35 Most Useful Prefixes for SAT Prep Vocabulary - w/examples!

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a- or an-

without, lack of - apathy, anarchy

ante

before - antecedent, antebellum

anti-

against - antibiotic, antipathy

auto-

self - autobiography, automobile

ambi-

both - ambidextrous, ambivalent

bene-

good - benevolent, benefactor

bi- or di-

two - bicycle, bilateral, divide, dichotomy

co- or com-

with, together - cooperate, collaborate, co-ed, communicate, combine, compare

con- or contra-

against - convict, confrontation, contradict

circum-

around - circumference, circumnavigate

corp-

body - corporation, corporal punishment, corpse, corpulent

de-

down, away from - descend, deplete, decoy, degenerate

dict-

speak - dictionary, dictator

dis-

apart, away from - disease, disparity

dys-

bad, painful, difficult - dyslexia, dysfunctional, dystopian

eu-

good, pleasant - euphoria, eulogy, euphemism

ex-

out, away from - exit, exonerate, ex-boyfriend

extra- or extro-

beyond, outside - extraordinary, extraneous, extraterrestrial, extravagant, extrovert

homo-

same - homophone, homograph, homo sapien

hetero-

different, other - heterosexual, heterogeneous

hyper-

above, excessive - hyperactive, hypertension

hypo-

below, deficient - hypoglycemic, hypodermic, hypothermia

in- or im-

in, on, or not - insane, innate, inherent, income, improbable, impropriety

inter-

between, among - interstate, internet, interstellar

mal-

bad - malevolent, malificent, malediction, malnutrition

micro-

small - microscope, microorganism, microcosm, microwave

macro-

large - macroeconomics, macronutrients, macroevolution

mis-

wrong - misspelling, mistake, misunderstood

multi- or poly-

many - multiple, multicultural, polymer, polyglot

neo-

new - neophyte, neonatal

pre-

before - prefix, preface, preexisting, predecessor

pro-

for - protagonist, prolife, professional

re-

back, again - redo, rewind, return, react

retro-

backward, behind - retroactive, retrofit, retro (clothing etc)

un-

not, opposite of - unconditional, undo, uncool, unfamiliar