Morphology • Spelling
Prefix / Suffix / Root Explorer
Enter a word to break it into its meaningful parts — prefix, root and suffix — with the meaning of each part. Understanding word parts is one of the best ways to decode and spell unfamiliar words.
Teaching morphology and spelling?
Kiwiland Education has prefix and suffix sorts, root-word task cards and structured spelling units ready to print.
Browse spelling resources →What are prefixes, roots and suffixes?
A root (or base) carries the core meaning of a word. A prefix goes in front to change the meaning (un- means “not”). A suffix goes on the end, often changing the word’s job in a sentence (-ness turns an adjective into a noun). Spotting these parts helps readers work out what a long word means.