Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefixes
- a-
- Meaning: not, without
- Example: atypical, asymmetrical
- a-
- Meaning: to, towards
- Example: aside
- ab-
- Meaning: away
- Example: abnormal, absent
- ad-
- Meaning: movement or change to, increase
- Example: advance, adjunct, advertise
- ante-
- Meaning: before
- Example: antecedent, antebellum
- anti-
- Meaning: against
- Example: antibiotic, antidepressant
- auto-
- Meaning: self
- Example: autopilot
- bi-
- Meaning: two
- Example: bicycle, biannual
- circum-
- Meaning: around
- Example: circumvent, circumstance
- co-
- Meaning: with
- Example: co-parent, co-worker
- com-
- Meaning: together
- Example: combine, compare
- contra-
- Meaning: against, opposite
- Example: contraceptive
- de-
- Meaning: from
- Example: decrease, depress, decline
- dia-
- Meaning: through, across
- Example: diagonal, diagnosis
- dis-
- Meaning: not
- Example: disrespect, disconnect
- em-
- Meaning: cause to
- Example: empathy, embrace
- en-
- Meaning: cause to
- Example: encode
- endo-
- Meaning: within
- Example: endocrine, endoskeleton
- epi-
- Meaning: upon, on top of
- Example: epilogue, epidemic, epicenter
- ex-
- Meaning: out of
- Example: exceed, ex-husband
- extra-
- Meaning: more than
- Example: extracurricular, extraordinary
- fore-
- Meaning: before
- Example: forearm, foresee
- homo-
- Meaning: same
- Example: homosexual, homologous
- hyper-
- Meaning: above
- Example: hyperactive, hyperventilate
- hypo-
- Meaning: under
- Example: hypodermic, hypothermia
- im-
- Meaning: not, opposite of
- Example: impossible, impure
- in-
- Meaning: not
- Example: incapable, invisible, infertile
- infra-
- Meaning: below
- Example: infrared, infrastructure
- inter-
- Meaning: between
- Example: interact, intermediate
- intra-
- Meaning: inside, within
- Example: intravenous, intramural
- macro-
- Meaning: large
- Example: macromolecule
- mal-
- Meaning: bad
- Example: malicious, malnourished
- mega-
- Meaning: large, great
- Example: megaphone, megabyte
- micro-
- Meaning: small
- Example: microscope, microwave
- mid-
- Meaning: middle
- Example: midlife, midnight
- mis-
- Meaning: wrong
- Example: misinform, misinterpret, misbehave
- mono-
- Meaning: one
- Example: monotone
- multi-
- Meaning: many
- Example: multiculturalism, multilingual
- non-
- Meaning: not
- Example: nonsense
- ob-
- Meaning: against, toward
- Example: obstacle, obtain, obligation
- omni-
- Meaning: all
- Example: omnivore, omnipotent
- out-
- Meaning: exceeding or external
- Example: outperform, outbuilding
- over-
- Meaning: excessive or upper/outer
- Example: overconfident, overcast
- para-
- Meaning: beside
- Example: paramedic
- per-
- Meaning: through
- Example: permission, permanent, perish
- peri-
- Meaning: about or around
- Example: periscope, perimeter
- poly-
- Meaning: many
- Example: polygon, polymer
- post-
- Meaning: after
- Example: postmodern, postpone
- pre-
- Meaning: before
- Example: preheat, preview, prepay
- pro-
- Meaning: before
- Example: proactive, progress
- re-
- Meaning: again
- Example: reappear, reform, revise
- retro-
- Meaning: backward
- Example: retrograde, retrovirus
- se-
- Meaning: apart
- Example: secede, select
- semi-
- Meaning: half
- Example: semicircle, semiconscious
- sub-
- Meaning: under
- Example: submarine, submerge
- super-
- Meaning: above
- Example: supernatural, superimpose
- therm-
- Meaning: heat
- Example: thermoregulate, thermometer
- trans-
- Meaning: across
- Example: transatlantic, transport
- tri-
- Meaning: three
- Example: tricycle, triangle
- un-
- Meaning: opposite
- Example: unequal, untie
- uni-
- Meaning: one
- Example: unicycle, universal
Suffixes
- -able, -ible
- Meaning: position, promotion
- Example: preventable, inflatable
- -acy
- Meaning: state or quality
- Example: democracy, privacy
- -age
- Meaning: a result
- Example: wreckage, anchorage
- -al
- Meaning: the action or process of
- Example: denial, trial, criminal
- -ance, -ence
- Meaning: state or quality of
- Example: tolerance, maintenance
- -ant
- Meaning: a person, or state or quality
- Example: assistant, dominant
- -ate
- Meaning: showing, full of
- Example: regulate, compassionate
- -cide
- Meaning: to kill
- Example: genocide
- -dom
- Meaning: place or state of being
- Example: kingdom, freedom
- -ee
- Meaning: a person
- Example: volunteer, referee
- -er, -or
- Meaning: person or object that does a specified action
- Example: creator, interpreter
- -esque
- Meaning: reminiscent of
- Example: picturesque, grotesque
- -ful
- Meaning: notable for
- Example: resentful
- -ic, -ical
- Meaning: pertaining to
- Example: iconic, musical
- -ish
- Meaning: quality of
- Example: childish
- -ism
- Meaning: doctrine, belief
- Example: scepticism, feminism
- -ist
- Meaning: one who
- Example: scientist, communist
- -ity, -ty
- Meaning: quality of
- Example: inactivity
- -less
- Meaning: without
- Example: relentless, ageless
- -ment
- Meaning: condition
- Example: argument, treatment
- -ness
- Meaning: state of being
- Example: sickness, rudeness
- -ology
- Meaning: the study of
- Example: biology, anthropology
- -ous, -ious
- Meaning: full of
- Example: generous, nutritious
- -ship
- Meaning: position held
- Example: friendship, internship
- -sion, -tion
- Meaning: state of being
- Example: position, promotion, collision
- -y
- Meaning: characterized by
- Example: messy, sleazy
Note on Suffixes:
- -s makes a word plural (cat → cats)
- -en makes a word plural (irregular, child → children)
- -s changes a verb to 3rd person singular present (to make → he makes)
- -ed changes verb past tense or past participle (to work → he worked or he has worked)
- -en changes verb past participle (irregular, to eat → eaten)
- -ing changes verb to continuous (to sing → singing)
- -er changes an adjective to be comparative (big → bigger)
- -est changes an adjective to an extreme (big → biggest)
Suffixes that DO NOT change the meaning of a word:
- Treatment is a noun that describes medical care given to a patient.