Term 2

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Morphology
The suffix ‘ology’ means the study of something. ‘Morph’ means shape. Morphology, therefore, is the study of the shape of
things. In , morphology is the study of the shape of words.
Using morphology can help you to work out the meaning of vocabulary that's new to you.

Common prefixes and suffixes

The prefix will always be at the front of the word and gives you a clue about the meaning of a word.

•In- or un- or ir- means ‘not’ – used in inactive, insensitive, unpopular, irregular
•Mal- means ‘ill or bad’ – used in maladjusted, malevolent
•Re- means ‘against or back’ – used in revise, reconsider
•Inter- means ‘between’ – used in international, intervene
•Omni- means ‘all’ – used in omniscient, omnipresent
•Dis- means ‘badly or not’ – used in disappointed, dismay, disengaged
•Syn- or sym- or com- or con- all mean ‘together’ – used in symbolism, synergy, symbiotic, complete, control

The suffix will always be at the end of the word.

•-able, -ible means ‘can be done’ – used in comfortable
•-ion, -tion means an act or process – used in occasion, attraction
•-ty means a state of – used in infinity, unity
•-ous, -eous, -ious means possessing the qualities of – used in piteous, joyous, vicious
Understanding Root Words
The language we use has developed throughout history and the
words you use come from many different places around the
world. We can work out the meaning of words we have never
seen before. All we need to do is identify the parts of the word.

What is a root word?

Just like leaves grow from the root of a plant, a root word is a
word from which other words grow. A root word is one of the
building blocks that make up a word. Its basic meaning is the
same no matter where you find it and sometimes can stand
alone as a word.

Building on a root word

A root word can be built upon, and bits added to make a new
word. Usually, we make these new words by adding a prefix or
suffix to the root.
A prefix goes before the root; a suffix goes after.
Have a look at the table from the BBC BITESIZE Website. The
root words ‘act’ and ‘norm’ can be used on their own. But look
what happens when you add a prefix or suffix.
 Root word:
‘lum’ – light

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.
Lum is a root word that comes from the Latin lux, lucis &
lumen, all of which mean light. The word lum may have been
borrowed from Scots lum or Early Scots lumb, and its
etymology is uncertain. Lum, along with luc, lun, and lus, are
root words for many other words. Luminaries bring light to
the eye, while elucidation brings light to the mind.

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words. word in a sentence.
Luminous

Lumen
 Root word:
‘sen’ – Old

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.

Etymology: via Old French from Latin

senatus, literally "assembly of elders", from
senex "male elder"; source of English senile
and senior.

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.
Senator

Senile
 Root word:
‘loc’ – Place

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.
The Latin root word loc means “place.” This Latin root is
the word origin of a large number of English vocabulary
words, including loc al and loc omotive. The word root
loc is easily recalled through the word loc ation, for a “
loc ation” is simply a “place” where something or
someone is.

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.

Allocate
Location
 Root word:
‘urb’ – of a city

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.

urbane (adj.) 1530s, "of or relating to cities

or towns," from French urbain (14c.) and
directly from Latin urbanus "belonging to a
city," also "citified, elegant"

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.

Urban

suburban
 Root word:
‘magni’ – to make bigger

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.

What does the root ‘Magn’ mean? It comes from

Latin magnas, magnat ‘great man’. The words root
magn/a/i usually means ‘great’ in the context of
money, business and personal qualities such as
generosity.

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words. word ‘magnitude’ in a sentence.
Maginitude-
Magnificence-
 Root word:
(Prefix) ‘ab’ – away

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.
The English prefix ab-, which means “away,”
appears in many English vocabulary words, such as
ab sent, ab duct, and ab solute." You can
remember that the prefix ab- means “away” via
the word ab sent, for someone who is ab sent is
“away” from a place, such as school or work.

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.

Absentee
Abstain
 Root word:
‘plex’ – parts/units

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.
.
lex is a noun that means multiplex or a
figure of a given power. It can also be a
combining form for a building divided
into an often specified number of
spaces.

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.

Duplex
Complex
 Root word:
‘lipo’ – fat

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.
.
word-forming element meaning "fat"
(n.), from Greek lipos "fat" (n.), from
PIE root *leip- "to stick, adhere," also
used to form words for "fat."

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.

Lipase
 Root word:
‘lipo’ – fat

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.
.
word-forming element meaning "fat"
(n.), from Greek lipos "fat" (n.), from
PIE root *leip- "to stick, adhere," also
used to form words for "fat."

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.

Lipase
 Root word:
‘histo’ – tissue

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.
.Histo- is a combining form meaning
“tissue”123, used in the formation of compound
words, such as histology, the study of tissue. The
word histo- comes from the Greek histos, which
means "warp, web, or anything set upright"23. It is
derived from the Greek verb histasthai, which
means "to stand"

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.

Histology
 Root word:
‘juven’ – young

1. READ IT 2. TRANSFORM IT
Read about the etymology and Root word ( where a
Transform the word into an image so you remember
word originates)
it.
.

3. MASTER IT 4. APPLY IT
Using a dictionary/thesaurus find the meaning of the Write a sentence with a word containing the root
below words and one of your own. word in a sentence.

Rejuvenate =
Knowledge Dump
Scribble over this page, emptying your brain of knowledge of new words you have learned this term .