worksheet 11f affixes ( prefixes )

Prefixes
Prefixes and suffixes were originally words themselves but they are now groups of letters added to words or to roots to create new words. Prefixes [pre (before) + fix (fasten) = fasten before] are groups of letters placed before words or roots. Prefixes modify or extend the meanings of words and roots. Following is a list of commonly used prefixes and sample vocabulary.
INDEX: A B C D E I M N O P R S T U


• a-, ac-, ad-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, as-, at- to, toward, near, in addition to
o aside (adverb): to or toward the side
 a + side
o accompany (verb): to go with someone as a companion
 ac + com + pan + y
o adjust (verb): to correct, to move closer to a correct position
 ad + just
o affix (verb): to attach to something, to fasten
 af + fix
o aggression (noun): hostile behavior towards someone or something
 ag + gress + ion
o allocate (verb): to distribute to specific people or for specific purposes
 al + loc + ate
o annihilate (verb): to destroy
 an + nihil + ate
o associate (verb): to join with
 as + soci + ate
o attend (verb): to look after, to go to
 at + tend
• a-, an- not, without
o apolitical (adjective): without interest in politics
 a + polit + ic + al
o anemia (noun): the condition (disease) of not having enough red blood cells
 an + em + ia
• ab-, abs- away from, off
o abrupt (adjective): unexpected change
 ab + rupt
o absolve (verb): to be set free from one's actions or obligations
 ab + solve
• ante- before
o anterior (adjective): before or near the front
 ante + rior
• anti- against
o antipathy (noun): dislike, opposite feeling
 anti + path + y
• auto- self
o automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines
 auto + mot + ive


• bi- two
o biped (noun): a two-footed animal
 bi + ped
o biennial (adjective): happening every two years bi + enni + al


• cat-, cata-, cath- down, with
o category (noun): a class or set to which a thing belongs
 cate + gor + y
o catalogue (noun): a book or pamphlet that lists and describes
 cata + log + ue
o catheter (noun): a medical device used to tranfer fluids cath +eter
• circum- around
o circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation
 circum + vent
• co-, cog-, col-, com-, con-, cor together, with
o cohesiveness (noun): the ability to stick together
 co + hes + ive + ness
o cognate (adjective): related, similar in nature
 cog + nate
o collaborate (verb): to work together
 col + lab + or + ate
o commitment (noun): to entrust, to put into a place
 com + mit + ment
o convenient (adjective): handy, nearby
 con + veni + ent
o correct (verb): to set right, to be right
 cor + rect
• contra- against, opposite
o contradict (verb) to state the opposite
 contra + dict


• de- to do the opposite, to take away from
o decrease (verb): to grow smaller, to become less
 de + cre + ase
• di-, dif-, dis- apart, separate, two, opposite, not
o divide (verb): to separate into two or more parts
 di + vide
o differ (verb): to be unlike
 dif + fer
• dis- not, opposite of, exclude
o distrust (verb): to have no confidence or trust
 dis + trust


• e-, ex- out, out of, from
o emit (verb) to send out
 e + mit
o expel (verb): to force out ex + pel
• en-, em- put into
o enamor (verb): to cause to love, to "put" someone "into" love
 en + am + + or
o empower (verb): to give power, to put into power em + pow + er
• epi-, upon, beside, over
o epilogue (noun): the concluding section of a play or literary work
 epi + logue
• extra- beyond
o extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal
 extra + ordin + ary


• il-, im-, in-, ir, not, in
o illegible (adjective): cannot be read
 il + leg + ible
o imposter (noun): someone who poses as someone else
 im + post + er
o inaction (noun): lack of motion, idle
 in + act + ion
o irresolute (adjective): uncertain about hot to act, undecided, not having a solution
 ir + re + solute
• in-, im-, il- in, into
o instead (adverb): in place of, an alternative
 in + stead
o import (verb): to bring into a country from another country
 im + port
• inter- between, among
o interject (verb): to throw something (usually a comment) between other things
 inter + ject
• intro- into
o introspection (noun): to look into one's own thoughts and feelings
 intro + spect + ion


• mal- bad
o malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly
 mal + funct + ion
• mis- wrong
o misconduct (noun): wrong doing, bad behavior
 mis + con + duct
• mono- one
o monologue (noun): a dramatic performance or speech given by one actor
 mono + logue
• multi- many
o multiply (verb): to increase in number
 multi + ply


• non- not, no
o nonsense (noun): something that has no meaning or makes no sense
 non + sense


• ob-, oc-, of-, op- toward, against, in the way
o obtain (verb): to gain or get, to get a hold of
 ob + tain
o occur (verb): to happen, to come to mind
 oc + cur
o offer (verb): to attempt to give, to propose, to try to hand out
 of + fer
o oppose (verb): to be against, to stand in the way of something
 op + pose
• over- excessive, above
o overwork (verb): to have too much work
 over + work


• para- beside
o paradox (noun): a statement that seems true and contradictory at the same time
 para + dox
• per- through
o persecute (verb): to go after, to pursue
 per + secute
• post- after
o postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay
 post + pone
• pre- before
o precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of
 pre + cede
• pro- for, foward
o propel (verb): to push forward
 pro + pel


• re- back, again
o readmit (verb): to allow in again
 re + ad + mit
• retro- backward
o retrospect (noun) to look back at past events
 retro + spect


• se- apart, move away from
o secede (verb): to withdraw from an organization
 se + cede
• semi- half
o semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year
 semi + annu + al
• sub-, suc-, suf-, sup-, sur-, sus under, beneath, near, from below, secretly, above, up
o submarine (adjective): underwater
 sub + mar + ine
o succeed (verb): to do well, to come after
 suc + ceed
o suffice (verb): to be enough
 suf + fice
o support (verb): to hold up, too keep up
 sup + port
o survive (verb): to live, to live through something, to exist
 sur + vive
o sustain (verb): to keep up, to hold up,
 sus + tain
• super- over, above
o superimpose (verb): to place something on top of something else
 super + im + pose
• syn-, sym- together, at the same time
o synchronous (adjective): happening at the same time
 syn + chron + ous
o sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings, compassion
 sym + path + y


• trans- across, beyond, change
o transform (verb): to change shape
 trans + form
• tri- three
o tripod (noun): a three-legged stand
 tri + pod


• un- not, against, opposite
o unceasing (adjective): never ending, continuous
 un + ceas + ing
• uni- one
o uniform (adjective): having the same form or consistancy
uni + form