Quiz-Tree

Relationship and Opposition

This quiz covers five prefixes that describe how things relate to or stand against each other: contra-/counter-, anti-, syn-/sym-, para-, and inter-. You will learn to recognize whether a word signals conflict, alignment, or proximity. After completing this quiz, you will be able to decode unfamiliar words that describe how ideas, people, or forces relate to one another.

Question 1 of 10
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Question 1
The prefix contra- means "against," as in contradict. In common English, the related form counter- carries the same meaning, as in counteract. What do contra- and counter- mean?
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The prefix anti- appears in antibiotic and antidote. What does anti- mean?
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The prefix syn- means "together," as in synchronize. Before b, m, or p, it becomes sym-, as in sympathy. What does syn-/sym- mean?
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The prefix para- appears in parallel. The root -allel comes from a Greek word meaning "each other." How does para- shape the meaning of parallel?
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The prefix inter- appears in interrupt. The root -rupt means "to break." How does inter- shape the meaning of interrupt?
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The prefix para- appears in paradox. The root -dox comes from a Greek word meaning "opinion" or "belief." Which best describes what para- contributes here?
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The word counterintuitive contains the prefix counter-. The root relates to "intuition" — the immediate sense of what feels right. How does counter- shape the meaning of counterintuitive?
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The prefix anti- appears in antithesis. The root -thesis comes from a Greek word meaning "a placing" or "a position." What does antithesis most likely mean?
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The prefix sym- appears in symbiosis. The root -bio- means "life." What does symbiosis most likely mean?
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The prefix inter- appears in interlocutor. The root -locut- comes from a Latin word meaning "to speak." What does interlocutor most likely mean?
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