Word Meanings

Aim: What are the most frequently used prefixes and suffixes?

Do Now: Answer in your notebook.

• What is a “prefix”?
• What is a “suffix”?

Lesson Overview:

Item	Approx Time
Do Now	3-5 Min
Mini Lesson	15-20 Min
Activity	15 Min
Discussion	5-7 Min

Word Meanings

Common Word Endings (Suffixes)

Word Suffixes

Stem	Meaning
-ism	belief in/of
-tion or -sion	to make/to do (action)
-archy	government
-lithic	stone
-nomy	law
-ence or -ance	action / result of

Common Word Beginnings (Prefixes)

Word Prefixes

Stem	Meaning
paleo-	belief in/of
neo-	to make/to do (action)
prim-	government
demos-	people
theo-	God
poly-	more than one
mono-	only one
poly-	more than one
legi -	law
pre-	before
anti-	against

This is a complete listing for Global History & Geography common Suffixes & Prefixes

Word Prefixes and Suffixes

By knowing root words, prefixes, and suffixes, you can put together meanings of many words, especially those in social studies.

Some examples are:

• Demos = People
• Cracy = Rule
  • Democracy = People Rule

• Meso = Middle/Between
• Potamia= Rivers
  • Mesopotamia = Land between the rivers (Tigris & Euphrates)

• Idea = a thought/idea
• ology = a science
  • Ideology = study of ideas/ political beliefs

• capital = Money
• ism = belief of/doctrine
  • Capitalism = Belief in making money/profit

For more word meanings try looking the word(s) up in the Etymology (word origins) Dictionary

Classwork & Homework

Lesson PowerPoint: Prefixes & Suffixes

Lesson Activity: Prefixes & Suffixes Worksheet

Homework: Finish Prefixes & Suffixes Worksheet