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Number Bases:

 

SEMI- half, partly

 

semiannual (ann-, enn-, year) occurring twice a year

 

UN- one

 

uniform, always the same

unanimous, agreeing completely

unicorn, mythical one-horned animal

unify, to consolidate; make into a single unit

union, a group of persons, commonly workers, bound together for a common purpose

unique, one of a kind

unit, one regarded as a constituent part of the whole

universe, the cosmos, all of outer space

 

PRIM- first

 

prime meridian, the zero mark of the world's longitude

primate, the highest bishop in a country

primate, a group of mammals including minkeys, apes and humans

primary, main

primitive, of earliest times, simple, crude

prima donna, the lead female soloist in an opera company; a tempermental, conceited person

primogeniture, the right of the eldest (son) to inherit the father's entire estate

primer, an elementary reading textbook; a book covering the basics of a subject

primeval, belonging in the first or earliest age

primordial, (ordiri, to begin) happening first in a sequence of time; original

 

DU- two, twice

 

duet, composition for two instruments

dual, double

(not duel, < duellum = bellum)

duodenum, (two hands breadth) first part of small intestine

duplicate, to do or make a second copy/twice

duplicity, deliberate deception

 

BI-, two, twice

(BIN- before vowel)

 

bicycle, two-wheeled vehicle

binoculars, hand-held device to see far distances

biscuit, the British word for cookie

biscotti, a type of Italian cookie

bicameral, two legislative houses

biceps, a muscle in one's upper arm

bilingual, able to speak two languages

biped, two-legged animal

billion, 1000 million

 

TRI- three

 

tricycle, three-wheeled vehicle

triangle, three-sided polygon

triad, group of three

triceratops, (three horn eye) three-horned dinosaur

trilogy, a series of books in three parts

trigonometry, the mathematical study of relationships between sides and angles on a triangle

trinity, a group of three closely related members

tripod, a three-legged stand for a camera, telescope, etc.

trivial, of little importance

trillion, 1000 billion

 

QUADR(U)- four

 

quadrilateral, a four-sided polygon

quadruple, four times as many or as much

quadriceps, the large muscle at the front of the thigh

quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down

quadruped, four-legged animal

quadruplet, one of four babies born at the same time from the same mother

 

QUART- fourth

 

quarter, one-fourth

quarterly, occurring four times per year

quart, one fourth of a gallon

 

QUINT- fifth

 

quintuplet, one of five babies born at the same time from the same mother

quintet, a group of five (e.g., musicians)

quintessence, the purest, most essential element of a substance

 

SEXT- six

 

sextet, a group of six

 

SEPT- seven

 

September, ninth month of the year

septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, done in 3rd C. BC (70 days, 70 old men)

septet, a group of seven

 

OCT- eight

 

October, the tenth month of the year

octopus, eight-legged cephalopod (marine molluscs)

octagon, eight-sided figure

 

OCTAV- eighth

 

octave, a musical scale based on eight notes

 

DECI(M)- tenth

 

decimate, to destroy, annihilate

decimal, a number written using the base 10

decade, a ten year period

(not decadent)

deciliter, one tenth of a liter

December, twelfth month of the year

 

CENT- hundred

 

century, 100 year period

centennial, 100 year anniversary

centipede, 100-legged bug

bicentennial, 200 year anniversary

cent, a monetary unit equivalent to one 100th of a dollar

 

MILL- thousand

 

millimeter, one 1000th of a meter

mill, a monetary unit equivalent to one 1000th of a dollar

million, 1000 thousand