Prefixes

Native
Prefix Meaning Example
a- verb > predicative adjective with progressive aspect afloat, atremble
anti- against anti-war, antivirus, anti-human
arch- supreme, highest, worst arch-rival, archangel
be- equipped with, covered with, beset with (pejorative or facetious) bedeviled, becalm, bedazzle, bewitch
co- joint, with, accompanying co-worker, coordinator, cooperation
counter- against, in opposition to counteract, counterpart
de- reverse action, get rid of de-emphasise
dis- not, opposite of disloyal, disagree
dis- reverse action, get rid of disconnect, disinformation
en-/em- to make into, to put into, to get into enmesh, empower
ex- former ex-husband, ex-boss, ex-colleague, exit
fore- before forearm, forerunner
in-/il-/im-/ir- not, opposite of inexact, irregular
inter- between, among interstate, interact
mal- bad(ly) malnourish
mid- middle midlife
mini- small minimarket, mini-room
mis- wrong, astray misinformation, misguide
out- better, faster, longer, beyond outreach, outcome
over- too much overreact, overact
post- after post-election, post-graduation
pre- before pre-election, pre-enter
pro- for, on the side of pro-life
re- again, back rerun
self- self self-sufficient
step- family relation by remarriage stepbrother
trans- across, from one place to another transatlantic
twi- two twibill, twilight
un- not, opposite of unnecessary, unequal
un- reverse action, deprive of, release from undo, untie
under- below, beneath, lower in grade/dignity, lesser, insufficient underachieve, underground, underpass
up- greater, higher, or better upgrade, uplift
with- against withstand


Neo-classical
Prefix Meaning Examples
Afro- relating to Africa Afro-American
ambi- both ambidextrous, ambitendency
amphi- two, both, on both sides amphiaster, amphitheater, amphibian
an-/a- not, without anemic, asymmetric
ana-/an- up, against anacardiaceous, anode
Anglo- relating to England Anglo-Norman
ante- before antenatal
anti- opposite, against antivenom
apo- away, different from apomorphine
astro- star astrobiology
auto- self autobiography, automatic
bi- two bicycle
bio- biological biodegrade
circum- around circumnavigate
cis- on this side of cislunar
con-/com-/col-/cor-/co- together or with confederation, commingle, colleague, correlation, cohabit
contra- opposite contradict
cryo- ice cryogenics
crypto- hidden, secret cryptography
de- down depress
demi- half demigod
demo- people demography
di- two dioxide
dis-/di-/dif- apart differ, dissect
down- to make something lesser, lower or worse downgrade
du-/duo- two duet
eco- ecological ecosystem
electro- electric, electricity electro-analysis
epi- upon, at, close upon, in addition epidermis
Euro- European Eurocentric
ex- out of export
extra- outside extracurricular
fin- kinship affinity
Franco- French, France Francophile
geo- relating to the earth or its surface geography
gyro- spinning on an axis gyrosphere, gyrocopter
hetero- different heterosexual
hemi- half hemimorphic
homo- same homogenous, homologous
hydro- relating to water, or using water hydroelectricity
hyper- above, over hyperthermia
hypo- under or below something, low hypothermia
ideo- image, idea ideograph
idio- individual, personal, unique idiolect
in- in, into insert
Indo- relating to the Indian subcontinent Indo-European
infra- below, beneath infrared
inter- among, between intercede
intra- inside, within intravenous
iso- equal isochromatic
macr(o)- long macrobiotic
maxi- very long, very large maxi-skirt
mega-/megalo- great, large megastar, megalopolis
meta- after, along with, beyond, among, behind meta-theory
micro- small microbacillus
midi- medium-sized midi-length
mon(o)- sole, only monogamy
multi- many multi-storey
neo- new neolithic
non- not nonexistent
omni- all omnipotent, omnipresent
ortho- correcting or straightening orthodontics, orthotropic
paleo- old paleolithic
pan- all, worldwide pan-African, pandemic
para- beside, beyond parallel
ped-/pod- foot pedestrian, podiatrist
per- through, completely, wrongly, exceedingly permeate, permute
peri- around periphrase
photo- light, photography, photograph photoelectric
poly- many polygon
post- after postpone
pre- before predict
preter- beyond, past, more than preternatural
pro- substitute, deputy proconsul
pro- before procambium
pros- toward prosthesis
proto- first, original protoplasm, prototype
pseudo- false, imitation pseudonym
pyro- fire pyrokinetic
quasi- partly, almost, appearing to be but not really quasi-religious
retro- backwards retrograde
semi- half semicircle
socio- society, social, sociological sociopath
sub-, sup- below, under support
super- above, over supervisor
supra- above, over suprarenal
sur- above, over surreal, surrender
syn-/sy-/syl-/sym- together, with synthesis, symbol, syllable, system
tele- at a distance telegraph, television
trans- across transverse
tri- three tricycle
ultra- beyond ultraviolet, ultramagnetic
uni- one unicycle
vice- deputy vice-president, vice-principal