CHEMISTRY, CHEMICAL, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING FUELS & COMBUSTION: Latin, Greek ROOTS, PREFIXES, SUFFIXES

A

a-, an- = not, without [anhydrous, amorphous, atrophy]

acid = sour, sharp [hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid]

alkali = soda ash, [alkali, alkaline]

allo, -io = other, different [allotrope, alloy]

alpha = 1st letter of Greek alphabet [alpha particle, alpha rays]

amin = ammonia amine [amino acid, ammonia, amine]

amph, -i, -o = double, on both sides [amphoteric, amphibian]

-ane = single covalent bond [alkane, hexane, butane, propane]


anti = against, opposite [antiseptic, antibiotic]

-ate = used to indicate a salt of an acid ending in -ic [sulfate, nitrate]

aqua = water [aqueous, aquatic, aquamarine]



B

baro = pressure [barometer, barometric]

beta = second letter of Greek alphabet [beta particle, beta rays]

bi = two [binary, bipolar]

bio = life [biology, biochemistry, biometrics]



C

carb, -o, -on = coal, carbon [carbohydrate, carbonic, carbon dioxide]

chem = chemistry, chemical [chemical, chemotherapy]

co, -l, m, -n = with, together [covalent, coefficient, colligative, concuction]

com = with, together [composition, combination]

conjug = joined together [conjugate acid, conjugal acid]

cosm,-o = the world or universe [cosmic rays, cosmology]

cry, -mo, -o = cold crystal [cryogenics]



D

de = down, without, from [decomposition, denatured, dehydrated]

dens = thick, dense [dense, density]

di = separate, double, across [diatomic, divalent, disaccharide]

dis = separate, apart [dissociation, dissolved]

duc, -t = lead [ductile, induction]



E

e = out, without, from [evaporation, eradication]

ef = out, from, away [effervescence, effluent]

electr, -i, -o = electrode, electric [electrolyte, electrochemical, electrical, electromechanical]

elem = basic [elements, elementary]

empir, -o = experienced [empirical formula]

en = in, into [endothermic, endocrine]

-ene = double covalent [alkene, acetylene, toluene, propylene]

equ = equal [equilibrium, equivalent]

erg = work, energy [erg, energy, ergonomic]

exo = out, outside, without [exothermic, exocrine, exothermal]



F

ferr, -o = iron [ferromagnetism, ferric, ferrous]

fiss, -i, -ur = cleft, split [fission, fissure]

flu = flow [fluids, confluent]

fract = break, broken [fraction, refraction, fracture]



G

gamma = 3rd letter of Greek alphabet [gamma rays, gamma]

gen = bear, produce, beginning [gene, genetic]

glyc, -er, -o = sweet [glycogen, glycolysis, glycose, glycolipid, glycol, glycerine]

graph, -o, -y = write, writing [graphite, graphical, graphics]



H

halo- = salt [halogens]

hetero- = other, different [heterogeneous]

hom, eo, -o = same, alike [homogeneous]

hybrid = combination [hybrid orbital]

hydr, -a, -i, -o = water [hydrolysis, hydroelectric]

hyper = over, above, excessive [(hy)perchloric acid, hyperactive, hypertension]

hypo = under, beneath [hypochlorous acid, hypothetical, hypothermic]



I

-ic = show the higher of two valences, having some characteristics of [ferric, metallic]

-ide = group of related chemical compounds [monosaccharide]; binary compound [sodium chloride, hydrogen cyanide]; chemical element with properties similar to another [lanthanide series]

im = not [immiscible, impenetrable]

in = in, into [intrinsic, internal]

-ine = of or pertaining to, of the nature of, made of, like [crystalline, marine]; halogen [bromine]; basic compound [amine]; alkaloid [quinine]; amino acid [glycine]; mixture of compounds [gasoline]; commercial material [glassine]

-ion = process [fusion, fission, evaporation]

iso = equal [isomers, isometric, isochoric]

-ite = salt or ester of an acid named with an adjective ending in -ous [sulfite]; rock, mineral [graphite]; fossil [trilobite]; product [metabolite]; commercial product [ebonite]



K

kilo = thousand [kilogram, kilojoule]

kine = move, moving, movement [kinetic energy]



L

lip, -o = fat [lipoprotein, lipid]

liqu, -e, -i = fluid, liquid [liquefy, liquor]

lys, -io, -is, -io = loose, loosening, breaking [hydrolysis]



M

macr, -o = large, long [macromolecule, macroscopic]

malle, -o, -us = hammer [malleable, malleability]

mer, -e, -i, -o = part [dimer, polymer, isomer]

met, -a = between [metabolism, metamorphosis]

-meter = measure [calorimeter, thermometer]

mill -e, -i, -o = one thousand [milliliter, milligram, millimeter]

misc = mix [miscible, miscellaneous]

mon -a, -er, -o = single, one [monomer, monovalent, monoxide]

morph, -a, -o = form [amorphous, metamorphic, polymorphic]




N

neo = new [neoprene]

neutr = neither [neutral, neutron]

nom, -en, -in = name [nominal, nomenclature]

non = not, ninth [nonpolar, non-reactive]

nuc, -ell, -i = nut, center [nucleus, nuclear]



O

oct, -i, -o = eight [octet, octane]

-oid = like, form [metalloid, colloid]

orbi, -t = circle [orbital, orbit]

-ous = possessing, full of, lower of two possible valences [aqueous, porous, ferrous, ferrous sulfide]

oxid = oxygen [oxide, oxidation]



P

photo = light [photochemical, photosynthesis]

polar, -i = of the pole [polarity, polar]

poly = many [polymer]

pro = forward, positive, for, in front of [proton, projectile, projection]



Q

quant = how much [quantum, quanta, quantity]



R

radi, -a, -o = spoke, ray [radius, radioactive, radial, radiation]



S

sacchar, -o = sugar [monosaccharide, saccharine]

sal, -i = salt [salinity, saline]

solu- = dissolve [solubility, soluble, solution]

spect = see, look [spectator, speculate, spectacle]

super = above, over [superheated, supersonic]

syn = together, with [photosynthesis, synthetic]



T

therm, -o = heat [thermodynamics, thermochemistry, thermal conductivity]

thesis = arranging, statement [hypothesis, antithesis]

tran, -s = across, through [transition, transfer, transfusion]



U

un = not [unsaturated, unstable]



V

vapor, -i = steam, vapor [vaporization, vaporizer, vapor pressure]

vulcan = fire [vulcanized, vulcanization]



Y

-yl = wood, matter; organic acid radical [carbonyl]; chemical names of organic compounds when they are radicals [alkyl, ethyl, phenyl]

-yne = triple covalent bond [alkyne, ethyne]