Common Prefixes
Common Prefixes in English
Prefixes are word parts that are added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Here are some common prefixes in English:
Greek Prefixes:
- a- or an-: without (e.g., atypical, anhydrous)
- anti-: against (e.g., anti-inflammatory, antibiotic)
- auto-: self (e.g., autobiography, autocratic)
- bio-: life (e.g., biology, biosphere)
- chrono-: time (e.g., chronology, chronometer)
- geo-: earth (e.g., geography, geophysics)
- hydro-: water (e.g., hydroelectricity, hydraulic)
- micro-: small (e.g., microscope, microorganism)
- mono-: one (e.g., monologue, monotheism)
- poly-: many (e.g., polyglot, polytheism)
- syn- or sym-: together (e.g., synthesis, sympathy)
Latin Prefixes:
- bi-: two (e.g., bicycle, bilingual)
- circum-: around (e.g., circumference, circumnavigate)
- de-: down, away (e.g., defrost, decrease)
- ex- or extra-: out, beyond (e.g., exit, extrapolate)
- in- or im-: in, into (e.g., input, impossible)
- inter-: between (e.g., international, interlude)
- pre-: before (e.g., prehistory, prefix)
- pro-: forward, in favor of (e.g., progress, pro-democracy)
- re-: again (e.g., repeat, reconsider)
- sub-: under, below (e.g., submarine, submerge)
- super-: above, beyond (e.g., superior, supernatural)
Would you like to know more about prefixes or how to use them in words?