What are word affixes

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

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

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 with 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

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

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

ex-

(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

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

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

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, adjectives, 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 with 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

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

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

un- (1)

Hyphenated before proper nouns and adjectives.

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)

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

“-s”

Verbs

Forms the third-person singular for most verbs.

hear→hears

run→runs

think→thinks

write→writes

“-s”

Nouns

Changes most nouns from singular to plural.

bank→banks

car→cars

pizza→pizzas

toy→toys

wire→wires

“-es”

Verbs

Forms the third-person singular for verbs ending in a sibilant sound (/s/, /z/, /ʧ/, or /ʃ/) created by the endings “-ss,” “-z,” “-x,” “-sh,” “-ch,” or “-tch,” as well as verbs ending in a consonant + O.

approach→approaches

catch→catches

do→does

go→goes

hush→hushes

pass→passes

quiz→quizzes

“-es”

Nouns

Forms the plural for nouns ending in a sibilant sound (/s/, /z/, /ʧ/, or /ʃ/) as created by the endings “-ss,” “-z,” “-x,” “-sh,” “-ch,” or “-tch.”

coach→coaches

watch→watches

dish→dishes

box→boxes

bus→buses

kiss→kisses

waltz→waltzes

“-ed”

Verbs

Forms the past simple tense and past participle of most verbs.

ask→asked

burn→burned

dare→dared

hope→hoped

open→opened

talk→talked

walk→walked

“-en”

Verbs

Forms the past participle of some irregular verbs.

be→been

drive→driven

eat→eaten

give→given

got→gotten

sink→sunken

write→written

“-en”

Nouns

Changes certain irregular nouns from singular to plural.

ox→oxen

child→children

brother→brethren

“-ing”

Verbs

Forms the present participle of verbs (as well as the gerund form.)

build→building

care→caring

hear→hearing

pass→passing

read→reading

see→seeing

wear→wearing

“-er”

Adjectives and Adverbs

Forms the comparative degree for many adjectives and adverbs.

big→bigger

fast→faster*

happy→happier

high→higher*

sad→sadder

slow→slower*

“-est”

Adjectives and Adverbs

Forms the superlative degree for many adjectives and adverbs.

big→biggest

fast→fastest*

happy→happiest

high→highest*

sad→saddest

slow→slowest*

“-al”

An action or process.

Verbs

approve→approval

betray→betrayal

bury→burial

deny→denial

dispose→disposal

propose→proposal

renew→renewal

reverse→reversal

“-er”

A person or thing performing or capable of a particular action.

Verbs

bake→baker

compose→composer

defend→defender

employ→employer

interview→interviewer

keep→keeper

teach→teacher

write→writer

“-hood”

1. A state, quality, or condition.

2. A group sharing a state, quality, or condition.

Nouns

adult→adulthood

boy→boyhood

brother→brotherhood

child→childhood

father→fatherhood

girl→girlhood

knight→knighthood

man→manhood

mother→motherhood

parent→parenthood

sister→sisterhood

woman→womanhood

“-ication”

A state, condition, action, process, or practice, or the result thereof.

Verbs ending in “-fy”

amplify→amplification

clarify→clarification

dignify→dignification

falsify→falsifiication

glorify→glorification

identify→identification

justify→justification

modify→modification

quantify→quantification

simplify→simplification

unify→unification

“-ism”

1. An action, process, or practice.

2. A state, condition, or quality.

3. A doctrine, theory, or set of guiding principles.

1. Verbs

2 & 3. Adjectives

active→activism

antagonize→antagonism

baptize→baptism

criticize→criticism

colloquial→colloquialism

conservative→conservatism

exorcize→exorciism

feminine→feminism

liberal→liberalism

metabolize→metabolism

modern→modernism

pacific→pacifism

“-ment”

An action or process, or the result thereof.

Verbs

adjust→adjustment

bereave→bereavement

contain→containment

disappoint→disappointment

employ→employment

fulfill→fulfillment

judge→judgment

move→movement

place→placement

resent→resentment

treat→treatment

“-ness”

A state, condition, trait, or measurement thereof.

Adjectives

alert→alertness

cold→coldness

dark→darkness

exact→exactness

fierce→fierceness

happy→happiness

kind→kindness

like→likeness

selfish→selfishness

useful→usefulness

“-tion”

A state, condition, action, process, or practice, or the result thereof.

Verbs

act→action

affect→affection

communicate→communication

complete→completion

direct→direction

educate→education

evolve→evolution

inscribe→inscription

interrupt→interruption

misconceive→misconception

resolve→resolution

subscribe→subscription

translate→translation

“-en”

1. To become or cause to become.

2. To come or cause to have.

1. Adjectives

2. Nouns

black→blacken

broad→broaden

cheap→cheapen

fright→frighten

hard→harden

heart→hearten

length→lengthen

red→redden

sharp→sharpen

sick→sicken

strength→strengthen

“-ify”

To make or cause to become.

Adjectives, nouns

ample→amplify

beauty→beautify

clear→clarify

diverse→diversify

dignity→dignify

glory→glorify

just→justify

pure→purify

null→nullify

simple→simplify

type→typify

“-ize”

To become or cause to become; to do or make that to which the suffix is attached.

Adjectives, nouns

accessory→accessorize

apology→apologize

capital→capitalize

civil→civilize

economy→economize

empathy→empathize

fertile→fertilize

industrial→industrialize

legal→legalize

human→humanize

standard→standardize

theory→theorize

union→unionize

“-able”

Possible; capable of; suitable for.

Verbs

adore→adorable

break→breakable

debate→debatable

do→doable

excite→excitable

live→livable

manage→manageable

read→readable

stop→stoppable

“-al”

Having the characteristics of or relating to.

Nouns

artifice→artificial

bride→bridal

brute→brutal

center→central

emotion→emotional

form→formal

logic→logical

music→musical

politics→political

space→spatial

tide→tidal

“-ful”

1. Full of; characterized by.

2. Tending or able to.

1. Nouns

2. Verbs

beauty→beautiful

care→careful

delight→delightful

forget→forgetful

grace→graceful

joy→joyful

law→lawful

mourn→mournful

play→playful

respect→respectful

waste→wasteful

“-ic”

Having the characteristics of or relating to.

Nouns

acid→acidic

base→basic

comedy→comedic

galaxy→galactic

hero→heroic

irony→ironic

magnet→magnetic

myth→mythic

nostalgia→nostalgic

poetry→poetic

rhythm→rhythmic

system→systemic

“-ish”

1. Typical of, similar to, or related to.

2. Of or associated with (a particular nationality, region, or language).

3. Inclined to or preoccupied with.

Nouns

book→bookish

boy→boyish

Britain→British

child→childish

clown→clownish

Denmark→Danish

fiend→fiendish

girl→girlish

nightmare→nightmarish

prude→prudish

self→selfish

Spain→Spanish

Sweden→Swedish

“-less”

Lacking; deprived of; without.

Nouns

aim→aimless

blame→blameless

color→colorless

doubt→doubtless

home→homeless

hope→hopeless

limit→limitless

need→needless

point→pointless

rest→restless

self→selfless

time→timeless

use→useless

“-ous”

Possessing; characterized by; full of.

Nouns

advantage→advantageous

caution→cautious

disaster→disastrous

fame→famous

glamor→glamorous

joy→joyous

malice→malicious

nutrition→nutritious

religion→religious

pretense→pretentious

poison→poisonous

suspicion→suspicious

“-y”

1. Characterized by; consisting or having the quality of; filled with.

2. Tending or inclined to.

1. Nouns

2. Verbs

bulk→bulky

class→classy

dream→dreamy

ease→easy

leak→leaky

mess→messy

rain→rainy

rope→ropy

shine→shiny

smell→smelly

wimp→wimpy

“-ly”

1. In a certain or specified manner.

2. At that interval of time.

1. Adjectives

2. Nouns (units of time)

abrupt→abruptly

calm→calmly

day→daily

double→doubly

easy→easily

extreme→extremely

full→fully

happy→happily

lucky→luckily

month→monthly

probable→probably

quiet→quietly

right→rightly

smart→smartly

true→truly

whole→wholly

year→yearly

“-ways/-wise”

(“-wise” is much more common, especially in American English, except with the root side, which almost always becomes sideways)

1. In a specified manner, direction, or position.

2. With reference or in regard to. (sometimes hyphenated)

Nouns, adjectives

clock→clockwise

business→businesswise

edge→edgewise (occasionally: edgeways)

health→health-wise

length→lengthwise (occasionally: lengthways)

like→likewise

other→otherwise

side→sideways

weather→weather-wise

“-ward”

In a specified direction or position.

Nouns, adjectives, adverbs

back→backward

down→downward

east→eastward

fore→forward

front→frontward

home→homeward

north→northward

on→onward

south→southward

to→toward

west→westward

man→men

woman→women

mouse→mice

goose→geese

louse→lice

tooth→teeth

foot→feet

knife→knives

wolf→wolves

leaf→leaves

thief→thieves

swim→swam→swum

sing→sang→sung

see→saw

run→ran

grow→grew

ride→rode

sit→sat

get→got

give→gave

drive→drove

think→thought

contest

con·test

(/ˈkɑn.tɛst/)

con·test

(/kənˈtɛst/)

desert

des·ert

(/ˈdɛz.ərt/)

de·sert

(/dɪˈzɜrt/)

increase

in·crease

(/ˈɪn.kris/)

in·crease

(/ɪnˈkris/)

object

ob·ject

(/ˈɑb.ʤɛkt/)

ob·ject

(/əbˈʤɛkt/)

permit

per·mit

(/ˈpɜr.mɪt/)

per·mit

(/ˈpɜr.mɪt/)

present

pres·ent

(/ˈprɛz.ənt/

pre·sent

(/prɪˈzɛnt/)

project

proj·ect

(/ˈprɑʤ.ɛkt/)

pro·ject

(/prəˈʤɛkt/)

rebel

reb·el

(/ˈrɛb.əl/)

re·bel

(/rɪˈbɛl/)

record

rec·ord

(/ˈrɛk.ərd/)

re·cord

(/rəˈkɔrd/)

refuse

ref·use

(/ˈrɛf.juz/)

re·fuse

(/rɪˈfjuz/)

subject

sub·ject

(/ˈsʌb.ʤɛkt/)

sub·ject

(/səbˈʤɛkt/)