Prefixes

Prefixes and suffixes were originally words themselves but they are now groups of letters added to words or to roots to create new words. Prefixes [pre (before) + fix (fasten) = fasten before] are groups of letters placed before words or roots. Prefixes modify or extend the meanings of words and roots. Following is a list of commonly used prefixes and sample vocabulary.

INDEX: A B C D E I M N O P R S T U

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• a-, ac-, ad-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward, near, in addition to
  • aside (adverb): to or toward the side
    • a + side
  • accompany (verb): to go with someone as a companion
    • ac + com + pan + y
  • adjust (verb): to correct, to move closer to a correct position
    • ad + just
  • affix (verb): to attach to something, to fasten
    • af + fix
  • aggression (noun): hostile behavior towards someone or something
    • ag + gress + ion
  • allocate (verb): to distribute to specific people or for specific purposes
    • al + loc + ate
  • annihilate (verb): to destroy
    • an + nihil + ate
  • associate (verb): to join with
    • as + soci + ate
  • attend (verb): to look after, to go to
    • at + tend

• a-, an- not, without
  • apolitical (adjective): without interest in politics
    • a + polit + ic + al
  • anemia (noun): the condition (disease) of not having enough red blood cells
    • an + em + ia

• ab-, abs- away from, off
  • abrupt (adjective): unexpected change
    • ab + rupt
  • absolve (verb): to be set free from one's actions or obligations
    • ab + solve

• ante- before
  • anterior (adjective): before or near the front
    • ante + rior

• anti- against
  • antipathy (noun): dislike, opposite feeling
    • anti + path + y

• auto- self
  • automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines
    • auto + mot + ive

• bi- two
  • biped (noun): a two-footed animal
    • bi + ped
  • biennial (adjective): happening every two years bi + enni + al

• cat-, cata-, cath- down, with
  • category (noun): a class or set to which a thing belongs
    • cate + gor + y
  • catalogue (noun): a book or pamphlet that lists and describes
    • cata + log + ue
  • catheter (noun): a medical device used to tranfer fluids cath +eter

• circum- around
  • circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation
    • circum + vent

• co-, cog-, col-, com-, con-, cor together, with
  • cohesiveness (noun): the ability to stick together
    • co + hes + ive + ness
  • cognate (adjective): related, similar in nature
    • cog + nate
  • collaborate (verb): to work together
    • col + lab + or + ate
  • commitment (noun): to entrust, to put into a place
    • com + mit + ment
  • convenient (adjective): handy, nearby
    • con + veni + ent
  • correct (verb): to set right, to be right
    • cor + rect

• contra- against, opposite
  • contradict (verb) to state the opposite
    • contra + dict

• de- to do the opposite, to take away from
  • decrease (verb): to grow smaller, to become less
    • de + cre + ase

• di-, dif-, dis- apart, separate, two, opposite, not
  • divide (verb): to separate into two or more parts
    • di + vide
  • differ (verb): to be unlike
    • dif + fer

• dis- not, opposite of, exclude
  • distrust (verb): to have no confidence or trust
    • dis + trust

• e-, ex- out, out of, from
  • emit (verb) to send out
    • e + mit
  • expel (verb): to force out ex + pel

• en-, em- put into
  • enamor (verb): to cause to love, to "put" someone "into" love
    • en + am + + or
  • empower (verb): to give power, to put into power em + pow + er

• epi-, upon, beside, over
  • epilogue (noun): the concluding section of a play or literary work
    • epi + logue

• extra- beyond
  • extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal
    • extra + ordin + ary

• il-, im-, in-, ir, not, in
  • illegible (adjective): cannot be read
    • il + leg + ible
  • imposter (noun): someone who poses as someone else
    • im + post + er
  • inaction (noun): lack of motion, idle
    • in + act + ion
  • irresolute (adjective): uncertain about hot to act, undecided, not having a solution
    • ir + re + solute

• in-, im-, il- in, into
  • instead (adverb): in place of, an alternative
    • in + stead
  • import (verb): to bring into a country from another country
    • im + port

• inter- between, among
  • interject (verb): to throw something (usually a comment) between other things
    • inter + ject

• intro- into
  • introspection (noun): to look into one's own thoughts and feelings
    • intro + spect + ion

• mal- bad
  • malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly
    • mal + funct + ion

• mis- wrong
  • misconduct (noun): wrong doing, bad behavior
    • mis + con + duct

• mono- one
  • monologue (noun): a dramatic performance or speech given by one actor
    • mono + logue

• multi- many
  • multiply (verb): to increase in number
    • multi + ply

• non- not, no
  • nonsense (noun): something that has no meaning or makes no sense
    • non + sense

• ob-, oc-, of-, op- toward, against, in the way
  • obtain (verb): to gain or get, to get a hold of
    • ob + tain
  • occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
    • oc + cur
  • offer (verb): to attempt to give, to propose, to try to hand out
    • of + fer
  • oppose (verb): to be against, to stand in the way of something
    • op + pose

• over- excessive, above
  • overwork (verb): to have too much work
    • over + work

• para- beside
  • paradox (noun): a statement that seems true and contradictory at the same time
    • para + dox

• per- through
  • persecute (verb): to go after, to pursue
    • per + secute

• post- after
  • postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay
    • post + pone

• pre- before
  • precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of
    • pre + cede

• pro- for, foward
  • propel (verb): to push forward
    • pro + pel

• re- back, again
  • readmit (verb): to allow in again
    • re + ad + mit

• retro- backward
  • retrospect (noun) to look back at past events
    • retro + spect

• se- apart, move away from
  • secede (verb): to withdraw from an organization
    • se + cede

• semi- half
  • semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year
    • semi + annu + al

• sub-, suc-, suf-, sup-, sur-, sus under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above, up
  • submarine (adjective): underwater
    • sub + mar + ine
  • succeed (verb): to do well, to come after
    • suc + ceed
  • suffice (verb): to be enough
    • suf + fice
  • support (verb): to hold up, too keep up
    • sup + port
  • survive (verb): to live, to live through something, to exist
    • sur + vive
  • sustain (verb): to keep up, to hold up,
    • sus + tain

• super- over, above
  • superimpose (verb): to place something on top of something else
    • super + im + pose

• syn-, sym- together, at the same time
  • synchronous (adjective): happening at the same time
    • syn + chron + ous
  • sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, compassion
    • sym + path + y

• trans- across, beyond, change
  • transform (verb): to change shape
    • trans + form

• tri- three
  • tripod (noun): a three-legged stand
    • tri + pod

• un- not, against, opposite
  • unceasing (adjective): never ending, continuous
    • un + ceas + ing

• uni- one
  • uniform (adjective): having the same form or consistancy
    • uni + form