GREEK SUFFIXES

Noun and adjective forming suffixes

-ic, -tic pertaining to, having to do with   anthropomorphic

*-ac used instead of -ic if an -i immediately precedes  elegiac having to do with the heart

*-ics [Greek, -ika] things having to do with > art, science, study of [usually used with a singular verb]  optics

-ical < -ic + -al (Latin), pertaining to, having the nature of    biblical

*-oid resembling, like, shaped  asteroid

-ite one connected with, inhabitant of; a commercial product, a mineral  Luddite

-ism the belief in, profession or practice of, usage  neologism

-ist one who believes in, professes, or practices, a follower of  misocapnist (one who hates smoke)

*-ast one who does or practices, one who believes in  dynast

*-isk, -iscus small  asterisk a little star

-ia, -y act, state of [abstract noun forming suffix]  polity state of being a citizen: relation of citizens to the state

*-sis act, state, condition of  analysis

*-m, -me, -ma [base, -mat-] result of  problem

GREEK PREFIXES

* a- [an- before a vowel] not, un-, -less  apathy

amphi- both, on both sides, around, about  amphbrach short on both sides

* ana- [an- before a vowel] up, back, again  anabasis a going up/back; anode "a road up" > a positively charged ion

* anti- instead, against, in opposition to  antidote something given against

* apo- [ap- before a vowel or h] from, away from, off, utterly, completely, lack of apostate one who stands away (one who renounces a belief)

* dia-, di- through, across, over, assunder diameter a measure through

* dys- [Greek, dus-] ill, un-, mis-, difficult, bad  dysphoria difficult bearing; dysteleology doctrine of the purposelessness of nature

* ec-, ex- [Greek, ek, ex] out, from, off  exegesis act of leading out (critical explanation)

ecto- [Greek, ekto-] on the outside  ectoderm outer skin

* en-, em- in  empathy feeling in

enantio- [en- + anti-] opposite  enantionyms words with the same sound but opposite meanings

endo- within, inside, internal  endoscope instrument for observing inside

eso- inward, within  esoteric more inward

exo- outward, external   exosphere the outermost part of the atmosphere; exobiology search for and study of extraterrestrial life

* epi- (ep- before a vowel or h) upon, over, at, near  epicycle an orbit over an orbit

* eu- (rarely, ev-) well, good  euthanasia good death

* cata-, cat- [Greek, kata] down, against, completely [opp. ana-]  catastrophe a turning down

* meta-, met- among, between, change, behind, later  metempsychosis transmigration of the soul

palin-, pali- back, again  palindrome a running backword (a word or phrase that reads the same backwards or forwards) MA IS A NUN AS I AM

* para-, par- beside, beyond, near, incorrectly, like  paradox beyond opinion

* peri- around, about  peripatetic walking around

Do not confuse with the Latin prefix per-, "through".

* pro- before, forward, for  program something written for

Do not confuse with the Latin prefix pro- "forth, for, forward, instead of, publicly" (proceed, procrastinate, progress, proscribe) or with the Greek prefix pros- "to, toward, besides" (see next), or with the Greek adjective protos "first" (protoplasm, protozoic).

pros- to, toward, besides, in front  prosody accompanied song > study of metrical systems

* syn-, sym-, syl-, sys- [Greek, sun] with, together  synagogue a bringing together, assembly

* hyper- [Greek, huper] above, beyond, exceedingly  hyperbole a throwing beyond (exaggeration)

* hypo-, hyp- [Greek, hupo] under  hypotenuse stretching under