Prefixes
A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. This is a list of
the most common prefixes in English, together with their basic meaning and some examples.
You can find more detail or precision for each prefix in any good dictionary. The origins of
words are extremely complicated. You should use this list as a guide only, to help you understand
possible meanings. But be very careful, because often what appears to be a prefix is not a prefix
at all. Note also that this list does not include elements like "auto-" or " bio-", because these are
"combining forms", not prefixes.
Prefix
a-
also ana-
a-
Meaning
Examples
not, without
atheist, anaemic
to, towards
aside, aback
in the process of, in a
particular state
a-hunting, aglow
of
anew
completely
abashed
ab-
also abs-
away, from
abdicate, abstract
ad-
also a-, ac-, af-,
ag- al-, an-, ap-,
at- as-, at-
movement to, change
into, addition or
increase
advance, adulterate, adjunct, ascend, affiliate,
affirm, aggravate, alleviate, annotate,
apprehend, arrive, assemble, attend
before, preceding
antecedent, ante-room
opposing, against, the
opposite
anti-aircraft, antibiotic, anticlimax, Antarctic
all over, all around
bespatter, beset
completely
bewitch, bemuse
having, covered with
bejewelled
affect with (added to
nouns)
befog
cause to be (added to
adjectives)
becalm
anteanti-
also antbe-
com-
also co-, col-,
con-, cor-
with, jointly,
completely
combat, codriver, collude, confide, corrode
contra-
against, opposite
contraceptive
counter-
opposition, opposite
direction
counter-attack, counteract
de-
down, away
descend, despair, depend, deduct
completely
denude, denigrate
removal, reversal
de-ice, decamp
dia-
also di-
through, across
diagonal
dis-
also di-
negation, removal,
expulsion
disadvantage, dismount, disbud, disbar
en-
also em-
put into or on
engulf, enmesh
bring into the condition
of
enlighten, embitter
intensification
entangle, enrage
out
exit, exclude, expand
upward
exalt, extol
completely
excruciate, exasperate
previous
ex-wife
extra-
outside, beyond
extracurricular
hemi-
half
hemisphere
hyper-
beyond, more than,
more than normal
hypersonic, hyperactive
hypo-
under
hypodermic, hypothermia
also il-, im-
not, without
infertile, inappropriate, impossible
also il-, im-, ir-
in, into, towards, inside
influence, influx, imbibe
ex-
in-
also e-, ef-
ob-
infra-
below
infrared, infrastructure
inter-
between, among
interact, interchange
intra-
inside, within
intramural, intravenous
non-
absence, negation
non-smoker, non-alcoholic
also oc-, of-,
op-
blocking, against,
concealing
obstruct, occult, offend, oppose
surpassing, exceeding
outperform
external, away from
outbuilding, outboard
excessively, completely
overconfident, overburdened, overjoyed
upper, outer, over,
above
overcoat, overcast
peri-
round, about
perimeter
post-
after in time or order
postpone
pre-
before in time, place,
order or importance
pre-adolescent, prelude, precondition
pro-
favouring, in support of
pro-African
acting for
proconsul
motion forwards or
away
propulsion
before in time, place or
order
prologue
re-
again
repaint, reappraise, reawake
semi-
half, partly
semicircle, semi-conscious
at a lower position
submarine, subsoil
lower in rank
sub-lieutenant
nearly, approximately
sub-tropical
out-
over-
sub-
also suc-, suf-,
sug-, sup-, sur-,
sus-
syn-
also symtrans-
in union, acting
together
synchronize, symmetry
across, beyond
transnational, transatlantic
into a different state
translate
beyond
ultraviolet, ultrasonic
extreme
ultramicroscopic
not
unacceptable, unreal, unhappy, unmanned
reversal or cancellation
of action or state
unplug, unmask
beneath, below
underarm, undercarriage
lower in rank
undersecretary
not enough
underdeveloped
ultra-
un-
under-
General Roots and Prefixes
Root or Prefix
Meaning
Examples
a, an
not, without
atheist, anarchy, anonymous
apathy, aphasia, anemia,
atypical, anesthesia
ab
away, down, from, of
absent, abduction, aberrant,
abstemious, abnormal, abstract,
absorb
acro
high, tip, top
acrobat, acrophobia, acronym,
acromegaly, acropolis
act
do, move
ad
to, toward
action, react, transaction,
proactive, activity, activation,
deactivate
admit, addition, advertisement,
adherent, admonish, address,
adhesive, adept, adjust
high
altitude, altimeter, alto,
contralto, altocumulus, exalt
to walk
ambulatory, amble, ambulance,
somnambulist, perambulate,
preamble
anima
soul, life
animation, inanimate, animal,
anime, equanimity, animism,
animus
ante
before
anteroom, antebellum, antedate
antecedent, antediluvian
anti, ant
against, opposite
antisocial, antiseptic, antithesis,
antibody, antichrist, antinomies,
antifreeze, antipathy, antigen,
antibiotic, antidote, antifungal,
antidepressant
arm
weapon
audi
to hear
audience, auditory, audible,
auditorium, audiovisual,
audition, audiobook
auto
self
automobile, automatic,
autograph, autonomous,
autoimmune, autopilot,
autobiography
be
thoroughly
bedecked, besmirch,
besprinkled, begrudge, begrime,
belie, bemoan
bell
war
alt
ambul
army, armament, disarm, rearm,
armistice, armor, armory, arms
belligerent, antebellum,
bellicose, rebel
bene
good, well
benefactor, beneficial,
benevolent, benediction,
beneficiary, benefit
bicycle, bifocals, biceps, billion,
binary, bivalve, bimonthly,
bigamy, bimetal, biathlete,
bicarbonate
bi
two
bio
life, living
biology, biography, biodiversity,
bioavailability, bioflavonoid,
biofuel, biohazard, biomass,
biorhythm
cede, ceed, cess
to go, to yield
succeed, proceed, precede,
recede, secession, exceed,
succession, excess
chron
time
chronology, chronic, chronicle,
chronometer, anachronism
cide, cis
to kill, to cut
fratricide, suicide, incision,
excision, circumcision, precise,
concise, precision, homicide,
genocide, regicide
circum
around
circumnavigate, circumflex,
circumstance, circumcision,
circumference, circumorbital,
circumlocution, circumvent,
circumscribe, circulatory
clud, clus claus
to close
include, exclude, clause,
claustrophobia, enclose,
exclusive, reclusive, conclude,
preclude
con, com
with, together
convene, compress,
contemporary, converge,
compact, confluence,
concatenate, conjoin, combine,
convert, compatible,
consequence, contract
contra, counter
against, opposite
contradict, counteract,
contravene, contrary,
counterspy, contrapuntal,
contraband, contraception,
contrast, controversy,
counterfeit, counterclaim,
counterargument, counterclaim,
counterpoint, counterrevolution
cred
to believe
credo, credible, credence, credit,
credential, credulity, incredulous,
creed, incredible
commun
to share
cycl
circle, wheel
-s, -es, -ies
-s
-ed
-en
-en
-ing
-er
-est
-n't
-ism
-ist
-ful
-able
-ation
-ness
-ment
-ify
-fy
-ity
commune, community,
communism, communicable,
communication, commonality,
incommunicado
bicycle, cyclical, cycle,
encliclical, motorcycle, tricycle,
cyclone
plural
3rd person singular present
past tense
past participle
plural (irregular)
progressive/continuous
comparative
superlative
negative (contraction)
forms a noun
noun
noun
adjective
noun
noun
noun
verb
adjective
noun
-ly
-ise, -ize
Suffix
adverb
verb
Meaning
Usage
able, ible
capable of
(adjective suffix)
portable - able to be carried
legible - able to be read
ac, ic
like, pertaining to
cardiac - pertaining to heart
aquatic - pertaining to water
acious, icious
full of
audacious - full of daring,
avaricious - full of greed
al
pertaining to
maniacal - insane
portal - doorway
logical - pertaining to logic
ant, ent
full of
eloquent - pertaining to fluid,
effective speech.
verdant - green
ary
like, connected with
dictionary - book connected
with words
honorary - connected with
honor
ate
to make
(verb suffix)
consecrate - to make holy
mitigate - make less severe
ation
that which is
(noun suffix)
irritation - that which is
irritated
cy
state of being
(noun suffix)
democracy - ruled by people
obstinacy - obstinate state,
stubbornness
eer, er, or
person who
(noun suffix)
mountaineer - person who
climbs mountains
teacher - one who teaches
advisor - person who advises
escent
becoming
(adjective suffix)
evanescent - tending to
vanish
pubescent - arriving at
puberty
fic
making, doing
(adjective suffix)
fantastic - arousing great
wonder
terrific - arousing great fear
fy
to make (verb suffix)
iferous
producing, bearing
(adjective suffix)
il, ile
pertaining to, capable of
(adjective suffix)
ism
doctrine, belief
(noun suffix)
ist
dealer, doer
(noun suffix)
ity
state of being
(noun suffix)
sagacity - state of being wise
ive
like (adjective suffix)
quantitative - concerned with
number or volume
ize, ise
to make
(verb suffix)
oid
resembling, like
(adjective suffix)
ovoid - like an egg
anthropoid - resembling a
human
ose
full of
(adjective suffix)
verbose - full of words
osis
condition (noun suffix)
magnify - to enlarge
petrify - turn to stone
pestiferous - carrying disease
vociferous - having a loud
voice
civil - polite
docile - easily taught or led
monotheism - belief in one
God
socialism - kind of governance
realist - one who is realistic
dentist - deals with teeth
harmonize - make harmonious
revolutionize - make
revolutionary
psychosis - diseased mental
condition
hypnosis - induced sleep
ous
full of (adjective suffix)
tude
state of (noun suffix)
nauseous - full of nausea
ludicrous - foolish
fortitude - state of strength
certitude - state of certainty
