Prefix Examples

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLES

ante- before antenatal, anteroom, antedate

anti- against, opposing antibiotic, antidepressant, antidote

circum- around circumstance, circumvent, circumnavigate

co- with co-worker, co-pilot, co-operation

de- off, down, away from devalue, defrost, derail, demotivate

dis- opposite of, not disagree, disappear, disintegrate, disapprove

em-, en- cause to, put into embrace, encode, embed, enclose, engulf

epi- upon, close to, after epicentre, episcope, epidermis

ex- former, out of ex-president, ex-boyfriend, exterminate

extra- beyond, more than extracurricular, extraordinary, extra-terrestrial

fore- before forecast, forehead, foresee, foreword, foremost

homo- same homosexual, homonuclear, homoplastic

hyper- over, above hyperactive, hyperventilate

il-, im-, in-, ir- not impossible, illegal, irresponsible, indefinite

im-, in- into insert, import, inside

infra- beneath, below infrastructure, infrared, infrasonic, infraspecific

inter-, intra- between interact, intermediate, intergalactic, intranet

macro- large macroeconomics, macromolecule

micro- small microscope, microbiology, microfilm, microwave

mid- middle midfielder, midway, midsummer

mis- wrongly misinterpret, misfire, mistake, misunderstand

mono- one, singular monotone, monobrow, monolithic

non- not, without nonsense, nonentity, nondescript

omni- all, every omnibus, omnivore, omnipotent

para- beside parachute, paramedic, paradox

post- after post-mortem, postpone, post-natal

pre- before prefix, predetermine, pre-intermediate

re- again return, rediscover, reiterate, reunite

semi- half semicircle, semi-final, semiconscious

sub- under submerge, submarine, sub-category, subtitle

super- above, over superfood, superstar, supernatural, superimpose

therm- heat thermometer, thermostat, thermodynamic

trans- across, beyond transport, transnational, transatlantic

tri- three triangle, tripod, tricycle

un- not unfinished, unfriendly, undone, unknown

uni- one unicycle, universal, unilateral, unanimous

Suffix Examples

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE

NOUN SUFFIXES

-acy state or quality democracy, accuracy, lunacy

-al the action or process of remedial, denial, trial, criminal

-ance, -ence state or quality of nuisance, ambience, tolerance

-dom place or state of being freedom, stardom, boredom

-er, -or person or object that does a reader, creator, interpreter, inventor,
specified action collaborator, teacher

-ism doctrine, belief Judaism, scepticism, escapism

-ist person or object that does a Geologist, protagonist, sexist, scientist, theorist,
specified action communist

-ity, -ty quality of extremity, validity, enormity

-ment condition enchantment, argument

-ness state of being heaviness, highness, sickness

-ship position held friendship, hardship, internship

-sion, -tion state of being position, promotion, cohesion

VERB SUFFIXES

-ate become mediate, collaborate, create

-en become sharpen, strengthen, loosen

-ify, -fy make or become justify, simplify, magnify, satisfy

-ise, -ize become publicise, synthesise, hypnotise

ADJECTIVE SUFFIXES

-able, -ible capable of being edible, fallible, incredible, audible

-al having the form or character of fiscal, thermal, herbal, colonial

-esque in a manner of or resembling picturesque, burlesque, grotesque

-ful notable for handful, playful, hopeful, skilful

-ic, -ical having the form or character of psychological, hypocritical, methodical,

-ious, -ous characterised by pious, jealous, religious, ridiculous

-ish having the quality of squeamish, sheepish, childish

-ive having the nature of inquisitive, informative, attentive

-less without meaningless, hopeless, homeless

-y characterised by dainty, beauty, airy, jealousy

ADVERB SUFFIXES

-ly related to or quality softly, slowly, happily, crazily, madly

-ward, -wards direction towards, afterwards, backwards, inward

-wise in relation to otherwise, likewise, clockwise