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?

See also  Social sciences

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