Prefixes and Suffixes

The English language contains an enormous and ever-growing number of words. Enhancing your
vocabulary by learning new words can seem overwhelming, but if you know the common prefixes
and suffixes of English, you will understand many more words.

Mastering common prefixes and suffixes is like learning a code. Once you crack the code, you can
not only spell words more correctly but also recognize and perhaps even define unfamiliar words.

Prefixes

A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word to create a new meaning. Study the
common prefixes in the table of “Common Prefixes”.

Prefix Meaning Example

Dis not, opposite of dis + satisfied = dissatisfied

Mis Wrongly mis + spell = misspell

Un Not un + acceptable = unacceptable

Re Again re + election = reelection

Inter Between inter + related = interrelated

Pre Before pre + pay = prepay

Non Not non + sense = nonsense

super Above super + script = superscript

Sub Under sub + merge = submerge

Prefix Meaning Example

Anti against, opposing anti + bacterial = antibacterial, anti-romantic

Suffixes

A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to create a new meaning. Study
the suffix rules in the following boxes.

Rule 1

When adding the suffixes –ness and –ly to a word, the spelling of the word does not change.

Examples:

• dark + ness = darkness

• scholar + ly = scholarly

Exceptions to Rule 1

When the word ends in y, change the y to i before adding –ness and –ly.

Examples:

• ready + ly = readily
• happy + ness = happiness

Rule 2

When the suffix begins with a vowel, drop the silent e in the root word.

Examples:

• care + ing = caring

• use + able = usable

Exceptions to Rule 2

When the word ends in ce or ge, keep the silent e if the suffix begins with a or o.

Examples:
 • replace + able = replaceable
• courage + ous = courageous

Rule 3

When the suffix begins with a consonant, keep the silent e in the original word.

Examples:

• care + ful = careful

• care + less = careless

Exceptions to Rule 3

Examples:

• true + ly = truly
• argue + ment = argument

Rule 4

When the word ends in a consonant plus y, change the y to i before any suffix not beginning with i.

Examples:

• sunny + er = sunnier
• hurry + ing = hurrying

Rule 5

When the suffix begins with a vowel, double the final consonant only if (1) the word has only one
syllable or is accented on the last syllable and (2) the word ends in a single vowel followed by a
single consonant.

Examples:

• tan + ing = tanning (one syllable word)

• regret + ing = regretting (The accent is on the last syllable; the word ends in a single vowel
followed by a single consonant.)
• cancel + ed = canceled (The accent is not on the last syllable.)
• prefer + ed = preferred
What is Prefix?
A Prefix is a word that is added at the beginning of the root word to form a new word. A prefix
word does not have any meaning of its own but when added to a root word it modifies the meaning
of the word. Prefix makes a word negative, indicate opinion or show repetition.
Prefix examples:

• Un (Prefix) + Happy (Root Word) = Unhappy (new word)

• Dis (Prefix) + Organised (Root word) = Disorganised (new word)
What is Suffix?
Like Prefixes, Suffixes are also words that are added to the root word to form a new word but
suffixes are added at the end of the root word. Suffix does change the meaning of the word it is
added to but not make the word opposite or negative as prefix do, it simply changes the class of
the root word like a verb is changed into an adjective by adding a suffix.
Suffix examples:

• Forget (root word) + Ful (Suffix) = Forgetful (New word)

• Happy (root word) + Ness (Suffix) = Happiness (New word)

List of Suffixes & Prefixes

The Prefixes and Suffixes are based on English vocabulary.

List of Prefix in English

Prefix Meanings Prefix Examples

Word

A Without amoral, apolitical, atypical

Ante Before antecedent, antedate

Anti against, opposing anti-war, anti-bacterial

Arch more, extreme arch-capitalist, arch-rebel

Auto Self auto-dial, auto-rotate

Bi two, twice bilingual, bisect, bi-monthly

circum Round circumnavigate, circumvent

Co With co-author, co-edit

col, com, With collaborate, combine, connect

con

contra, against, opposing contraception, counterclaim,

counter counteract

De opposite action declassify, destroy

Dia across diagonal, diameter

Dis not, opposite of disagree, disprove, distrust,

disbelief

Dys abnormal dyslexia, dysfunctional

E electronic e-book, e-mail, e-governance

Eco related to environment eco-tourism, eco-disaster

en(m) cause to encode, embrace

Equi equal equidistant, equilateral

Ex previously, former ex-president, ex-student

Extra very extra-bright, extra-strong

Extra outside extra-curricular, extrasensory,
extraordinary

Fore before Forecast, forelimb,

hyper too much hyperactive, hypersensitive

il, im, in, not, opposite of illogical, impossible, indistinct,

ir irrational

in(m) movement to, in input, inset, intake, implant, import

Inter between, connected interrelated, interact

Intra within intra-generational, intramuscular

Kilo thousand kilogram, kilometer, kilowatt

macro large macroeconomics, macro-scale

Mal bad, badly malfunction, malpractice

micro small micro-economics, micro-scale

Mid middle midway, midsummer

Mis wrongly, incorrect mistake, mistranslate,

misunderstanding

mono one mono-centric, monoculture

multi many multicultural, multi-level

Neo something old in new form Neoclassical,

Non not non-believer, non-competitive,

nonsense

Out more, to a great extent outnumber, outlive, outburst,

outrage

Over over, above, too much overlook, overcook, overhead,

overheat

Post after post-examination, post-modern,

post-independence

Pre before pre-industrial, preview, pre-war,

pre-independence

Pro in favour of pro-feminist, pro-liberal, proactive

pseudo false, pseudo-intellectual, pseudo-science

quasi almost, not quite quasi-academic, quasi-legal

Re again rediscover, redefine, rename, return,

rejuvenate

Retro backwards retrogressive, retrospective

Semi partly, half semicircle, semi-organic, semi-

precious, semifinals

Sub part of something, under, beneath, subway, submarine, subsection

super above or bigger superpower, supersonic, superstar

Trans across transcontinental, transcribe,
transport, transit

Ultra extreme ultra-sensitive, ultrasound,

ultramodern

Un not unusual, uncertain, unusual,

unscrew, unplug, unfriendly

under under, beneath, insufficient underpower, underemployed,

undersea

Well useful, successful well-designed, well-written. well-

established

List of Suffix in English

Suffix Word Meaning Suffix Examples

-able, ible can be done doable, identifiable, predictable,

possible

-al, ial has property of personal, partial, legal,

-ant having an effect disinfectant, coolant, accelerant

–based performing a major part computer-based, oil-based, genetic-

of based

–cy state or quality accuracy, literacy, urgency,

-ed past tense of verb turned, ruined, cooked, cleaned

–ee person affected by employee, interviewee, trainee,
something addressee

-en made of, being made golden, broaden, lighten

-er comparative higher, lighter, sooner, later

-er one who perform or do doer, painter, singer, performer

something

-est superlative slightest, lightest, best, biggest

–free without hasslefree, carefree, debt-free, pain-

free

–ful full of grateful, forgetful, fearful, careful,

joyful

–hood condition, period, state childhood, brotherhood, adulthood,

motherhood

–ic having property of linguistic, photographic, electric,

democratic, heroic

–ics study of genetics, electronics, aeronautics

–ify giving quality to defy, clarify, purify, solidify,

something classify

–ing present participle cooking, dancing, running

–ism behaviour or belief liberalism, modernism, heroism

-ist one who follows certain Philanthropist, anarchist, optimist,
behaviours or belief activist

–(t)ion act or process reaction, action, projection

–(i)ty state of extremity, infinity, sanity

–(t)ive adjective active, motive, positive

–ize, -ise bring about a condition modernize/modernise,

or state colonize/colonise

–less without fearless, careless, meaningless

–like resemble another alike, bird-like, child-like

–ly, -y having \quickly, quietly, wordy, handy

–ment action, process fulfilment, enjoyment,

development

–ness state of, quality Happiness, newness, kindness,

effectiveness, openness

–ocracy type of ruling body democracy, autocracy, meritocracy,

bureaucracy

–ocrat person ruling autocrat, technocrat, democrat

–ology, -ological study of archaeology, geology, biology,

physiological, biological,

–ous having callous, joyous, religious

 –proof safe, protected against stain-proof, waterproof, dustproof,
soundproof

–ship state or experience of partnership, entrepreneurship,

specific position professorship, leadership

Prefixes & Suffixes Practice /Exercise

Directions – Fill in the blanks in the given sentences by adding correct prefixes or suffixes to the
given base word.

1. He cracked the Civils Service Examination, he was ___ (success) for the second time.
2. Ria is ___ (child), she was crying a minute ago and suddenly she started laughing.
3. They are ___ (practice), perhaps they will win the ___ (champion) trophy.
4. My brother’s ___ (aim) is to be a ____ (mathematics) when he grows up.
5. He is ___ (manners), he does not know how to behave with elders.
6. The current ___ (govern) did as promised, the roads of the old city are now ___ (broad).
7. A ___ (combine) of motivation and hard work can fulfil your dreams.
8. The doctors have advised her to be ___ (stress) only then she can overcome the __ (weak).
9. She ___ (behave) in the class because of which teachers ___ (agree) to let her sit in the
class.
10. College days are ___ (memory) days because here only we build ___ (relation) that are
never ___ (forget).

Vocabulary building

Affixes and roots

Adding affixes to existing words (the base or root) to form new words is common in academic
English. Prefixes are added to the front of the base (like dislike), whereas suffixes are added
to the end of the base (active activate). Prefixes usually do not change the class of the base
word, but suffixes usually do change the class of the word.

The most common prefixes used to form new verbs in academic English are: re-, dis-, over-, un-,
mis-, out-. The most common suffixes are: -ise, -en, -ate, -(i)fy. By far the most common affix in
academic English is -ise.

Verbs

e.g. prefix + verb verb

Prefix Meaning Examples

re- again or back restructure, revisit, reappear, rebuild, refinance
 dis- reverses the meaning of the verb disappear, disallow, disarm, disconnect, discontinue
over- too much overbook, oversleep, overwork
un- reverses the meaning of the verb unbend, uncouple, unfasten
mis- badly or wrongly mislead, misinform, misidentify
out- more or better than others outperform, outbid
be- make or cause befriend, belittle
co- Together co-exist, co-operate, co-own
de- do the opposite of devalue, deselect
fore- earlier, before foreclose, foresee
inter- Between interact, intermix, interface
pre- Before pre-expose, prejudge, pretest
sub- under/below subcontract, subdivide
trans- across, over transform, transcribe, transplant
under- not enough underfund, undersell, undervalue, underdevelop

Exercise

e.g. Suffix used to form verbs with the meaning "cause to be".

Suffix Example
-ise stabilise, characterise, symbolise, visualise, specialise
-ate differentiate, liquidate, pollinate, duplicate, fabricate
-fy classify, exemplify, simplify, justify
-en awaken, fasten, shorten, moisten

Exercise

Nouns
The most common prefixes used to form new nouns in academic English are: co- and sub-. The
most common suffixes are: -tion, -ity, -er, -ness, -ism, -ment, -ant, -ship, -age, -ery. By far the most
common noun affix in academic English is -tion.

e.g. prefix + noun noun

Prefix Meaning Examples

anti- against anticlimax, antidote, antithesis
auto- self autobiography, automobile
bi- two bilingualism, biculturalism, bi-metalism
co- joint co-founder, co-owner, co-descendant
counter- against counter-argument, counter-example, counter-proposal
dis- the converse of discomfort, dislike
ex- former ex-chairman, ex-hunter
hyper- extreme hyperinflation, hypersurface
in- the converse of inattention, incoherence, incompatibility
in- inside inpatient,
inter- between interaction, inter-change, interference
kilo- thousand Kilobyte
mal- bad malfunction, maltreatment, malnutrition
mega- million megabyte
mis- wrong misconduct, misdeed, mismanagement
mini- small mini-publication, mini-theory
mono- one monosyllable, monograph, monogamy
neo- new neo-colonialism, neo-impressionism
out- separate outbuilding,
poly- many polysyllable
pseudo- false pseudo-expert
re- again re-organisation, re-assessment, re-examination
semi- half semicircle, semi-darkness
 sub- below subset, subdivision
super- more than, above superset, superimposition, superpowers
sur- over and above Surtax
tele- distant telecommunications,
tri- three tripartism
ultra- beyond ultrasound
under- below, too little underpayment, under-development, undergraduate
vice- deputy vice-president

Exercise

e.g. Suffix added to a verb (V), noun (N) or adjective (A) noun

Suffix Meaning Examples

-tion alteration, demonstration
action/instance of V-ing
-sion expansion, inclusion, admission
person who V-s advertiser, driver
-er
something used for V-ing computer, silencer
-ment action/instance of V-ing development, punishment, unemployment
-ant assistant, consultant
person who V-s
-ent student
-age action/result of V breakage, wastage, package
-al action/result of V denial, proposal, refusal, dismissal
-ence preference, dependence, interference
action/result of V
-ance attendance, acceptance, endurance
action/instance of V-ing bribery, robbery, misery
-ery/-ry
place of V-ing refinery, bakery

Suffix Meaning Examples

 -er person concerned with N astronomer, geographer
-ism doctrine of N Marxism, Maoism, Thatcherism
-ship state of being N friendship, citizenship, leadership
-age collection of N baggage, plumage

Suffix Meaning Examples

-ity state or quality of being A ability, similarity, responsibility, curiosity
-ness state or quality of being A darkness, preparedness, consciousness
-cy state or quality of being A urgency, efficiency, frequency

Exercise

Adjectives

Many adjectives are formed from a base of a different class with a suffix (e.g. -less, -ous).
Adjectives can also be formed from other adjectives, especially by the negative prefixes (un-, in-
and non-).

The most common suffixes are -al, -ent, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less.

e.g. Suffix added to verbs or nouns adjective

Suffix Example
-al central, political, national, optional, professional
-ent different, dependent, excellent
-ive attractive, effective, imaginative, repetitive
-ous continuous, dangerous, famous
-ful beautiful, peaceful, careful
-less endless, homeless, careless, thoughtless
-able drinkable, countable, avoidable,
Exercise

e.g. negative + adjective adjective

Prefix Examples
un- unfortunate, uncomfortable, unjust
im-/in-/ir-/il- immature, impatient, improbable, inconvenient, irreplaceable, illegal
non- non-fiction, non-political, non-neutral
dis- disloyal, dissimilar, dishonest

Exercise

Mixed

e.g. base with both prefix and suffix

Adjectives: uncomfortable, unavoidable, unimaginative, inactive, semi-circular

Nouns: disappointment, misinformation, reformulation

Word formation

Formal written English uses nouns more than verbs. For example, judgement rather
than judge, development rather than develop, admiration rather than admire.

There appeared to be evidence of differential treatment of children.

This is reflected in our admiration for people who have made something of their lives, sometimes
against great odds, and in our somewhat disappointed judgment of those who merely drift through
life.

All airfields in the country would be nationalised, and the government would continue with
the development of new aircraft as recommended by the Brabazon Committee.

Associated with nominalisation is the occurrence of prepositional phrases, introduced by of:

judgment of those

treatment of children
development of new aircraft

-tion is the most common suffix used in this way. For example: alteration, resignation.

However others are: -ity ability, similarity, complexity; -ness blindness, darkness, preparedness; -
ment development, encouragement; -ship friendship; -age mileage; -ery robbery, bribery; -
al arrival; -ance assistance, resemblance.

^
👉 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

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

Suffix Meaning

What is the Suffix?

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

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.
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’. 👉

👉 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

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLES

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

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLES

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-
Thesciences
over
in prefix
and denotes
hyper-
to denote
comes
something
mass
from
orGreek.
in
space.
excess
It isor
used
something
to describe
being
something
exaggerated.
that isItabundant,
is used commonly
it means

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

Suffixes

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 reader, creator, interpreter, inventor,
specified action collaborator, teacher

-ism doctrine, belief Judaism, scepticism, escapism

-ist person or object that does a Geologist, protagonist, sexist,

specified action 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

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE

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 fiscal, thermal, herbal, colonial

of

-esque in a manner of or picturesque, burlesque, grotesque

resembling

-ful notable for handful, playful, hopeful, skilful

-ic, -ical having the form or character psychological, hypocritical,

of 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

 SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE

-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:

-it is 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

👉 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.

Combining forms are similar to prefixes, and are sometimes known as ‘chameleon prefixes’,
because they act like them and appear at the beginning of words like them, BUT the combining
form is intrinsic to the word, meaning it is a part of the word and cannot be removed.

They are called ‘chameleons’, because they change their spelling and physical form to suit the
word they are attached to!

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’:

COMBINING
PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE MEANING EXAMPLE
FORM

com-, with, comprise, com-, con- with, jointly companion,

con- alongside connote 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, homo- same homogeneous

homophone

magn- great magnate magn- great magnificent,

magnanimous,
magnitude,
magnify

para- beside paragraph, para- beside Paradox

paramedic

sub- under submarine sub- under Substitute

across transnational, transparent trans- through, across transmit, transcend

trans-

tri- three triangle, tripod tri- three triceps, triathlon

 4.4 Prefixes and Suffixes

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the meanings of common prefixes.

2. Become familiar with common suffix rules.

The English language contains an enormous and ever-growing number of words. Enhancing your
vocabulary by learning new words can seem overwhelming, but if you know the common prefixes
and suffixes of English, you will understand many more words.

Mastering common prefixes and suffixes is like learning a code. Once you crack the code, you can
not only spell words more correctly but also recognize and perhaps even define unfamiliar words.

Prefixes

A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word to create a new meaning. Study the
common prefixes in Table 4.2 “Common Prefixes”.
Tip

The main rule to remember when adding a prefix to a word is not to add letters or leave out any
letters. See Table 4.2 “Common Prefixes” for examples of this rule.
Table 4.2 Common Prefixes

Prefix Meaning Example

Dis not, opposite of dis + satisfied = dissatisfied

Mis wrongly mis + spell = misspell

Un not un + acceptable = unacceptable

 Prefix Meaning Example

Re Again re + election = reelection

Inter between inter + related = interrelated

Pre Before pre + pay = prepay

Non Not non + sense = nonsense

Super Above super + script = superscript

Sub Under sub + merge = submerge

Anti against, opposing anti + bacterial = antibacterial

Exercise

Add the correct prefix to the word to complete each sentence. Write the word on your own sheet
of paper.

1. I wanted to ease my stomach ________comfort, so I drank some ginger root tea.

2. Lenny looked funny in his ________matched shirt and pants.
3. Penelope felt ________glamorous at the party because she was the only one not wearing a dress.
4. My mother said those ________aging creams do not work, so I should not waste my money on
them.
5. The child’s ________standard performance on the test alarmed his parents.
6. When my sister first saw the meteor, she thought it was a ________natural phenomenon.
7. Even though she got an excellent job offer, Cherie did not want to ________locate to a different
country.
8. With a small class size, the students get to ________act with the teacher more frequently.
9. I slipped on the ice because I did not heed the ________cautions about watching my step.
10. A ________combatant is another word for civilian.

Suffixes

A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to create a new meaning. Study the suffix rules
in the following boxes.
Rule 1

When adding the suffixes –ness and –ly to a word, the spelling of the word does not change.

Examples:

• dark + ness = darkness

• scholar + ly = scholarly

Exceptions to Rule 1

When the word ends in y, change the y to i before adding –ness and –ly.

Examples:

• ready + ly = readily
• happy + ness = happiness

Rule 2

When the suffix begins with a vowel, drop the silent e in the root word.

Examples:

• care + ing = caring

• use + able = usable

Exceptions to Rule 2

When the word ends in ce or ge, keep the silent e if the suffix begins with a or o.
 Examples:

• replace + able = replaceable

• courage + ous = courageous

Rule 3

When the suffix begins with a consonant, keep the silent e in the original word.

Examples:

• care + ful = careful

• care + less = careless

Exceptions to Rule 3

Examples:

• true + ly = truly
• argue + ment = argument

Rule 4

When the word ends in a consonant plus y, change the y to i before any suffix not beginning with i.

Examples:

• sunny + er = sunnier
• hurry + ing = hurrying

Rule 5

When the suffix begins with a vowel, double the final consonant only if (1) the word has only one
syllable or is accented on the last syllable and (2) the word ends in a single vowel followed by a
single consonant.

Examples:

• tan + ing = tanning (one syllable word)

• regret + ing = regretting (The accent is on the last syllable; the word ends in a single vowel
followed by a single consonant.)
• cancel + ed = canceled (The accent is not on the last syllable.)
• prefer + ed = preferred
Exercise 3

On your own sheet of paper, write correctly the forms of the words with their suffixes.

1. refer + ed
2. refer + ence
3. mope + ing
4. approve + al
5. green + ness
6. benefit + ed
7. resubmit + ing
8. use + age
9. greedy + ly
10. excite + ment

Key Takeaways

• A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word that changes the word’s meaning.
• A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word that changes the word’s meaning.