PREFIXES
Some words are formed by using a prefix. A prefix is a syllable (or syllables) placed at the beginning of a
word so as to qualify its meaning and form a new word. Most of the prefixes in English are borrowed from
Latin and Greek. Only a few are from old English. Notable prefixes are listed below with examples.
Prefix Meaning Examples
a- on abed, aboard, ashore, ajar, asleep, aside, away
a-, an- without, not anonymous, apathy, atheist, anarchy, amoral, asexual, atypical
ab- from, away from abduction, abstain, abnormal
ad- to, toward adjoin, adjacent
aero- connected with air aerodynamic, aerospace
agro- related to forming agro-industry, agriculture, agronomy,
all- completely; an all-British cast, an all-inclusive price, all-important,
in the greatest degree all-powerful, all-time record
ambi-, amphi- both or two ambidextrous, ambivalent, ambiguous, amphibian
ana- up, back again analogy, anatomy, anagram
anglo- relating to English anglophile, Anglo-Indian, Anglo-American
ante- before; in front of antechamber, antedate, antediluvian, antenatal, antecedent
anthropo- relating to humans anthropology, anthropomorphic , philanthropy,
anti- against, opposed to, antidote, anti-romantic, anti-Indian, anti-hypocrite, anti-social,
preventing, destroying anti-national, antiseptic, antitheses, antibiotic, anti-clockwise,
anti-climax, anti-war, anti-racist laws, an anti-aircraft missile
anti-tank weapons, anti-hero, antifreeze,
arch- chief, prime, supreme, archbishop, arch-enemy, arch-villain, arch-hypocrite
main, most important
astro- relating to stars astronomer, astrophysics, astronaut
audio- relating to hearing audiotape, an audiobook, audio-visual aids,
auto- operating without, autobiography, automobile, autocrat, automatic, autosuggestion,
self-operating autocracy, autograph
be- to make or tread sb/sth belittle, befriend, bejewelled, bespattered, becalmed, besiege,
as; wearing or covered bemoan,
with; to cause sth to be
bene- well, doing good benediction, benevolent, benefactor, benefit
bi- two, twice bicycle, bilateral, bigamy, biweekly, biennial, bisect, bilingual,
bicentenary, binary, bifocal, binoculars, binomial
biblio- connected with books bibliophile, bibliography,
bio- connected with living biography, biological, biophysics, biochemistry, biotechnology
things or human life biodegradable
by- less important, near by-product, bystander
cardio- connected with heart cardiogram, cardiology, cardiologist, cardiovascular
centi- hundred century, centenarian, percent, centipede, centimeter, centiliter
chrono- connected with time chronology, chronological,
circum- round circumference, circumvent, circumnavigation, circumscribe,
circumstance
co- together with cooperative, coordinate, cohesion, coherence, co-opted,
coincidence, coexist, cooperate, coalition, co-existence, co-pilot
contra- opposite, against counterbalance, counterrevolution, contradict, contraband,
contraceptive, controversy, counterbalance, contraflow
counter- against, opposite counterpart, counterfoil, counterattack, counteract, counter-
revolutionary, counterterrorism, counter-argument
cross- involving movement cross-fertilize, crossfire, cross-Channel ferries,
or action from one cross-section,
thing to another or
between to things
cyber- computer, internet cybercrime, cyberculture, cybercafé, cybernetics
crypto- secret crypto-communist,
de- reduce, down defame, demoralize, defuse, decentralize, deforest, dethrone,
revising action denationalize, deregulate, defrost
deca- ten decade, decathlon
deci- one tenth deciliter,
demi- half, partly demigod, demi-official, demi-paradise,
demo- connected with people democracy, democratic, demagogue
or population
di- containing two carbon dioxide,
dia-, du- containing two dialogue, duet, duel, duo
dis- not, apart, opposite disapprove, disagree, disappoint, disabled, disadvantage,
dishonest, disbelieve, disconnect, discord, disorganize,
disparity, dispassionate, disloyal, disappear, disorder
dys- ill, difficult dysfunction, dysentery, dyslexia, dysmorphia, dyspepsia,
dysphasia, dysphoria, dyspraxia, dysprosium, dystopia
e- electronic, internet email, e-commerce, e-book, e-business,
eco- environment eco-friendly, eco-tourism, eco-warriors, eco-terrorism
electro- connected with electromagnetisms, electrocute,
electricity
em- , en- in, on, put in, make endanger, engulf, embolden, embody, embark, emplane, enable
enrage, enlist, encircle, enrich, encase, enlarge
endo- within, inside endoscope,
epi- upon epitaph, epigraph, epicenter, epilogue, epidermis, epicene
equi- equal, equally equilateral, equidistant, equilibrium, equivalent
euro- European Eurocentric, Europop
ex- out of, former expel, extract, extend, express, exhale, extinguish, ex-factory,
ex-president, ex-husband, ex-wife
extra- outside, beyond extraordinary, extravagant, extramural, extraterritorial, extra-
exceptionally, very, marital, extrajudicial, extra-terrestrial, extra-curricular,
more than usual extremely, extra-special, extra-thin
fore- before, in advance foretell, foreknowledge, foreword
geo- of the earth geothermal, geophysics, geocentric, geochemical, geoscience,
geography, geology, geometry,
haemo- connected with blood haemophilia,
hetero- other, different, heterosexual, heterodox, heterogeneous
hexa- six hexagon, hexameter
homo- the same homogeneous,
hydro- connected with water, hydroelectric, hydrolysis, hydrotherapy, hydrocarbon
hydrogen
hyper- more than normal hypertension, hyperactive hypercritical, hypersensitive,
extremely, too much hypertension,
hypo- under, below normal hypodermic, hypothermia
il-, im-, in-, ir- not, opposite indecent, invisible, illegal, mistrust, misuse, misplace, improper,
immaterial, irregular, incurable, illegible, incomplete,
insensitive, illogical,
ill- badly ill-advised, ill-expressed,
infra- below, under; beyond infrasonic, infrastructure, infrared
a particular limit
inter- from one to another, international, interaction, internet, interface, intercity, inter-
between, among caste, interchange, intercollegiate, intermarry
intra- within; inside intramural, intravenous, intramuscular, intranet, intra-
department,
iso- equal isotope, isometric
kilo- thousand kilometer, kilogram, kilowatt, kilojoule
macro- large macrocosm, macroeconomics
mal-, male- ill, evil, do wrong malefactor, malevolent, malignant, malicious, maltreat,
mali- badly malpractice, malnutrition, maleficence, malformed, malfunction
mega- million, extremely big megabyte, mega-rich, megastore, megawatt,
meta- change of state; higher metabolism, metaphysics, metalanguage
micro - very small microchip, microbiology, microscope, micro-organism
mid- in the middle of mid-morning, mid-thirties, midnight,
milli- one thousand millisecond, millimeter, milligram,
mini- little, small miniskirt, minicab, minimize, mini-theatre, minibreak, mini-
golf
mis- error, wrongly mislead, mishap, misconduct, misappropriate, mismanage,
bad or wrong mischief, misrule, misinterpret, misunderstand, misbehaviour
mono- single, one monologue, monosyllable, monolithic, monogamous, monorail
monogamy, monopoly, monotheism, monotony, monosyllable
multi- many, more than one multilingual, multi-purpose, multicultural, multilingual,
multimillionaire, multi-ethnic society, multicolour,
nano- one billionth nanosecond, nanometer, nanotechnology
neo- new; in a later form neo-rich, neo-classical, neo-Nazi,, Neolithic, neonatology, neo-
liberal, neologism, neophyte, neo-fascist, neo-Georgian
neuro- connected with nerves neuroscience, neurosurgeon,
non- not non-vegetarian, nonlocal, non-cooperation, nonsense, nonentity
non-aligned, non-smoker, non-returnable, non-fiction,
non-alcoholic, non-profit-making, non-committally
nona- nova- nine nonagenarian
novi-
octa-, octo- eight octagon
off- not on, away from offstage, offline, offload
oft- often oft-repeated claim, oft-quoted lines
omni- of all things, in all omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, omnibus, omnivorous
ways, places
ortho- correct, standard orthodox, orthography
osteo- connected with bones osteopath,
out- greater, better, further outstanding, outlive, outgrow, outbreak, outnumber, outrun,
outwit, outpatient, outlying, outgoing
over- more than usual; overdose, overdrawn, overpopulated, overconfident, overeat,
too much, completely overfed, overjoyed, overdue, overbear, overestimate, overtime
overproduction, overload, over-optimistic, overanxious
paed- relating to children paediatrician,
palaeo- ancient times palaeolithic
pan- all, right across panacea, pandemonium, pan-America, pandemic
para- beyond, not official or paranormal, paramedical, paramilitary,
not fully qualified
patho- connected with pathogenesis
disease
penta- five, having five pentagon, pentathlon
petro- of rocks and petrol petrology, petrochemical
philo-, phil- liking, love something philanthropy, philogynist, philologist, bibliophile, philosophy
phono- connected with sounds phonology, phonetics, telephone, phoneme, cacophony
photo- light photosynthesis
physio- connected with nature; physiography, physiology, physiotherapy
physiology physiognomy
poly- many polygamy, polytheism, polyandry, polysyllabic, polyclinic,
polytechnic, polyglot, polygon, polyphonic
post- after post-war, postscript, post-modern, post-independence, postwar
post-dated, postpone, postgraduate, postoperative
pre- before premarital, premature, preview, prefix, preplanned, preschool,
prehistoric, prewar, prevent, precaution, prejudice, preheat,
pro- for, in favour of Pro-American, pro-communist, pro-government, pro-democracy
proto- first, original prototype, protoplasm, proto-biology
pseudo- false, not genuine pseudo-academic, pseudopodia, pseudonym, pseudo-
intellectual, pseudo-science
psycho- connected with mind psycho-analysis, psychosomatic, psychology, psychiatric
quadra/quadri four quadrilateral, quadrennial, quadruped, quadruplet
-
quasi- not real, partly a quasi-scientific explanation, a quasi-official body
radio- radio-waves, radio-controlled
radioactivity radiotherapy
re- again reinstall, review, retold, reaction, restore, remake, rehabilitation,
return, refund, revive, renascent, research
retro- back or backwards retrograde, retrospective
se- away from separate, segregate, seduce, secede
self- of, to or by yourself self-control, self-respect, self-taught, self-goal,
semi- half semi-conscious, semicircle, semicolon, semi-official, semi-final,
semi-precious
septa- seven septuagenarian,
socio- connected with society socio-economic, socio-linguistic, socio-cultural,
step- related as a result of stepmother, stepfather
one parent marrying stepbrother, stepsister
again
sub- below, under subordinate, subcontinent, subconscious, sub-human, subplot
sub-Himalayan, subterranean, submarine
super-, sur- above, more than superhuman, superimpose, superman, supernatural,
supercomputer, supersonic, surpass, surmount
syi-, sym-, syn-, with, together symphony, synonym, system, syllable
sys-
techno- relating to technology technophobe, technology, technocracy,
tele- distant telescope, telephone, telegram, television, telepathy, teletext
theo- connected with god theology, theocracy, atheist, theist, polytheism, monotheism
thermo- heat thermo-electric, thermometer, thermostat, thermonuclear
trans-, tra- across transport, transatlantic, transfer, transit, translate, transcribe,
transcend, traverse, transplant, transform, transcontinental
tri- three triangle, trilogy, triumvirate, tripod, tricolor, trisect, trio, triplet,
tripartite
ultra- extreme, beyond ultra-modern, ultramodern, ultraviolet, ultra-marine
un- back, against undo, unwind, unbind, unearth, unman
un- not, negative unable, unnatural, unnoticed, unbalanced, unfortunate, undo,
unidentified, unwanted, unusual, unhappy, unconscious, unlock
under- beneath, below undergo, underdeveloped, undergraduate, underestimate,
undergrowth, undercover, under-sixteen
uni- one, having one unilateral, unicycle, uniform, union, unit, unanimous, unison
up- higher, upwards upland, upturned, upgrade, uphill
vice- deputy vice-chancellor, vice-president, viceroy, vice-admiral, vice-
captain
with- take back, against withdraw, withstand, withhold : S. Prema Theja, GPT, Kavali.
