Prefixes
Prefixes are letters which we add to the beginning of a word to make a new word with a
different meaning. Prefixes can, for example, create a new word opposite in meaning to the
word the prefix is attached to. They can also make a word negative or express relations of
time, place or manner. Here are some examples:
I’m sorry I was unable to attend the meeting.
Non-payment of fees could result in a student being asked to leave the course.
Has anyone ever really met an extraterrestrial being? (meaning a being from another
planet)
The meat was overcooked and quite tasteless.
The most common prefixes
prefix meaning examples
anti- against/opposed to anti-government, anti-racist, anti-war
auto- self autobiography, automobile
de- reverse or change de-classify, decontaminate, demotivate
dis- reverse or remove disagree, displeasure, disqualify
down- reduce or lower downgrade, downhearted
extra- beyond extraordinary, extraterrestrial
hyper- extreme hyperactive, hypertension
il-, im-, in-, ir- not illegal, impossible, insecure, irregular
inter- between interactive, international
mega- very big, important megabyte, mega-deal, megaton
mid- middle midday, midnight, mid-October
mis- incorrectly, badly misaligned, mislead, misspelt
non- not non-payment, non-smoking
over- too much overcook, overcharge, overrate
out- go beyond outdo, out-perform, outrun
prefix meaning examples
post- after post-election, post-war
pre- before prehistoric, pre-war
pro- in favour of pro-communist, pro-democracy
re- again reconsider, redo, rewrite
semi- half semicircle, semi-retired
sub- under, below submarine, sub-Saharan
super- above, beyond super-hero, supermodel
tele- at a distance television, telepathic
trans- across transatlantic, transfer
ultra- extremely ultra-compact, ultrasound
un- remove, reverse, not undo, unpack, unhappy
under- less than, beneath undercook, underestimate
up- make or move higher upgrade, uphill
Suffixes
A suffix is a letter or group of letters added at the end of a word which makes a new word.
The new word is most often a different word class from the original word. In the table
above, the suffix -ful has changed verbs to adjectives, -ment, and -ion have changed verbs
to nouns. If you see a word ending in -ment, for example, it is likely to be a noun
(e.g. commitment, contentment).
Suffixes: spelling
Often, the suffix causes a spelling change to the original word. In the table above, the -
e ending of complicate and create disappears when the -ion suffix is added. Other examples
of spelling changes include:
1. beauty, duty + -ful → beautiful, dutiful (-y changes to i)
2. heavy, ready + -ness → heaviness, readiness (-y changes to i)
3. able, possible + -ity → ability, possibility (-le changes to il)
4. permit, omit + -ion → permission, omission (-t changes to ss)
Common suffixes and examples
Noun suffixes
suffix examples of nouns
-age baggage, village, postage
-al arrival, burial, deferral
-ance/-ence reliance, defence, insistence
-dom boredom, freedom, kingdom
-ee employee, payee, trainee
-er/-or driver, writer, director
-hood brotherhood, childhood, neighbourhood
-ism capitalism, Marxism, socialism (philosophies)
-ist capitalist, Marxist, socialist (followers of philosophies)
-ity/-ty brutality, equality, cruelty
-ment amazement, disappointment, parliament
-ness happiness, kindness, usefulness
-ry entry, ministry, robbery
-ship friendship, membership, workmanship
-sion/-tion/-xion expression, population, complexion
Adjective suffixes
suffix examples of adjectives
-able/-ible drinkable, portable, flexible
-al brutal, formal, postal
-en broken, golden, wooden
-ese Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese
suffix examples of adjectives
-ful forgetful, helpful, useful
-i Iraqi, Pakistani, Yemeni
-ic classic, Islamic, poetic
-ish British, childish, Spanish
-ive active, passive, productive
-ian Canadian, Malaysian, Peruvian
-less homeless, hopeless, useless
-ly daily, monthly, yearly
-ous cautious, famous, nervous
-y cloudy, rainy, windy
Verb suffixes
suffix examples of verbs
-ate complicate, dominate, irritate
-en harden, soften, shorten
-ify beautify, clarify, identify
-ise/- economise, realise, industrialize (-ise is most common in British English; -ize is most
ize common in American English)
Adverb suffixes
suffix examples of adverbs
-ly calmly, easily, quickly
-ward(s) downwards, homeward(s), upwards
-wise anti-clockwise, clockwise, edgewise
