Prefixes and suffixes were originally words themselves but they are now groups of letters added to words or to roots to create new words. Prefixes [pre (before) + fix (fasten) = fasten before] are groups of letters placed before words or roots. Prefixes modify or extend the meanings of words and roots. Following is a list of commonly used prefixes and sample vocabulary.
a-, an- not, without
o apolitical (adjective): without interest in politics
+ a + polit + ic + al
o anemia (noun): the condition (disease) of not having enough red blood cells
+ an + em + ia
ab-, abs- away from, off
o abrupt (adjective): unexpected change
+ ab + rupt
o absolve (verb): to be set free from one’s actions or obligations
+ ab + solve
ante- before
o anterior (adjective): before or near the front
+ ante + rior
anti- against
o antipathy (noun): dislike, opposite feeling
+ anti + path + y
auto- self
o automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines
+ auto + mot + ive
bi- two
o biped (noun): a two-footed animal
+ bi + ped
o biennial (adjective): happening every two years bi + enni + al
cat-, cata-, cath- down, with
o category (noun): a class or set to which a thing belongs
+ cate + gor + y
o catalogue (noun): a book or pamphlet that lists and describes
+ cata + log + ue
o catheter (noun): a medical device used to tranfer fluids cath +eter
circum- around
o circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation
+ circum + vent
contra- against, opposite
o contradict (verb) to state the opposite
+ contra + dict
de- to do the opposite, to take away from
o decrease (verb): to grow smaller, to become less
+ de + cre + ase
di-, dif-, dis- apart, separate, two, opposite, not
o divide (verb): to separate into two or more parts
+ di + vide
o differ (verb): to be unlike
+ dif + fer
dis- not, opposite of, exclude
o distrust (verb): to have no confidence or trust
+ dis + trust
e-, ex- out, out of, from
o emit (verb) to send out
+ e + mit
o expel (verb): to force out ex + pel
en-, em- put into
o enamor (verb): to cause to love, to “put” someone “into” love
+ en + am + + or
o empower (verb): to give power, to put into power em + pow + er
pi-, upon, beside, over
o epilogue (noun): the concluding section of a play or literary work
+ epi + logue
extra- beyond
o extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal
+ extra + ordin + ary
il-, im-, in-, ir, not, in
o illegible (adjective): cannot be read
+ il + leg + ible
o imposter (noun): someone who poses as someone else
+ im + post + er
o inaction (noun): lack of motion, idle
+ in + act + ion
o irresolute (adjective): uncertain about hot to act, undecided, not having a solution
+ ir + re + solute
in-, im-, il- in, into
o instead (adverb): in place of, an alternative
+ in + stead
o import (verb): to bring into a country from another country
+ im + port
inter- between, among
o interject (verb): to throw something (usually a comment) between other things
+ inter + ject
intro- into
o introspection (noun): to look into one’s own thoughts and feelings
+ intro + spect + ion
mal- bad
o malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly
+ mal + funct + ion
mis- wrong
o misconduct (noun): wrong doing, bad behavior
+ mis + con + duct
mono- one
o monologue (noun): a dramatic performance or speech given by one actor
+ mono + logue
multi- many
o multiply (verb): to increase in number
+ multi + ply
non- not, no
o nonsense (noun): something that has no meaning or makes no sense
+ non + sense
ob-, oc-, of-, op- toward, against, in the way
o obtain (verb): to gain or get, to get a hold of
+ ob + tain
o occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
+ oc + cur
o offer (verb): to attempt to give, to propose, to try to hand out
+ of + fer
o oppose (verb): to be against, to stand in the way of something
+ op + pose
over- excessive, above
o overwork (verb): to have too much work
+ over + work
para- beside
o paradox (noun): a statement that seems true and contradictory at the same time
+ para + dox
per- through
o persecute (verb): to go after, to pursue
+ per + secute
post- after
o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay
+ post + pone
pre- before
o precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of
+ pre + cede
pro- for, foward
o propel (verb): to push forward
+ pro + pel
re- back, again
o readmit (verb): to allow in again
+ re + ad + mit
retro- backward
o retrospect (noun) to look back at past events
+ retro + spect
se- apart, move away from
o secede (verb): to withdraw from an organization
+ se + cede
semi- half
o semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year
+ semi + annu + al
sub-, under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above, up
o submarine (adjective): underwater
+ sub + mar + ine
super- over, above
o superimpose (verb): to place something on top of something else
+ super + im + pose
syn-, sym- together, at the same time
o synchronous (adjective): happening at the same time
+ syn + chron + ous
o sympathy (noun): sharing another person’s feelings, compassion
+ sym + path + y
trans- across, beyond, change
o transform (verb): to change shape
+ trans + form
tri- three
o tripod (noun): a three-legged stand
+ tri + pod
un- not, against, opposite
o unceasing (adjective): never ending, continuous
+ un + ceas + ing
uni- one
o uniform (adjective): having the same form or consistancy
+ uni + form
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