Dictionary of Combining Forms: Vocabulary Building

What are Combining Forms? - Combining form is a form of a word that can combine with free word, root word or another combining form to get a new word. 'Combining form' adds extra meaning to the new word. 'Combining form' is added to the beginning or end of free word, root word or another combining form. - (A). Examples of Combining form + Free Word: Agro- + Industry = Agro-industry, Agro- denotes: connected with farming - (B). Example of Combining form + Root Word: Aero- + Gramme = Aerogramm, Aero- denotes: connected with aircraft, Gramme denotes: writing - (C). Examples of Combining form + Combining form: Hydro- + -Logy = Hydrology [the scientific study of the earth's water] Hydro- denotes: relating to water, -Logy denotes: a subject of study - IMPORTANT NOTES: 1. Combining form generally cannot stand alone as free words, but there are many exceptions to this rule. EXAMPLES: Combining Form: -like [free word] - lotus + -like = lotus-like; rope + -like = rope-like; -like- denotes: similar to the thing that is mentioned - 2. Many Words ending in -ed, -en, etc. are used as COMBINING FORMS. EXAMPLES: Combining Form: -based (ending in '-ed') - foreign + -based = foreign-based; demand + -based = demand-based; -based denotes: containing something as an important feature or part - 3. Many words ending in -ing are used as COMBINING FORMS. EXAMPLES: Combining Form: -looking (ending in '-ing') - fine + -looking = fine-looking; suspicious + -looking = suspicious-looking; -looking- denotes: to be appearing in a way that is mentioned - Alphabetical List of Combining Forms Along With Their Meanings And Examples - Combining Forms - A-- AERO- Used to form: adjectives, adverbs and nouns; General meaning: connected with aircraft; Examples: aerobatics / aerodrome / aerodynamics / aerofoil / aerogramme (also, aerogram) / aeronaut / aeronautics / aerospace / aerostat ****** -AFFECTED -- Used to form: adjectives; General meaning: suffering from the thing that is mentioned; Examples [along with their use in phrases]: drug-affected ---- [drug-affected newborns]; famine-affected ---- [famine-affected village]; flu-affected ---- [flu-affected patients]; militancy-affected ---- [militancy-affected state]; quake-affected ---- [quake-affected hills]; Other Examples: flood-affected / cyclone-affected / explosion-affected / drought-affected / rain-affected / violence-affected ****** AFRO- Used to form: adjectives and nouns- General meaning: African; Examples [along with their use in phrases]: Afro-Brazilian ---- [Afro-Brazilian heritage]; Afro-British ---- [Afro-British people]; Afro-Caribbean ---- [Afro-Caribbean cooperation]; Afro-Colombian ---- [Afro-Colombian celebrities]; Afro-Cuban ---- [Afro-Cuban player]; Afro-descendant ---- [Afro-descendant communities]; Afro-Iranian ---- [Afro-Iranian minority]; Afro-Latina ---- [Afro-Latina engineers]; Afro-Mexican ---- [Afro-Mexican students]; Afro-Palestinian ---- [Afro-Palestinian group]; Afro-Turk ---- [Afro-Turk music star] ****** ALL- Used to form: adjectives and adverbs; General meaning: each and every one - totally - in the highest degree; Examples: all-American / all-around / all-British / all-Canadian / all-clear / all-consuming / all-embracing / all-encompassing / all-important / all-inclusive / all-night / all-nighter / all-out / all-over / all-party / all-pervading / all-powerful / all-purpose / all-round / all-rounder / all-star / all-ticket / all-time