Prefixes

Prefixes Meaning "Without, Lacking"

  • A-, AN- : WITHOUT, LACKING

Table 1 Prefixes and Their Meanings

  • AB: AWAY FROM
  • AD: TOWARDS
  • ANTE: BEFORE, FORWARD
  • ANTI-: AGAINST
  • AUTO-: SELF
  • BI: TWO
  • BIO: LIFE
  • BRADY: SLOW
  • CHEM: CHEMISTRY
  • CHLORO: GREEN
  • CHROM/CHROMATO: COLOR
  • CIRCUM: AROUND
  • CONTRA: AGAINST
  • CYANO: BLUE
  • CYCL: CIRCLE; CYCLE
  • CYTO: CELL
  • DE: AWAY FROM
  • DIA: ACROSS; THROUGH
  • DIPLO: DOUBLE
  • DIS: SEPARATION, TAKING APART
  • DYS: DIFFICULT, ABNORMAL
  • ECTO, EXO: OUTER; OUTSIDE
  • ENDO, ENTO, ENTERO: WITHIN; INNER
  • EPI: UPON; OUTSIDE
  • ERTHRO: RED
  • EU: GOOD, WELL
  • EX, EXTRA: BEYOND
  • FIBRO: FIBER
  • GLAUCO/POLIO: GRAY, SILVER
  • GLYCO: SUGAR
  • HEMI: HALF
  • HETERO: OTHER; DIFFERENT
  • HOMO: SAME
  • HYDRO: WATER
  • HYPER: ABOVE; BEYOND; EXCESSIVE
  • HYPO: UNDER; DEFICIENT
  • IDIO: SELF
  • INFRA: BENEATH; BELOW
  • INTER: BETWEEN
  • INTRA: WITHIN
  • ISO: EQUAL; LIKE
  • LEUKO: WHITE
  • MACRO: LARGE
  • MAL: BAD; ABNORMAL
  • MELANO: BLACK
  • MESO: MIDDLE
  • META: BEYOND; CHANGE
  • MICRO: SMALL
  • MONO: ONE
  • MYCO: FUNGUS
  • NECRO: DEATH
  • NEO: NEW
  • OLIGO: FEW; LITTLE
  • OXY: OXYGEN, SHARP, ACUTE
  • PAN: ALL
  • PARA: ALONGSIDE; ABNORMAL
  • PERI: AROUND
  • POLY: MANY
  • POST: BEHIND; AFTER
  • PRE: BEFORE; IN FRONT
  • PURPURO: PURPLE
  • QUADRI: FOUR
  • RE: AGAIN; BACKWARDS
  • RETRO: BACKWARD, BEHIND
  • SEMI: HALF
  • SUB: UNDER
  • SUPER/SUPRA: ABOVE
  • SY, SYL, SYM, SYN, SYS: TOGETHER
  • TACHY: FAST
  • TETRA: FOUR
  • TRI: THREE
  • UNI: ONE
  • XANTHO: YELLOW