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List of English prefixes
Prefix
|
Meaning
|
Examples
|
a(n)- |
not, without
|
atonality, asexuality, amoral, anarchyanonymous
|
ab-
|
away |
abduction, absolutism, ablution
|
ac- |
|
|
acr(o)- |
high, up |
Acropolis
|
aden(o)- |
|
|
aer(o)- |
air
|
aeronautics, aerodrome, aeroplane, aerodynamics
|
agr(o)- |
relating to farming |
agriculture
|
an(a)- |
out of |
anachronism
|
andr- |
man
|
androgyny, androcentrism, android, androgen
|
anem- |
|
|
Anglo- |
English or British
|
Anglo-Irish relations
|
ante- |
before |
antebellum
|
anthrop(o)- |
relating to human beings |
anthropology, anthropocentrism, anthropomorphic
|
ant(i)- |
against |
antidote, antibody, anticlockwise
|
aut(o)- |
self
|
autonomy, autobiography, automobile, autopilot
|
bar(o)- |
atmosphere |
barometer |
bathy- |
deep |
Bathyscaphe, Bathysphere
|
be-
|
completely, thoroughly; excessively; on; around; about; used to form transitive verbs |
|
bi- |
two
|
bicycle, bijection, bilingual, bicameralism, bisexuality
|
bi(o)- |
life
|
biology, biography, biosphere, biotechnology
|
bibli(o)- |
relating to books
|
bibliophilia, bibliography
|
blast(o)- |
|
|
brady- |
slow |
bradycardia
|
brom(o)- |
|
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bronch(o)- |
relating to breathing |
bronchitis
|
cac(o)- |
|
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cardi(o)- |
heart |
cardiovascular
|
cent-, centi-
|
hundred or hundredth
|
centenarian, centimeter, centipede
|
cephal(o)- |
brain |
|
chrom(o)-, chromat(o)- |
colour |
chromatic, chromosome |
chron(o)- |
time
|
chronology
|
circum- |
around |
circumcision, circumnavigation, circumlocution, circumference
|
cion(o)- |
|
|
co- |
together |
cooperative, co-belligerence
|
colpo- |
|
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com-, con-, col-, cor- |
with, together |
conference, connotation, context, Congress, congregation
|
contr(a)-, contr(o) |
against, opposite
|
contradiction, contraception, controversy
|
cosm(o)- |
|
cosmology, cosmopolitan, cosmotheism
|
counter- |
against, opposite
|
counterpoint, counterweight, Counter-Reformation
|
crin(o)- |
|
endocrinology |
cry(o)- |
frost, icy cold
|
cryogenics, cryoelectronics, cryostorage
|
crypt(o)- |
hidden |
cryptography, cryptozoology
|
cyt(o)- |
hollow, receptacle, cell
|
cytoplasm, cytology
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dactyl(o)- |
|
|
de- |
taking something away, the opposite |
decentralisation, deforestation, dehydration, Denazification
|
dec(a)-, dek(a)- |
ten
|
decamerous, December, decimeter |
deci-
|
one tenth
|
deciliter
|
dem(o)- |
people, nation |
demographics, democracy
|
derm(o)-, derm(a)-, dermat- |
skin |
dermatology, dermatitis
|
di- |
two, double
|
diurnal |
dia- |
through |
diameter, diagnosis, diarrhoea |
didact(o)- |
apt at teaching
|
didactic |
dynam(o)- |
power, force
|
dynamic, dynamite, dynamo
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dis- |
reverse, opposite
|
dissent, discovery, disambiguation
|
dok, dox(o)- |
view, teaching |
doxology, dogma, orthodox
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dys- |
bad, deformed, abnormal |
dyspepsia, dystrophy , dysarthria
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ec(o)- |
house |
economy, ecology, ecosystem, ecotourism, ecotage
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ect(o)- |
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ectomorphic |
edaph(o)- |
|
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electr(o)- |
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electrocution, electroencephalogram
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embry(o)- |
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embryo |
encephal(o)- |
brain
|
encephalitis
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end(o)-, ent(o)- |
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endoscope |
enne(a)- |
nine
|
enneastyle, enneagram |
enter(o)- |
|
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eo- |
dawn, early |
eobacterium |
ep(i)-, eph- |
above |
epitaxy
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erg(o)- |
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ergonomics
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erythr(o)- |
|
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erot(o)- |
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erotic, erotomania |
stom(o)-, stomat(o)- |
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stomach |
ethn(o)- |
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ethnology, ethnolinguistics, ethnocentrism
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eu- |
good |
eulogy, euthanasia, eugenics, euphemism
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Euro- |
European
|
Euro-MP (Member of the European Parliament)
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ex- |
former |
ex-wife, ex-president |
ex(o)- |
outside |
exoskeleton
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extra- |
very, more than usual, outside, beyond |
extra-thin, extra-special
extraordinary, extraterrestrial
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flor(i)- |
relating to flowers |
florist |
fore- |
before, in advance |
foreskin, foreshadowing
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gyn- |
female
|
gynaecology, gynoid
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hemi- |
half
|
hemimetabolous |
hex(a)- |
six
|
hexapod, hexagonal, hexameter
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hyper- |
excessive, (least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper) |
hyperactive, hyperthyroidism
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hyp(o)- |
below, (least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper) |
hypodermic
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in- |
extremely |
inflammable, invaluable
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in-, il-, im-, ir- |
not
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infallibility, illiteracy, immoral, irrelevant
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inter- |
between, from one to another |
intervention, international
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intra- |
within, interior |
intramural, intravenous
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kilo-
|
thousand
|
kilogram, kilowatt
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Luso- |
Portuguese
|
lusophone
|
Mac- or Mc-
|
"son of" |
McCarthy, Kirsty MacColl
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mal- |
bad, badly |
malpractice, malnutrition
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maxi- |
most, very, large |
maximal, maxi-dress |
Mc- |
McDonalds like
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McJob, McPaper
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mega-, megal-
|
million, very large
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megabyte, megaphone
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meso- |
middle |
mesoamerica, mesoscale
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meta- |
after, beyond |
metacarpal, metaphysics
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micro-
|
one millionth, very small |
microgram, microorganism, micronation
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mid- |
in the middle of |
mid-term elections, Mid-Autumn Festival, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
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milli-
|
thousandth |
milligram, milliliter
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mini- |
small |
miniskirt, miniseries
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mis- |
bad, wrong
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miscarriage, misanthropy, misogyny
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mon(o)- |
one, single
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monolith, monorail, monotony, monocle
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multi- |
many |
multiculturalism, multilingual
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non- |
not
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nonsense, non-denial denial
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non- |
nine
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none, nonagon
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novem- |
nine |
November |
O'- |
(son) of |
O'Brian |
oct(o)-, oct(a)- |
eight
|
octane, octopod , octagon, October
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oo- ("oo-oh") |
egg, ovum |
oocyte
|
out- |
more, to a greater degree |
to outdo, to outrun |
over- |
more than normal, too much |
overpopulation, over-consumption
|
pent(a)- |
five
|
pentagon
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post- |
after |
Post-Fordism, postpartum depression, postmodernity, postmodernism
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pre- |
before |
prediction, preview, precedent, prenatal care
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pro- |
for, in favour of |
pro-choice, pro-life
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quadr-, quart- |
four
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quadrangle, quadruplet, quartic, quartile
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quinqu(e)- |
five, into five parts
|
quinquesection, |
quint(i)- |
fifth, five
|
quintiped, quintet |
re- |
again, repeatedly |
reduction, reflection, revolution
|
rect(i)- |
proper, straight |
rectify, rectangle
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scler(o)- |
hard |
scleroderma atherosclerosis
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semi- |
half
|
semi-automatic, semi-detached
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sept(a)- |
seven
|
heptachord , September |
sex(i)- |
six
|
sexivalent |
Sino- |
Chinese
|
Sino-American relations
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spasm(o)- |
|
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sper- |
spread |
sperm |
spher(o)- |
sphere, ball |
spherical, atmosphere |
sphygm(o)- |
pulso |
sphygmomanometer
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splen(o)- |
|
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splanchn(o)- |
|
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schiz(o)-, schist(o)- |
split |
schizophrenia, schistocyte
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staphyl(o)- |
|
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styl(o)- |
pillar |
stylus, stylist |
sub- |
below, less than, under,(least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper) |
subset, subsonic, subway, subtitles
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super- |
extremely, more than,(least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper) |
superhuman, Superego, supersonic
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syn- |
along with, together, at the same time |
synergy, synchronicity
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tach(y)-, tach(o)- |
fast, speed |
tachycardia, tachometer
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tel(e)-, tel(o)- |
far, over a long distance |
telecommunications, television, telephoto lens, telodynamic
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tel(o)-, tel(e)- |
end, complete, mature |
teloblast |
trans- |
across, beyond |
transfer, transubstantiation, transatlantic, Trans-Siberian railway
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tri- |
three
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triangle, tricolor, triptych
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twi-
|
two
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twilight, twig, twin, twitch
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ultra-
|
extremely, beyond a certain limit |
ultramontanism, ultraviolet
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un- |
not, opposite, take something away |
unconstitutional, undelete
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uni- |
one, single
|
uniform, unification
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ur-
|
first, original |
urtext
|
zoo- ("zoo-oh") |
relating to animals |
zoomorphic, zoology
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External Links
See Also
List of English suffixes
Last updated: 05-16-2005 08:28:16
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