Common Prefixes and Suffixes in English

Prefix

a word, letter, or number placed before another.

Anti -

against

Auto-

self

Ben-

good

Bio-

life

De -

opposite

Dis-

not; opposite of

Fore-

before

In- / im-

not

Inter-

between

Mal-

bad

Micro-

small

Mis-

wrongly

non-

not

over-

over

pre-

before

re-

again

semi-

half

sub-

under

super-

above

trans-

across

un-

not

under-

under

Suffix

a word or group of letters added at the end of a word (e.g., -ation, -fy, -ing, -itis.)

-able / -ible

can be done

-al

having characteristics of

-ed

past tense of verbs

-en

made of

-er (#1)

comparison

-er (#2)

person who

-est

comparative

-ful

full of

-graph

write/draw

-ic

having characteristics of

-ion / -tion

act; process

-itis

inflammation of

-ology

study of

-philia

love or affection of

-phobia

fear of

-ty

state of

-ive / -ative / -itive

adjective form of a noun

-less

without

-ly

characteristic of (adverb)

-ment

action or process

-ness

state of; condition of

-ous / -eous / -ious

possessing the skills of

-s / -es

plural form of a noun

-y

characterized by