Useful Morphemes in Vocabulary Development
The table below lists useful morphemes in vocabulary development. The morphemes are organized according to families having common meanings.
| Prefix and Suffix family or type | Meaning | Instructional Vocabulary Example Words |
| 1. "Not" prefix family | un, dis, in, im= not | disloyal, unaware, invisible, imperfect |
| 2. "Before," "During," and "after" prefix family |
pre= before mid= during or middle post= after |
prejudge, midtown, postgame |
| 3. Excess prefix family |
out = better or more than over = too much or many super= more, better, or higher |
outlive, overflow, superhuman |
| 4. Number prefix family |
uni, mono= one bi= two semi= part, half, or occurring twice |
uniform, monofilament, bicolor, semiarid |
| 5. Prefix re | re= again or back | recharge, rehire |
| 6. "State or quality of" suffix family | ship, ness, ment= state or quality of | friendship, loneliness, excitement |
| 7. Suffix ward | ward= in the direction of | skyward, northward |
| 8. Suffix ful | ful= full of or characterized by | merciful, helpful |
Source: Baumann, J.F., Boland, E.M., Olejnik, S., & Kame'enui, E.J. (2003). Vocabulary tricks: Effects of instruction in morphology and context on fifth-grade students' ability to derive and infer word meanings. American Educational Research Journal, 40(2), 447-494.
Excerpted From:
Excerpt from Reading Instruction for Students Who Are at Risk or Have Disabilities, by W.D. Bursuck & M. Damer, 2007 edition, p. 227.
© 2007, Merrill, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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