PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES


 

PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES

 

  • Prefix is a letter or a group of letters add in the beginning of a word and changes the word’s original meaning.
  • Suffix is a letter or a group of letters that is usually added onto the end of words, to change the way a word fits into a sentence grammatically.

 

PREFIXES:

PREFIX - MEANING – EXAMPLES

  • A – AN = Lacking, Repeat, Without

Examples:

Gain    - Again,

Go       - Ago,

Head   - Ahead,

Prove – Aprove

Side     - Aside

 

  • ANTE - Before

Examples:

Natal   - Antenatal,

Room - Anteroom,

Date    - Antedate

 

  • ANTI - Against, opposing

Examples:

Biotic              - Antibiotic,

Depressant     - Antidepressant,

Hero                - Antihero

Pathy              - Antipathy,

 

  • AUTO – Self

Examples:

Biography       - Autobiography,

Some other words are: Autograph, Automatic, Automobile

 

  • BI = Twice/two

Examples:

Cycle               - Bicycle,

Lingual            - Bilingual, 

Polar               - Bipolar

 

  • BIO – Life/Self

Examples:

Data                - Biodata,

Diesel              - Biodiesel,

Graphy           - Biography,

Logical            - Biological

 

  • CIRCUM- Around

Examples:

Navigate         - Circumnavigate,

Stance             - Circumstance

 

  • CO – COM – CON = With/Together 

Examples:

Incident          - Co-incident,

Ordinate         - Co-ordinate,

Operation       - Co-operation,

Pilot                - Co-pilot,

Worker           - Co-worker

 

  • DE – to Reverse/undo something, usually attach to a verb

Examples:

Activate          - Deactivate,

Attach             - Detach,

Frost               - Defrost,

Motivate        - Demotivate,

Rail                  - Derail,

Value              - Devalue

 

  • DIS- Opposite of, Not, leave, Removal  

Examples:

Able                            - Disable,

Agree              - Disagree,

Appear            - Disappear,

Approve         - Disapprove,

Charge            - Discharge,

Connect          - Disconnect,

Integrate        - Disintegrate,

Obey               - Disobey,

Order              - Disorder 

 

  • EM, - EN - Cause to, Put into

Examples:

Bed                  - Embed,

Brace               - Embrace,

Power             - Empower,

Able                - Enable,

Code               - Encode,

Closed             - Enclose,

Counter          - Encounter,

Force               - Enforce,

Gulf                 - Engulf,

Joy                   - Enjoy

 

  • EPI - Upon, Close to, After

Examples:

Centre             - Epicentre,

Dermis            - Epidermis,

Scope              - Episcope

 

  • EX - Former, Out of

Examples:

Hail                 - Exhail,

Port                 - Export

Terminate      - Exterminate

Some other examples are: Ex-president, Extend

 

  • EXTRA - Beyond, More than

Examples:

Curricular       - extracurricular,

Ordinary         - extraordinary,

terrestrial       - extra-terrestrial

 

  • FORE - Before

Examples:

Head                           - Forehead

See                              - Foresee

Some other examples are: Forecast, Foreword, Foremost

 

  • HOMO - Same

Examples:

Graph                         - Homograph,

Some other examples are: Homonuclear, Homonym, Homophone, Homoplastic, Homosex  

 

  • HYPER - Over, Above

Examples:

Active                         - Hyperactive,

Tension           - Hypertension

Some other examples are: Hyperspace, Hyperventilate

 

  • IG – Negation

Examples:

Noble              - Ignoble,

Nite                 - Ignite,

Nominy          - Ignominy 

 

  • IL - IM – IN – IR =  Not, Without

Examples:

Legal               - Illegal,

Literate           - il-literate,

Loyal               - il-loyal,

Liberal             - il-liberal

 

Moral                          - Immoral,

Movable                     - Immovable,

Patient                        - Impatient,

Perfect                        - Imperfect,

Possible                      - Impossible,

Pure                            - Impure

 

Active                                     - Inactive,

Complete                   - Incomplete,

Correct                       - Incorrect,

Definite                       - Indefinite,

Dependent                 - Independent

Different                     - Indifferent,

Direct                          - Indirect,

Discipline                    - In-discipline,

Efficient                      - Inefficient

Justice                         - Injustice,

Regular           - Irregular,

Respect           - Irrespect,

Responsible   - Irresponsible

 

  • IM - IN =  Into

Examples:

Port                 - Import,

Prove              - Improve,

Put                  - Input,

Side                 - Inside

Sight               - Insight

 

INFRA - Beneath, Below

Examples:

Infrared, Infrasonic, Infraspecific, Infrastructure

 

  • INTER – Intra - Between
    Examples:
    Interact, Intergalactic, Intermediate, Intermission, Intranet,
     
  • MACRO- Large
    Examples:
    Macroeconomics, Macromolecule, Macro organism
     
  • MICRO- Small
    Examples:
    Microbiology, Microfilm, Micro organism, Microphone, Microscope, Microwave
     
  • MID - Middle

Examples:

Mid day, Midfielder, Midnight, Midsummer, Mid-term, Midway

 

  • MIS – Incorrect, Wrongly
    Examples:
    Misappropriate, Misbehave, Misfortune, Misinterpret, Mislead, Mistake, Misuse, Misunderstand
     
  • MONO - One, Singular

Examples:

Mono acting, Monobrow, Monogamous, Monolithic, Monotone, Monotrain

 

  • NON - Not, Without

Examples:

Nondescript, Nonentity, Non living things, Nonsense, Non-vegetarian, Non-violence

 

  • OMNI - All, Every

Examples:

Omnibus, Omnipotent, Omnivore

 

  • OUT – Away/not in

Examples:

Outcome, Out-patient, Output, Outside, Outstanding

 

  • Over – Beyond, Too much

Examples:

Over bridge, Overcome, Overdone, Overtake, Overseas, Overwrought

 

  • PARA - Beside

Examples:

Parachute, Paradox, Paragraph, Paramedic, Paraphrase

 

  • POST - After

Examples:

Post-mortem, Post-natal, Postpone

 

  • PRE - Before

Examples:

Precaution, Predetermine, Prefix, Prepaid, Prepare, Preposition, Preview 

 

  • RE - Again

Examples:

Action             - Reaction,

Cycle               - Recycle,

Make              - Remake,

Turn                - Return

Some other examples are: Rediscover, Regain, Reiterate, Remember, Remark, Remix, Remove, Re-release, Restore, Reunite

 

  • SEMI - Half

Examples:

Semicircle, Semiconductor, Semiconscious, Semi-final, Semi modal

 

  • SUB - Under

Examples:

Sub-category, Submarine, Submerge, Subtitle, Subway 

 

  • SUPER - Above, Over

Examples:

Superfood, superimpose, Supernatural, Superstar

 

  • THERM - Heat
    Thermo coal, Thermodynamic,, Thermometer, Thermostat
     

  • TRANS - Across, Beyond

Examples:

Transatlantic, Transmission, Transnational, Transport

 

  • TRI - three

Examples:

Triangle, Tricycle, Tripod

 

  • UN - Not

Examples:

Uneasy, Unexpected, Unfinished, Unlike, Unknown, Unnecessary, Unpleasant, Unusual, Unwilling

 

UNI - One - Unanimous

Examples:

Unicycle, Uniform, Unilateral, Universal

 

SUFFIXES:

SUFFIX - MEANING - EXAMPLE

1 NOUN SUFFIXES  

  • ACY - State or Quality

Examples:

Accuracy, Democracy, Lunacy, Privacy 

 

  • AL - The action or process of Curative

Examples:

Criminal, Denial, National, Remedial, Trial

 

  • ANCE - ENCE - State or Quality

Examples:

ambience, Absence, Disturbance, Nuisance, tolerance, violence

 

  • DOM - Place or State of being free

Examples:

Boredom, Freedom,  Stardom

 

  • ER - OR - Person or object that does a specified action

Examples:

Collaborator, Creator, Creditor, Interpreter, Inventor, Reader, Teacher, Worker 

 

  • IAN – denote a person

Examples:

Electrician, Magician, Musician, Politician

 

  • IST - Person or Object that does a specified action

Examples:

Communist, Geologist, protagonist, scientist, theorist

 

  • ITY - TY - Quality of limitations

Examples:

Capacity, Extremity, Enormity, Validity

 

  • MENT - Condition

Examples:

Achievement, Argument, Enchantment, Government, Improvement 

 

  • NESS - State of being Heavy

Examples:

Happiness, Heaviness, Highness, Sickness

 

  • SHIP position held

Examples:

Friendship, Hardship, Internship

 

  • SION – TION  = state of being Located

Examples:

Cohesion, Division, Location, position, promotion

 

  • SM - Doctrine, Belief

Examples:

Buddhism, Escapism, Judaism, scepticism

 

2 VERB SUFFIXES   

  • ATE

Examples:

Collaborate, Create, Mediate

 

  • EN

Examples:

Golden, Loosen, Sharpen, strengthen, Wooden

 

  • FY – IFY
    Examples:
    Justify, Magnify, Modify, Rectify, Simplify, Satisfy

 

  • ISE - IZE
    Examples:
    Hypnotise, Publicise, Realize, Synthesise

 

3 ADJECTIVE SUFFIXES  

* ABLE -IBLE

Examples:

Audible, Capable, Edible, Fallible, Incredible

 

* AL

Examples:

Colonial, Fiscal, Thermal, Herbal

 

* SQUE

Examples:

Burlesque, Grotesque, Picturesque

 

* FUL

Examples:

Handful, Hopeful, Playful, Skilful

 

* IC - ICAL

Examples:

Hypocritical, Methodical, Musical, Nonsensical, Psychological

 

* IOUS - OUS

Examples:

Dangerous, Jealous, Pious, Religious, Ridiculous

 

* ISH

Examples:

Childish, Foolish, Sheepish, Squeamish

 

* IVE

Examples:

Attentive, Informative, Inquisitive

 

* LESS

Examples:

Helpless, Homeless, Hopeless, Meaningless, Useless

 

* Y

Examples:

Airy, Beauty, Crazy, Dainty, Jealousy

 

4 ADVERB SUFFIXES  

* LY

Examples:

crazily, happily, Intelligently, madly, slowly, softly

 

* WARD - WARDS

Examples:

Afterwards, Backwards, Inward , Towards

 

* WISE

Examples:

Clockwise, Likewise, Otherwise