Does a prefix change the meaning of a word

👉 Prefix Meaning

Prefix is a letter or a group of letters that appears at the beginning of a word and changes the word’s original meaning.

Prefix Meaning Translation

English	Prefix is a letter or a group of letters that appears at the beginning of a word and changes the word’s original meaning.
Spanish	El prefijo es una letra o un grupo de letras que aparece al principio de una palabra y cambia su significado original.
French	Le préfixe est une lettre ou un groupe de lettres qui apparaît au début d’un mot et qui en modifie le sens initial.
Italian	Il prefisso è una lettera o un gruppo di lettere che appare all’inizio di una parola e cambia il significato originale della parola.
German	Eine Vorsilbe ist ein Buchstabe oder eine Gruppe von Buchstaben, die am Anfang eines Wortes erscheint und die ursprüngliche Bedeutung des Wortes verändert.
Portuguese	Prefixo é uma letra ou um grupo de letras que aparece no início de uma palavra e altera o significado original da palavra.
Russian	Префикс – это буква или группа букв, которая появляется в начале слова и изменяет его исходное значение.
Chinese	前缀是指出现在单词开头的一个字母或一组字母，它改变了单词的本义。
Japanese	接頭辞とは、単語の先頭に現れ、その単語の本来の意味を変える文字または文字群のことです。
Polish	Przedrostek to litera lub grupa liter, która pojawia się na początku słowa i zmienia jego pierwotne znaczenie.
Hungarian	Az előtag olyan betű vagy betűcsoport, amely egy szó elején jelenik meg, és megváltoztatja a szó eredeti jelentését.
Swedish	Prefix är en bokstav eller en grupp av bokstäver som står i början av ett ord och ändrar ordets ursprungliga betydelse.

👉 Suffix Meaning

What is the Suffix?

Suffix is a letter or a group of letters that is usually added onto the end of words, to change the way a word fits into a sentence grammatically.

Suffix Meaning Translation

English	Suffix is a letter or a group of letters that is usually added onto the end of words, to change the way a word fits into a sentence grammatically.
Spanish	El sufijo es una letra o un grupo de letras que se suele añadir al final de las palabras, para cambiar la forma en que una palabra encaja gramaticalmente en una frase.
French	Le suffixe est une lettre ou un groupe de lettres qui est généralement ajouté à la fin d’un mot, afin de modifier la façon dont ce mot s’intègre dans une phrase sur le plan grammatical.
Italian	Il suffisso è una lettera o un gruppo di lettere che di solito viene aggiunto alla fine delle parole, per cambiare il modo in cui una parola si inserisce grammaticalmente in una frase.
German	Ein Suffix ist ein Buchstabe oder eine Gruppe von Buchstaben, die normalerweise an das Ende von Wörtern angehängt wird, um die Art und Weise zu ändern, wie ein Wort grammatikalisch in einen Satz passt.
Portuguese	Sufixo é uma letra ou um grupo de letras que é normalmente adicionado no final das palavras, para alterar a forma como uma palavra se encaixa numa frase gramaticalmente.
Russian	Суффикс – это буква или группа букв, которые обычно добавляются в конец слова, чтобы изменить способ грамматического вставки слова в предложение.
Chinese	后缀是一个字母或一组字母，通常加在单词的末尾，以改变一个单词在语法上与句子的配合方式。
Japanese	Suffix（サフィックス）とは、通常、単語の末尾に付加される文字または文字群のことで、文法的に単語が文に収まる方法を変えるためのものです。
Polish	Sufiks to litera lub grupa liter, która jest zazwyczaj dodawana na końcu słowa, aby zmienić sposób, w jaki słowo pasuje do zdania pod względem gramatycznym.
Hungarian	Az utótag olyan betű vagy betűcsoport, amelyet általában a szavak végére illesztenek, hogy megváltoztassák a szó nyelvtani beilleszkedését a mondatba.
Swedish	Suffix är en bokstav eller en grupp av bokstäver som vanligtvis läggs till i slutet av ett ord för att ändra hur ett ord passar in i en mening rent grammatiskt.

Suffix Meaning Translation

Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs all tend to use different suffixes, so this makes it a little easier to remember! Collectively, prefixes and suffixes are known as ‘affixes’.👉 Prefixes

Prefix Definitions

A prefix is a letter or a group of letters that attaches to the beginning of a word and helps to indicate or modify its meaning. An easy example would be the word ‘prefix’ itself! It begins with the prefix pre-, which means ‘before’.

It is quite important to understand what different prefixes mean as they can help to understand the meanings of any new vocabulary that you learn. However, you do need to be careful, as sometimes a prefix can have more than one meaning!

An example would be im-, this can mean ‘not’ or ‘into’.

Here is a list of the most common prefixes

👉 Prefix Examples

PREFIX	MEANING	EXAMPLES
ante-	before	antenatal, anteroom, antedate
anti-	against, opposing	antibiotic, antidepressant, antidote
circum-	around	circumstance, circumvent, circumnavigate
co-	with	co-worker, co-pilot, co-operation
de-	off, down, away from	devalue, defrost, derail, demotivate
dis-	opposite of, not	disagree, disappear, disintegrate, disapprove
em-, en-	cause to, put into	embrace, encode, embed, enclose, engulf
epi-	upon, close to, after	epicentre, episcope, epidermis
ex-	former, out of	ex-president, ex-boyfriend, exterminate
extra-	beyond, more than	extracurricular, extraordinary, extra-terrestrial
fore-	before	forecast, forehead, foresee, foreword, foremost
homo-	same	homosexual, homonuclear, homoplastic
hyper-	over, above	hyperactive, hyperventilate
il-, im-, in-, ir-	not	impossible, illegal, irresponsible, indefinite
im-, in-	into	insert, import, inside
infra-	beneath, below	infrastructure, infrared, infrasonic, infraspecific
inter-, intra-	between	interact, intermediate, intergalactic, intranet
macro-	large	macroeconomics, macromolecule
micro-	small	microscope, microbiology, microfilm, microwave
mid-	middle	midfielder, midway, midsummer
mis-	wrongly	misinterpret, misfire, mistake, misunderstand
mono-	one, singular	monotone, monobrow, monolithic
non-	not, without	nonsense, nonentity, nondescript
omni-	all, every	omnibus, omnivore, omnipotent
para-	beside	parachute, paramedic, paradox
post-	after	post-mortem, postpone, post-natal
pre-	before	prefix, predetermine, pre-intermediate
re-	again	return, rediscover, reiterate, reunite
semi-	half	semicircle, semi-final, semiconscious
sub-	under	submerge, submarine, sub-category, subtitle
super-	above, over	superfood, superstar, supernatural, superimpose
therm-	heat	thermometer, thermostat, thermodynamic
trans-	across, beyond	transport, transnational, transatlantic
tri-	three	triangle, tripod, tricycle
un-	not	unfinished, unfriendly, undone, unknown
uni-	one	unicycle, universal, unilateral, unanimous

METRIC SYSTEM PREFIXES

nano-	0. 000 000 001
milli-	0. 001
centi-	0. 01
kilo-	1000
mega-	1000 000
giga-	1000 000 000
tera-	1000 000 000 000

Prefix nano-

The prefix nano- is used in the metric system. The prefix denotes a factor of one billionth.

Example:

• Nanometer

Prefix milli-

The prefix milli- is used in the metric system. It has only one use and it is to denote a factor of one thousandth.

Example:

• Millimeter

Prefix centi-

Centi- is a unit prefix in the metric system. It denotes a factor of one hundredth.

Examples:

• Centimeter, centigram, centiliter, etc.

Prefix kilo-

The prefix kilo- is a decimal unit prefix in the metric system. It denotes a multiplication of one thousand.

Examples:

• Kilogram, kilometer, kilojoule, kilobyte, kilobit, kiloohm, kilosecond, etc.

Prefix mega-

The prefix mega- can be used in two ways. The first is as a unit prefix in the metric system, and it describes one million units. The second is as an add-on for words to make them present something large.

Examples for metric system

• Megapixel, megahertz, megabyte, megawatt, megadeath, megaton, megameter, etc.

Examples for add-on:

• Mega-mass, mega-man, mega-important, mega-dope, mega-sized, etc.

Prefix giga-

The prefix giga- is used in the metric system to denote a factor of a billion. It is also commonly hyphenated in colloquial speech to describe something of great size.

Examples:

• Gigahertz, gigabyte, gigabit, giga-shroom, giga-power, giga-hamburger, giga-sized, etc.

Prefix tera- / Prefix for trillion

The prefix for trillion is tera-. Tera- is a unit prefix in the metric system.

Examples:

• Terawatt, terabyte, teralitre, terameter, terasecond, etc.

MEDICAL, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND SCIENCE PREFIXES

epi-	Biology and medicine – meaning: up, upon, over, etc.
para-	Science and medicine – meaning: on the side of, beside, etc.
endo-	Biology and Medicine – meaning: within
eu-	Biology and chemistry – meaning: good, well
intra-	Medicine and biology – meaning: within
hemi-	Medicine and biology – meaning: half
hetero-	Biology and social science – meaning: different, other
trans-	Chemistry and astronomy – meaning: across, over, beyond, etc.
sub-	Chemistry and science – meaning: under, below, beneath, etc.
poly-	Chemistry, biology, and music theory – meaning: many, much, etc.
tetra-	Chemistry, math, and geometry – meaning: four
iso-	Chemistry – meaning: equal
di-	Chemistry – meaning: two, twice, double
mono-	Chemistry and biology – meaning: singular, alone, one
hyper-	Science and astrology – meaning: abundant, exaggerated, etc.
hypo-	Medicine and biology – meaning: under
peri-	Biology and geography – meaning: around, about, etc.

Prefix epi-

The prefix epi- is of Greek origin. It describes something that is on, upon, over, near, at before, or after something else. It is used across many sciences and disciplines, and is most common in biology and medicine,

Examples:

• Epicenter, epiblast, epidemic, epicarp, epiderm, epidural, epigene, epistasis, epidermis, epitome, epigraph, epigram, epipod, etc.

Prefix para-

The prefix para- is most commonly attached to verbs, and verb phrases. It means at one side of, or on the side of, as well as meaning beside, side by side, beyond, past, or describes something defective or inactive. It is used commonly in sciences and medicine.

Examples:

• Paradigm, parabola, paradox, parasitic, parallax, parameter, paranoia, paranormal, paraphernalia, parapraxis, parasite, paralegal, etc.

Prefix endo-

Endo- is a very simple prefix, and it means within. It is commonly used in biology, medicine, and other sciences.

Examples:

• Endobiotic, endocarp, endocrine, endoderm, endogenous, endomitosis, endomorph, endorphin, endoplasm, endospore, endotherm, etc.

Prefix eu-

The prefix eu- stems from Greek. It means something good, or well. It is commonly used in biology, medicine, and chemistry.

Examples:

• Eulogy, eucalyptus, euchlorine, euglycemia, eukaryote, euthanasia, euglena, eupeptic, eupnea, euthyroid, euthropic, euploid, etc.

Prefix intra-

The prefix intra- simply means within, and it is often associated with the prefix inter-. It is used to form compound words. The prefix intra- is also commonly used in biology and medicine.

Examples:

• Intravenous, intradermal, intracranial, intrada, intracardiac, intraclonal, intracodon, intray, intraocular, intrauterine, intrahost, intrasient, intraset, etc.

Prefix hemi-

The prefix hemi- is a simple one, and it means half. It is most commonly used in medicine and biology.

Examples:

• Hemiparesis, hemiplegia, hemithorax, hemihelix, hemicarbonic, hemicerebral, hemicoronal, heminode, hemiparesis, etc.

Prefix hetero-

The prefix hetero- simply means different, or other. It’s most commonly encountered in medicine and biology, as well as sometimes in social sciences.

Examples:

• Heterocyclic, heteromorphism, heterosexual, heterozygous, heterodox, heterogene, heteropod, heterochromatic, heterolateral, heterodiagenic, etc.

Prefix trans-

The prefix trans- is originally from Latin, and it’s very versatile in its use. It means something across, over, beyond, through, or changing. It is also used in chemistry, and astronomy, to denote distance. It also refers to something on the other side of something, and is used to describe one’s gender if it doesn’t align with the biologically assigned sex. 

Examples:

• Transgression, translucent, transaction, transfixed, transatlantic, transcontinental, trans-Martian, trans-Neptunian, transsexual, transgender, translation, etc.

Prefix sub-

The prefix sub- comes from Latin and it is very simple, but versatile. It means under, below, beneath, slightly, nearly, imperfect, secondary, or subordinate. It is also commonly used in chemistry and other sciences.

Examples:

• Subject, subtract, subjugate, subnitrate, suboxide, subchloride, subplot, subcommittee, subvert, submerge, submarine, subscribe, subtropical, etc.

Prefix poly-

The prefix poly- means many, much, or in great number. It is very common in chemistry and biology, as well as music theory.

Examples:

• Polyandrous, polyethylene, polymorphic, polyglot, polymer, polyester, polycaliber, polycentric, polytonal, polychord, polycratic, etc.

Prefix tetra-

Tetra- is a numeral prefix, and it means four. It is used to denote a thing that consists of four parts. It is commonly used in various sciences, especially chemistry, math, and geometry.

Examples:

• Tetrameter, tetragon, tetrahelix, tetrahydride, tetraionic, tetrachloride, tetracube, tetracycline, tetraethyl, tetranuclear, etc.

Prefix iso-

The prefix iso- means equal. It is commonly used in chemistry to describe isometric compounds. It is also used in the formation of various compound words.

Examples:

• Isometric, isotope, isocyanic, isoalkene, isolate, isontropic, isoclonal, isocurve, etc.

Prefix di-

The prefix di- comes from Greek, and it means two, twice, or double. It is used in the formation of various compound words. It is commonly seen in chemistry.

Examples:

• Dipolar, disulfide, diatomic, dioxide, dialogic, diazepine, dicobalt, diacarboxyl, dibasal, dibenzonate, etc.

Prefix mono-

The prefix mono- means something singular, alone, or simply one. It is commonly used in various sciences.

Examples:

• Mononucleosis, monophonic, monogamy, monorail, monopoly, monotheism, monolayer, monohydrate, monotonous, monotone, monoplan, etc.

Prefix hyper-

The prefix hyper- comes from Greek. It is used to describe something that is abundant, it means over and denotes something in excess or something being exaggerated. It is used commonly in sciences to denote mass or space.

Examples:

• Hyperbole, hyperthyroid, hyperventilate, hypermass, hyperinflation, hyperactive, hypercatabolic, hyperchloric, hypercritical, hyperchronic, hyperlink, etc.

Prefix hypo-

Hypo is a very simple prefix that comes from Greek. It means under. It is commonly used in medical terms, as well as generally in sciences and various researches.

Examples:

• Hypodermic, hypoglycemia, hypochondria, hypoallergenic, hypothesis, hypocritical, hypocrite, hypocorism, hypogean, hypocaust, etc.

Prefix peri-

The prefix peri- comes from Greek. It means around, about, enclosing, surrounding, or near. It is commonly used in biology and geography.

Examples:

• Periphery, periscope, pericranial, peridigital, perifacial, perimeter, peripatetic, perimorph, periodontal, periosteum, perihelion, etc. 

Chemistry Prefixes

In chemistry prefixes are used to name various compounds. These prefixes denote the number of a given element within a compound.

Prefixes:

• 1 – mono, 2 – di, 3 – tri, 4 – tetra, 5 – penta, 6 – hexa, 7 – hepta, 8 – octa, 9 – nona, 10 – deca

Examples:

• Nitrogen trihydride, copper sulfate pentahydrate, bicarbon sulfate, etc.

GRAMMATICAL PREFIXES

de-	Privation, removal, separation, etc.
inter-	In between, among, together, etc.
pro-	Affinity to something, advancing, etc.
ex-	Our of, from, without
un-	Not, opposite meaning of the original word
re-	Again, repeating, back, etc.
mis-	Mistaken, wrong, incorrect, etc.
con-	Together, joined, etc.
pre-	Before, prior to, in front of, etc.
im-	Change meaning to the negative form of the original
ad-	To, towards, joining, etc.
anti-	Against, in opposition of something, etc.
auto-	Self, same, spontaneous, etc.
pan-	All, union of branches
dia-	Through, completely, going apart, etc.
neo-	New, fresh, young, etc.
post-	Behind, after, later, etc.
ab-	Away from
bi-	Twice, two
co-	Together, jointly, mutually
en-	Confine something in a place, etc.
fore-	Before, in front, superior
retro-	Before, backwards
tele-	Distance, measuring distance
be-	To exist
an-	Without, lacking, not

Prefix de-

The prefix de- is of Latin origin. It is used to indicate privation, removal, separation, negation, descent, reversal, or intensity. The prefix de- is also added to verbs in order for them to mean the opposite of what they originally mean.

Examples:

• Decide, dehumidify, degrade, detract, deduce, decompose, decentralize, desensitize, deconstruct, demoralize, defrost, destroy, etc. 

Prefix inter-

The prefix inter- comes from Latin. It describes something that is between, among, in the midst of, mutual, reciprocated, together, or active during an event. The prefix can be used to modify various types of words.

Examples:

• Interact, intercede, interlude, intercept, intersect, intercom, interim, interject, intermediate, international, internet, interrupt, intertwine, interview, etc.

Prefix pro-

Pro- is a very versatile prefix. It is used to describe an affinity for something. It can also describe priority in space and time, as well as denoting advancing, or indicating substitution. 

Examples:

• Pro-British, pro-Communist, proactive, provision, prologue, proceed, produce, protract, procrastinate, proactive, prohibit, provoke, pronounce, etc.

Prefix ex-

The prefix ex- is simple to use, because it is most commonly hyphenated. It means out of, from, utterly, thoroughly, not, or without, and can indicate a former status or title.

Examples:

• Ex-wife, ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend, ex-member, ex-president, ex-convict, exodus, exhume, ex-husband, ex-Christian, etc.

Prefix un-

The prefix un- is simple to use because it only means not. It can be attached to all forms of words in order for them to mean the opposite of what they originally do.

Examples:

• Unfair, unemployed, unseen, unfeeling, uninformed, undisputed, unheard, unrest, unable, unhappy, uncooked, unzip, etc.

Prefix re-

The prefix re- is originally from Latin. It means again, or describes something that is being repeated, and it can also mean back, or backwards to denote a regression.

Examples:

• Regenerate, refurbish, reimburse, revert, retract, retype, reconsider, revolt, renew, reveal, redistribute, reconcile, restock, etc.

Prefix mis-

Mis- is a very versatile prefix, and can be applied to many different types of words. It means ill, mistaken, wrong, incorrect, and in general has a negative context.

Examples:

• Mistake, mishap, misinformed, misaligned, misspell, misread, misuse, mispronounce, mishear, mistrial, misprint, mistrust, misbehavior, etc.

Prefix con-

The prefix con- is used with nouns, adjectives, and some verbs. It means together, joined, as well as denoting a group of people, ideas, or things.

Examples:

• Confirm, congregation, congenial, console, converge, consult, confederation, conjoined, conjecture, confluence, contingent, conflate, etc.

Prefix pre-

The prefix pre- stems from Latin, and it is applied to various different words. It means before, predating, prior to, in advance of, or in front of.

Examples:

• Prelude, preset, prevent, prepay, preschool, prewar, prefrontal, prenatal, predetermined, prehistoric, pretrial, preheat, precaution, etc.

Prefix im-

The prefix im- is a negative prefix, which means it is used to change the meaning of a word into a negative. It can be applied to many different types of words, most notably nouns and adjectives.

Examples:

• Impossible, impatient, imperfect, immature, impurity, impartially, immobilized, immaculate, impassive, imperil, etc.

Prefix ad-

The prefix ad- comes from Latin. It means towards, to, with regard to, or in relation to. It can also describe addition, or joining.

Examples:

• Administer, advertise, adhere, addition, adrenal, admonish, adgerminal, addental, adoral, adjoin, etc.

Prefix anti-

The prefix anti- means against, opposite of, or in opposition of something. It is used to form compound words that mean the opposite of their original meaning. It is also commonly hyphenated.

Examples:

• Antiseptic, anti-hero, antidote, antifreeze, antisocial, antiviral, antibiotic, antibody, antiwar, anti-government, antisocial, antiaircraft, etc.

Prefix auto-

The prefix auto- means self, same, spontaneous, or self-sufficient. It is used to create compound words, and can be used on various types of words.

Examples:

• Autobiography, automotive, autopilot, autograph, automobile, automatic, autonomy, autocratic, autocorrect, autodidact, etc.

Prefix pan-

The prefix pan- comes from Greek. It means all, and it implies the union of branches or groups. It is often hyphenated, and can be used to create various compound words.

Examples:

• Panacea, panoply, pantheism, pantonality, pan-Christian, pan-Slavic, panorama, pansexual, pan-African, etc.

Prefix dia-

The prefix dia- stems from Greek. It means passing through, thoroughly, completely, going apart, or opposed in the moment. It is a very diverse prefix and is used in different compound words.

Examples:

• Diabetes, dialect, diabolic, diagnosis, dialysis, diagram, diaspora, dialogue, diaper, diarrhea, diameter, diagonal, etc.

Prefix neo-

The prefix neo- comes from Greek. It means new, fresh, young, or recent. It is often hyphenated, and can be used to create various compound words.

Examples:

• Neolithic, neo-Baroque, neoformative, neonatal, neo-socialist, neoclassical, neoclassicism, neo-fascist, neoglacial, neo-Hellenic, neocosmic, etc. 

Prefix post-

The prefix post- comes from Latin. It means behind, after, later, subsequent to. It is used in various compound words, and it can be often hyphenated.

Examples:

• Postdoctoral, postscript, postmodern, postgraduate, post-Victorian, postcolonial, post-coital, posthumous, postpone, postwar, post-Elizabethan, posterior, etc.

Prefix ab-

The prefix ab- comes from Latin. It is a simple prefix and it means away from. It’s used commonly in with various types of words.

Examples:

• Abdicate, absolve, absolute, absorb, abject, abhor, abjure, abort, absorb, abnormal, abrasive, abominable, ablation, etc.

Prefix bi-

The prefix bi- is very simple and it means twice, or two. It is used in various compound words.

Examples:

• Biracial, biceps, biannual, bilingual, bipedal, billion, binoculars, bicycle, bipartisan, bisect, bimonthly, bicarbonate, bifurcate, etc.

Prefix co-

The prefix co- means together, jointly, or mutually, and it is used with various nouns, adjectives, or verbs. It can also be hyphenated sometimes.

Examples:

• Cohabitation, coauthor, copilot, co-conspirator, co-manage, coexist, coaxial, co-captain, co-creator, co-anchor, etc.

Prefix en-

The prefix en- stems mainly from French. It means to confines something in a place, or to gather in a place, as well as to cause something or someone o be in a specific place. It is a very versatile prefix used in many different compound words.

Examples:

• Enslave, entrust, enthrone, entomb, enshrine, encircle, enclose, entwine, encapsulate, entangle, enable, endear, encase, etc.

Prefix fore-

The prefix fore- is fairly simple, and it means before, in front, or superior. It is used with various types of words.

Examples:

• Forehead, forefront, forecast, forefathers, foreman, foremost, foreground, foreshadow, foresee, foreword, forebode, etc.

Prefix retro-

The prefix retro- comes from Latin. It means before, or backwards. It is commonly used with various types of words.

Examples:

• Retroactive, retrograde, retrospective, retrogress, retrorocket, retroscape, retroglossal, retrogene, retrodiagnose, etc.

Prefix tele-

The prefix tele- means distant, or refers to a transmission over distance. It is most commonly used with nouns and adjectives.

Examples:

• Television, telesales, telephone, teleplay, telegraph, telemarketing, teleguide, telegram, telekinesis, telemonitor, etc.

Prefix be-

Be-, as a separate word, means to exist. Be- as a suffix comes from Old English, and has been used in the English language ever since. It was first used in the formation of verbs, but has since expanded in use.

Examples:

• Befriend, bewitch, besiege, beguile, become, berate, bejewel, bewail, bedazzle etc.

Prefix an-

An- is another Old English prefix. It is used to shift words into a negative meaning. This means that the words usually describe something without, lacking, or just simply means not.

Examples:

• Anoxia, anastral, anegoic, anethical, anhistorical, aniconic, anisomeric, anisotomic, anotia, anuria, etc.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What are the prefix words?

Prefixes are words that don’t mean anything on their own. They only serve to change the meaning of the word they are attached to. Prefixes, because of that, are not really words.

Prefixes are attached to the start of other words.

Example:

• DIS-

DISbelief, DISpleasure, DISconnect

DIS, by itself, does not mean anything. When it’s combined with another word it changes the meaning.

Some prefixed are words that have a meaning on their own, but they are short and can be attached to other words.

Words with the prefix for?

The prefix for is very old, and it comes from Scandinavian languages. It was adopted by the English language and has been used for ages. Usually, the prefix for is added to words when they are supposed to describe something that ends up being worse than it started.

Many words that have the prefix for are old, and are not used very commonly today.

Examples:

• Forbear, forbuy, forcut, fordo, forswearer, forgather, forhang, forlet, forlive, forset, forslow, forstop, fortear, fortread, forwarn, forwork, etc.

Other words are used in English regularly, and the prefix has been integrated into the word. In some words an E has been added between the suffix and the rest of the word. In other modern versions the prefix has remained the same

Examples:

• Forebode, forego, forefather, forbidden, forsake, foreshadow, foreskin, forsworn

Prefix Herbicide

Prefix herbicide is an American product that is manufactured in the US, and used to treat various types of grass. It is a selective herbicide and can be applied to different types of grassy terrain, as well as come crops. PREFIX is the name of manufacturer.

Are prefix allowed in scrabble?

Prefixes by themselves are not allowed in Scrabble. This means that just putting any prefix such as post-, pre-, neo-, eb-, or others, is not allowed.

However, you can use words that are built with prefixes. Only complete words are allowed in Scrabble. This means that you can use postmodernism, instead of just modernism.

Can prefix be a noun / verb / plural?

Prefixes as grammatical elements are not complete words. They cannot be any type of word except a prefix. Prefixes are used to change words and are always added to another type of words.

The only case when prefixes are complete words is when two or more words are hyphenated together. Some examples are jet-black, tar-runway, hot-blooded, and others. In this case, two full words are connected with a hyphen.

Prefix and Postfix

Prefix and postfix are terms used in programming and coding. They are connected to operators and operands. Each appears in a different situation, and achieves different results.

A prefix is an expression where the operator appears in the expression before the operands. This is then called a prefix expression.

A postfix appears in an expression when the operator appears in the expression after the operands. This is then called a postfix expression.

Prefix and postfix expressions are used in C++, Java, and C#.

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A suffix is a letter or a group of letters that is usually attached to the end of a word to form a new word, as well as alter the way it functions grammatically.

Words with Suffixes

Depending on whether it is a noun, verb, adjective or adverb, a different suffix would be required. For example, the verb read can be altered to become the noun reader by adding the suffix ­-er. The same verb can also be turned into the adjective readable by adding the suffix –able.

It is just as important to understand the definitions of suffixes as prefixes, because they too help us to deduce the meanings of any new words that we learn. I have listed some of the most common suffixes below:

👉 Suffix Examples

SUFFIX	MEANING	EXAMPLE
NOUN SUFFIXES
-acy	state or quality	democracy, accuracy, lunacy
-al	the action or process of	remedial, denial, trial, criminal
-ance, -ence	state or quality of	nuisance, ambience, tolerance
-dom	place or state of being	freedom, stardom, boredom
-er, -or	person or object that does a specified action	reader, creator, interpreter, inventor, collaborator, teacher
-ism	doctrine, belief	Judaism, scepticism, escapism
-ist	person or object that does a specified action	Geologist, protagonist, sexist, scientist, theorist, communist
-ity, -ty	quality of	extremity, validity, enormity
-ment	condition	enchantment, argument
-ness	state of being	heaviness, highness, sickness
-ship	position held	friendship, hardship, internship
-sion, -tion	state of being	position, promotion, cohesion
VERB SUFFIXES
-ate	become	mediate, collaborate, create
-en	become	sharpen, strengthen, loosen
-ify, -fy	make or become	justify, simplify, magnify, satisfy
-ise, -ize	become	publicise, synthesise, hypnotise
ADJECTIVE SUFFIXES
-able, -ible	capable of being	edible, fallible, incredible, audible
-al	having the form or character of	fiscal, thermal, herbal, colonial
-esque	in a manner of or resembling	picturesque, burlesque, grotesque
-ful	notable for	handful, playful, hopeful, skilful
-ic, -ical	having the form or character of	psychological, hypocritical, methodical, nonsensical, musical
-ious, -ous	characterised by	pious, jealous, religious, ridiculous
-ish	having the quality of	squeamish, sheepish, childish
-ive	having the nature of	inquisitive, informative, attentive
-less	without	meaningless, hopeless, homeless
-y	characterised by	dainty, beauty, airy, jealousy
ADVERB SUFFIXES
-ly	related to or quality	softly, slowly, happily, crazily, madly
-ward, -wards	direction	towards, afterwards, backwards, inward
-wise	in relation to	otherwise, likewise, clockwise

So as you can see, affixes can dramatically change the definitions of words. Knowing the various prefixes and suffixes along with their meanings can really help you to understand how words are used, and also how they should be spelled.

Although these groups of letters (affixes) are important and assist with forming words, they are not words in their own right and cannot stand alone in a sentence.

If they are printed or written alone, then they should have a hyphen before or after them to demonstrate that they are to be attached to other letters to form words (the way I have listed them in the above tables).

MEDICAL, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND SCIENCE SUFFIXES:

-itis	Medicine – meaning: infection, inflammation
-pathy	Medicine – meaning: have a condition
-penia	Medicine – meaning: deficiency
-tomy/otomy	Medicine and biology – meaning: condition, procedures, etc.
-logy	Science and medicine – meaning: various branches of science
-lysis	Biology and science – meaning: decomposition, loosening, etc.
-osis	Biology – meaning: infection, condition, state, etc.
-centisis	Medicine – meaning: surgical puncture
suffixes for pain	Medicine and biology

Suffix -itis

The suffix –itis is commonly used in medicine. It describes a type of infection, condition, inflammation, or some medical diagnoses.

Examples:

• Appendicitis, arthritis, barotitis, bronchitis, cerebritis, colitis, conjunctivitis, encephalitis, gastritis, hepatitis, meningitis, etc.

Suffix -pathy

The suffix -pathy comes from Greek, and is commonly used in medicine. It means to suffer from a disease, or have a condition.

Examples:

• Biopathy, cerebropathy, colopathy, dyspathy, eupathy, genopathy, homeopathy, immunopathy, leucopathy, mazopathy, neuropathy, osteopathy, stomatopathy, etc.

Suffix -penia

The suffix -penia is common in medicine. It means to have a deficiency of something.

Examples:

• Calcipenia, cytopenia, enzymopenia, kaliopenia, lipopenia, neutropenia, sarcopenia, sideropenia, etc.

Suffix -tomy / -otomy

The suffixes -tomy or -otomy are often used in biology and medicine. They refer to medical conditions, diagnoses, procedures, or operations.

Examples:

• Anatomy, autotomy, craniotomy, episiotomy, hysterotomy, laparotomy, lobotomy, tracheotomy, polytomy, rumenotomy, tenotomy, uvulotomy, etc.

Suffix -logy

The suffix –logy is commonly used in sciences, and medicine. It refers to various branches of science, or to a body of knowledge. It can also denote collection of stories and discourses.

Examples:

• Trilogy, duology, mythology, archaeology, anthropology, theology, paleontology, toxicology, gynecology, biology, Egyptology, ethnology, neurology, etc.

Suffix -lysis

The suffix -lysis of common biology, various sciences, and academics in general. It refers to decomposition, loosening, breaking down, separation, or decomposition.

Examples:

• Analysis, adipolysis, dermolysis, biolysis, catalysis, dialysis, plasmolysis, radiolysis, tenolysis, sonolysis, virolysis, streptolysis, etc.

Suffix -osis

-Osis is a very common suffix in biology. -Osis means to be infected with something, or means a condition, state, abnormal process, and disease.

Examples:

• Asbestosis, cyanosis, fibrosis, hypnosis, ketosis, mitosis, neurosis, osteoporosis, psychosis, stenosis, thrombosis, tuberculosis, etc.

Suffix -centisis

General surgical punctures are described with the suffix -centisis. This suffix is used to denote that a specific part of the body has been surgically punctured. It can be used with almost any body part.

Examples:

• Abdominocentisis, paracentesis, arthrocentesis, celiocentesis, lumbarocentesis, thoracentesis, etc.

Suffixes for Pain

In order to describe pain through the use of a suffix you can use any medical suffix to present the condition. There is no specific suffix that denotes a type of pain. Instead, you can use a variety of suffixes to describe a specific type of condition, or pain in a specific area.

Suffix examples:

• -algia, -cardia, -emia, -itis, -lysis, -oma, -osis, -pathy, etc.

Word examples:

• Fibromyalgia, neuralgia, tachycardia, enamia, hypoglycemia, arthritis, meningitis, paralysis, blastoma, glaucoma, proctosis, neuropathy, etc.

LIST OF NAME SUFFIXES / SUFFIX OF A NAME

Names can have suffixes depending on the person’s academic honors, religious affiliation, political title, or family status.

Academic honors examples:

• Bachelor’s degree: John Doe, A.B, B.A., B.A., Hons, B.S., B.E., B.F.A., B.Tech., L.L.B, B.Sc., etc.
• Master’s degree: John Doe, M.A., M.S., M.F.A., LL.M, M.L.A., M.B.A., M.Sc., M.Eng etc.
• Professional doctorate: John Doe, J.D., M.D., D.O., Pharm.D., D.Min., etc.
• Academic doctorate: John Doe, Ph.D., Ed.D., D.Phil., D.B.A., LL.D, Eng.D., etc.

Political and religious title examples:

• Order of the British Empire: John Doe, O.B.E
• Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire: John Doe, K.B.E
• Doctor of Divinity: John Doe, D.D.
• Esquire: John Doe, Esq.
• Attorney: John Doe, CSA

The suffix Jr. is used after names. It means that a person is the offspring of a father with the same name. Some famous examples are Martin Luther King Jr., Cuba Gooding Jr. Sammy Davis Jr., John F. Kennedy Jr. and others.

Family status examples:

• John Doe, Jr.
• John Doe, Sr.

GRAMMATICAL SUFFIXES:

-ism	Practice, action, principle, etc.
-ous	Form of possession
-al	Kind of, pertaining to, etc.
-ist	Specific action, specific value, doctrine, etc.
-able	Capability, susceptible of, fit for, etc.
-ic	Something has a characteristic of something else
-ion	Action, condition
-tion	Action or result of something
-ed	Past tense, adjectives from nouns or verbs, compound verbs
-ly	Repeated in intervals
-ment	Actions, results
-ness	Quality, state
-er	Specific action, job, origin, etc.
-ate	Group of people, office, institution, etc.
Pertaining to	-as, -al, -ar, -ary. -ic, -ical, -ous, and -ile

Suffix -ism

The -ism suffix comes from Ancient Greek. It is used to form action nouns from verbs. They mean some kind of practice, action, principles, doctrines, devotion, adherence, etc.

Examples:

• Baptism, aphorism, criticism, Lutherism, Protestantism, Palamism, atheism, fanaticism, capitalism, nationalism, romanticism, vegetarianism, Atticism, Americanism, racism, sexism, heterosexism, daturism, rheumatism, etc.

Suffix -ous

The suffix -ous is used for adjectives. It means that something is full, or a form of possession. It also means that something has a given quality.

Examples:

• Dangerous, famous, various, enormous, courageous, jealous, glorious, superfluous, obvious, hideous, tremendous, curious, etc.

Suffix -al

The suffix -al is commonly used to make adjectives out of nouns. It means kid of, pertaining to, having a form or character of something.

Examples:

• Seasonal, sensual, official, commercial, individual, spiritual, annual, essential, celestial, usual, racial, intellectual, financial, classical, etc.

Suffix -ist

The suffix –ist is used for nouns. It means a person who performs a specific action, produces something specific, plays a specific instrument, holds a specific value, has a specific doctrine, and others.

Examples:

• Archaeologist, activist, evangelist, anthropologist, capitalist, communist, Marxist, fascist, nationalist, conformist, machinist, novelist, cyclist, masochist, etc.

Suffix -able

The suffix -able is commonly used for adjectives. I refers to someone or something that is capable of something, susceptible of, fit for, tending or given to something.

Examples:

• Movable, amendable, breakable, flammable, amicable, pleasurable, impressionable, payable, reportable, detestable, capable, punishable, fashionable, taxable, etc.

Suffix -ic

The suffix -ic is used to create adjectives out of other words. It originally comes from Greek and Latin, and it means that something, or someone, has the characteristic of something else.

Examples:

• Acidic, episodic, comedic, melodic, nomadic, periodic, idiotic, psychotic, patriotic, athletic, poetic, magnetic, emphatic, kinetic, prosthetic, chaotic, narcotic, academic, economic, etc.

Suffix -ion

The suffix -ion is of Latin origin. It denotes and action or condition, and it is often used to form nouns out of adjectives.

Examples:

• Acceleration, devotion, religion, ration, concentration, communion, diffusion, delusion, illusion, fabrication, hydration, meditation, infusion, levitation, gestation, reaction, invigoration, etc.

Suffix -tion

The suffix –tion is used to form nouns. They mean an action of something, or the result of something. 

Examples:

• Deletion, ignition, determination, resolution, action, justification, intersection, connection, gumption, communication, starvation, construction, relation, temptation, revolution, etc.

Suffix -ed

The suffix -ed is very versatile. It can be used in three different ways: 1) to form the past tense for weak verbs, 2) to form adjectives out of nouns or verbs to describe someone or something, 3) added to nouns or verbs in order to form compound adjectives that are hyphenated.

Examples:

• 1) Acted, danced, posted, lived, wanted, hated, played, tried, named, called, walked, talked, used, created, etc.
• 2) bearded, colored, angered, triggered, used, rugged, incorporated, incarcerated, floored, stoned, etc.
• 3) cone-shaped, green-tinted, loose-fitted, off-handed, amateur-produced, well-defined, etc.

Suffix -ly

The suffix -ly is added to various words depending on the purpose. It can be added to adverbs to form adjectives, or to nouns in order for them to mean something that is repeated in certain intervals.

Examples:

• Gladly, gradually, secondly, thirdly, essentially, boldly, bravely, carefully, generously, lowly, shortly, angrily, anxiously, suddenly, generally, etc.
• Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly

Suffix -ness

The suffix -ness is very common and is used often. It is used on adjectives and principles, in order to create abstract nouns that denote a quality or a state.

Examples:

• Happiness, kindness, darkness, preparedness, consciousness, effectiveness, callousness, laziness, loneliness, ugliness, fitness, dryness, baldness, etc.

Suffix -er

The suffix -er is used in many different ways, and is a common suffix in English. It can be attached to verbs in order to create an agent noun that describes a person doing a specific action. It can also be used to create nouns that describe a person’s job, location or origin, or a special characteristic.

Examples:

• Caterer, Icelander, southerner, villager, tattooer, cobbler, reader, rapper, creditor, auditor, editor, recruiter, rider, writer, educator, calculator, spectator, infiltrator, catcher, staffer, etc.

Suffix -ate

The suffix -ate is added often to nouns, adjective, and verbs. When it is added to nouns it denotes a group of people, an office or institution, or administrative region. When it is added to verbs it changes the verb to mean that something is caused to change. When added to adjectives it means that something is showing or full of something.

Examples:

• Electorate, caliphate, protectorate, consulate, magistrate, regulate, vacate, activate, disseminate, obfuscate, confiscate, passionate, considerate, obstinate, celibate, etc.

Suffixes that mean Pertaining To

There are multiple suffixes that mean something pertains to something else. These are: -as, -al, -ar, -ary. -ic, -ical, -ous, and -ile. Some words incorporate more than one suffix.

Examples:

• Clinical, surgical, conscious, versatile, necessary, sub-par, etc.

BANK ACCOUNT SUFFIX

What does Bank account Suffix mean?

Account numbers and card numbers are divided into sections. While the prefix denotes the bank issuing the card, the body is the account numbers, and the suffix is the account type.

The suffix is important because it lets the bank know which type of account is being used, and that way customers can’t access operations not approved for the type of account. The suffix is made up of two to three numbers.

Different numbers describe a different type of account. There are various types of accounts, and each has a unique number profile for a specific bank.

Examples:

• Cheque account – 00, Number 2 account – 02, Fixed account – 03, Savings account – 30, Credit card account – 40, Thrift club account – 50, Term deposit account – 81

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👉 Combining Forms

When you are learning the different types of prefixes, it is important to remember that not every word containing these combinations is a prefix. Sometimes words have ‘combining forms’, which look very similar to prefixes but work differently!

Let me explain….

As you know, a prefix is a letter or a group of letters that appears at the beginning of words, but it can also be removed from the base word, and the word would still be a word without it, even if the meaning changes.

For example, non- means ‘not’ or ‘without’, this is used in words such as ‘nonsense’. The word ‘sense‘ can be separated from the prefix and it would still be a word on its own, even if the meaning is different.

So, combining forms act as prefixes but are different, because the remaining letters cannot be separated to form an independent word.

Here are some examples of prefixes that are also ‘combining forms’:

PREFIX	MEANING	EXAMPLE	COMBINING FORM	MEANING	EXAMPLE
com-, con-	with, alongside	comprise, connote	com-, con-	with, jointly	companion, comrade, community
contra-	against	contraindicate	contra-	against	contraceptive, contradict
de-	opposite	devalue	de-	down, away	descend
ex-	former	ex-husband	ex-	out	exhort
a-	not, without	amoral	a-, an-	not, without	apathy, anaemic
in-	not	inconvenient	in-	into	inebriate, indulge
homo-	same	homograph, homophone	homo-	same	homogeneous
magn-	great	magnate	magn-	great	magnificent, magnanimous, magnitude, magnify
para-	beside	paragraph, paramedic	para-	beside	paradox
sub-	under	submarine	sub-	under	substitute
trans-	across	transnational, transparent	trans-	through, across	transmit, transcend
tri-	three	triangle, tripod	tri-	three	triceps, triathlon

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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

What is a prefix?

Prefixes are morphemes (specific groups of letters with particular semantic meaning) that are added onto the beginning of roots and base words to change their meaning. Prefixes are one of the two predominant kinds of affixes—the other kind is suffixes, which come at the end of a root word.

Unlike suffixes, which can be either inflectional (changing only the grammatical function of a word without changing its basic meaning) or derivational (creating a word with an entirely new meaning), prefixes can only be derivational; adding a prefix always changes the basic meaning of the word.

In this section, we’ll look at some of the most commonly used prefixes, but first let’s look at some conventions regarding how they’re used.

Adding prefixes to words

Prefixes generally do not affect the spelling of the root word to which they are attached: they are simply placed immediately before the word without a space (although some, as we’ll discuss later, may be attached with a hyphen).

However, while a root word’s spelling does not change with a prefix, we do sometimes have to alter the prefix itself depending on the spelling of the word it precedes. For example, the prefix a- becomes an— when coming before a vowel; the prefix in-, meanwhile, can change to ig- (before n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), or ir- (before r-).

In addition, many prefixes are only able (or only tend) to attach to certain parts of speech. For example, the prefix un- (meaning “not”) generally only attaches to adjectives, as in unhappy or uncomfortable; when un- means “to do the opposite of,” it only attaches to verbs, as in uncork or unlock. Attaching un- to a root noun, on the other hand, is usually not done. For instance, undesk or unsky are incorrect. While technically correct words, unhuman and unbelief are not very common; we would more usually write nonhuman and disbelief.

Adding prefixes to foreign roots

Many prefixes will attach to both existing English base words as well as roots derived from foreign stems (parts of longer words used to form combinations), most often Latin or Greek.

When we look at examples of common prefixes further on, we’ll distinguish when prefixes attach to existing English words (adjectives, nouns, or verbs), Latin and/or Greek roots, or both. Note that some guides may call prefixes that attach to foreign-language roots “combining forms” rather than prefixes, a distinction that we’ll touch upon next.

Prefixes vs. Combining Forms

When defining different prefixes, a distinction is sometimes made between “true” prefixes and “combining forms” of words. The precise definition of one compared to the other is not often clear, and, depending on the source, the distinction between the two is often inconsistent or contradictory.

The simplest explanation tends to be that a prefix can only attach to a base word (an English word that can be used on its own without a prefix or suffix), while a combining form is an adaptation of a larger word (typically Greek or Latin) that only attaches to another combining form (meaning neither element cannot stand on its own as an independent word).

What complicates this distinction is the fact that a morpheme could be considered a prefix in one instance and a combining form in another. For example, auto-, meaning “of or by the same person or thing,” functions like a “true” prefix in the word autoimmune, but it is usually considered a combining form, as in the word autonomy. Likewise, ex- as a prefix meaning “former” (as in ex-boyfriend) is sometimes contrasted with ex- as a combining form meaning “out” (as in exclude), yet the morpheme is more often considered a prefix in both cases by most dictionaries.

In reality, prefixes and combining forms behave the same way and essentially perform the same function in a word, so there’s no real benefit in dividing them into two separate categories. Doing so simply adds an unnecessary complication, especially for those learning the fundamentals of the language. As such, the list of common prefixes we’ll look at next makes no distinction between prefixes and combining forms—it’s more important to understand the different meanings they can have so that we can see a pattern in the way words are formed and spelled.

Common prefixes

In the table below, we’ll look at different prefixes that commonly appear in English, noting their various meanings, the parts of speech they most typically attach to, and several example words in which they appear.

It’s important to note that this is by no means a complete list; there are far too many to include here. Rather, it is intended to give you an idea of how prefixes are used and how they may affect the meaning and spelling of words we use every day.

Prefix	Meaning	Usually attaches to	Example words
a- (1) (an- before a vowel)	Not; without.	adjectives, Greek roots (and, less commonly, nouns)	agnostic, amoral, apathy, apolitical, asexual, asymmetry, atonal, atypical, anaerobic, anarchy, anecdote, anemia, anesthetic
a- (2)	1. On; in; towards. 2. In a certain condition or state. 3. Of.	1. nouns 2. verbs 3. adjectives (and occasionally nouns)	1. aback, aground, aside, away 2. abide, ablaze, afloat, ashamed, asleep, awake 3. afar, afresh, akin, anew
ab- (Changes to abs- before c- or t-; sometimes reduces to a- before Latin roots beginning with v-.)	Away from; outside of; opposite to; off.	French and Latin roots (and, rarely, adjectives)	abdicate, abduct, abhor, abject, abnormal, abscess, abscond, absolute, absorb, abstain, abstract, avert
ad- This prefix has many forms, usually changing to match the consonant it precedes: a- before roots beginning with sc- or sp- ac- before roots beginning with c- or q- af- before roots beginning with f- ag- before roots beginning with g- al- before roots beginning with l- an- before roots beginning with n- ap- before roots beginning with p- as- before roots beginning with s- at- before roots beginning with t-	To; toward; near to; in the direction or vicinity of.	Latin roots	(ad-): adapt, address, adequate, adrenal, advance, adventure (a-): ascend, ascertain, aspire, aspect (ac-): accept, accident, acquire, acquit (af-): affair, affect, affirm, affix (ag-): aggrandize, aggravate, aggression (al-): allege, allot, allow, allure (an-): annex, annihilate, annotate, announce (ap-): appall, appeal, applaud, apply, approve (as-): assail, assault, assemble, assert, assign (at-): attain, attempt, attire, attribute, attract
ante- (Occasionally becomes anti-)	1. Prior to; earlier than. 2. Before; in front of.	1. adjectives 2. nouns, Latin roots	1. antediluvian, antenatal, antepenultimate 2. antecedent, anticipate, antechamber, antechoir, anteroom
anti- (Occasionally hyphenated; sometimes ant- before a vowel, especially a-)	1. Equal and opposite to. 2. Opposing; against; prejudicial to. 3. Counteracting; destroying; neutralizing. 4. Enemy of or rival to; false version of.	1. nouns, Greek roots 2. adjectives, nouns 3. adjectives, nouns 4. nouns	1. antarctic, anticatalyst, anticlimax, antidote, antihero, antimatter, antipodes, antithesis, antonym 2. antagonist, antiapartheid, anticolonial, anticorruption, antidiscrimination, antiestablishment, antigovernment, antisocial, anti-war 3. anti-aircraft, antibacterial, anticonvulsive, antidepressant, antifungal, antifreeze, antihistamine, antipyretic, antitoxin, antiviral 4. antichrist, antipope
auto- (occasionally reduced to aut- before vowels)	1. Self; one’s own; of, regarding, or performed by the same person or thing. 2. Derived from automatic (sometimes hyphenated). 3. Derived from automobile (sometimes hyphenated).	1. nouns, adjectives, Latin and Greek roots 2. nouns, verbs 3. nouns	1. autarchy, autism, autobiography, autoclave, autocracy, autograph, autoimmune, automatic, automobile, automotive, autonomy, autopsy 2. autofocus, autocorrect, autopilot, autosave, autosuggest, auto-tune 3. autobus, autocross, automaker, auto-mechanic
be-	1. To make, cause to be, or act as. 2. Adorned, covered, or provided with. 3. Thoroughly, excessively, completely; all over or all around. 4. At; about; against; for; on; over; regarding; to.	1. adjectives, nouns 2. adjectives (past participles ending in -ed) 3. verbs (acts as an intensive) 4. intransitive verbs (makes them transitive)	1. becalm, bedim, befriend, beguile, belate, belittle, besiege, bewitch 2. bejewelled, beloved, bespectacled 3. bedevil, bedrivel, befog, behave, belong, bemuse, berate, bereave, beset, bespatter, besmirch 4. befall, befit, beget, begrudge, belabor, bemoan, bespeak, bewail
bi- (Very rarely, becomes bin- before vowels)	1. Two. 2. Having or involving two. 3. Occurring at intervals of two; less formally, occurring twice within that interval.	1. nouns, Latin roots (and, less often, verbs) 2. adjectives 3. adjectives, adverbs	1. biceps, bicycle, bifurcate, bipartisan, biped, bisect 2. bifocal, biconcave, biconvex, bilingual, binaural, binocular, bidirectional, bilateral, bipolar 3. biannual, bicentennial, bihourly, bimonthly, biweekly
bio- (sometimes bi- before o-)	1. Indicating living organisms or organic life. 2. Indicating a person’s life, career, or accomplishments.	1. adjectives, nouns, Greek or Latin roots 2. Used with the Greek root graphia	1. bioavailability, biochemistry, biodegradable, biodiversity, bioelectric, bioengineer, biology, bioluminescence, bionics, biophysics, biopsy, biotic 2. biography
co- Occurs before roots beginning with vowels or the consonants h- and gn-; it is also used to form newer compound terms (which are often hyphenated). This prefix is the common reduced form of com-, the original Latin prefix, which occurs before roots beginning b-, m-, or p-. It also takes three other forms, depending on the letter it precedes: col- before roots beginning with l- cor- before roots beginning with r- con- before roots beginning with consonants other than b-, h-, gn-, l-, m-, p- or r-	1. From the original prefix: together; together with; joint; jointly; mutually. Also used as an intensifier. 2. In newer terms, co- can indicate: joint(ly), mutual(ly), or together (with); partnership or equality; a subordinate or assistant; to the same degree or extent; or (in mathematics) the complement of an angle.	1. Latin roots 2. adjectives, nouns, verbs	1. (co-): coagulate, coerce, coincide, cognate, cognizance (com-): combat, combine, combust, commingle, commiserate, commit, compact, compare, complex (col-): collaborate, collapse, colleague, collect, collide, collude (con-): conceal, conceive, condemn, conduct, confer, confine, congress, congratulate, conjoin, connect, connive, conquer, conscience, constant, contact, contain, converge (cor-): correct, correlate, correspond, corrode, corrupt 2. co-author, codependent, codominant, co-driver, coexist, coeducation, co-manage, cooperate, co-pilot, cosine, cotangent, co-worker
contra- (becomes contro- in one instance before v-)	Opposite; against; in the opposite direction.	nouns, Latin roots	contraband, contraception, contradiction, contradistinction, contraindication, contrast, contravene, controversy
counter- (This is derived from the original Latin prefix contra-; it is often used in more modern word formations, though this is not always the case.)	1. Opposing; against; opposite. 2. Corresponding or complementary; offsetting. 3. In response to; thwarting or refuting.	adjectives, nouns, verbs (less commonly, Latin roots or words whose meaning is derived from Latin origins)	1. counterclaim, counterclockwise, counterculture, counterfeit, counterintuitive, countermand, counterproductive, countervail 2. counteract, counterbalance, counterfoil, countermelody, counterpart, countersign, countervail, counterweight 3. counterattack, counterexample, counteroffer, counteroffensive, countermarch, countermeasure, counterpoint, counterproposal, counterstrike
de- (sometimes hyphenated when followed by a vowel)	1. To reverse; to do or cause to be the opposite. 2. To extract, remove, or eliminate from; to be without. 3. Out of; away from; off. 4. To reduce; to lower; to move down from. 5. Thoroughly or completely (used as an intensifier).	1. nouns, verbs, Latin roots 2. nouns, verbs, Latin roots 3. nouns, verbs, Latin roots 4. nouns, Latin roots 5. verbs	1. decaffeinate, decelerate, decriminalize, decode, decommission, decompose, deconstruct, de-emphasize, desegregate, destabilize 2. debunk, decalcify, deglaze, de-ice, delouse, despair, dethrone 3. decamp, defect, deflect, deplane, detrain 4. declass, degrade, deject, demean, descend, detest 5. debrief, defraud, despoil
dia- (becomes di- before vowels)	Across; between; from point to point; through; throughout.	Latin and Greek roots	diagnosis, diagonal, diagram, dialect, dialogue, diameter, diaper, diaphragm, diocese
dis- (becomes dif- when combining with Latin roots beginning f-)	1. Lacking; without; not. 2. To do or cause to be the opposite. 3. Apart; out of; away from; off. 4. To extract, cancel, remove, or release. 5. Indicating intensive force.	1. adjectives, nouns 2. verbs 3. verbs, Latin roots 4. nouns, verbs 5. verbs, Latin roots	1. disability, disadvantage, disbelief, disease, dishonest, disservice, dissimilar, distemper, distrust, disuse 2. disagree, disassociate, disavow, disbelieve, disconnect, discredit, disgrace, disprove 3. differ, difficulty, diffraction, diffuse, discard, discord, discharge, disembark, dispense 4. disbar, disbud, disburse, disenfranchise, disenchant, disentangle 5. disannul, disembowel, disturb
en- (1) (becomes em- before words beginning with b- or p-, except in the word enplane)	1. To make or cause to be. 2. To go or put in, on, or near. 3. To cover, surround, or provide with. 4. Indicating intensive force.	1. adjectives, nouns 2. nouns 3. nouns 4. verbs	1. enable, enamour, embitter, endear, engender, enrich, enslave, enthrone, entomb entrust 2. embattle, encircle, enplane, enthrone, entomb 3. encapsulate, enclose, engulf, enmesh, empower, enrobe 4. enkindle, enlighten, enliven, enrage, entangle
en- (2) (becomes em- before words beginning with b- or p-)	In; inside; into; within.	Latin or Greek roots	energy, endemic, emphasis, empathy, employ, enthusiasm
ex- (1) (reduced to e- before b-, d-, g-, j-, l-, m-, n-, r- and v-, or becomes ef- before f-)	1. Away; from; outward; out of; upwards. 2. Completely; thoroughly.	Latin roots (occasionally attaches to existing nouns and verbs, but the meaning is derived from their Latin origin)	1. ebullient, edify, effect, efface, effort, egress, eject, elation, emancipate, emerge, enormous, exalt, excel, exchange, exclude, excommunicate, expatriate, experience, extol, evacuation, evaluate, evaporation 2. exacerbation, exasperate, excruciate, exhilarate, exhortation, expect, exuberant
ex- (2) (always hyphenated)	Former.	nouns	ex-banker, ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend, ex-husband, ex-marine, ex-partner, ex-priest, ex-teacher, ex-wife
fore-	1. Before; earlier; previous in time. 2. In front of; at or near the front; before or previous in position or location.	1. verbs 2. nouns	1. forebear, forebode, forecast, foreclose, forego, forejudge, foresee, foreshadow, foretell, forewarn 2. forearm, forebrain, foredeck, forefather, forefinger, foreground, forehead, foreleg, foreman, foresail
hyper-	1. Above; beyond; higher; over. 2. Extreme; exceedingly; abnormally excessive.	nouns, adjectives, verbs, Greek and Latin Roots	1. hypercharge, hyperextend, hyperimmune, hypersonic 2. hyperactive, hyperalert, hyperacuity, hyperbole, hypercalcemia, hyperinflation, hypersensitive, hypertension, hyperthermia, hypervigilance
hypo- (occasionally reduced to hyp- before a vowel, especially o-)	1. Beneath; lower; underneath. 2. Abnormally deficient; less or lower than normal.	nouns and adjectives, but more commonly Greek and Latin Roots	1. hypabyssal, hypodermic, hypochondria, hypocrisy, hypostasis, hypotenuse, hypothesis 2. hypalgesia, hypoallergenic, hypoglycemia, hypomania, hypotension, hypothermia, hypoxia
in- This prefix also takes four other forms, depending on the letter it precedes: i- before roots beginning with gn- il- before roots beginning with l- im- before roots beginning with b-, m-, or p- ir- before roots beginning with r- Note that in meanings 2 & 3, in- functions as a less common variant of en- when forming verbs.	1. Not; non-; opposite of; without. 2. Into; in; on; upon. 3. To make or cause to be.	1. adjectives, Latin roots 2. adjectives, nouns, verbs, Latin roots 3. nouns	1. ignoble, ignominious, ignorant, illegal, illiterate, illogical, imbalanced, imbecile, immaterial, immature, immovable, impractical, imperfect, impossible, innocent, innocuous, insane, insincere, intolerable, irrational, irreparable, irreversible 2. illuminate, illusion, illustrate, imbue, infiltrate, influx, inland, innervate, innovate, innuendo, inquire, inscribe, insect, intend, irradiate, irrigate 3. inflame, imperil, improve
mal-	1. Bad; wrong; improper; imperfect; defective; abnormal. 2. Badly; wrongly; improperly; imperfectly; defectively; abnormally.	1. nouns, Latin roots 2. adjectives, verbs, Latin roots (Mal- most commonly attaches to modern nouns and adjectives that are derived from verbs via suffixation; it’s far less common for it to attach to non-suffixed verbs, though it does happen.)	1. malabsorption, malady, maladjustment, malfeasance, malfunction, malaise, malefactor, malice, malnutrition, malpractice 2. maladjusted, maladroit, maladminister, malcontent, malformed, malfunction, malign, malnourished, malodorous
mid-	At, near, or approximating the middle.	nouns	midafternoon, midair, midbrain, midday, midland, midlife, midmorning, midnight, midpoint, midrange, midsize, midsummer, midway
mis- (Mis- is in many ways identical to mal-, though mis- is much more likely to be paired with verbs.)	1. Bad; wrong; improper; imperfect; defective; abnormal. 2. Badly; wrongly; improperly; imperfectly; defectively; abnormally.	1. nouns 2. verbs	1. misadventure, misbalance, misconception, misconduct, misconnection, misdiagnosis, misdirection, misdeed, misgivings, mishap, misinformation, misperception, mismatch, mistrust 2. misadjust, misbehave, miscalculate, miscarry, miscast, miscommunicate, misconstrue, misdial, misdiagnose, mishear, misinform, misinterpret, mislabel, mislead, mistake, mismanage, misrepresent, misspell
non- (Non- is often hyphenated according to the preference of the writer, but it is more commonly attached without a hyphen in American English.)	Indicating total negation, exclusion, failure, or deficiency.	adjectives, nouns	nonaggression, nonalcoholic, nonavailability, nonbeliever, nonchalant, noncombatant, non-cooperation, noncompliance, nondisclosure, noneducational, nonemergency, nonevent, nonexistent, nonfiction, nonfunctional, nonhazardous, nonhuman, noninfectious, nonlethal, nonpayment, nonprofit, nonsmoking, nonworker
ob- This prefix can also take three other forms, depending on the letter it precedes: oc- before roots beginning with c- of- before roots beginning with f- op- before roots beginning with p-	1. To; toward; across; away from; over. 2. Against; before; blocking; facing, concealing.	Latin roots	1. obey, obfuscate, oblige, obscure, observe, obtain, occasion, occur, offer, opportune 2. object, oblique, obsess, obstruct, obvious, occult, occupy, offend, opponent, oppress
over-	1. Above; higher than; upon; across; outer. 2. Superior; higher-ranking. 3. Resulting in an inverted, reverse, or downwards movement or position. 4. Excessive or excessively; too much; above, beyond, or more than is normal or acceptable.	1. nouns, verbs 2. nouns 3. nouns, verbs 4. adjectives, nouns, verbs	1. overalls, overarch, overcast, overcoat, overdeck, overgarment, overhand, overhang, overlap, overlay, overleaf, overpass, oversee, overseas, overtake, overview 2. overlord, overseer 3. overboard, overthrow, overrule, overturn, overwhelm 4. overabundant, overachieve, overanalyze, overbearing, overbuilt, overcharge, overcompensate, overconfident, overcook, overdose, overdraw, overdress, overemphasize, overextend, overhear, overjoyed, overladen, overlook, overmedicate, overpay, overqualified, overreact, overregulate, oversimplify, overstay, overthink, overwork
out-	1. Surpassing; going beyond; excelling over others. 2. External to; outside; away from the center. 3. Indicating an emergence, protrusion, or issuing-forth. 4. Beyond what is normal, acceptable, or agreeable.	1. verbs 2. noun, verbs 3. nouns 4. adjectives, verbs	1. outargue, outclass, outdistance, outdo, outfox, outlast, outgrow, outgun, outmaneuver, outmatch, outnumber, outpace, outperform, outrank, outrun, outsmart, outshine 2. outback, outboard, outbound, outcast, outcross, outdate, outdoors, outfield, outfit, outgoing, outhouse, outlaw, outlier, outline, outpatient, outpost, outreach, outside, outsource 3. outburst, outcome, outcrop, outgrowth, outpouring 4. outlandish, outsized, outspoken, outstay
post- (Don’t confuse this prefix with the word post—referring to the mail system—when it is used in compound words such as postcard or postmark.)	1. Behind; in back of. 2. Later than or afterwards in time.	adjectives, nouns, verbs, Latin roots	1. postcranial, posterior, postfix, postorbital, postposition, postscript 2. postapocalyptic, postcolonial, postdoctoral, postelection, postgame, postgraduate, postindustrial, postmodernism, postproduction, postpone, postpositive, postmortem, postwar
pre- (Often hyphenated before other vowels, especially e-, though this is less common in American English. Always hyphenated before proper nouns and non-letters)	1. Before; in front of. 2. Earlier than or beforehand in time. 3. Before, in advance, or instead of the normal occurrence.	1 & 2. adjectives, nouns, verbs, Latin roots 3. verbs	1. preamble, precede, precinct, predate, preeminent, preface, prefer, prefix, prefrontal, prelude, preposition, preside, pretext 2. precept, precipitation, precocious, pre-date, predict, pre-emption, prehistory, preindustrial, prejudice, premature, premonition, prenatal, preparation, preproduction, prescience, preserve, preschool, preshow, presume, preview 3. preadmit, preapprove, preassign, prebook, preclean, precondition, predestine, predetermine, preoccupy, preorder, prepay, pre-position
pro-	1. Supporting; promoting; in favor of. 2. Forward; forth; toward the point. 3. In place or on behalf of; acting or substituting for. 4. Beforehand; in advance; prior to. 5. In front; before.	1. nouns (usually hyphenated, but not always) 2, 3, 4 & 5. Greek and Latin roots (less commonly, adjective, nouns, and verbs)	1. pro-American, pro-Britain, pro-Catholic, pro-choice, pro-life, pro-peace, pro-revolution, prowar 2. problem, proceed, proclaim, procreate, procrastination, profess, profound, program, progress, project, prolong, promote, propel, prosecute, protest, proverb 3. proconsul, procure, pronoun, proper, prorate, proportion 4. proactive, prognosis, prohibit, prophet, proscribe 5. proboscis, profane, pronominal, prologue, protect
re- (This prefix becomes red- before Latin roots beginning with vowels. It is hyphenated when paired with English roots if the resultant spelling would be the same as an existing word; it may also be hyphenated before English roots beginning vowels, especially e-, but this is often up to the discretion of the writer and is not usually done in American English.)	1. Once more; again (in the same manner, direction, etc.). 2. Once more; again (with the aim of improving, fixing, or substituting). 3. Anew; restored to the original place, condition, etc. 4. Against; back or in reverse; opposite; in response to. 5. Used as an intensive with Latin root verbs.	verbs, Latin roots	1. reaffirm, reappear, reboot, recognize, recopy, re-cover, recur, re-dress, redecorate, redeploy, redesign, rediscover, reelect, reenact, reenter, rehearse, rehire, relearn, rehydrate, relive, reload, reregister, re-sign, restart, retry, reunite 2. reapply, reapportion, rebrand, recalculate, rekindle, relabel, relocate, remarry, reschedule, reseal, rethink, retry 3. reacquire, readjust, realign, rebuild, recapture, receive, regain, rehabilitate, renew, replace, restore 4. react, rebel, rebuff, recant, recede, reciprocate, recite, recoil, redact, redeem, redress, refer, regress, reject, relate, remove, resign, respond, return 5. redolent, refine, regard, regret, relieve, remedy, repent
self- (Note that this prefix is almost always hyphenated.)	1. Of, with, in, regarding, or performed by the same person or thing. 2. Automatic; automatically.	1. nouns, adjectives 2. adjectives (usually past or present participles)	1. self-analysis, self-confidence, self-control, self-deprecating, self-destruct, self-esteem, self-evident, self-fulfilling, self-image, self-importance, self-indulgent, self-interest, self-preservation, self-promotion, self-respect, self-righteous, selfsame, self-sufficient, self-worth 2. self-adhesive, self-driving, self-loading, self-propelled, self-pollinating, self-replicating, self-regulating, self-starting
semi-	1. Half. 2. Incompletely; partially; partly; somewhat, almost, or resembling. 3. Occurring twice within a certain period of time.	1 & 2. adjectives, nouns 3. adjectives	1. semicircle, semicolon, semicylinder, semidiameter, semidome, semifinal, semioval, semiovate 2. semiarticulate, semiautomatic, semiconductor, semiconscious, semidarkness, semidetached, semidry, semiformal, semiliterate, semiofficial, semipermanent, semiprofessional, semiserious, semiretired, semitransparent, semivowel 3. semiannual, semimonthly, semiweekly
sub- When used with Latin roots, sub- sometimes takes different forms depending on the consonant it precedes: su- before roots beginning with s- suc- before roots beginning with c- sug- before roots beginning with g- sup- before roots beginning with p- sur- before roots beginning with r- occasionally sus- before some roots beginning with c-, p-, or t-	1. Under; below; beneath; outside or outlying. 2. At a secondary or lower position in a hierarchy. 3. Incompletely or imperfectly; partially; less than, almost, or nearly. 4. Forming a smaller part of a larger whole. 5. Up to; up from under or beneath.	1, 2, 3, & 4. adjectives, nouns, verbs, and Latin roots 5. Latin roots	1. subaqueous, subcutaneous, subdermal, subject, submarine, submerge, submit, subscribe, subsoil, substrata, substitution, subterranean, subtle, subtitle, suburb, subway, subzero, suppose, surrogate, suspire 2. subagent, subaltern, subchief, subclerk, subcommittee, subcontractor, subeditor, sublet, subofficer, subordinate, subtreasury, subwriter 3. subarctic, subaquatic, subhuman, subnormal, subtropics 4. subarea, subcategory, subchapter, subcontinent, subcounty, subdepartment, subdivide, subfossil, subgenus, subplot, subregion, subsection, subspecies, subtype, subunit 5. sublime, subsist, substance, subtraction, succeed, suggest, support, surreptitious, susceptible, suspect, suspend, sustain
trans- (usually becomes tran- before roots beginning with s-)	1. Across; beyond; through; on the other side. 2. Completely change or alter.	1. adjectives, verbs, Latin roots 2. nouns, verbs, Latin roots	1. transaction, transatlantic, transcend, transfer, transfix, transfuse, transgenerational, transgress, transient, translucent, transmit, transnational, transpacific, transparent, transplant, transport 2. transcribe, transduce, transfigure, transform, transgender, translate, transliterate, transmute, transubstantiate
ultra-	1. Located beyond or on the far side of a certain point; exceeding the normal range or limit of a certain threshold. 2. Extremely; more than customary. 3. Radically; excessively; on the fringe of what is considered normal or acceptable.	adjectives, nouns	1. ultrafilter, ultramicroscope, ultrasonic, ultrasound, ultrastructure, ultraviolet 2. ultradense, ultradry, ultraefficient, ultrafine, ultrahigh, ultrahot, ultramodern, ultrapowerful, ultravacuum 3. ultraconservative, ultraliberal, ultranationalism, ultraorthodox, ultraviolence
un- (1) Hyphenated before proper nouns and adjectives. Note that some adjectives that are preceded by un- will have noun-form equivalents that take the prefix in- instead, as in unequal/inequality or unstable/instability.	1. Not. 2. Used to form certain negative adjectival phrases. 3. Opposite of or contrary to; lacking or absent.	1. adjectives (not counting nouns formed from prefixed adjectives) 2. past-participle adjectives + prepositions 3. nouns	1. unable, unaccompanied, un-American, unbelievable, unbiased, un-British, uncertain, unclear, undue, unemployed, unending, unfamiliar, unforeseen, ungraceful, unguided, unhappy, unhealthy, uninformed, unjust, unkind, unknowing, unlawful, unlikely, unlucky, unmanned, unpersuaded, unprofessional, unrated, unreasonable, unscathed, unsolved, untried, untrustworthy, unwise, unwritten 2. unasked-for, uncalled-for, undreamed-of, un-get-at-able, unheard-of 3. unbelief, unconcern, uninterest, unmilitary, unrest, untruth
un- (2) The first usage of un- forms adjectives or, less commonly, nouns, while this second usage forms verbs.	1. To reverse, erase, or undo an action or effect. 2. To deprive of, extract, or remove. 3. To free, remove, or release from. 4. Used as an intensifier with existing verbs that have the same meaning.	1. verbs 2. nouns 3. nouns 4. verbs	1. unbend, unbind, unbolt, unclog, uncoil, uncork, undo, undress, unfasten, unfold, unfurl, unhook, unload, unlock, unplug, unscrew, unscramble, unseal, unsheathe, unravel, unroll, untangle, unwind 2. unbalance, uncloak, unfrock, unhorse, unman, unmask, unseat, unveil 3. unburden, unbox, uncage, uncrate, unearth, unharness, unhitch, unleash, unwrap unyoke 4. unloose, unravel
under-	1. Located beneath or below; lower in position. 2. Inferior; lesser or lower in rank. 3. Less (in degree, amount, rate, etc.), usually than is considered appropriate, acceptable, or normal.	1. nouns, verbs 2. nouns 3. adjectives, nouns, verbs	1. underarm, underbelly, underclothes, undercover, underfoot, undergarment, underground, underlay, underlie, undermine, underpass, underpin, underscore, undersea, undertone, undertow, underwater 2. underboss, underclassmen, undergraduate, undersecretary, undersheriff, understudy 3. underage, underappreciate, underdeveloped, underemployed, underestimate, underfeed, underfund, undernourished, underpay, underrate, underreport, understaff, underweight
up-	1. Up; upper; upwards; higher. 2. Greater; better; denoting increase.	1. nouns, verbs 2. nouns, verbs	1. update, upheave, uphold, upend, upland, upload, upon, upright, uproar, uproot, upsell, upset, upstairs, uptake, upwind 2. upgrade, uplift, uprate, upscale, upstart, uptick, upturn

Hyphenating prefixes

As you can see from the examples we’ve looked at, the vast majority of prefixes don’t require a hyphen when they are attached to a root. However, it is sometimes the case that adding a prefix to a stem can result in a word that is difficult or confusing to read, or else results in a spelling that overlaps with an existing word. In these cases, we can use a hyphen between the prefix and the stem word to clarify the meaning of the new word.

Multiple vowels

Many writers choose to add a hyphen when the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the root are both vowels (especially when they are the same letter) so as to avoid creating a word that is difficult or confusing to read. For example:

• co- + operate = co-operate (work/operate together)
• de- + emphasize = de-emphasize (lessen or reverse the emphasis on something)
• re- + elect = re-elect (elect again)

Note that this hyphen is almost always optional and up to the writer’s discretion, and many double-vowel prefixed words are now commonly spelled without the hyphen (especially in American English). If in doubt, you can probably omit the hyphen, but use a good dictionary or check your school’s or business’s style guide to be sure.

Confusing spellings

Another instance when we might use a hyphen is when the resulting spelling would be confusing or awkward to read. For example:

• co- + worker = co-worker (compare with coworker, which could be confusing because it spells cow at the beginning)
• de- + ice = de-ice (compare with deice, which seems like it could be pronounced /deɪs/)

Again, using the prefix without a hyphen is often a correct way to spell the word as well, so the hyphen is purely up to the writer’s discretion.

Creating words with a different meaning

When adding a prefix (especially de- and re-) creates a word that looks the same as (or similar to) an existing word with a different meaning, we should use a hyphen to avoid confusion. For example:

• co- + op = co-op (shortening of cooperative; compare with coop, which means “a small cage or enclosure”)
• de- + stress = de-stress (meaning “to reduce stress”; without the hyphen, destress looks very similar to distress, which means “to cause strain, anxiety, or suffering”)
• re- + cover = re-cover (meaning “to cover again”; compare with recover, meaning “to get back” or “to be restored to normal”)
• re- + dress = re-dress (meaning “to dress again”; compare with redress, meaning “to rectify” or “to make amends to”)

With proper nouns and adjectives

When a prefix is paired with a proper noun or a proper adjective, we use a hyphen so we don’t have a capital letter appearing in the middle of a word. While hyphens have been almost always optional in our previous examples, we always use a hyphen with proper words. For example:

• pro + Canada = pro-Canada (in favor of Canada; not proCanada)
• pre + Industrial Revolution = pre-Industrial Revolution (before the beginning of the Industrial Revolution; not preIndustrial Revolution)
• un + American = un-American (not in alignment with the ideals or principles of America)

Note that some style guides suggest using an en dash ( – ) instead of a hyphen when a prefix is used with a proper noun or adjective that is already a compound, as in the second example. Using this method, it would look like this:

• pre–Industrial Revolution

However, this is entirely a personal preference, unless the style guide used by your school or employer specifically prescribes its use.

With self- and ex-

In addition to proper nouns and adjectives, we almost always use a hyphen with the prefixes self- and ex- (when it means “former”), as in:

• self- + conscious = self-conscious (not selfconscious)
• ex- + boyfriend = ex-boyfriend (not exboyfriend)

As you know, main ways of word-formation in the Russian language are prefixal, suffixal and prefixal-suffixal. It means that we can make several new words from almost any word, placing different additional parts to them. It is a simple and effective way to convey new meanings if we don’t have synonyms in written or oral speech.

There are about eighty prefixes in Russian. Imagine what a variety of word-forms can be made by mean of them. It is important to note that prefixes are mostly derived from pronouns — that’s why they convey quite specific and individual meaning to words.

Prefixes are usually divided into three groups:

— prefixes having one form:
в- (во-), взо-, вы-, до-, за-, из- (изо-), к-, на-, над-, не-, недо-, о-, об- (обо-), от- (ото-), па-, пере-, по-, под- (подо-), пра-, пред- (предо-), про-, разо-, с- (со-), су-, у-;

— paired prefixes ending with «-с» and «-з»:
без- (бес-), вз- (вс-), воз- (вос-), из- (ис-), низ- (нис-), раз- (рас-), роз- (рос-), через- (черес-).

Attention. In the case with paired prefixes people often make mistakes; be careful, the choice of proper prefix is influenced by grammar rules which we will discuss a little bit later;

— prefixes «-пре» and «-при».

Along with that, in Russian we use many prefixes borrowed from Greek and Latin. They are somewhat international and most often don’t demand explanations. Examples of Greek prefixes: «гипер-«, «мета-«, «пара-«. Examples of Latin prefixes: «ин-«, «пост-«, «супер-«, «ультра-«.

So what’s the role does prefix play in the process of word-formation? What new meaning does it convey to a word?
Let’s look at the adjective «вкусный» [fkusnyy] (tasty). Or even at the word-combination — «вкусный гамбургер» (tasty hamburger).

Let’s use the prefix «не-» from the first group and make new adjective – «невкусный» [nifkusnyy] (tasteless).

Have you noticed change in the meaning? It hasn’t changed the connotation but the meaning of the word became polar opposite.
«Вкусный» [fkusnyy] and «невкусный» [nifkusnyy] are antonyms — words which have opposite meanings.

What have we understood?
That the prefix ‘не-‘ changes the meaning of a word making it opposite.
And that tasteless hamburger is a bad choice, it’s better to buy salad.

So let’s add the prefix «без-» to selected adjective «вкусный». We get the word «безвкусный» [besfkusnyy]. This word means «lacking flavor», «tasteless».
Thus, the prefix «без-» conveys the meaning of absence, lack of something.
To buy «безвкусный» hamburger is, perhaps, not so offensive as to buy «невкусный» but it’s also nothing good. Just money to burn.

A meticulous student can ask: why have we taken the prefix «не-» [ne], if we hear «ни-» [ni] in the first case?
And why «без-» [bez], if we hear «бес-» [bes] in the second case?

How to avoid a mistake in writing?

The rule says, we write the prefix «без-» before voiced consonants (б, в, г, д, ж, з, л, м, н, р) and vowels. The prefix «бес-» is used before voiceless consonants (п, ф, к, т, ш, с, ч, щ, ц, х).

In the context of the prefix «ни-» the situation is as follows. The prefix «ни-» is not used with adjectives but only with pronouns and adverbs («никто» [nikto] – nobody, «никогда» [nikagda] – never)

Then let’s work with the prefixes «пре-» and «при-«. There are also clear rules.

Let’s take one of our most favorite verbs of motion, eg. «ходить» [chadit’] (walk).
What word will we get using the prefix: «приходить» [prichadit’] or «преходить» [prechadit’]?

So we should think at first what meaning conveys the word «приходить» (come). The word «приходить» denotes not the process of walking but the motion with result. We walk and walk and finally come to some place. Thus, when we mean approach to something (for example, «приходить домой» (come to house) — to be at home as a result of approaching the house), we use the prefix «при-«. It has exactly this meaning. Joining. Approaching. Nearness.

By the way, there is no such word in Russian as «преходить». But we can use the prefix «пере-» [pere] adding it to the word «ходить» and get the word «переходить» [perichadit’]. But what does it mean? We have analyzed the prefix «при-«, so now let’s examine the prefix «пере-«. The prefix «пере-» conveys the meaning of overcoming something (obstacles, distances, boundaries). Thus, the word «переходить» most often means to cross something, for example, «переходить дорогу» – to cross over the road. Or if we change our diet, we say: «переходить с мясной пищи на вегетарианскую» – to change meat food to vegetarian meal.