ENGLISH PREFIXES

TO IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY

PREFIXES

English has many common word parts: prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

PREFIXES

If you learn some of these word parts, it will be easier for you to figure out the meanings of new words.

WORD PARTS = VOCABULARY POWER!

PREFIXES

We can add a prefix to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.

UN (not) + KIND = UNKIND (not kind)

A-AN-

Examples: atypical amoral anarchy

Meaning:“not” or “without”

ANTI-

Examples: antisocial antibiotic antiwar

Meaning:“against”

BENE-

Examples: benefit benefactor benediction

Meaning:“good”

BI-

Examples: bicycle bilingual bisexual

Meaning:“two”

CIRCUM-

Examples: circumference circumstance circumnavigate

Meaning:“around”

COM- CON- COL- COR- CO-

Examples: combine connect collect correspond cooperate

Meaning:“together”

CONTRA-COUNTER-

Examples: contrast contradict counteract

Meaning:“against”

IL- IM- IN- IR-

Examples: illiterate impossible ineffective irreplaceable

Meaning 1:“not”

IL- IM- IN- IR-

Examples: illuminate immerse invade irradiate

Meaning 2:“in; enter”

INTER-

Examples: international intervene interview

Meaning:“between”

INTRO-INTRA-

Examples: introduce intravenous

Meaning:“inside”

MICRO-

Examples: microscope microwave microphone

Meaning:“small”

MIS-

Examples: mistake misunderstand misspell

Meaning:“wrong”

MON(O)-

Examples: monarchy monotone monopoly

Meaning:“one”

POLY-

Examples: polygon Polynesia polymer

Meaning:“many”

POST-

Examples: postgame postgraduate postlude

Meaning:“after”

PRE-

Examples: preview prehistoric prepare

Meaning:“before”

RE-

Examples: recycle return recite

Meaning:“again”

SUB- SUP- SUS-

Examples: submarine support sustain

Meaning:“below”

SUPER-

Examples: superior supervise supermarket

Meaning:“above, beyond”

SYN- SYM- SYL-

Examples: synthesis symphony syllable

Meaning:“with”

TRANS-

Examples: transportation trans-Atlantic transfer

Meaning:“across”

UN-

Examples: unkind unfair untie

Meaning:“not”