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 Meaning Examples

a- also an- not, without atheist, anaemic

a- to, towards aside, aback

in the process of, in a a-hunting, aglow

particular state

a- of anew

completely abashed

ab- also abs- away, from abdicate, abstract

ad- also a-, ac-, af-, movement to, change advance, adulterate, adjunct, ascend, affiliate,
ag- al-, an-, ap-, into, addition or affirm, aggravate, alleviate, annotate,
at- as-, at- increase apprehend, arrive, assemble, attend

ante- before, preceding antecedent, ante-room

anti- also ant- opposing, against, the anti-aircraft, antibiotic, anticlimax, Antarctic
opposite

be- all over, all around bespatter, beset

completely bewitch, bemuse

having, covered with bejewelled

affect with (added to befog

nouns)

cause to be (added to becalm

adjectives)
com- also co-, col-, with, jointly, combat, codriver, collude, confide, corrode
con-, cor- completely

contra- against, opposite contraceptive

counter- opposition, opposite counter-attack, counteract

direction

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, disadvantage, dismount, disbud, disbar

expulsion

en- also em- put into or on engulf, enmesh

bring into the condition enlighten, embitter

of

intensification entangle, enrage

ex- also e-, ef- out exit, exclude, expand

upward exalt, extol

completely excruciate, exasperate

previous ex-wife

extra- outside, beyond extracurricular

hemi- half hemisphere

hyper- beyond, more than, hypersonic, hyperactive

more than normal

hypo- under hypodermic, hypothermia

in- also il-, im- not, without infertile, inappropriate, impossible

also il-, im-, ir- in, into, towards, inside influence, influx, imbibe
infra- below infrared, infrastructure

inter- between, among interact, interchange

intra- inside, within intramural, intravenous

non- absence, negation non-smoker, non-alcoholic

ob- also oc-, of-, blocking, against, obstruct, occult, offend, oppose
op- concealing

out- surpassing, exceeding outperform

external, away from outbuilding, outboard

over- excessively, completely overconfident, overburdened, overjoyed

upper, outer, over, overcoat, overcast

above

peri- round, about perimeter

post- after in time or order postpone

pre- before in time, place, pre-adolescent, prelude, precondition

order or importance

pro- favouring, in support of pro-African

acting for proconsul

motion forwards or propulsion

away

before in time, place or prologue

order

re- again repaint, reappraise, reawake

semi- half, partly semicircle, semi-conscious

sub- also suc-, suf-, at a lower position submarine, subsoil

sug-, sup-, sur-,
sus- lower in rank sub-lieutenant

nearly, approximately sub-tropical

syn- also sym- in union, acting synchronize, symmetry
together

trans- across, beyond transnational, transatlantic

into a different state translate

ultra- beyond ultraviolet, ultrasonic

extreme ultramicroscopic

un- not unacceptable, unreal, unhappy, unmanned

reversal or cancellation unplug, unmask

of action or state

under- beneath, below underarm, undercarriage

lower in rank undersecretary

not enough underdeveloped

This list contains some of the common roots and prefixes that make up the building blocks of
numerous English words. Following the table of general roots and prefixes is a table of number
prefixes.

How Words Work

Many words are made up of a root (or base word) and a prefix. Some words also
have a suffix. For example, the root word port means to carry or to bear. Attach the
prefix ex, meaning out or out of, and you have the word export, to carry out. Attach
the prefix im, meaning in or into and you have import, to carry in. Attach the prefix
trans, meaning across, and you have transport, meaning to carry across. Now let's
attach the suffix able, meaning able to be, and you have importable, exportable,
and transportable.

The very words prefix and suffix are good examples, too. Pre means before and fix means to
fasten or attach, so quite literally, a prefix is something attached to the beginning of something
else. Suf is a variant of sub, below or under, so a suffix is something fastened underneath
something else (in this case, behind the root).
By learning the common roots and prefixes (and a few suffixes) you will be able to discern the
meaning of many new words almost immediately. (But do look them up for confirmation.) Take
the word abject, for example. If you know that ab means away or down and ject means to throw,
you can easily figure out that abject doesn't mean something happy. Rather abject's root meaning
of thrown down is quite close to the dictionary defintion of cast down in spirit or sunk into
depression.

Note that some modern words are formed by using abbreviated forms of other words. Thus, we
see the use of the letter i for Internet in iPhone, iPod, and iTunes, indicating that these items or
services work with the Internet. Similarly, the use of e for electronic appears in words such as
elearning (and various forms: eLearning, E-Learning, and so on), e-commerce, and e-business.
The "e-terms" seem to have been coined before the "i-terms" became popular. And note that
most of the "i-terms" are trademarks, while the others are general descriptors: "I'm going to
download some iTunes from Apple's e-commerce site because I love e-music." At any rate, these
abbreviated forms are not traditional prefixes, but because they are indeed attached to the front of
what amounts to root words, they could be considered functional prefixes.

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, off absent, abduction, aberrant,

abstemious, abnormal, abstract,
absorb

acro high, tip, top acrobat, acrophobia, acronym,

acromegaly, acropolis

action, react, transaction,

act do, move proactive, activity, activation,
deactivate

admit, addition, advertisement,

ad to, toward adherent, admonish, address,
adhesive, adept, adjust

altitude, altimeter, alto,

alt high
contralto, altocumulus, exalt

ambul to walk ambulatory, amble, ambulance,

 somnambulist, perambulate,
preamble

animation, inanimate, animal,

anima soul, life 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

army, armament, disarm, rearm,

arm weapon
armistice, armor, armory, arms

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

belligerent, antebellum,
bell war
bellicose, rebel

bene good, well benefactor, beneficial,

benevolent, benediction,
beneficiary, benefit

bicycle, bifocals, biceps, billion,

bi two binary, bivalve, bimonthly,
bigamy, bimetal, biathlete,
 bicarbonate

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

commune, community,
communism, communicable,
commun to share
communication, commonality,
incommunicado

cycl circle, wheel bicycle, cyclical, cycle, encliclical,

motorcycle, tricycle, cyclone

Sequencing ideas

The former, … the latter

Firstly, secondly, finally
The first point is
Lastly
The following

The former and the latter are useful when you want to refer to one of two points.
"Marketing and finance are both covered in the course. The former is studied in the first term and
the latter is studied in the final term."

Firstly, … secondly, … finally (or lastly) are useful ways to list ideas.

It's rare to use "fourthly", or "fifthly". Instead, try the first point, the second point, the third
point and so on.

The following is a good way of starting a list.

"The following people have been chosen to go on the training course: N Peters, C Jones and A
Owen."
[Link]