List of prefixes and suffixes

Prefixes: pp. 1 3
Suffixes: pp. 4 6

Prefixes
ac-, ad-, af-,
ag-, al-, ap-,
as-, at-

to, toward, near,

adjacent to

aside (adverb): to or toward the side

accompany (verb): to go with someone as a companion
adjust (verb): to correct, to move closer to a correct position

a-,
an-

not, without

apolitical (adjective): without interest in politics

anarchy (noun): without a ruler, absence of government

ab-,
abs-

away from, off

abrupt (adjective): unexpected change

abnormal (adjective): not normal

ambi-, amphi

both sides

ambidextrous (adjective): able to use both hands equally well

amphibian (noun): an animal with characteristics of both fish and reptiles

ante-

before

anterior (adjective): before or near the front

anti-

against

antiwar (noun): against war

arch-

archenemy (noun): the principal enemy

audio-

chief, principal,
extreme
hearing, sound

auto-

self

autobiography (noun): writing about yourself

automotive (adjective): related to self-propelled machines

bi-

two

bicycle (noun): a vehicle with two wheels

biped (noun): a two-footed animal

bibli-, biblio-

book

bibliography (noun): a list of books referred to in a text

cat-,
cata-,
cathcircum-

down, with

category (noun): a class or set to which a thing belongs

catalogue (noun): a book or pamphlet that lists and describes

around

circumvent (verb): to manage to get around a situation

circumference (noun): the distance around a circle

co-, cog-,
col-, com-,
con-, cor-

together, with

cognate (adjective): related, similar in nature

collaborate (verb): to work together
correlation (noun): a relation between two or more things

contra-

against, opposite

contradict (verb) to state the opposite

cosmo-

universe

cosmopolitan (adjective): having a worldwide rather than a limited scope

de-

to do the opposite,
to take away from

decrease (verb): to grow smaller, to become less

desensitize (verb): to take away sensitivity

dent-, denti-,
dentodia-

tooth

dentist (noun): a doctor specializing in teeth, jaws, and mouth

through, across

diameter (noun): the distance across a cirle

diagonal (adjective): passing through two non-adjacent corners

audiorecording (noun): a recording of sound

di-,
dif-,
dis-

apart, separate, two,

opposite of, not,
exclude

divide (verb): to separate into two or more parts

differ (verb): to be unlike
distrust (verb): to have no confidence or trust
disagree (verb): to not agree with someone or something

e-,
ex-

out, out of, from

emit (verb) to send out

expel (verb): to force out
exclude (verb): to close out of, keep out

eco-

habitat, environment

ecology (noun): the study of the environment

en-, em-

put into

enamor (verb): to cause to love, to "put" someone "into" love

empower (verb): to give power, to put into power

equa-, equi-

equal

equator (noun): a line that divides the world into two equal halves

extra-

beyond

extraordinary (adjective): going beyond normal

for-, fore-

before

foresee (verb): to see beforehand

ge-, geo-

earth, ground, soil

geology (noun): the study of the earth

hemi-

half

hemisphere (noun): half of a sphere

hetero-

different

heterosexual (adjective): attracted to someone of the opposite sex

homo-

same

homogeneous (adjective): having a uniform structure of composition

hydr-, hydro-

water

hydroelectric (adjective): producing electricity using waterpower

hyper-

above, beyond

hyperactive (adjective): being excessively active

il-, im-,
in-, ir,

not, in

illegible (adjective): cannot be read

inaction (noun): lack of motion, idle

in-,
im-,
ilinter-

in, into

instead (adverb): in place of, an alternative

import (verb): to bring into a country from another country

between, among

interject (verb): to throw something between other things

international (adjective): between nations

mal-

bad

malfunction (noun): when something does not work properly

micr-, micro-

small

microscope (noun): an instrument used to see very small objects

mis-

wrong

misinterpret (verb): to interpret incorrectly

mono

one

monolingual (adjective): using or knowing only one language

multi-

many

multiply (verb): to increase in number

non-

not, no

nonsense (noun): something with no meaning or no sense

ob-, oc-,
of-, op-

toward, against, in
the way

obtain (verb): to gain or get, to get a hold of

oppose (verb): to be against, to stand in the way of something

omni-

all, universally

omnivorous (adjective): eats both plants and animals

over-

excessive, above

overwork (verb): to have too much work

pan-

all, completely

pandemic (adjective): occurring over a wide geographic area

para-

beside

paralegal (noun): someone who works alongside a lawyer

per-

through

perform (verb): to carry out an act

phot-, photo-

light

photography (noun): producing an image by exposing film to light

post-

after

postpone (verb): to put off to a later time, to delay

pre-

before

precede (verb): to go before, to come in front of

pro-

for, forward

propel (verb): to push forward

quadr-

four

quadrilateral (adjective): having four sides

re-

back, again

redo (verb): to do again

retro-

backward

retrospect (noun) to look back at past events

semi

half

semiannual (adjective): occurring twice a year

sub-, suc-,
suf-, sup-,
sur-, sus
super-

under, beneath, near,

from below,
secretly, above, up
over, above

submarine (adjective): underwater

support (verb): to hold up, too keep up

syn-, sym-

together, at the same

time
distant, over a
distance
across, beyond,
change
three

sympathy (noun): sharing another person's feelings

unceasing (adjective): never ending, continuous

uni-

not, against,
opposite
one

util-

use

utility (noun): something useful or designed for use

tele-, teltranstriun-

superimpose (verb): to place on top of something else

telephone (noun): a device to transmit sound over a distance

transform (verb): to change shape
tripod (noun): a three-legged stand

uniform (adjective): having the same form or consistency

Suffixes
Suffixes to Create NOUNS
-acy,
-cy

state or quality

privacy: the state of being alone

infancy: the state of being a baby or young child

-age

activity, or result of action

courage: having the spirit to overcome fear

-al

action, result of action

referral: the action of directing a person to another place

-an

person

artisan: a craftsperson

-ance,
-ence

action, state, quality or

process

resistance: the action of opposing something

independence: the state of not being under the control of others

-ancy,
-ency

state, quality or capacity

vacancy: an empty room or position

agency: the capacity to exert power or influence, a position or person that
performs a function

-ant,
-ent

an agent, something that

performs the action

disinfectant: something that cleans

dependent: a thing supported or determined by another

-ate

state, office, fuction

candidate: a person nominated for an office or position

-ation

action, resulting state

specialization: the result of being distinguished by one quality or ability

-dom

place, state of being

wisdom: possessing knowledge

-er,
-or

person or thing that does

something

baker: a person who bakes

collector: a person who collects or gathers things

-ful

an amount or quanity that

fills
related to, one that is

mouthful: an amount that fills the mouth

names, diseases

phobia: an illogical fear of something

-iatry

art of healing

psychiatry: branch of medicine dealing with the mind and emotions

-ic,
-ics

related to the arts and

sciences

arithmetic: a branch of math dealing with non-negative numbers

economics: the social science related to studying business

-ice

act

malice: the desire to do evil

-ing

material made for, activity,

result of an activity

swimming: the activity of swimming through water

building: the result of making a structure

-ion

condition or action

abduction: the action of carrying someone away by force

-ism

formalism: a belief in sticking to prescribed forms

-ist

doctrine, belief, action or

conduct
person or member

-ite

product or part

graphite: a black material used in making pencils

-ity,
-ty

state or quality

novelty: something new or unusual

-ian,
-an
-ia

politician: a person works in politics

podiatrist: a foot doctor

-ive

condition

native: a person born in a specific place

-ment

condition or result

document: official paper showing proof or evidence of something

-ness

state, condition, quality

kindness: the quality of being kind or nice

-ology

the study of

biology: the study of life

-or

condition or activity

valor: bravery, courage

-ory

place for, serves for

territory: an area around a place

-ship

status, condition

friendship: the state of being a friend

-ure

act, condition, process,

function
state, condition, result of
an activity

exposure: the condition of being exposed or unprotected

-y

society: companionship
victory: the result of winning something

Suffixes to Create VERBS

-ate

cause to be

graduate: to give a degree to, to pass from one stage to the next

-ed

past tense

attained: something that has been reached or grasped

-en

to cause to become

moisten: to cause to become moist or damp

-er, -or

action

ponder: to think about

clamor: to make noise, to call for loudly

-ify

cause

specify: to name or indicate in detail

-ing

present participle

depicting: showing, describing with images or pictures

-ize

cause

fantasize: to create images in the mind

-ure

act

conjecture: to come to a conclusion by supposition or guesswork

Suffixes to Create ADJECTIVES

-able,
-ible

worth, ability

solvable: able to be solved or explained

incredible: not able to be believed, amazing

-al,
-ial,
-ical

quality, relation

structural: related to the physical make up of a thing

territorial: related to nearby or local areas
categorical: related to a category, absolute

-ant,
-ent,
-ient
-ar,
-ary

indicating, being

important: indicating value or worth

dependent: relying upon something else

resembling, related to

spectacular: related to something that is eye-catching or amazing

unitary: related to units or single groups representing quantities

-ate

kind of state

inviolate: not disturbed, pure

-ed

having the quality of

terraced: having terraces or steps

-en

material

silken: made from silk, a fiber produced by worms

-er

comparative

brighter: more light

-est

superlative

strongest: having the most strength

-ful

having, giving, marked by

fanciful: marked by imagination

-ic

quality, relation

generic: related to a whole group

-ile

having the qualities of

projectile: something thrown with an outside force

-ing

activity

cohering: the act of sticking together

-ish

having the character of,

about, almost
having the quality of

newish: modern, recent

-less

without, missing

penniless: a person without any money

-ous,
-eous,
-ose,
-ious
-y

having the quality of,

relating to

adventurous: characterized by the desire to seek adventures

courageous: characterized by courage, brave
verbose: having more words than needed

marked by, having

hungry: having hunger, marked by a desire

-ive,
-ative,
-itive

festive: having the quality of a festival or party

cooperative: being able or willing to work together
sensitive: easily felt, responsive to the senses

Suffixes to Create ADVERBS

-fold

in a manner of, marked by

fourfold: being four times as great

-ly

in the manner of

fluently: marked by ease of movement, effortlessly smooth

-ward

in a direction or manner

homeward: toward home

-wise

in the manner of, with

regard to

timewise: with regard to time