Prefixes Words

Prefixes Words

In English Language, knowing of words’ formation is so important. Different words are made from other words by adding something or deducting something. Using of prefixes is one of the ways to form words from other words.

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Definition of prefix

Prefix is defined as a letter/letters added at the beginning of the word to make a new word. It is also defined as an affix that is placed in front of the word to form a new word. Adding of the affix changes the word into another word. The new form of the word sometimes gives the same meaning and sometimes gives a new meaning.

Examples of Prefixes words  

Prefix: The word ‘prefix’ by itself is an example of the prefix. It is made up of two words pre and fix. Pre means before and fix means attach. They both form a new word ‘prefix’ which means to attach affix in front of the word.

Oversight: The word oversight is formed by adding the prefix ‘over’ to the word sight. Sight means the act of looking or observing. Meaning of the ‘over’ is a high place. When the prefix ‘over’ is added in front of ‘sight’ that form a new word oversight. Oversight means watching or observing someone.

Insight: The word sight means an act of looking or observing. When ‘in’ is added as a prefix, it becomes insight. Insight means looking deeper in to the center or feeling of understanding.

 

List of Prefixes words with examples

Prefix	Meaning	Example
A, an	Without, not, lack of	Atheist, amoral, anhydrous
There are more amoral politicians in our country.
Ab	Not, bad	Abnormal, abuse
The news stunned me when I heard that his child is abnormal.
Ad	To	Adjoin
Our office adjoins our house.
Ante	Before, earlier	Anterior, antecedent
Ali called Diya and advised her. Diya is the antecedent of the pronoun her.
Anti	Against	Antiaircraft, antibody
Antibody test is required to go abroad.
Auto	Self, same	Autobiography, autopilot
I have not written autobiography so far.
Be	All around	Beset
He was beset by wolves.
Bi	Two	Bilateral
Saudi and America have bilateral relations.
Circum	Around, about	Circumstances
If the circumstances permitted, we would study abroad.
Co	Together, with	Co-educate, co-worker
John and Tom are co-workers.
Com, Con	Together, with	Concentrate, companion
We must concentrate on our studies.
Contra, Contro	Against, opposite	Contrast, controversial
It has become controversial point. Leave it now.
Cor	Together	Correct
You have to give correct answers.
Counter	Opposition	Counterattack
Two rebels have been killed in counterattack.
De	Away from, off, down	Devalue, deactivate, degrade
It is not better to degrade any of your friends.
Di	Two	Dioxide
Carbon dioxide is the combination of Carbon and Oxygen.
Dia	Through	Diameter
I need a pipe with four inches diameter.
Dis	Opposite, not	Dissatisfied, disappear
She disappeared just after the lunch.
En	Put into, cover with	Enclose, encase
Fog enclosed the whole area today.
Ex	Former, out of, from	Ex-president, extract, excavate
The ex-president wants to take participation in election again.
Extra	Beyond, more than	Extraordinary, extracurricular
He performed better in all extracurricular activities.
Hetero	Other, different	Heterogeneous, heterosexual
The heterogeneous architecture of our city needs to be changed.
Hemi	Half	Hemisphere
Equator divides the Earth into two hemispheres.
Home, Homeo	Same	Homogeneous, homeostasis
Homogeneous grouping is advised, so put the students of same abilities in the same class.
Hyper	Over	Hypersensitive
Don’t be hypersensitive about the situation. Let it be as it is.
Hypo	Under	Hypothesis
My hypothesis is that debt financing has positive effects on capital structure.
Il, im, in, ir	Without, not	Illegal, impossible, incomplete, irresponsible
It is illegal to have weapons without having license.
In	In, into	Insert, infiltrate
We have been infiltrated by our enemies.
Infra	Below	Infrastructure
Our government must assign high budget to infrastructure.
Inter	With in	Interschool
We enjoyed a lot interschool games.
Intra, Intro	Inside	Intramuscular
Intramuscular injections were used to give me vaccines.
Macro	Large	Macroeconomics
I got the highest marks in Macroeconomics.
Mal	Ill, bad	Malnutrition, malpractice
The number of children who have malnutrition increases.
Micro	Very small	Microscope
Bacteria can be seen by microscope.
Mis	Bad	Misbehavior
Misbehavior is not bearable in reputed organizations.
Mono	Single	Monotone
She read the story in monotone.
Non	Not, opposite	Nonsense
I don’t like her because she talks a lot of nonsense.
Omni	Every	Omnivorous
We eat meat and vegetables, that is why we are called omnivorous.
Out	Outside	Outwit
The hunter was outwitted by the fox.
Over	More than enough	Overconfidence
His expectations were high and he was overconfident.
Post	After	Postmortem
They have submitted postmortem report in the court.
Pre, Pro	Before	Prefix
We are discussing prefixes.
Re	Again	Rewrite
You need to rewrite your report.
Semi	Half	Semifinal
Tomorrow is semifinal. I will watch.
Sub	Alternate	Subway
Metro system is also called subway system.
Super	Beyond	Supernatural
Do you believe in the supernatural?
Sym, Syn	Same time, together	Symmetry
In fact, I liked the symmetry of the painting.
Tele	Over a distance	Telecommunication
Pak telecommunication authority imposed takes on mobile phones.
To	This	Today
Today is our English test, so I have to study.
Trans	Across	Transplant
He wants hair transplant and I don’t recommend.
Tri	Three	Triangle
Triangle is one of the shapes that has tree angles.
Ultra	Beyond	Ultrasound
I saw her in the hospital. She had ultrasound exam this morning.
Un	Not, opposite	Unhappy
She was unhappy because her result was worse than before.
Under	Below, not enough	Underestimate
Don’t underestimate yourself. A day will come that you will be at the top of the world.
Uni	Single	Unilateral
They took unilateral decision about cutting the pay of pilot.
Up	Getting higher	Upgrade
All employees were upgraded after two years.
Vice	Alternate of	Vice president
Who will be the vice president of the United States of America?

Hyphen is used or not with prefixes words

Do we use a punctuation mark (hyphen) between affix and prefix? Rules are different about using hyphen. It is better to consult a dictionary if you are not sure.

When a prefix is added to a proper noun, we hyphenate the prefix.

• Anti-American
• Pro-Pakistan
• Pre-World War

When the last letter of a prefix and the first letter of an affix are the same, you need to hyphenate. You may not use hyphen when it is ‘o’.

• Re-entry
• Re-enter

You need to use a hyphen with special prefixes such as ex, self.

• Self-conscious
• Self-respect
• Ex-president

Sometimes you need to hyphenate the prefix in order to clarify the reader. Sometimes a word creates confusion or gives a different meaning in one case.

• Re-cover
• Re-press

You can use some prefixes in both forms. It depends upon the writer to use hyphen or not.

• Antigovernment
• Anti-government

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