What are “Combining Forms”? A combining form is a form of a word that can combine with a free word, root word or another combining form to get a new word. ‘Combining form’ adds extra meaning to the new word. ‘Combining form’ is added to the beginning or end of a free word, root word or another combining form. (A). Examples of “Combining form + Free Word”: Agro- + Industry = Agro-industry Agro- denotes: connected with farming (B). Example of “Combining form + Root Word”: Aero- + Gramme = Aerogramm Aero- denotes: connected with aircraft Gramme denotes: writing (C). Examples of “Combining form + Combining form”: Hydro- + -Logy = Hydrology [the scientific study of the earth's water] Hydro- denotes: relating to water -Logy denotes: a subject of study IMPORTANT NOTES: 1. “Combining form” generally cannot stand alone as free words, but there are many exceptions to this rule. EXAMPLES: Combining Form: -like [free word] lotus + -like = lotus-like rope + -like = rope-like -like- denotes: similar to the thing that is mentioned 2. Many Words ending in “-ed”, “-en”, etc. are used as COMBINING FORMS. EXAMPLES: Combining Form: -based (ending in ‘-ed’) foreign + -based = foreign-based demand + -based = demand-based -based denotes: containing something as an important feature or part 3. Many words ending in “-ing” are used as COMBINING FORMS. EXAMPLES: Combining Form: -looking (ending in ‘-ing’) fine + -looking = fine-looking suspicious + -looking = suspicious-looking -looking- denotes: to be appearing in a way that is mentioned Alphabetical List of Combining Forms Along With Their Meanings And Examples Combining Forms -- A AERO- Used to form: adjectives, adverbs and nouns General meaning: connected with aircraft Examples: aerobatics / aerodrome / aerodynamics / aerofoil / aerogramme (also, aerogram) / aeronaut / aeronautics / aerospace / aerostat ****** -AFFECTED Used to form: adjectives General meaning: suffering from the thing that is mentioned Examples [along with their use in phrases]: drug-affected ---- [drug-affected newborns] famine-affected ---- [famine-affected village] flu-affected ---- [flu-affected patients] militancy-affected ---- [militancy-affected state] quake-affected ---- [quake-affected hills] Other Examples: flood-affected / cyclone-affected / explosion-affected / drought-affected / rain-affected / violence-affected ****** AFRO- Used to form: adjectives and nouns General meaning: African Examples [along with their use in phrases]: Afro-Brazilian ---- [Afro-Brazilian heritage] Afro-British ---- [Afro-British people] Afro-Caribbean ---- [Afro-Caribbean cooperation] Afro-Colombian ---- [Afro-Colombian celebrities] Afro-Cuban ---- [Afro-Cuban player] Afro-descendant ---- [Afro-descendant communities] Afro-Iranian ---- [Afro-Iranian minority] Afro-Latina ---- [Afro-Latina engineers] Afro-Mexican ---- [Afro-Mexican students] Afro-Palestinian ---- [Afro-Palestinian group] Afro-Turk ---- [Afro-Turk music star] ALL- Used to form: adjectives and adverbs General meaning: each and every one | totally | in the highest degree Examples: all-American / all-around / all-British / all-Canadian / all-clear / all-consuming / all-embracing / all-encompassing / all-important / all-inclusive / all-night / all-nighter / all-out / all-over / all-party / all-pervading / all-powerful / all-purpose / all-round / all-rounder / all-star / all-ticket / all-time