Prefix definition: an affix attached to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning.
Suffix definition: a particle attached to the end of a word to modify its meaning or change it into a different word class.
What is the Difference Between Prefixes and Suffixes?
In the English language, we often place prefixes and suffixes at the beginning and end, respectively, of a word in order to modify it.
The original word does have meaning in itself, but by adding a prefix or suffix to it, we change the word.
What is a prefix? Prefixes are placed at the beginning of a word in order to alter its meaning.
- Janet resubmitted her application after she was initially denied a loan.
Resubmitted includes the prefix re which means again.
What is a suffix? Suffixes are placed at the end of a word in order to alter its meaning or change the classification of the word.
- We work hard in order to ensure our children’s happiness.
Happiness includes the state of being suffix ness. By adding the suffix, we have changed our word from an adjective to a noun in order for it to fit grammatically in our sentence.
What does prefix mean? A prefix can be a letter or group of letters that may be added to the beginning of a word in order to modify its meaning.
Prefix Examples:
- a-, an- = without; amoral, anemic
- ante- = before; antecedent
- co- = with; co-worker
- de- = off, remove; de-ice
- ex =out of, former; ex-boyfriend
- il = not; illegal
- inter = between; intergalactic
- post = after; postpone
- super = above; supersede
- un = not; unnatural
Let’s try using a prefix in a sentence.
- Craig was dissatisfied with the customer service he received at the store.
- Prefix = dis = negative
When to Hyphenate Prefixes
Do you hyphenate prefixes? At times, you will want to add a hyphen in between your prefix and word.
Proper nouns: when adding a prefix to a proper noun, you must add a hyphen:
- Not liking apple pie may be seen as un-American.
Same vowel: If the last letter of your prefix is the same as the first letter in the word, you need to add a hyphen:
- In order to be allowed re-entry to the amusement park, patrons must obtain a stamped ticket.
Special prefixes: Always use a hyphen when you use ex- and self-.
- Lisa was self-conscious about her body after having a baby.
- The ex-student body president trained the current officer on how to organize prom.
Clarification: Use a hyphen when a word may cause confusion or look odd in the sentence.
- The mother reminder the children to re-cover the sandbox after they were done playing.
We need the hyphen, so that readers don’t confuse re-cover with the word recover, which means to reinstate health or regain a lost possession.
What are Suffixes?
What does suffix mean? Suffixes are used at the end of words in order to change the word to fit grammatically within your sentence.
Suffix Examples:
- –al = having characteristics of; remedial, denial
- –ed = past-tense verbs; traveled, talked
- –en = made of, consisting of; wooden, golden
- –er, -est = comparative; stronger, strongest
- –tion, -ion = state of being, condition; completion, relation
- –ity = quality of; humility, enormity
- –less = without; hopeless, homeless
- –ly = characteristic of; brotherly, lovely
- –s, -es = more than one; apples, trenches
Let’s look at an example of a suffix used in a sentence:
- In government class, students will research the current election.
- Suffix = ion = act, process
When to Hyphenate Suffixes
Do you hyphenate suffixes? We rarely hyphenate suffixes, but here are some instances in which you may add one.
Cumbersome words: an optional hyphen can be used when a word seems lengthy without one.
- community-wide
Exception words: -like, -type, -elect,
- scholarly-like
When last letter is same as first letter:
- graffiti-ism, past-tense
Summary
Define prefix: the definition of prefix is an element placed at the beginning of a word to alter or qualify its meaning.
Define suffix: the definition of suffix is a particle placed at the end of a word to alter its meaning or adjust its grammatical sense.
In summary,
- Prefixes and suffixes are added to words to change them.
- Prefixes are added to change the meaning of the root word.
- Suffixes are added so that the word will make grammatical sense in a sentence.
Here are a couple of final examples of how we use prefixes and suffixes.
- Many science fiction books include an intergalactic war.
- Prefix = inter = between
- The employee rushed to his car after work on Friday.
- Suffix = ed = past-tense verb
Contents
- 1 What is the Difference Between Prefixes and Suffixes?
- 2 What are Prefixes?
- 3 When to Hyphenate Prefixes
- 4 What are Suffixes?
- 5 When to Hyphenate Suffixes
- 6 Summary
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A comparison of prepositions and directional prefixes in Greek, Latin, English, and German.
A prefix is an affix which is placed before the stem of a word.[1] Adding it to the beginning of one word changes it into another word. For example, when the prefix un- is added to the word happy, it creates the word unhappy. Particularly in the study of languages, a prefix is also called a preformative, because it alters the form of the words to which it is affixed.
Prefixes, like other affixes, can be either inflectional, creating a new form of the word with the same basic meaning and same lexical category (but playing a different role in the sentence), or derivational, creating a new word with a new semantic meaning and sometimes also a different lexical category.[2] Prefixes, like all other affixes, are usually bound morphemes.[1]
In English, there are no inflectional prefixes; English uses suffixes instead for that purpose.
The word prefix is itself made up of the stem fix (meaning «attach», in this case), and the prefix pre- (meaning «before»), both of which are derived from Latin roots.
English language[edit]
List of English derivational prefixes[edit]
This is a fairly comprehensive, although not exhaustive, list of derivational prefixes in English. Depending on precisely how one defines a derivational prefix, some of the neoclassical combining forms may or may not qualify for inclusion in such a list. This list takes the broad view that acro- and auto- count as English derivational prefixes because they function the same way that prefixes such as over- and self- do.
As for numeral prefixes, only the most common members of that class are included here. There is a large separate table covering them all at Numeral prefix > Table of number prefixes in English.
| Prefix | Meaning | Example | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| a- | «not» | asymmetric, «not symmetric» | takes the form an- before vowels; see privative alpha |
| acro- | «high» | acrophobia, «fear of heights» (more) | |
| allo- | «other» | allotransplantation, «transplant of tissue from another person» (more) | |
| alter- | «other» | alter ego, «other personality» (more) | |
| ante- | «prior» | antebellum, «before a war» | |
| anti- | «opposite» | anti-inflammatory, «against inflammation» (more) | |
| auto- | «by oneself or itself» | automobile, «moves itself» (more) | |
| bi- | «two» | bicentennial, «consisting of or occurring every two centuries»
binomial, «two terms» |
See number prefixes in English |
| co- | «together» | cooperation, «working together» | takes the form con- before vowels |
| cis- | «on the same side» | cisgenesis, «genes don’t change within breeding and birth setting» | |
| contra- | «below» ; «against» | contraindication, «against indication» (more) | |
| counter- | «against» | countermeasure, «action against» (more) | |
| de- | «negative, remove» | deactivate, «stop from working» | |
| di- | «two» | diatomic, «two atoms»
dipole, «two poles» |
See number prefixes in English |
| dis- | «negative, remove» | disappear, «vanish» (more) | |
| down- | «down»; «reduce» | downshift, «shift to a lower gear» downregulation, «regulation toward lessened expression» (more) |
|
| dys- | «negative, badly, wrongly» | dysfunction, «bad function» (more) | |
| epi- | «upon addition» , «above» | epidural, «outside the dura mater» (more) | |
| extra- | «to a greater extent» ; «beyond» | extracellular, «outside a cell» (more) | |
| fore- | «before» | foresight, «seeing beforehand» (more) | |
| hemi- | «half» | hemisphere, «half of a sphere» (more) | See number prefixes in English |
| hexa- | «six» | hexagon, «six-sided polygon» (more) | See number prefixes in English |
| hyper- | «beyond» | hypercalcemia, «too much calcium in the blood» (more) | See hyper |
| hypo- | «marginal»; «not enough» | hypokalemia, «not enough potassium in the blood» (more) | |
| ig- | «not» | ignoble, «not noble» ignorant, (from roots meaning) «not knowing» (more) |
ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) |
| il- | «not» | illegal, «not legal» (more) | ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) |
| im- | «not» | imbalance, «lack of balance» (more) | ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) |
| in- | «not» | inactive, «not active» | ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) |
| infra- | «below» | infrared, «below red on the spectrum» (more) | |
| inter- | «between» | interobserver, «between observers» (more) | |
| intra- | «within» | intracellular, «inside a cell» (more) | |
| ir- | «not» | irregular, «not regular» (more) | ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) |
| macro- | «large-scale» ; «exceptionally prominent» | macroeconomics, «workings of entire economies» (more) | |
| mal- | «unpleasant», «not» | malocclusion, «bad occlusion» (more) | |
| maxi- | «big», «as big as possible» | maxi-single, «single with extras» (more) | |
| meso- | «middle» | mesoamerican, «middle of the Americas» (more) | |
| meta- | «self-referential» | metadata, «data that provides information about other data» (more) | |
| micro- | «small-scale» | micrometer, «small-measurement instrument» (more) | |
| mid- | «middle» | midportion, «middle part» (more) | |
| mini- | «small» | miniature, «small»; «smaller version» (more) | |
| mis- | «bad», «wrong» | misspelling, «incorrect spelling» (more) | |
| mono- | «one» | monotheism, «belief in one god» (more) | See number prefixes in English |
| multi- | «many», «more than one» | multiplex, «many signals in one circuit» (more) | |
| non- | «no», «not» | nonstop, «without stopping» (more) | |
| octo- | «eight» | octopus, «eight-footed» (more) | See number prefixes in English |
| over- | «excess», «too much»; «on top» |
overexpression, «too much expression» overcoat, «outer coat» (more) |
|
| pan- | «all» | pancytopenia, «low counts across all [blood] cell types» pan-American, «involving all of the Americas» pansexual, «sexually attracted to people of all genders» (more) |
Sometimes «all-» is used, especially in Asian English, where All-Union was a standard translation of the Russian word meaning «pan-USSR» or «USSR-wide», and «All-India» is a similar standard term in India, comparable to words such as national, nationwide, or federal (in the case of federations). |
| para- | «beside»; «beyond»; «related to»; «altered» | paranormal, «beyond the normal» paresthesia, «altered sensation» paramilitary, «military-like» (more) |
|
| penta- | «five» | pentateuch, «the five books of Moses» (more) | See number prefixes in English |
| per- | «through»; «throughout» | percutaneous, «through the skin» (more) | |
| peri- | «around» | pericardial, «around the heart» (more) | |
| poly- | «many» | polyglot, «many languages» (more) | |
| post- | «after» | postoperative, «after surgery» (more) | |
| pre- | «before»; «already» | preassembled, «already built» (more) | |
| pro- | «on behalf of» ; «before» | pro-science, «in favor of science» (more) | |
| proto- | «first»; «primitive»; «precursor» | Proto-Indo-European, «precursor of Indo-European» prototype, «first or prime example» (more) |
|
| pseudo- | «false», «specious» | pseudonym, «fake name» (more) | |
| quadri- | «four» | quadrilateral, «four-sided» (more) | See number prefixes in English |
| quasi- | «somewhat», «resembling» | quasiparticulate, «resembling particles» (more) | |
| re- | «again» | reestablish, «establish again» (more) | |
| self- | «[acting on or by] oneself» | self-cleaning, «cleans itself» (more) | By normative convention, always hyphenated (except for a few multiprefix compounds such as unselfconscious) |
| semi- | «partial»; «somewhat»; «half» | semiarid, «somewhat arid» (more) | See number prefixes in English |
| sub- | «below» | subzero, «below zero» (more) | |
| super- | «above»; «more than»; «great» | supermarket, «big market» (more) | |
| supra- | «above» | supraorbital, «above the eye sockets» (more) | |
| tetra- | «four» | tetravalent, «four valence electrons» (more) | See number prefixes in English |
| trans- | «across»; «connecting» | transatlantic, «across the Atlantic Ocean» (more) | |
| tri- | «three» | tripartite, «three parts» (more) | |
| ultra- | «beyond»; «extremely» | ultraviolet, «beyond violet on the spectrum» (more) | |
| un- | «not»; «remove»; «opposite» | unopened, «not opened» (more) | |
| under- | «beneath»; «not enough» | underexposure, «not enough exposure» (more) | |
| up- | «up»; «increase» | upshift, «shift to a higher gear» upregulation, «regulation toward increased expression» (more) |
|
| xeno- | «foreign» | xenophobia, «fear of strangers or foreigners» xenotransplantation, «transplant from another species» (more) |
Hyphenation[edit]
The choice between hyphenation or solid styling for prefixes in English is covered at Hyphen > Prefixes and suffixes.
Japanese language[edit]
Commonly used prefixes in Japanese include お〜 (o-) and ご〜 (go-). They are used as part of the honorific system of speech, and are used as markers for politeness, showing respect for the person or thing they are affixed to, notably also being used euphemistically.[3][4]
Bantu languages[edit]
In the Bantu languages of Africa, which are agglutinating, the noun class is conveyed through prefixes, which is declined and agrees with all of its arguments accordingly.[5]
Example from Luganda[edit]
| Noun class | Prefix |
|---|---|
| 1 | o-mu- |
| 1a | ∅ |
| 2 | a-ba- |
| 3 | o-mu- |
| 4 | e-mi- |
| 5 | e-ri-/CC- |
| 6 | a-ma- |
| 7 | e-ki- |
| 8 | e-bi- |
| 9 | e-N- |
| 10 | e-N-/zi- |
The one, old, fat farmer goes.
Navajo[edit]
Verbs in the Navajo language are formed from a word stem and multiple affixes. For example, each verb requires one of four non-syllabic prefixes (∅, ł, d, l) to create a verb theme.[6]
Sunwar[edit]
In the Sunwar language of Eastern Nepal, the prefix ma- म is used to create negative verbs. It is the only verbal prefix in the language.
Russian[edit]
As a part of the formation of nouns, prefixes are less common in Russian than suffixes, but alter the meaning of a word.
-
пред- and положение ‘position’ becomes предположение ‘supposition’ пре- and образование ‘formation (verb)’ becomes преобразование ‘transformation’[8]
German[edit]
In German, derivatives formed with prefixes may be classified in two categories: those used with substantives and adjectives, and those used with verbs.[9] For derivative substantives and adjectives, only two productive prefixes are generally addable to any substantive or adjective as of 1970: un-, which expresses negation (as in ungesund, from gesund), and ur-, which means «original, primitive» in substantives, and has an emphatic function in adjectives. ge-, on the other hand, expresses union or togetherness, but only in a closed group of words—it cannot simply be added to any noun or adjective.[10]
Verbal prefixes commonly in use are be-, ent-, er-, ge-, miss-, ver-, and zer- (see also Separable verb).[10] be- expresses strengthening or generalization. ent- expresses negation. ge- indicates the completion of an action, which is why its most common use has become the forming of the past participle of verbs; ver- has an emphatic function, or it is used to turn a substantive or an adjective into a verb.[9] In some cases, the prefix particle ent- (negation) can be considered the opposite of particle be-, while er- can be considered the opposite of ver-.[11][12]
The prefix er- usually indicates the successful completion of an action, and sometimes the conclusion means death.[13] With fewer verbs, it indicates the beginning of an action.[9][13] The prefix er- is also used to form verbs from adjectives (e.g. erkalten is equivalent to kalt werden which means «to get cold»).[13]
See also[edit]
- Affix
- Suffix
- Privative
- Bound and unbound morphemes
- English prefix
- List of Greek and Latin roots in English
- substring#Prefix
- Metric prefix
References[edit]
- ^ a b Wilson 2011, p. 152–153.
- ^ Beard, Robert (1998). «She Derivation». The Handbook of Morphology. Blackwell. pp. 44–45.
- ^ Miyake, Yoshimi (1999). The Japanese deferential prefix o: A natural history (PhD). University of Michigan. hdl:2027.42/131729. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
- ^ Kaiser, Stefan; Ichikawa, Yasuko; Kobayashi, Noriko; Yamamoto, Hilofumi (2013). Japanese: A Comprehensive Grammar. pp. 29–31. ISBN 9780415687393.
- ^ Nurse, Derek; Philippson, Gérard, eds. (2003). The Bantu languages. London: Routledge. pp. 103–110. ISBN 9780700711345.
- ^ Young & Morgan (1980). The Navajo Language: A Grammar and Colloquial Dictionary. University of New Mexico Press. p. 99.
- ^ Borchers, D. (2008). A Grammar of Sunwar: Descriptive Grammar, Paradigms, Texts and Glossary. Brill Academic Publishers. p. 169.
- ^ Wade, T. (2000). A Comprehensive Russian Grammar. Blackwell Publishers. pp. 32, 33. ISBN 9781405136396.
- ^ a b c a short history of the german language. Taylor & Francis.
- ^ a b Cf. Chambers, W. Walker and Wilkie, John R. (1970) A Short History of the German Language, London: Methuen & Company, Ltd., p. 63
- ^ Boileau, Daniel (1820). The Nature and Genius of the German Language: Displayed in a More Extended Review of Its Grammatical Forms Than is to be Found in Any Grammar Extant, and Elucidated by Quotations from the Best Writers. T. Boosey and sons.
- ^ Maylor, B. Roger (2002-01-01). Lexical Template Morphology: Change of State and the Verbal Prefixes in German. John Benjamins Publishing. ISBN 978-90-272-3061-4.
- ^ a b c Schmidt, Karl A. (1974-01-01). Easy Ways to Enlarge Your German Vocabulary. Courier Corporation. ISBN 978-0-486-23044-3.
Works cited[edit]
- Mihaliček, Vedrana; Wilson, Christin (2011). Language Files: Materials for an Introduction to Language and Linguistics. Ohio State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8142-5179-9.
Look up prefix in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prefixes.
8. Прочитайте теоретический блок. Используйте соответствующие приставки для того, чтобы заполнить пробелы 1-5.
Образование слов с использованием приставок
Приставка добавляется в начале слова, чтобы образовать новое слово. Вот некоторые из них: re— (= снова) (писать — переписать), super— (= большой/больше) (герой-супергерой), multi-(= много) (национальный — многонациональный), over-(= слишком много) (реагировать — реагировать слишком остро). under-(= слишком мало) (оценить — недооценить), semi-(= половина) (отдельный — полуотдельный), pre— (= перед) (греть — предварительно греть), co-(= вместе) (работать — сотрудничать).
Если у вас 1) избыточный вес , не 2)переусердствуйте, когда вы едите. Купите свежие фрукты и овощи, купите 3)мультизлаковый хлеб, а не белый и полуобезжиренное молоко, а не полную сметану и не пережарьте овощи.
ГДЗ #
1. overweight
2. overdo
3. multigrain
4. semi-skimmed
5. overcook
8. Read the theory box. Use appropriate prefixes to complete gaps 1-5.
Forming words using prefixes
A prefix is added at the beginning of a word in order to form a new word. Some of them are: re- (= again) (write — rewrite , super- (= big/more) (hero -superhero , multi- (= many) (national — multinational , over- (= too much) (react — overreact , under- (= too little) (estimate — underestimate , semi- (= half) (detached — semi-detached , pre- (= before) (heat -preheat , со- (= together) (operate — co-operate .
If you are 1 ……………..weight, don’t 2 ……………
do it when you are eating. Buy fresh fruit and
vegetables, buy 3 ………………..grain bread, not
white, and 4 ………………..skimmed milk, not full
cream and don’t 5 ………………..cook vegetables.
На этой странице вы сможете найти и списать готовое домешнее задание (ГДЗ) для школьников по предмету Английский язык, которые посещают 10 класс из книги или рабочей тетради под названием/издательством «Spotlight», которая была написана автором/авторами: Афанасьева, Дули. ГДЗ представлено для списывания совершенно бесплатно и в открытом доступе.
Prefixes and suffixes are not words. They are groups of letters added to words. They change the meanings of words. We add prefixes to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. For example, un + happy becomes unhappy, meaning not happy. Suffixes go at the end of words. They change a word’s meaning, and sometimes they change the word’s part of speech. For example, beauty + ful becomes beautiful, meaning full of beauty. Beauty is a noun, but beautiful is an adjective. In this posting I give you some of the most common prefixes and suffixes. In addition, I give you their meanings and some example words. The download at the end will give you additional practice using prefixes and suffixes.
Here is the lesson I taught on Prefixes in English:
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Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word. They change the meaning of the word, but not its part of speech. Below are some common prefixes, their meanings, and example words.
- a (not or opposite)–atypical
- un (not or opposite)–unsafe, unlock, unhappy
- re (again, back)–reread, return
- in (into, not)–invade, inexpensive
- im (into, not–used when the root or regular word begins with the letters m or p)–important, immoral
- ir (not–used when the rood word begins with the letter r)–irregular, irrational
- il (not–used when the rood word begins with the letter l)–illegal, illogical
- dis (not, away)–disagree, distrust, discredit
- em, en (causes something to happen)–employ, enjoy
- non (not)–nonsense, nonverbal
- over (too much)–oversleep
- mis (wrong)–mistake, misjudge
- sub (under)–submarine
- pre (before)–preschool, preview, prepay
- inter (between, among)–interstate, international
- fore (before)–forecast
- de, dis (opposite of, not)–decaffeinated, disapprove
- trans (across, move between)–transatlantic, transfer
- super (above)–superstore, supervise
- semi (half)–semifinal, semicircle
- anti (against)–antifreeze, antibiotic
- mid (middle) Midwest, midnight
- under (too little, not enough)–underfed, underweight
- co (with)–copilot, cooperation
- post (after)–postpone, post-natal
- para (beside)–paramedic
- tri (three)–triangle
- uni (one)–universe, universal
Study English Prefixes here with flashcards
Here is the lesson I taught on Suffixes in English
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Download the Practice Sheet NOW
Suffixes go at the end of words. A suffix always changes the meaning of the root word. It sometimes changes the part of speech as well. Here are some common suffixes, their meanings, and example words. They are arranged by part of speech.
Suffixes that make words nouns
- acy (state or quality)–democracy, accuracy
- ance, ence (state or quality of)–tolerance, independence
- dom (state of being or state of mind)–freedom, boredom
- er, or, ist, ian, eer (one who does something)–teacher, doctor, hair stylist, comedian, engineer
- ty, ity (quality)–honesty, clarity
- ment (condition)–argument
- ness (state of being)–happiness, heaviness
- ship (condition, position held)–friendship, internship, citizenship
- sion, tion (state of being)–obsession, position, promotion
Suffixes that make words verbs
- ate (become)–create, collaborate, cooperate
- en (become)–sharpen, loosen, strengthen
- ify, fy (make or become)–satisfy, justify
- ize (become)–realize, publicize
Suffixes that make words adjectives
- able, ible (capable of being)– edible, incredible, capable
- al (having to form of character of, pertaining to)–national, thermal, herbal
- ful (full of)–playful, hopeful, beautiful
- ic, ical ( having the form or character of)–comic, musical
- ious, ous (characterized by, having the quality of)–jealous, religious, ridiculous
- ish (having the quality of, being like)–childish, sheepish
- ive (having the nature of)–attentive, informative
- less (without)–homeless, hopeless
Suffixes that make words adverbs
- ly (in the manner of)–slowly, happily, softly
- ward, wards (in the direction of)–backwards, towards, inward
- wise (in relation to)–otherwise, likewise, clockwise
Grammatical suffixes
These suffixes change the meaning of the root word, but not the part of speech
- s, es–These suffixes make nous plural–hotels, dishes
- ed–This suffix indicates a verb in the past tense–looked, walked
- ing–This is a marker for the present progressive tense–going, looking
Words with both prefixes and suffixes
Many words have both a prefix and a suffix. Here are some examples, with example sentences.
- unhappily — She walked home unhappily (not in a happy manner) after she failed the math test.
- rereading — I finally understood the chapter after my third rereading of it. ( I had to read it over three times)
- uninteresting –That movie was very uninteresting. I fell asleep! (I was very bored during the movie.)
- unusually –She was unusually tired after work. Maybe she’s getting sick. (She was much more tired than she usually is after work)
- forecasting —Forecasting the weather is a difficult science. (It is difficult to predict the weather.)
Study English Suffixes with these flashcards
You now know many common English prefixes and suffixes. Prefixes go in front of words. They change the meaning of the root word, but not the part of speech. Suffixes go at the end of words. They change the meaning of the root word, and quite often the part of speech, as well. Prefixes and suffixes are very common in English. Perhaps many of the are the same or similar in your language. Now that you know many common prefixes and suffixes in English, it will be easier for you to form and understand many English words. the download will give you additional practice using prefixes and suffixes.
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Idioms of the day
- to go along for the ride — This means to go someplace with someone, but not take any part in the activity, You can use this expression even if you are walking. My friend and I went shopping. I did not plan to buy anything. I just went along for the ride.
- a hop, skip, and a jump — This means a very short distance. When you go to see your mother, stop by my house and visit me. I only live a hop,skip, and a jump from her.
The System of Affixation in English refers to the process of attaching a group of letters to a word in order to change its meaning, number, state, or form.
There are two primary types of affixation: Prefixes and Suffixes
| Base word | Affixation | Word |
|---|---|---|
| determined | pre + determined | predetermined |
| play | play + er | player |
| weekly | bi + weekly | biweekly |
| follow | follow + ing | following |
Prefix
A prefix is a small group of letters that are affixed at the beginning of the word.
- Subsidiary
- Nonviolence
- Intolerance
Functions of Prefix
Indicate presence or absence
| amoral | without morals |
| injected | put into |
| congenital | present from birth |
Indicate position
| hypodermic | under the skin |
| circumnavigate | to sail around |
| antechamber | a chamber before another |
| Interstellar | between stars |
Indicate qualities, size, or number
| thermometer | heat measuring instrument |
| macrocosm | big world or universe |
| polyglot | someone who speaks many languages |
Indicates time, frequency, or order
| post dated | later than the stipulated date |
| redo | do again |
| primary | first |
Types of Prefixes
Negative Prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| un- | not | uncomfortable, unbearable, unforgivable |
| in- | not | incomplete, indecisive, independent |
| dis- | opposite of | disinterested, disproportionate, displeasure |
| ir- | not | irresponsive, irresponsible, irrevocable |
| il- | not | illogical, illegitimate, illegible |
| im- | not | improbable, impossible, impenetrable |
| non- | not | nonviolent, nonchalant, non-invasive |
| mis- | wrong/wrongly | misinterpret, misunderstand, miscalculation |
| mis- | hate | misogynist, misogamist, misanthrope |
| mal- | bad/ badly | malfunction, malevolent, malediction, malnutrition |
| anti- | against | antinational, antibacterial, antibiotics |
| de- | down, reduce | descend, decry, deject, demote, decline |
| a- | without, not | asocial, amorphous, abiotic, atrophy |
| dis- | apart, off, away | disband, disturb, disburse, dismiss |
| dys- | bad | dystopia, dysfunctional, dyslexia |
Prefixes of Size
| Prefix | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| semi- | half | semicircle, semiconductor, semi-active, semicolon |
| equi- | equal | equidistant, equivalent, equisonant |
| micro- | small, tiny | microscope, microorganism, microcosm, micromanage |
| macro- | big | macroeconomics, macrocosm, macrolevel |
| mega- | big | megalomaniac, megapolis, megapixel |
| mini- | small | minimum, minicomputer, miniature |
| maxi- | big | maximum, maximal, maxim |
| hemi- | half | hemisphere |
Prefixes of Position or Location
| Prefix | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| inter- | between | interstellar, intermediate, interval, intervene |
| super- | over, above | superfluous, supersede, superintendent, supervisor |
| trans- | across | transfer, transport, transgress, transmit |
| ex- | out | exterior, external, extraneous, extract |
| in-/ im- | inside | internal, induce, imbibe, impregnate, influence |
| sub-, suc-, sus- | under | subterranean, susceptible, submit, submarine |
| sur- | over | surface, surfeit, surrender, survive, surcharge |
| circum- | around | circumspect, circumnavigate, circumscribe, circumvent |
| peri- | around | perimeter, periscope, perimortem |
| per- | through | percolate, pervade, perfect, perforated, perceive |
| infra- | below | infrared, infravision, infrarealism |
| ab- | away | abduct, abstain, abjure, abdicate |
| contra- | against | contravene, contradict, contralto, contrast |
| de- | down | descend, decline, demote, decrease |
| dia- | across | diagonal, diaphanous, diachronic, diagnosis |
| hyper- | over | hypertrophy, hyperactivity, hyperbole, hypertension |
| hypo- | under | hypothermia, hypothyroid |
| ob- | against | obloquy, obnoxious, object, obfuscate |
| pro- | for | prologue, provide, protect, project, procreate |
| syn-, sym- | together | synthesis, syndicate, sympathy |
| ultra- | beyond | ultraviolet, ultramodern, ultra-royalist, ultrasonic |
| under- | under | underground, underachiever, underestimate |
| meta- | beyond | metastasis, metabolize, metamorphic, metaphysics |
| mid- | between | midterm, middle, midday |
| by- | near | bypass, bygone, by-product |
| epi- | upon | epidermis, epilogue, epitaph |
| post- | back | postern, posterior |
Prefixes of time and sequence
| Prefix | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| pre- | before | prevent, prepare, predict, premonition, prelude |
| ante- | before | antediluvian, antebellum |
| prime- | first | primary, primordial, prima donna, primate, primeval |
| post- | after | posterity, posthumous, postlude, post-marital |
| retro- | before | retrogression, retroflex, retrospect |
| pro- | before | progenitor, proceed, prologue, prophecy, prophylactic |
| re- | again | recur, recount, rethink |
| fore- | before | foretell, forestall, foresight |
| after- | after | after-effects, afterthought |
| chron- | time | chronology, chronicle |
Prefixes of numbers and amount
| Prefix | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| mono- | one | monotheism, monologue, monochromatic, monarch |
| uni- | one | universe, unitary, union, unanimous, unity |
| bi- | two | bicentennial, biannual, bicycle, bigamous, bipolar |
| du-, di- | two | duo, dual, dicotyledon, dichromatic |
| tri- | three | trident, tricolor, triumvirate, trifecta, trilogy, tripod |
| quad- | four | quadruple, quadruplets, quadrilateral |
| tetra- | four | tetrapods, tetrameter |
| penta- | five | pentagram, pentacle, pentagon |
| quint- | five | quintuplets, quintal |
| hex- | six | hexagon, hexadecimal, hexameter |
| sex- | six | sextuplets, sextet |
| sept- | seven | septuagenarian, septuplets |
| hept- | seven | heptagonal, heptathlon |
| octa- | eight | octagon, October, octopus, octuplets |
| nov- | nine | novena, November |
| dec- | ten | decade, decimal, decathlon |
| hendeca- | eleven | hendecacolic, hendecagonal |
| dodeca- | twelve | dodecahedron, dodecaphony |
| triskaideka- | thirteen | triskaidekaphobia |
| cent- | hundred | century, century, centipede |
| hector- | thousand | hector, hectogram |
| kilo- | thousand | kilogram |
| mega- | million | megaton, megahertz |
| giga- | billion | gigabyte |
| multi- | many | multimillionaire, multipurpose |
| poly- | many | polynomial, polygon, polymath |
Miscellaneous Prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| alb- | white | albino, albinism |
| ambi- | both | ambidextrous, ambivalent, ambiguous |
| amphi- | both | amphibian, amphitheatre |
| bio- | life | biology, biohazard, biosphere |
| auto- | self | automated, autonomous, autocrat |
| co-, com-, con- | together, joint | co-dependent, companion, congregation |
| en-, em- | make, become | engender, empower, endanger |
| eu- | good | euthanasia, eulogy, euphemism |
| cario- | heart | cardiovascular, cardiogram |
| hydr- | water | hydrogen, hydraulic, hydrophobia |
| ig- | bad | ignominy, ignoble, ignorant |
| bene- | good | benevolent, benediction, benign |
| bon- | good | bon voyage, bonhomie, bonafide |
| homo- | same | homonym, homophone, homeopathy |
| pan- | all | panacea, pan Asiatic, panorama |
| pseudo- | fake | pseudonym |
| neo-, nov- | new | neologism, novelty |
| amo-, ami | love | amorous, amicable, amiable |
| aqua- | water | aqueduct, aquatic |
Suffix
A suffix is a group of letters that are fixed to the end of a root word or a base word.
Functions of Suffix
Change the part of speech of the word
| meaning (n) | meaningful (adj) |
| beautiful (adj) | beautifully (adv) |
| subject (n) | subjecting (v) |
Indicate whether the number is singular or plural
| girl (singular noun) | girls (plural noun) |
| stratum (singular noun ) | strata (plural noun) |
| lifts (singular verb) | lift (plural verb) |
Indicate the tense of the verb
| hopped (past) | hopping (continuous) |
| steal (past) | stolen (past participle) |
Indicate the gender of a noun
| host (masculine) | hostess (feminine) |
| steward (masculine) | stewardess (feminine) |
| executor (masculine) | executrix (feminine) |
Types of Suffixes
Noun Suffixes
| Suffix | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -al | state | refusal, betrayal, perusal |
| -ance, -ence, -ancy, -ency | quality or state | militancy, performance |
| -tion | condition | condition, relation |
| -ice | condition | malice, novice, justice |
| -er/-or | doer | painter, trainer, actor |
| -graph | record | telegraph, phonograph, polygraph |
| -ism | belief | Hinduism, communism, fascism |
| -ist | doer | pacifist, pianist, altruist |
| -ian | someone who does | Gandhian, guardian, politician |
| -ing | name of an activity | reading, gardening, sleeping |
| -ity | state | continuity, annuity |
| -logy | the study | geology, neurology |
| -ship | state of | friendship, kinship, sportsmanship |
| -sion, -tion | the process of | expansion, determination, connection |
| -ory | place | dormitory, reformatory, laboratory |
| -orium, -arium | place | sanitarium, aquarium, crematorium |
| -mania | madness | monomania, bibliomania, egomani |
| -phobia | fear | hydrophobia, cynophobia, mysophobia |
| -ure | state | composure, exposure, leisure |
| -ment | state | abandonment, refinement, entertainment |
| -ness | state | happiness, completeness, fullness |
Suffixes of Verbs
| Suffix | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -able | to make | enable, disable |
| -ate | Latin origin verbs | recreate, abate, mediate |
| -ed | simple past or participle form | killed, toyed, booked |
| -en | verbs formed from adjectives | broken, frozen, sunken |
| -er | actions that have a repetitive quality | blabber, snicker, mutter |
| -fy | do | magnify, specify, rectify |
| -ing | action in continuation | hearing, yearning, making |
| -ise | to make/do | revolutionise, apologise, despise |
| -ish | become or do | flourish, banish, demolish |
| -nt | to do | prevent, augment, content |
| -s, -es | simple present tense form | criticises, runs, laughs |
Suffixes of Adjectives
| Suffix | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| -able, -ible | having the quality of | flexible, available, eatable |
| -al | related to | ventral, global, musical |
| -ant | doing | dependent, buoyant, resilient |
| -ic | having the quality | terrific, generic, specific |
| -esque | like, having the quality | statuesque, picturesque |
| -er, -est | comparative and superlative qualities | fatter, tallest |
| -ose | full of | verbose, grandiose |
| -ful | full of | beautiful, boastful, grateful |
| -ing | participle form of an adjective | interesting, frustrating, sleeping |
| -istic | having the quality | realistic, artistic, surrealistic |
| -ive | having the nature of | pensive, aggressive, massive |
| -ous, -ious | full of | gaseous, spacious, gracious |
Suffixes of Adverbs
| Suffix | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| -ably | with a quality | comfortably, admirably, disagreeably |
| -ibly | with a quality | audibly, horribly, negligibly |
| -s | shows time or place | backwards, always, forwards |
| -wise | shows manner or position | clockwise, otherwise, lengthwise |
Root Words and Base Words
The root word and the base words are the parts that contain the primary meaning of the word. Prefixes and suffixes are added to root and base words to create new words and ideas.
Root Word
- A root word cannot stand on its own as an independent word.
- It needs the addition of the prefix or the suffix for the completion of its meaning.
- For example, let us consider the words amphibian, regeneration and subtraction.
amphi- -bi- -an
prefix root suffix
re- -generat- -ion
prefix root suffix
sub- -tract- -ion
prefix root suffix
- In the above cases, the roots -bi-, -generat- and -tract- cannot stand alone as individual words.
- They are therefore known as root words.
Base Word
- A base word, unlike a root word, can stand on its own like an independent word.
- It does not need the addition of a prefix or suffix in order to function as a stand-alone word.
- For example, let us consider the words redone, nonviolent and unmoved.
re- done
prefix base word
non- violent
prefix base word
un- moved
prefix base word
In the above examples, done, violent, and moved can function as independent words.
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Also, Read
Figures of Speech
Subject Verb Agreement
Degrees of Comparison
