, set in motion (ex. actuate, agitate, exigency)
anim / anima -- life, mind, spirit (ex. animal, animate, inanimate)
clas / clast / clasm -- break, break in pieces (ex. aclastic, biblioclasm)
mono -- one, only, single (ex. monotone, monochromatic)
infer / inference -- arriving at a reasonable conclusion based on evidence (ex. He made the inference that his classmate came from
a wealthy family because of her clothes.)
Set 2:
clam / claim -- shout, cry out, call out (ex. clamorous, proclaim)
poly -- many (ex. polygon, polygamy)
idiom -- an expression or a figure of speech that doesn't make sense if taken literally, but is commonly understood by a large group
(ex. raining cats and dogs, under the weather)
clam / claim -- shout, cry out, call out (ex. clamorous, proclaim)
poly -- many (ex. polygon, polygamy)
idiom -- an expression or a figure of speech that doesn't make sense if taken literally, but is commonly understood by a large group
(ex. raining cats and dogs, under the weather)
Set 3:
apt / ept -- suitable, fit (ex. adaptable, ineptitude)
homo -- same, like (ex. homosapien, homonym)
genre -- pertaining to a distinctive literary type (ex. He enjoyed novels from the sci-fi genre.)
apt / ept -- suitable, fit (ex. adaptable, ineptitude)
homo -- same, like (ex. homosapien, homonym)
genre -- pertaining to a distinctive literary type (ex. He enjoyed novels from the sci-fi genre.)
Set 4:
cide -- kill (ex. homicide, pesticide)
hetero -- different, other (ex. heterochromia)
anecdote -- a short account of a particular incident or event (ex. Doris opened her anti-animal cruelty speech with an anecdote
about a cosmetic lab that uses rabbits for testing, recounting gruesome details about the treatment of these rabbits.)
cide -- kill (ex. homicide, pesticide)
hetero -- different, other (ex. heterochromia)
anecdote -- a short account of a particular incident or event (ex. Doris opened her anti-animal cruelty speech with an anecdote
about a cosmetic lab that uses rabbits for testing, recounting gruesome details about the treatment of these rabbits.)
Set 5:
dyn / dyna -- power (ex. dynasty, dynamite)
pro -- for, before, forward (ex. proactive, pronoun, prognosticate)
denotation -- the explicit or direct meaning of a word or expression (ex. Look in the dictionary to learn the denotation of a word.)
dyn / dyna -- power (ex. dynasty, dynamite)
pro -- for, before, forward (ex. proactive, pronoun, prognosticate)
denotation -- the explicit or direct meaning of a word or expression (ex. Look in the dictionary to learn the denotation of a word.)
Set 6:
cad / cas / cid / cis-- fall (ex. cascade, cadet, cistern, deciduous)
micro -- small, one-millionth (ex. microphone, microwave)
connotation -- the suggesting of additional meanings by a word or expression, apart from its original meaning (ex. The word
"skinny" has a negative connotation, while the word "thin" has a positive connotation, and their denotations are the
same.)
cad / cas / cid / cis-- fall (ex. cascade, cadet, cistern, deciduous)
micro -- small, one-millionth (ex. microphone, microwave)
connotation -- the suggesting of additional meanings by a word or expression, apart from its original meaning (ex. The word
"skinny" has a negative connotation, while the word "thin" has a positive connotation, and their denotations are the
same.)
Set 7:
carn -- meat, flesh (ex. carnivore, incarnate)
di -- two, twice (ex. diameter, dioxide, dissect)
archetypes -- original model or pattern on which all other things of the same kind are based (ex. The dark, mysterious forest found
in many stories is an archetype.)
carn -- meat, flesh (ex. carnivore, incarnate)
di -- two, twice (ex. diameter, dioxide, dissect)
archetypes -- original model or pattern on which all other things of the same kind are based (ex. The dark, mysterious forest found
in many stories is an archetype.)
Set 8:
chron -- time (ex. chronicle, chronological)
tri -- three (ex. triglyceride, trimester)
allusion -- expression designed to call something to mind in an indirect or passive manner (ex. During the game, the player tore his
Achilles tendon.)
chron -- time (ex. chronicle, chronological)
tri -- three (ex. triglyceride, trimester)
allusion -- expression designed to call something to mind in an indirect or passive manner (ex. During the game, the player tore his
Achilles tendon.)
Set 9:
equ / equi -- same, equal (ex. equal, equilateral, equinox)
endo -- inside, within (ex. endoderm, endodontist)
excerpt -- a short sample taken from a piece of writing, film, broadcast, or music (ex. He read the two-page excerpt from the novel.)
equ / equi -- same, equal (ex. equal, equilateral, equinox)
endo -- inside, within (ex. endoderm, endodontist)
excerpt -- a short sample taken from a piece of writing, film, broadcast, or music (ex. He read the two-page excerpt from the novel.)
Set 10:
err / errat -- wander, stray, make a mistake (ex. error, erratic)
exo -- outside (ex. exoskeleton, exodus)
rhetoric / rhetorical -- the study of the effective use of language (ex. The speaker used fiery rhetoric to fuel the crowd's animosity.)
err / errat -- wander, stray, make a mistake (ex. error, erratic)
exo -- outside (ex. exoskeleton, exodus)
rhetoric / rhetorical -- the study of the effective use of language (ex. The speaker used fiery rhetoric to fuel the crowd's animosity.)
Set 11:
flect / flex -- bend (ex. reflect, flexible)
bi -- two, twice (ex. biplane, bisect, binary)
prose -- written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure (ex. The author was more known for his prose
than his poetry.)
flect / flex -- bend (ex. reflect, flexible)
bi -- two, twice (ex. biplane, bisect, binary)
prose -- written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure (ex. The author was more known for his prose
than his poetry.)
Set 12:
frag / fract / frang -- break, crush (ex. fragment, refract, frangible)
pico -- very small unit of measure, one-trillionth (ex. picosecond, picogram)
parody -- an imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic relief (ex. Of all the
funny parody films, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is my favorite.)
frag / fract / frang -- break, crush (ex. fragment, refract, frangible)
pico -- very small unit of measure, one-trillionth (ex. picosecond, picogram)
parody -- an imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic relief (ex. Of all the
funny parody films, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is my favorite.)
Set 13:
funct -- work, perform, complete (ex. function, defunct)
grad / gress -- steps, go (ex. graduate, progress)
nano -- very small unit of measure, one-billionth (ex. nanosecond, nanogram)
satire -- the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices (ex. The short film 2081
is a satire, taking jabs at people's desire for equality, no matter the cost.)
funct -- work, perform, complete (ex. function, defunct)
grad / gress -- steps, go (ex. graduate, progress)
nano -- very small unit of measure, one-billionth (ex. nanosecond, nanogram)
satire -- the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices (ex. The short film 2081
is a satire, taking jabs at people's desire for equality, no matter the cost.)
Set 14:
idio -- strange, peculiar, personal, own, private (ex. idiot, idiosyncrasies)
milli -- very small unit of measure, one-thousandth (ex. millisecond, millimeter)
idio -- strange, peculiar, personal, own, private (ex. idiot, idiosyncrasies)
milli -- very small unit of measure, one-thousandth (ex. millisecond, millimeter)
Set 15:
leg -- law (ex. legal, legitimate)
centi -- one-hundredth (ex. centimeter, centipede)
antecedent -- a thing that existed before or logically precedes another (ex. John loves his dog. "John" is the antecedent for "his.")
leg -- law (ex. legal, legitimate)
centi -- one-hundredth (ex. centimeter, centipede)
antecedent -- a thing that existed before or logically precedes another (ex. John loves his dog. "John" is the antecedent for "his.")
Set 16:
lud / ludi / lus -- play, jest, trick (ex. prelude, ludicrous, allusion)
deci -- one-tenth (ex. decibel, decillion)
macro -- large, long (ex. macrobiotic, macrophage)
convey -- to make known or understandable to others (ex. Mrs. Johnson conveyed to the class that she was unhappy with their
behavior when she put her hand on her hip.)
lud / ludi / lus -- play, jest, trick (ex. prelude, ludicrous, allusion)
deci -- one-tenth (ex. decibel, decillion)
macro -- large, long (ex. macrobiotic, macrophage)
convey -- to make known or understandable to others (ex. Mrs. Johnson conveyed to the class that she was unhappy with their
behavior when she put her hand on her hip.)
Set 17:
plaud / plod / plos -- strike, clap (ex. applaud, explode, implosion)
deca / deka -- ten (ex. decathlon, dekagram)
jargon -- special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand
(ex. The baseball player spoke of ERA--earned run average--and other jargon, as if everyone knew what he meant.)
plaud / plod / plos -- strike, clap (ex. applaud, explode, implosion)
deca / deka -- ten (ex. decathlon, dekagram)
jargon -- special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand
(ex. The baseball player spoke of ERA--earned run average--and other jargon, as if everyone knew what he meant.)
Set 18:
rig / reg / rect -- straight, right, rule, correct, stiffen, guide, direct (ex. rigorous, regulation, rectify, rectangle)
hecto -- one hundred (ex. hectogram)
characterize -- describe the distinctive nature or features of (ex. One might characterize Dorothy of The Wizard of Oz as an
unlikely hero as she is young, fairly meek, and frightened.)
rig / reg / rect -- straight, right, rule, correct, stiffen, guide, direct (ex. rigorous, regulation, rectify, rectangle)
hecto -- one hundred (ex. hectogram)
characterize -- describe the distinctive nature or features of (ex. One might characterize Dorothy of The Wizard of Oz as an
unlikely hero as she is young, fairly meek, and frightened.)
Set 19:
ple -- fill, full (ex. plenty, complete)
kilo -- one thousand (ex. kilometer)
ple -- fill, full (ex. plenty, complete)
kilo -- one thousand (ex. kilometer)
Set 20:
sil / sal / sault / sult -- jump, leap, spring, or forward (ex. resilient, salient, assault, insult)
mega -- one million (ex. megawatt)
sil / sal / sault / sult -- jump, leap, spring, or forward (ex. resilient, salient, assault, insult)
mega -- one million (ex. megawatt)
Set 21:
soph -- wisdom, wise, clever (ex. sophomore, philosophy)
soph -- wisdom, wise, clever (ex. sophomore, philosophy)
Set 22:
sperse -- spread, scatter (ex. disperse, asperse)
sperse -- spread, scatter (ex. disperse, asperse)
Set 23:
strat -- layers, covering, spread (ex. strategy, stratosphere, stratified)
strat -- layers, covering, spread (ex. strategy, stratosphere, stratified)
Set 24:
strict / string / strain -- draw tight, bind, compress, confined (ex. restrict, astringent, constrain)
strict / string / strain -- draw tight, bind, compress, confined (ex. restrict, astringent, constrain)
Set 25:
sum / sumpt -- take, take up, put on, spend (ex. consumption, presume)
sum / sumpt -- take, take up, put on, spend (ex. consumption, presume)
Set 26:
vinc / vict -- conquer, win (ex. convince, victory, eviction)
vinc / vict -- conquer, win (ex. convince, victory, eviction)
Set 27:
ting / tang / tact / tig / tag -- touch, reach, affect (ex. contingent, tangible, tactile, contiguous, contagious)
tor / tort -- twisted, wound, wrapped (ex. contortion, torture)
ting / tang / tact / tig / tag -- touch, reach, affect (ex. contingent, tangible, tactile, contiguous, contagious)
tor / tort -- twisted, wound, wrapped (ex. contortion, torture)
Set 28:
turb -- agitate, confusion, turmoil, disorder (ex. turbid, disturbance)
turb -- agitate, confusion, turmoil, disorder (ex. turbid, disturbance)
Set 29:
vari -- diverse, of many kinds, different (ex. variation, variety)
vari -- diverse, of many kinds, different (ex. variation, variety)
Set 30:
vir / virtu -- man (ex. virtuous, virtually, triumvirate)
vir / virtu -- man (ex. virtuous, virtually, triumvirate)
Set 31:
volv / volu -- to turn about, to roll (ex. evolution, revolving)
volv / volu -- to turn about, to roll (ex. evolution, revolving)