A root is the core of a word, usually located in the middle of a word, that specifies its meaning. Prefixes and/or suffixes are added to the root to further clarify the word’s meaning.A prefix is the beginning of a word, placed before the word’s root, sometimes indicating meaning.A suffix is the end of a word, placed after the word’s root, sometimes indicating meaning.Drug names often use prefixes or suffixes to categorize drugs based on action. Learning common prefixes/suffixes can help in the process of memorizing mechanisms of actions for groups of medications.