SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Suffixes from Latin

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Middle Level Verbal

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Quadrilateral is to four as hexagon is to __________.

Possible Answers:

seven 

ten 

six 

eight 

nine 

Correct answer:

six 

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #2 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Piscine is to fish as leonine is to __________.

Possible Answers:

bird

dog 

lion 

cat

llama 

Correct answer:

lion 

Explanation:

"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."

Example Question #2 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Deify is to god as vilify is to __________.

Possible Answers:

adolescent

ancestor 

protagonist 

villain 

juvenile

Correct answer:

villain 

Explanation:

“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.

Example Question #3 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Mortality is to death as veracity is to __________.

Possible Answers:

deception 

kindness 

religion 

truth

taxes 

Correct answer:

truth

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #2 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Audience is to audible as centennial is to __________

Possible Answers:

one hundred 

sensible

sensory 

visible

centipede 

Correct answer:

centipede 

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #4 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Autonomous is to independent as subservient is to __________

Possible Answers:

morose 

despondent

jubilant 

obedient

autocratic 

Correct answer:

obedient

Explanation:

“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.

Example Question #1 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Anarchy is to order as atheist is to __________

Possible Answers:

theist 

god 

chaos 

church 

politics 

Correct answer:

theist 

Explanation:

“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. 

Example Question #4 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Carnal is to body as cerebral is to __________

Possible Answers:

energy 

soul

pious 

brain 

wicked 

Correct answer:

brain 

Explanation:

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 brainyrelated 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.

Example Question #5 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Gigabyte is to billion as terabyte is to __________.

Possible Answers:

hundred 

million 

trillion 

ten 

thousand 

Correct answer:

trillion 

Explanation:

The prefix "giga-" means related to a billion of something and the prefix ­"tera-" means related to a trillion of something. Do not confuse "tera-" with "terra-," which means related to the Earth. A “byte” is a unit of computer storage space, so a "gigabyte" is a computer memory unit of one billion bytes, and a "terabyte" is a computer memory unit that consists of one trillion bytes, so "trillion" is the correct answer.

Example Question #2 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Theologian is to religion as meteorologist is to __________

Possible Answers:

children

oceans 

space

volcanoes 

weather 

Correct answer:

weather 

Explanation:

The prefix "theo-" means related to (a) god(s) or religion, so a “theologian” is someone who studies religion and is an expert on religious matters. To solve this analogy, you need to figure out what a “meteorologist” studies. The correct answer is the “weather." The suffix "-ologist" means one who studies something.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors