. A. Motteau
(Author of the Esperanto-English Dictionary) for his careful revision of
the proof sheets, and for the many useful suggestions which his thorough
knowledge of Esperanto enabled him to give.

Particular attention must be given to the fact that it is to the
root of a word that the prefixes and suffixes are added. When it is
stated that the final letter "i" indicates the infinitive, the letter
"o" the noun, the letter "a" the adjective, the letter "e" the adverb,
the letter "j" added to form the plural, etc., the pronouns "mi", "li",
"vi", etc., do not interfere with the statement, for they are complete
words; the letters "m", "l", and "v" are not roots. The word "do" is
not a noun, because "d" is not a root. The word "plej" is not a plural,
because "ple" is not a root. The word "meti", to put, has nothing to do
with the diminutive suffix "et", because "m" is not the root.

The reader of this Dictionary will see to which part of speech
the English word belongs, by looking at the ending of the Esperanto
translation of the word.

The Authors.

PREFIXES.

bo'--denotes relationship resulting from marriage:

patro = father, bo'patro = father-in-law.
patrino = mother, bo'patrino = mother-in-law.

dis'--denotes division, separation, dissemination:

semi = to sow, dis'semi = to scatter.
sxiri = to tear, dis'sxiri = to tear in pieces.

ek'--denotes an action just begun, also short duration of an action:

kanti = to sing, ek'kanti = to begin to sing.
ridi = to laugh, ek'ridi = to burst out laughing.

ge'--denotes persons of both sexes taken together:

mastro = master, ge'mastroj = master and mistress.
edzo = husband, ge'edzoj = husband and wife.

mal'--denotes contraries, opposition of idea:

estimi = to esteem, mal'estimi = to despise.
varma = warm, mal'varma = cold.
amiko = friend, mal'amiko = enemy.

re'--denotes the repetition of an act; it corresponds to the English "re,"
"back" or "again":

doni = to give, re'doni = to give back; iri = to go, re'iri = to go again.
diri = to say, re'diri = to repeat; veni = to come, re'veni = to return.

SUFFIXES.

'ad'--denotes duration or continuation of an action:

spiri = to breathe, spir'ad'o = breathing.
pafi = to fire (a gun, etc.), paf'ad'o = a fusilade.

'a