Free The Greek & Latin Roots of English by Tamara M. Green Page B

addition to
pros-
prosthesis
syn 8 (σύν)
with, together
syn-, sym-, syl-,
synthesis, sympathy,
 
 
sym-, sys-
syllable, symphony,
 
 
 
system
 
* When placed before a word that begins with a rough breathing mark, the final vowel is dropped, and π changes to a ϕ, and a τ changes to a θ.
    III. PREFIXES DERIVED FROM GREEK AND LATIN ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
    Most English compound words formed from the following Greek and Latin adjectives and adverbs are learned borrowings.
    Words of Measurement
     
Greek or Latin Word
English Meaning
English Combining Form
Example
acron (άκρον)
topmost
acro-
acropolis
aequum, aequi
equal
equi-
equilateral
auto (αύτό)
self
auto-
autograph
homeon (ὁμοι̑ον)
similar
homeo-
homeopathic
homon (όμόν)
same
homo-
homogenize
ison (ἴσον)
equal
iso-
isosceles
macron (μακρόν)
large, long, excessive
macro-
macrocosm
magnum, magni
large
magni-
magnify
mega (μέγα)
large, great
mega-
megaphone
megalon (μεγάλον)
large, great
megalo-
megalomania
micron (μικρόν)
small
micro-
microphone
multum, multi
much, many
multi-
multiply
omne, omnis
all
omni-
omnivore
pan (πα̑ν)
all
pan-, panto-
pantheon,
 
 
 
pantomime
poly (πολύ)
much, many
poly-
polygamy
tele (τη̑λε)
at a distance, far
tele-
telephone
    Words of Praise
     
Greek or Latin Word
English Meaning
English Combining Form
Example
bene
well
bene-
benefactor
eu (εὐ̑)
well
eu-
eulogy
orthon (ὀρθόν)
straight, right
ortho-
orthodox
philia (φιλία)
love
phil-, philo-
philanthropy,
 
 
 
philosophy
rectum, recti
straight, right
recti-
rectify
    Negatives
     
Greek or Latin Word
English Meaning
English Combining Form
Example
a- 9 (ἀ-)
not, lack of, absence
a-
abyss
in- 10
not
in-, il-, im-
innocuous
 
 
 
illegal,
 
 
 
immoral
non
not
non-
nonresistant
dis-
apart, away, reverse
dis-
disappear,
 
 
 
dismiss
malum, mali
bad
mal-, male-
malefactor
cacon (κακόν)
bad
caco-
cacophony
dys- (δυσ-)
bad, difficult
dys-
dyslexia
miseo (μισέω)
hate
miso-
misogynist
heteron (ἕτερον)
other, different
hetero-
heterogeneous
retro
backwardy
retro-, re-
retrograde,
 
 
 
regress
    Odds and Ends
     
Greek or Latin Word
English Meaning
English Combining Form
Example
archeon (ἀρχαι̑ον)
old
archeo-
archeology
paleon (παλαι̑ον)
old
paleo-
paleolithic
neon (νέον)
new
neo-
neophyte
crypton (κρυπτόν)
hidden
crypto-
cryptogram
quasi
as if, resembling
quasi-
quasi-official
No Wonder I'm Confused
Mastering the orthography of English can be a difficult business because of the various influences on the language over time, and the existence of both homographs and homophones only add to the confusion.
Homographs are words that have the same written forms but different meanings (and sometimes different pronunciations). They may or may not have the same etymological root.
     
orient is derived from orior-oriri = rise
morbid is derived from morbus, morbi = sickness
Check your dictionary for different meanings of these words and how these meanings developed.
Host can mean either a very large army, or a person who greets and entertains you. The former is derived from hostis, hostis = enemy; the latter from hospes, hospitis = guest or host.
Here are a few others to confuse you:
You are not qualified , so I will give you only qualified approval.
I wind my watch as I stand in the wind .
I hope that my will will reflect my will .
I wound my watch although I had a terrible wound .
Homophones are words that sound alike but that are spelled differently (and have different meanings).
Examples
     
I threw the ball through the window.
Don't whine , he said, as he drank my glass of wine .
She knows where her nose is.
Impress Your Friends
Some words are just fun to know. Here are a couple:
obfuscate = confuse or bewilder, especially in regard to the truth.
“The governor tends to obfuscate even when asked a direct question.”
obsequious = overly willing to