Prefixes and suffixes are groups of letters that appear at the beginning and end of some words. Memorizing prefixes and suffixes can help you guess the meaning of an unfamiliar word, such as during a language test, if it has a prefix at its beginning or a suffix at its end.
For example, “pre” is a prefix that means before or in advance, just like a prefix appears before the rest of a word. When you buy ‘precooked’ rice, you’re buying rice that has already been cooked. When you ‘predict’ an outcome, you’re guessing what will happen before it happens.
A suffix can also help you determine a word’s meaning, but it appears at the end of a word. The suffix “-less” means without. So someone who is ‘powerless’ does not have power. Someone who is ‘heartless’ is not someone you’d want to befriend.
Not all words that start or end with one of these examples are related to the prefix or suffix, but knowing these might help you determine the meaning of a word when context alone doesn’t.
| PREFIX | ||
|---|---|---|
| an-, un- | not, without | anarchy, anaerobic, unconditional, unkind, unlikable, unfair, unacceptable |
| ann-, annu- | yearly | anniversary, annually |
| *anti- | against, opposite, not | antisocial, antibiotic, antipathy, antibody |
| aqu[a]- | water | aquatic, aquarium, aquamarine, aqueduct |
| bi-, di- | two | biweekly, bilingual, bicycle, biracial, dioxide, dissect, diode |
| con- | with | connect, convince, convene, congregate, consensus |
| dis- | not | disagree, dislike, dishonest, dissimilar, distasteful, disadvantage, disappear, disloyal |
| equi- | equal | equivocate, equivalent, equidistant |
| exo, exter- | outside | exoskeleton, exoplanet, external, exterior |
| hyper- | over, excessive | hyperactive, hypercritical, hyperextend |
| in-, im-, il-, ir- | not | inadequate, inaccurate, inopportune, inferior, impossible, impersonal, impervious, illegal, illiterate, illogical, irrelevent, irreversible, irrefutable, irresistible |
| inter- | between | international, interact, interview, interweaving |
| macro- | large | macrocosm, macrofossil |
| micro- | small | microscope, microchip, microwave, microbe |
| min- | small, less | minimum, minimal, minority, miniscule, miniature, minute (adj. extremely small) |
| mis- | wrong, bad, lack of | misbehave, mistake, misfortune, mispronounce, misinterpret, misjudge, mismanage, miscalculate |
| mono- | one | monopoly, monochrome, monocle, monologue |
| poly- | many | polygon, polysyllabic, polyglot |
| pre- | before, in advance | prefix, precaution, precede, predict, preview, prevent, prepay, precooked, predetermine |
| re- | again | redo, reuse, reevaluate, reheat, reunite |
| *semi- | half, partially | semisweet, semicircle, semiannual, semiform, semifrozen |
| sub- | below | substandard, subfreezing, submerge, submarine, subway, subordinate |
| super- | above | superior, supercede, supermarket, superman |
| trans- | across, beyond, change | transaction, transcontinental, transfer, transit, transcend, transform, translate, transparent |
| tri- | three | triangle, tricycle, trifold |
| un- | not, reverse | unknown, unhappy, unapologetic, undo, unlock, unwind |
| under- | beneath, too little | underneath, underestimate, underdeveloped, underpaid, underachiever, understate |
| uni- | one | united, uniform, unique, universal |
*You can use these prefixes with many words to specify the quality or state of someone or something, e.g. semi-happy, semi-blue, anti-running, anti-meat
| SUFFIX | ||
|---|---|---|
| -able, -ible | can be done | likeable, doable, possible, legible, flexible |
| -er | more | greater, prettier, uglier |
| -est | most | greatest, prettiest, ugliest |
| -ful | full of | beautiful, wonderful, fruitful, bountiful |
| -ity | quality or state of | ability, possibility, fragility, stability |
| -ist | person who | tourist, archaeologist, dentist, pharmacist, extremist, activist |
| -less | without | powerless, penniless |
| -logy | the study of | biology, archaeology, geology, sociology |
| -ness | quality or state of | awareness, greatness, forgiveness, helpfulness |
| -ous | has qualities of | anonymous, adventurous, courageous, grievous |
| -tion | act, process of | creation, elation, motivation, dedication |
