Basic Greek Elements that All English Speakers and Readers Should Know  

The 102 basic Greek elements every English speaker/reader should know for an adequate understanding of thousands of English words that are used in the mass media (newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, books, and the Internet).

Click this connection so you can see fourteen basic prefixes and roots considered by some to be “most useful as a short cut to a bigger vocabulary”.

---

aero-, aer-, aeri- (Greek: air, mist, wind).

aesth-, esth-, aesthe-, esthe-, aesthesio-, esthesio-, -aesthesia, -esthesia, -aesthetic, -esthetic, -aesthetical, -esthetical, -aesthetically, -esthetically (Greek: feeling, sensation, perception).

ampho-, amph-, amphi- (Greek: around, about, both, on both sides of, both kinds).

anti-, ant- (Greek: against, opposed to, preventive; used as a prefix).

astro-, astra-, astr- (Greek: star, star shaped; also pertaining to outer space).

auto-, aut- (Greek: self; directed from within).

bi-, bin-, bino-, bis- (Latin: two, twice, double, twofold; a number used as a prefix).

biblio-, bibli-, bibl- (Greek: book).

bio-, bi-, -bia, -bial, -bian, -bion, -biont, -bius, -biosis, -bium, -biotic, -biotical, -biotic (Greek: life).

cardio-, cardi-, card- (Greek: heart, pertaining to the heart).

chromato-, chromat-, chromo-, chrom-, chro-, -chrome, -chromasia, -chromia, -chromatism, -chromatic, -chromatically, -chromy (Greek: color).

chrono-, chron- (Greek: time).

cine-, cinem-, cinema-, cinemat-, cinemato-, -cinesia, -cinesis, -cinetic, -cinesias, -cineses, -cinetical, -cinetically (Greek: move, movement, set in motion).

-crat, -cracy, -cratic, -cratism, -cratically, -cracies (Greek: a suffix; govern, rule; strength, power).

dactylo-, dactyl-, dactylio-, -dactyl, -dactyla, -dactylia, -dactylic, -dactylism, -dactyloid, -dactylous, -dactyly (Greek: finger, toe).

deca- [DEK uh], dec-, deka-, dek- (Greek: ten; a decimal prefix used in the international metric system for measurements).

demo-, dem-, demio-, -demic, -deme, -demically (Greek: people).

dermo-, derm-, derma-, dermato-, dermat-, -derm, -derma, -dermatic, -dermatous, -dermis, -dermal, -dermic, -dermoid, -dermatoid (Greek: skin).

dyna-, dyn-, dynamo-, -dyne, -dynamia, -dynamic (Greek: power, strength, force, mightiness).

dys- (Greek: bad, harsh, wrong; ill; hard to, difficult at; slow of; disordered; used as a prefix).

eco-, oeco-, oec-, oiko-, oik- (Greek: house, household affairs [environment, habitat], home, dwelling; used in one extensive sense as, “environment”).

endo-, end- [before vowels or “h”] (Greek: within, inside, into, in, on, inner; used as a prefix).

epi-, ep- [before vowels or “h”] (Greek: above, over, on, upon; besides; in addition to; toward; among; used as a prefix).

ergo-, erg- (Greek: work). Also: urg-, [erg-], -urgy, -urgia, -urgical, -urgically, -urgist, -urge (Greek: work).

etym- (Greek: truth, true meaning, real [the root meaning, true meaning or literal meaning of a word]).

eu- (Greek: good, well, normal; happy, pleasing; used as a prefix).

ex- (e-, ef-). (Latin: [out of, from]; [upward]; [completely, entirely]; [to remove from, deprive of]; [without]; [former]; used as a prefix). Also: ex-, ec-, e- (Greek: out of, out, outside; away from; used as a prefix).

geo-, ge- (Greek: earth, world).

glotto-, glot-, -glott (Greek: tongue; by extension, “speech, language”). Also: glosso-, gloss- (Greek: tongue; language, speech).

grapho-, graph-, -graph, -graphy, -grapher, -graphia (Greek: to scratch; write, record, draw, describe).

gymno-, gymn- (Greek: naked, uncovered; unclad).

gyno-, gyn-, gynaeco-, gyneco-, gyne-, -gynia, -gynic, gynec-, -gynist, -gynous, -gyny (Greek: woman, female).

helio-, heli- (Greek: sun).

hemi- (Greek: half).

hetero-, heter- (Greek: different, other, another, unlike; used as a prefix).

hippo-, hipp- (Greek: horse).

homo-, hom- (Greek: same, equal, like, similar, common; one and the same).

hydro-, hydra-, hydr-, hyd- (Greek: water).

hyper-, hyp- (Greek: above, over; excessive; more than normal; abnormal excess [in medicine]; abnormally great or powerful sensation [in physical or pathological terms]; highest [in chemical compounds]; used as a prefix).

hypo-, hyp- (Greek: under, below, beneath; less than; too little; deficient, diminished; used as a prefix).

icono-, icon- (Greek: image, likeness; sacred or holy image).

-itis (Greek: a suffix; inflammation, burning sensation; by extension, disease associated with inflammation).

kilo- [KIL oh or KEEL oh], kil- (Greek: one thousand; a decimal prefix used in the international metric system for measurements).

kine-, kin-, kino-, kinesio-, kinesi-, kineto-, kinet-, -kinesia, -kinesis, -kinetic, -kinesias, -kineses, -kinetical, -kinetically (Greek: move, set in motion; muscular activity). Also: cine-, cinem-, cinema-, cinemat-, cinemato-, -cinesia, -cinesis, -cinetic, -cinesias, -cineses, -cinetical, -cinetically (Greek: move, movement, set in motion).

-latry, -olatry, -later, -olater, -latress, -olatress, -latria, -latrous, -olatrous (Greek: a suffix; worship; excessively, fanatically devoted to someone or something; “service paid to the gods”).

litho-, lith-, -lith, -lithic, -lite, -liths, -lites (Greek: stone, rock).

logo-, log-, -logia, -logical, -logism, -logician, -logian, -logist, -logy, -logue (Greek: talk, speech, speak; word).