Prefixes

=What is a prefix?= Many words are made up of a root (or base word) and a prefix. Some words also have a suffix. For example, the root word //port// means //to carry// or //to bear//. Attach the prefix //ex,// meaning //out// or //out of//, and you have the word //export, to carry out//. Attach the prefix //im,// meaning //in// or //into// and you have //import, to carry in.// Attach the prefix //trans,// meaning //across//, and you have //transport//, meaning //to carry across//. Now let's attach the suffix //able//, meaning //able to be//, and you have //importable, exportable,// and //transportable.// The very words //prefix// and //suffix// are good examples, too. //Pre// means //before// and //fix// means //to fasten or attach//, so a quite literally, a prefix is something attached to something else. //Suf// is a variant of //sub, below or under//, so a suffix is something fastened underneath something else (in this case, behind the root). By learning the common roots and prefixes (and a few suffixes) you will be able to discern the meaning of many new words almost immediately. (But do look them up for confirmation.)

General Roots and Prefixes

 * **Root or Prefix** || **Meaning** || **Examples** ||
 * a, an || not, without || atheist, anarchy, anonymous apathy, aphasia, anemia, atypical, anesthesia ||
 * ab || away from || absent, abduction, aberrant, abstemious, abnormal, abstract, absorb ||
 * acro || high, tip, top || acrobat, acrophobia, acronym, acromegaly ||
 * ad || to, toward || admit, addition, advertisement, adherent, admonish, address, adhesive, adept, adjust ||
 * alt || high || altitude, altimiter, alto, contralto, altocumulus ||
 * ambul || to walk || ambulatory, amble, ambulance, somnambulist, perambulate, preamble ||
 * ante || before || anteroom, antebellum, antedate antecedent, antediluvian ||
 * anti, ant || against, opposite || antisocial, antiseptic, antithesis, antibody, antichrist, antinomies, antifreeze, antipathy, antigen, antibiotic, antidote, antifungal, antidepressant ||
 * audi || to hear || audience, auditory, audible, auditorium, audiovisual, audition, audiobook ||
 * auto || self || automobile, automatic, autograph, autonomous, autoimmune, autopilot, autobiography ||
 * be || thoroughly || bedecked, besmirch, besprinkled, begrudge, begrime, belie, bemoan ||
 * bell || war || belligerent, antebellum, bellicose, rebel ||
 * bene || good, well || benefactor, beneficial, benevolent, benediction, beneficiary, benefit ||
 * bi || two || bicycle, bifocals, biceps, billion, binary, bivalve, bimonthly, bigamy, bimetal, biathlete, bicarbonate ||
 * cede, ceed, cess || to go, to yield || succeed, proceed, precede, recede, secession, exceed, succession, excess ||
 * chron || time || chronology, chronic, chronicle, chronometer, anachronism ||
 * cide, cis || to kill, to cut || fratricide, suicide, incision, excision, circumcision, precise, concise, precision ||
 * circum || around || circumnavigate, circumflex, circumstance, circumcision, circumference, circumorbital, circumlocution, circumvent, circumscribe, circulatory ||
 * clud, clus claus || to close || include, exclude, clause, claustrophobia, enclose, exclusive, reclusive, conclude, preclude ||
 * con, com || with, together || convene, compress, contemporary, converge, compact, confluence, concatenate, conjoin, combine, convert, compatible, consequence ||
 * contra, counter || against, opposite || contradict, counteract, contravene, contrary, counterspy, contrapuntal, contraband ||
 * cred || to believe || credo, credible, credence, credit, credential, credulity, incredulous, creed, incredible ||
 * cycl || circle, wheel || bicycle, cyclical, cycle, encliclical, motorcycle, tricycle, cyclone ||
 * de || from, down, away || detach, deploy, derange, deodorize, devoid, deflate, degenerate, deice, descend, derail, depress, depart, decompose, destruction ||
 * dei, div || God, god || divinity, divine, deity, divination, deify ||
 * demo || people || democracy, demagogue, epidemic, demographic ||
 * dia || through, across, between || diameter, diagonal, dialogue, dialect, dialectic, diagnosis, diachronic, diagram, diaphragm ||
 * dict || speak || predict, verdict, malediction, dictionary, dictate, dictum, diction, indict, contradict ||
 * dis, dys, dif || away, not, negative || dismiss, differ, disallow, disperse, dissuade, disconnect, dysfunction, disproportion, disrespect, distemper, distaste, disarray, dyslexia ||
 * duc, duct || to lead, pull || produce, abduct, product, transducer, viaduct, aqueduct, induct, deduct, reduce, induce ||
 * dyn, dyna || power || dynamic, dynamometer, heterodyne, dynamite, dynamo, dynasty ||
 * ecto || outside, external || ectomorph, ectoderm, ectoplasm, ectopic, ectothermal ||
 * endo || inside, withing || endotoxin, endoscope, endogenous ||
 * equi || equal || equidistant, equilateral, equilibrium, equinox, equitable, equation, equator ||
 * e, ex || out, away, from || emit, expulsion, exhale, exit, express, exclusive, enervate, exceed, explosion ||
 * exter, extra || outside of || external, extrinsic, exterior, extraordinary, extrabiblical, extracurricular, extrapolate, extraneous, exterminator, extract, extradite, extraterrestrial, extrasensory, extravagant, extreme ||
 * flu, flux || flow || effluence, influence, effluvium, fluctuate, confluence, reflux, influx ||
 * flect, flex || to bend || flexible, reflection, deflect, circumflex, inflection, reflex ||
 * graph, gram || to write || polygraph, grammar, biography, graphite, telegram, autograph, lithograph, historiography, graphic, electrocardiogram, monogram ||
 * hetero || other || heterodox, heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodyne ||
 * homo || same || homogenized, homosexual, homonym, homophone ||
 * hyper || over, above || hyperactive, hypertensive, hyperbolic, hypersensitive, hyperventilate, hyperkinetic, hyperlink, hypertext, hypersonic, hypertrophy ||
 * hypo || below, less than || hypotension, hypodermic, hypoglycemia, hypoallergenic, hypothermia, hypothesis ||
 * in, im || not || inviolate, innocuous, intractable, innocent, impregnable, impossible ||
 * infra || beneath || infrared, infrastructure, infrasonic ||
 * inter, intro || between || international, intercept, intermission, interoffice, internal, intermittent, introvert, introduce ||
 * intra || within, into || intranet, intracranial, intravenous, intramural, intramuscular, intraocular ||
 * jac, ject || to throw || reject, eject, project, trajectory, interject, dejected, inject, ejaculate ||
 * mal || bad, badly || malformation, maladjusted, dismal, malady, malcontent, malfeasance, maleficent, malevolent, malice, malaria, malfunction, malignant ||
 * mega || great, million || megaphone, megalomaniac, megabyte, megalopolis ||
 * meso || middle || mesomorph, mesoamerica, mesosphere ||
 * meta || beyond, change || metaphor, metamorphosis, metabolism, metahistorical, metainformation, metacognitive ||
 * meter || measure || perimeter, micrometer, ammeter, multimeter, altimeter, geometry, kilometer ||
 * micro || small || microscope, microprocessor, microfiche, micrometer, micrograph ||
 * mis || bad, badly || misinform, misinterpret, mispronounce, misnomer, mistake, misogynist ||
 * mit, miss || to send || transmit, permit, missile, missionary, remit, admit, missive, mission ||
 * morph || shape || polymorphic, morpheme, amorphous, metamorphosis, morphology, morphing ||
 * multi || many || multitude, multipartite, multiply, multipurpose, multicolored, multimedia, multinational ||
 * neo || new || neologism, neonate, neoclassic, neophyte ||
 * non || not || nonferrous, nonabrasive, nondescript, nonfat, nonfiction, nonprofit, nonsense, nonentity ||
 * omni || all || omnipotent, omnivorous, omniscient, omnibus, omnirange, omnipresent ||
 * para || beside || paraprofessional, paramedic, paraphrase, parachute, paralegal, parallel, comparison ||
 * per || through, intensive || permit, perspire, perforate, persuade, perceive, perfect, permit, perform ||
 * peri || around || periscope, perimeter, perigee, periodontal ||
 * phon || sound || telephone, phonics, phonograph, phonetic, homophone, microphone ||
 * phot || light || photograph, photosynthesis, photon ||
 * poly || many || polytheist, polygon, polygamy, polymorphous ||
 * port || to carry || porter, portable, report, transportation, deport, import, export ||
 * re || back, again || report, realign, retract, revise, regain, reflect, rename, restate, recombine, recalculate, redo ||
 * retro || backwards || retrorocket, retrospect, retrogression, retroactive ||
 * sanct || holy || sanctify, sanctuary, sanction, sanctimonious, sacrosanct ||
 * scrib, script || to write || inscription, prescribe, proscribe, manuscript, conscript, scribble, scribe ||
 * sect, sec || cut || intersect, transect, dissect, secant, section ||
 * semi || half || semifinal, semiconscious, semiannual, semimonthly, semicircle ||
 * spect || to look || inspect, spectator, circumspect, retrospect, prospect, spectacle ||
 * sub || under, below || submerge, submarine, substandard, subnormal, subvert, subdivision, submersible, submit ||
 * super, supra || above || superior, suprarenal, superscript, supernatural, supercede, superficial, superhero, superimpose ||
 * syn || together || synthesis, synchronous, syndicate, synergy, snyopsis, syncretism ||
 * tele || distance, from afar || television, telephone, telegraph, telemetry, telepathy ||
 * theo, the || God || theology, theist, polytheist, pantheism, atheist ||
 * therm, thermo || heat || thermal, thermometer, thermocouple, thermodynamic, thermoelectric ||
 * tract || to drag, draw || attract, tractor, traction, extract, retract, protract, detract, subtract, contract, intractable ||
 * trans || across || transoceanic, transmit, transport, transducer ||
 * un || not || uncooked, unharmed, unintended, unhappy ||
 * veh, vect || to carry || vector, vehicle, convection, vehement ||
 * vert, vers || to turn || convert, revert, advertise, versatile, vertigo, invert, reversion, extravert, introvert ||
 * vita || life || vital, vitality, vitamins, revitalize ||

Number Prefixes

 * **Prefix** || **Meaning** || **Examples** ||
 * mono, uni || one || monopoly, monotype, monologue, mononucleosis, monorail, monotheist, unilateral, universal, unity, unanimous, uniform ||
 * bi, di || two || divide, diverge, diglycerides, bifurcate, biweekly, bivalve, biannual, billion ||
 * tri || three || triangle, trinity, trilateral, triumvirate, tribune, trilogy, tricycle, trillion ||
 * quat, quad || four || quadrangle, quadruplets, quaternary, quarter, quadrillion ||
 * quint, penta || five || quintet, quintuplets, pentagon, pentane, pentameter, quintillion ||
 * hex, ses, sex || six || hexagon, hexameter, sestet, sextuplets, sextillion ||
 * sept || seven || septet, septennial, septillion ||
 * oct || eight || octopus, octagon, octogenarian, octave, octillion ||
 * non || nine || nonagon, nonagenarian, nonillion ||
 * dec || ten || decimal, decade, decalogue, decimate, decillion ||
 * cent || hundred || centennial, century, centipede, centillion ||
 * mill, kilo || thousand (10^3) || millennium, kilobyte, kiloton ||
 * mega || million (10^6) || megabyte, megaton, megaflop ||
 * giga || billion (10^9) || gigabyte, gigaflop ||
 * tera || trillion (10^12) || terabyte, teraflop ||
 * peta || quadrillion (10^15) || petabyte ||
 * exa || quintillion (10^18) || exabyte ||
 * zetta || sextillion (10^21) || zettabyte ||
 * yotta || septilion (10^24) || yottabyte ||
 * milli || thousandth (10^-3) || millisecond, milligram, millivolt ||
 * micro || millionth (10^-6) || microgram, microvolt ||
 * nano || billionth (10^-9) || nanosecond, nanobucks ||
 * pico || trillionth (10^-12) || picofarad, picocurie ||
 * femto || quadrillionth (10^-15) || femtosecond ||
 * atto || quintillionth (10^-18) || attosecond, attometer ||
 * zepto || sextillionth (10^-21) || zeptosecond ||
 * yocto || septillionth (10^-24) || yoctosecond ||

End note: In my second year of Latin in high school, we were required to find twenty-five Latin word roots and for each root to find five English words containing the root. This exercise not only helped to increase my vocabulary, but it gave me a valuable insight into the way many English words are constructed. As technology advances, new words are coined to cover some new idea or thing, and often these words are created from existing roots. A little root knowledge here can therefore help us to begin to understand a new word even before we read about its meaning.

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=Do you know the meanings of different prefixes and know when to use the right one? Take [|this quiz] and find out.=