ab-,
a-, abs- ("away, from").
ad- ("to, toward"),
but assimilates to consonants: abb-, acc-, aff-, agg-, all-, ann-,
app-, acq-, arr-, ass- (assimilate), att-.
ante
("before" in time & space): antiCIPate ("take beforehand").
circum ("around"),
cf. circa ("about"), circle, circus; circumSPECT.
com- ("with,
together"), con-, co-, coll-, corr-: conSPICuous.
contra- ("against"):
e.g. contraFACTual, counterFEIT; contraDICT.
de- ("down from,
off, utterly"): e.g. deCEIT > deCEPTum > CAPTum ("seized,
taken"); deform; defer ("carry from").
dis-,
di- ("apart" also negative): disPENSe, diRECT, despair ("not hope"),
diVERSe; disreSPECT; disafFECT.
e-, ex-, ec-,
eff-("out, from, completely"): efFECT; exTRACT, eDICT.
extra ("outside,
beyond").
in- ("in, into,
toward"), assimilates to ill-, imm-: illustrate, immigrate; inscribe.
in- ("not"):
inefFICient, insipid ("not tasty"), cf. Homo sapiens.
inter- ("between,
between times"): interMITTent, interMISSion; interCEDe.
intra- ("within")
modern coinage: intramural.
intro- ("within"):
introDUCe, introSPECTive.
ob-, occ-, off-,
opp- ("toward, across, against"): obVIous, obVIAte; ocCUR; ofFICe;
opPOSE.
per- ("through,
thoroughly, wrongly"): perFECT, perVERSe; perDITion..
post- ("behind,
after"): postSCRIPT.
prae-, pre-
("before, in front of"): preFER (v), preLATE (n); preview (VID).
praeter ("beyond"):
praeternatural, preterITe.
pro-, prod-, por-
("forth, for"): proDUCe, proDUCT; proPEND, proPENSity; proSECUTe.
re-, red- ("back,
again"): review (VID), reFER, reLATE (v), receive, receptor.
retro-
("backwards"): retroSPECTive.
se-, sed- ("aside,
away"): sePARate, sedITion, seCEDe.
sub-,
sus- ("under, up from, underhanded"): subSCRIBe, susPEND, subVERT.
subter- ("below"):
subterfuge.
super- ("over"):
superFICial, superVISe.
trans-, tra-
("across"): transFER, transLATE; traDUCe.
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For most verbs,
two stems yield compounds: PRESENT/PERFECT PASSIVE [from Latin] (parentheses
show variant forms that passed through French).
AG-/ACT- "push
ahead, drive": agent (n), agenda (n), agile (a); act (n&v), active
(a), action; proactive; react; cf. -acious, -acity.
BREV- ("short"):
abbreviate (v).
CALC- "chalk":
calculus ("little pebble"); calc, calciFY (v), calcareous.
CAND- "shine": cf.
candid, candor, incandescent.
CAP-/CAPT-
(-CEIVE/-CEIT, Fr) "grab, get": caitiff, captive; anticipate; conceive,
concept, conception; deceive, deception, deceptive; receive, receipt,
re’cipe, reception.
CAPUT/CAPIT- "head":
cattle, chattel, capital; chief, chef; decapitate.
CANT- (-CENT-)
"sing": charm, chant (n&v), cant, descant, cantata; ac’cent (n),
accent’ (v); enchant, incentive.
CED-/CESS- "go":
accede, accession, deaccession; proceed, procedure, process,
procession; re’cess (n), recess’ (v).
CLUD-/CLUS-
"close": include, preclude, reclusive
CRED-/CREDIT-
"believe": credo, credit (n&v), accredit accreditation, discredit,
creditor.
CUR-/CURS- (COURS-)
"run": course, current, curriculum, curricular; cursive; occurrence;
recur, recourse, recursive, recursion [the only way to get the most
good, sc. the best, from this guide!!].
CUS- (>CAUS-)
"cause": cause, accuse, excuse (v: s=z), excuse (n: s=ss), recuse.
DIC-/DICT- "say":
dictate (n&v); ad’dict (n), addict’ (v), addiction; contradict;
edict; predict.
DOC-/DOCT- "show,
teach": doctor, document.
-FIC/FACT-
(-FY/-FECT) "make": pacify, fact, factual; af’fect (n), affect’ (v);
confection; de’fect (n), defect’ (v); deficient; effect (n&v),
efficient; counterfeit; infect; per’fect (a), perfect’ (v), perfection.
FIG-/FICT- "make,
contrive": figure (n&v), feign, feint, figment; fiction, fictive.
FONT- "spring":
fount, fountain, font.
FRAG-/FRACT-
"break": fragment, fringe; fracture, fractious, fractal.
GRAV- "heavy":
grieve, grievance, grief; grave (n&a); aggravate.
HEND-/HENS "get in
hand": apprehend, apprehensive; comprehend, comprehensive; prehensile.
-IT "go": itinerary,
iterate, reiterate; preterite; transit, transition.
LEG-/LECT "choose,
pick; read": lesson; lectionary; legend, legible; colleague, college,
collect; elegant, elect; select, selective.
LUD-/LUS- "play":
ludic, ludicrous; allude (n), allusive (a), allusion (n); collude;
delude; elude; illude; interlude (n), prelude (n), postlude (n).
MANU- "hand":
manual, manuFACTure, manipulate, manure [q.v.], manuMIT.
MIN- "less": minus,
minor, minimum, minimal, minimalist; minister; minimize.
MIT-/MISS- "send":
missile; ad’mit (n), admit’ (v), admission; commit (v), commission;
demit, dimission; remit, remission, remiss (a).
MON-/MONIT-
"remind, warn": monument, adMONish, adMONITion; preMONITion.
PAC- (PANG-/PACT-)
"to fasten, put together": peace, pacific, pacify; pact, com’pact (n),
compact’ (a&v); im’pact (n), impact’ (v).
PING- (PIG-)/PICT-
"to paint": pigment, paint, depict, picture.
PLANG-/PLANCT
"lament": plaint (n), plaintiff, plaintive; complaint (n), complain
(v); plangent (a).
PON-/POSIT- (POST-)
"put": posit (v), position(n&v); component (a&n), compose (v),
proponent, propose; opponent, oppose.
POND-/PEND-/PENS-
"weigh, hang": pound, pend, pendent (a&n); append, appendix;
compound (n&v), compendious, compensate; expend, expensive; depend,
dependent (a&n), dispense, dispensary, dispensation, dispendious.
PORT- "carry":
comport, comportment; deport, export, import.
QUAER-(QUER-,
QUIR-)/QUAEST- (QUEST-, QUIST-) "seek, try, earn": query, question,
querulous; acquire, acquisition, acquisitive; inquest, inquisition.
REG-/RECT- "rule":
reign, realm; regent, regimen, regime; rule, ruler, regular, regulate;
rector, rectitude, correct, direct, rectify;
SAL-/SALT-
(SIL-/SULT-) "leap": salient; assail, assault; exult, insult;
resilient, result; somersault.
SCRIB-/SCRIPT-
"write": scribe, script, scripture; ascribe, conscript (n&v),
describe, description; inscribe, inscription.
SED-/SESS-
"sit": sediment, sedate; session, sessile.
SEQU-/SECUT-
"follow": sequel, sequence, suite; consequence, consecutive; execute,
executive; sue, ensue; persecute; prosecute, prosecutor.
SPEC-/SPECT- (SPIC)
"sight": species, spectator, speculate; conspicuous; despite; inspect;
sus’pect (n), suspect’ (v), suspicious (a), suspicion (n).
STAT- "stand":
status, station; rest, restive; stanza, stanch, stanchion, stet
(proof-reading mark in margin: "let it stay").
TANG-/TACT-
"touch": tangible, tangent; tact, tactile; con’tact (n), contact’ (v).
TRAH-/TRACT- "draw,
drag": trait, portrait; treat, treatable, treatment, treaty, treatise;
tract, tractor, traction; attract (v), attraction (n), attractive (a);
con’tract (n), contract’ (v), contraction; protract, protractor.
VERT-/VERS- "turn":
verse, version, vertigo; averse (a); advert (v), advertize, adverse
(a); con’vert (n), convert’ (v), converse (n&a); obverse; per’vert
(n), pervert’ (v), perverse (a); revert (v), reverse (n&v);
transverse.
VID-/VIS- "see":
q.v., video; visible, vision; purvey, provide, provision; advise,
advisor; revise, revision; supervise.
VIA- "way": convey,
convoy; deviate; previous, obvious, obviate.
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