Suffixes from Latin - SSAT Middle Level: Verbal

“Tertiary” is an adjective that means third, so we need to pick out an answer choice that is synonymous with “quaternary.” While all of the answer choices might look like potentially correct answers, “quaternary” is an adjective that means fourth, so “fourth” is the correct answer. You can also use prefixes as context clues to help you solve this quesiton: "tertius" is Latin for third and has influenced the prefix "tri-," while "quattuor" is Latin for fourth and has influenced English words like "quad" and "quarter."

"Microeconomics" is the study of economics on a small scale, and "macroeconomics" is the study of economics on a large scale, so the correct answer is “large.” To solve this analogy, it is important to be aware of the meaning of the prefixes "micro-" and "macro-". ­"Micro_-" means small and "macro-_" means big.

If you "double" something, you increase it by two-fold. The prefix "quad-" means related to the number four, so when you quadruple something, you increase it by four-fold. So, the correct answer is "four."

An octopus has eight legs, as you might be able to infer because the word "octopus" contains the prefix "octo_-"_ at the beginning of the word. "Octo_-" means eight, and appears in other words like "octagon" (an eight-sided shape). To solve this analogy, if you don't know how many legs a centipede has, you can still arrive at the correct answer by using the prefix "cent-"_ as a clue to infer this information. "Cent-" means one hundred and appears in other words like "centimeter" (a unit of measurement that is one-hundredth of a meter) and "century" (a span of time of one hundred consecutive years).

A "quadrilateral" is a shape with four sides; you might be able to infer this because the word contains the root "quad," which means four and appears in other words like "quadratic." So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine how many sides a hexagon has. The correct answer is “six," which you might have inferred because the root "hex" means six.

"Piscine" is an adjective that means of or relating to fish. The prefix "pisc-" often means that the word will describe characteristics of fish and appears in other words like the name of the constellation "Pisces," which is thought to look like two fish. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which animal is described by the adjective "leonine." The correct answer is “lion."

A nine-sided shape is called a "nonagon," and an eight-sided shape is called an "octagon." The prefix "non_-" suggests that the word will have to do with the number nine. Likewise, the prefix "oct-"_ suggests that the word will have to do with the number eight. (For an example of this, just think of how an "octopus" has eight legs!)

A triangle is a three-sided shape, which you can infer because the prefix "tri-" means three. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine how many sides a pentagon has. The prefix "penta-" means five, so the correct answer is “five.”

“Anarchy” is a state of chaos or a complete lack of political or social order. “Anarchy” and “order” and antonyms of one another. To solve this analogy, you therefore have to determine the best antonym of “atheist”. An “atheist” is someone who does not believe in any god(s). The correct antonym is “theist,” which means someone who believes in a god or gods. Often the prefix "a-" will reverse the meaning of a word, as in this instance, where adding an “a” to “theist” creates “atheist,” a word with opposite meaning.

The prefix "pre_-_" usually suggest that the word will come before something or designate some beginning. In this instance, a “prelude” is an introductory event or piece of music. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is something that comes after something else. The correct answer is an “epilogue,” which is the name given to a piece of writing that comes after the main narrative. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “mandatory” means required; “laborious” means hard-work or exhausting; “legislate” means make laws; and “catalogue” means document and list some group of things when used as a verb and a booklet produced by a business showcasing the products that they are currently selling when used as a noun.

“Deify” means consider as or make into a god and “vilify” means make into a villain or condemn. So, "villain" is the correct answer. If you did not immediately know this, it would become necessary to use your knowledge of prefixes to solve the analogy. The prefix ­"dei­-"means related to (a) god(s) or (a) goddess(es) and the prefix ­"vil_-_" means related to evil doings. None of the other answer choices would make sense in the blank: “juvenile” means youthful and immature; “adolescent” means teenager; “ancestor” is the term used to describe the people who came before us to whom we are related, like our grandparents; and a “protagonist” is a hero.

The prefix "mort­-"means related to the nature of life and death and the prefix ­"ver-"means related to truth and honesty. “Mortality” can mean many things, although most frequently it is used to mean death or the certainty of death. Likewise, “veracity” means “truth” or “truthfulness," so "truth" is the correct answer. “Deception” is the act of trying to trick and lie to someone.

“Autonomous” means self-governing or independent. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine the best synonym of “subservient.” The correct answer is “dependent"; if you were unable to answer this question correctly there are many prefixes, suffixes, and word fragments you can use for assistance. The prefix "auto_-"_ means able to do something without help or free from outside authority. The root "serv"in “subservient” reveals that the word is to do with being controlled by someone else, being a servant or a slave. If you know that “obedient” means consistently obeying the rules and demands of others, then the relationship between all four words becomes clear. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “despondent” means miserable and without hope; “jubilant” means very happy; morose means very sad, and “autocratic” means controlled by one ruler with absolute authority. Notice how “autocratic” and “autonomous” have totally different definitions. Remember, prefixes and suffixes are guidelines and not firm rules; sometimes they will help you and sometimes not, but it’s important to know them because they will help you guess answers on questions that you otherwise would have no idea how to solve.

The suffix "-ible" means able to be and the roots "vis" and "aud" mean related to seeing and related to hearing or sound, respectively. “Visible” thus means able to be seen and “audible” means able to be heard, so "heard" is the correct answer.

The prefix ­"terra_-" means related to the Earth and the prefix "celes-"_ means related to heaven, the sky, or outer space. As “terrestrial” is to Earth, so “celestial” is to space, so "space" is the correct answer. For clarification, “terrestrial” means of this Earth or observed on this Earth, and “celestial” means of space or observed in space or the heavens.

The root "aud" means related to hearing or listening. The only relationship that can be established between “audience” and “audible” is that they are both related to listening because they both contain the root "aud." An “audience” watches and listens to a performance and “audible” means able to be heard. The prefix "cent_-"_ means related to the number one hundred. A “centennial” is a celebration commemorating something that happened one hundred years ago or the existence of something for one hundred years, and a “centipede” is an insect with one hundred legs. Like “audience” and “audible,” the only relationship between these two words is that they are both related to the number one hundred. To provide further help, “sensible” means reasonable and smart, “visible” means able to be seen, and “sensory” means relating to the senses.

The prefix "fall-" or "fals-" means having to do with lying, deception and dishonesty, and the prefix "mag_-_" means having to do with largeness and grandness. “Falsify” means change something in order to deceive, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine how “magnify” changes something. The correct answer is that “magnify” means make bigger or make appear bigger; just think of what a "magnifying glass" does. "Enlarge" also means make bigger, so "enlarge" is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, “diminish” means make smaller, as does “reduce," and “grant” means give.

The prefix "mal-"means evil or bad, and the prefix ­"ben-"means helpful or good. So someone who is “malevolent” is wicked and has a great deal of ill-will and someone who is “benevolent” is good-natured and has a lot of goodwill. So, the correct answer is "benevolent." None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “beneficial" means helpful; “malicious" means cruel and spiteful; “malcontent" means unhappy or not content; and “malfeasance" means something bad that someone does or a crime.

The prefix "carn_-" means related to the physical flesh and “carnal” means relating to the needs of the body. The prefix "cere-_" means related to the brain or to knowledge and “cerebral” means brainy, related to intelligence, or related to the brain. As “carnal” has to do with the body, "cerebral" has to do with the brain, so "brain" is the correct answer.