Words+of+the+Week+(WoW)

Words of the Week (WoW)

Students were given a list of common science root words, prefixes, and suffixes. To help them better understand what we read and learn about in science, students are expected to learn the words on the list. Each week, they will be responsible for learning four new words. On Thursdays, they will be given a WoW quiz on the words from that week plus any words from the list they have learned in the past. They should know the spelling, meaning, and an example for each word. Correct spelling is imperative because the meaning of a root, prefix, or suffix could change if spelled incorrectly. Please help your child learn these words by practicing each night.

 Common Science Root Words

Many science words contain root words that have their origin in Greek or Latin. Knowing the meaning of these root words can help students understand new terms. Here are some frequently used science root words with an example.


 * ROOT ||  MEANING  ||  EXAMPLE  ||
 * aero- || air || aeronautics ||
 * alt- || high || altitude ||
 * aqua- || water || aquarium ||
 * archaeo- || primitive, ancient || archaeology ||
 * astr- || star || asteroid ||
 * atmo- || vapor || atmosphere ||
 * baro- || weight || barometer ||
 * bio- || life || biology ||
 * cal- || heat || calorie ||
 * cardi- || heart || cardiac ||
 * chrom- || color || chromatic ||
 * chron- || time || chronological ||
 * con- || together || concept ||
 * crani- || skull || cranial ||
 * cyt- || cell || cytoplasm ||
 * dent- || tooth || dental ||
 * fric- || rub || friction ||
 * gen- || birth || genetic ||
 * homo- || man, same || homicide ||
 * ject- || throw || eject ||
 * lab- || work || laboratory ||
 * lat- || side || latitude ||
 * luna- || moon || lunar ||
 * max- || greatest || maximum ||
 * mut- || change || mutation ||
 * neur- || nerve || neuron ||
 * paleo- || old || paleontology ||
 * ped- || foot || pedal ||
 * phys- || nature || physical ||
 * photo- || light || photography ||
 * sci- || know || science ||
 * som- || body || chromosome ||
 * son- || sound || sonar ||
 * stel- || star || constellation ||
 * sum- || highest || summit ||
 * terr- || earth || terrarium ||
 * ver- || truth || verify ||
 * void- || empty || devoid ||
 * vor- || eat || carnivore ||
 * zoo- || animal || zoology ||

Common Science Prefixes

A prefix is a group of letters added before a root word that changes the meaning of that word or expands the meaning. Knowing the meaning is helpful in learning and remembering science vocabulary words. The common science prefixes, meanings and examples are listed below.


 * PREFIX ||  MEANING  ||  EXAMPLE  ||
 * a- || not; without; lacking || abiotic ||
 * ab- || away, from || abscess ||
 * agro- || soil, field || agriculture ||
 * anti- || opposite, against || antibody ||
 * audi- || hear || audio ||
 * auto- || self || automobile ||
 * bene- || good, well || beneficial ||
 * bi- || two || bicycle ||
 * carcin- || cancer || carcinogen ||
 * centi- || hundredth || centimeter ||
 * centr- || center || centrifugal ||
 * contra- || against || contrary ||
 * de- || undo, away from || detach ||
 * deca- || ten || decameter ||
 * deci- || tenth || decimeter ||
 * di- || two || digest ||
 * dis- || seperate || dissection ||
 * epi- || upon || epicenter ||
 * ex- || out of || exercise ||
 * extra- || beyond || extraterrestrial ||
 * geo- || earth, land || geologic ||
 * grav- || heavy || gravity ||
 * hecto- || hundred || hectometer ||
 * herb- || plant || herbicide ||
 * homo- || human, man || homogenized ||
 * hydr- || water || hydrogen ||
 * hypo- || under || hydrogen ||
 * in- || to, into, very || incomplete ||
 * infra- || below || infrastructure ||
 * kilo- || thousand || kilometer ||
 * kine- || move || kinetics ||
 * lip- || fat || lipid ||
 * macro- || large || macrobiotic ||
 * mal- || bad || malnutrition ||
 * micro- || small || micronutrients ||
 * milli- || thousandth || millipede ||
 * mono- || one || moncot ||
 * multi- || many || multiple ||
 * non- || not || nonconductor ||
 * nuc- || center || nucleus ||
 * omni- || all || omnivore ||
 * orb- || round, cirlce || orbit ||
 * pan- || all || pancreas ||
 * peri- || around || periscope ||
 * phon- || sound || phonograph ||
 * por- || opening || porous ||
 * pro- || first || protist ||
 * re- || again, back || regress ||
 * roto- || wheel || rotary ||
 * sol- || sun || solar ||
 * strat- || layer || stratosphere ||
 * sub- || under || submarine ||
 * super- || over || superior ||
 * syn- || together || synthesis ||
 * tele- || far off || telescope ||
 * therm- || heat || thermal ||
 * trans- || across || transport ||
 * uni- || one || universe ||
 * vig- || strong || vigorous ||

Common Science Suffixes

A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a root word that changes that word or expands the meaning. Knowing the meaning is helpful in learning and remembering science vocabulary words. The common science suffixes, meanings, and examples are listed below.


 * SUFFIX ||  MEANING  ||  EXAMPLE  ||
 * -a || plural || data ||
 * -arium || place for || aquarium ||
 * -cide || killer of || herbicide ||
 * -cle || small || muscle ||
 * -en || made of || wooden ||
 * -gen || produces || nitrogen ||
 * -graph || write || telegraph ||
 * -ic || pertaining to || metallic ||
 * -ist || one who practices || scientist ||
 * -itis || infection || laryngitis ||
 * -ject || throw || eject ||
 * -let || small || platelet ||
 * -ment || action or process || experiment ||
 * -oid || part of || thyroid ||
 * -ology || study of || biology ||
 * -oma || tumor || carcinoma ||
 * -osis || process || osmosis ||
 * -ory || place for || laboratory ||
 * -phyll || plant || chlorophyll ||
 * -ry || profession || forestry ||
 * -scope || instrument || telescope ||
 * -ular || relating to || molecular ||
 * -ward || direction || westward ||
 * -y || quality of || sandy ||

Week 1 (Aug. 26): aero-, a-, ab-, -a Week 2 (Sept. 2): alt-, agro-, anti-, -arium Week 3 (Sept. 9): aqua-, audi-, auto-, -cide Week 4 (Sept. 16): archaeo-, bene-, bi-, -cle Week 5 (Sept. 23): astr-, carcin-, centi-, -en Week 6 (Sept. 30): atmo-, centr-, contra-, -gen Week 7 (Oct. 7): baro-, de-, deca-, -graph Week 8 (Oct. 14): bio-, deci-, di-, -ic Week 9 (Oct. 21): cal-, dis-, epi-, -ist Week 10 (Oct. 28): cardi-, ex-, extra-, -itis Week 11 (Nov. 4): chrom-, geo-, grav-, -ject Week 12 (Nov. 11): chron-, hecto-, herb-, -let Week 13 (Nov. 18): con-, homo-, hydr-, -ment Week 14 (Dec. 2.): crani-, hypo-, in-, -oid Week 15 (Dec. 9): cyt-, infra-, kilo-, -ology Week 16 (Dec. 16): dent-, kine-, lip-, -oma Week 17 (Dec. 23): Christmas Break Week 18 (Dec. 29): Christmas Break Week 19 (Jan. 6): fric-, macro-, mal-, -osis Week 21 (Jan.13): gen-, micro-, milli-, -ory Week 22 (Jan. 20): lab-, mono-, multi-, -phyll Week 23 (Jan. 27): lat-, non-, nuc-, -ry Week 24 (Feb. 3): luna-, omni-, orb-, -scope Week 25 (Feb. 10): max-, pan-, peri-, -ular Week 26 (Feb.17): mut-, phon-, por-, -ward Week 27 (Feb. 24): neur-, pro-, re-, -y Week 28 (Mar. 3): paleo-, ped-, roto-, sol- Week 29 (Mar. 10): phys-, photo-, strat-, sub- Week 30 (Mar. 17): sci-, som-, syn-, super- Week 31 (Mar. 24): son-, stell-, tele-, therm- Week 32 (Mar. 31): sum-, terr-, uni-, trans- Week 33 (Apr. 7): ver-, void, vig- Week 34 (Apr. 14): Easter/Spring Break Week 35 (Apr. 21): vor-, zoo- Week 36 (Apr. 28): Week off to review Week 37 (May 5): Week off to review Week 38 (May 12): Review Test of All WoW Words