| Prefix |
Meaning |
Examples |
| a(n)- |
not, without |
atonality, asexuality, amoral, anarchy, anonymous |
| ab- |
away |
abduction, absolutism, ablution |
| acr(o)- |
high, up, hill |
Acropolis, acrobatics |
| ad- |
near, at |
adrenal |
| aden(o)- |
gland |
adenectomy |
| aer(o)- |
air |
aeronautics, aerodrome, aeroplane, aerodynamics |
| agr(o)- |
relating to farming |
agriculture |
| alt- |
high |
altitude |
| alter- |
another |
Alter-ego, alternate |
| am- |
love |
amorous, amateur |
| ambi- |
around, either, encircling |
ambiguity, ambidexterity |
| an(a)- |
out of |
anachronism |
| andr- |
man |
androgyny, androcentrism, android, androgen |
| anem- |
wind |
anemometer |
| Anglo- |
English or British |
Anglo-Irish relations |
| ante- |
before |
antebellum |
| anthropo- |
relating to human beings |
anthropology, anthropocentrism, anthropomorphic |
| ant(i)- |
against |
antidote, antibody, anticlockwise |
| aut(o)- |
self |
autonomy, autobiography, automobile, autopilot |
| bar(o)- |
heaviness, heavy |
barometer |
| bathy- |
deep |
Bathyscaphe, Bathysphere |
| be- |
completely, excessively; forms transitive verbs |
bemuse, bespeak, bewail |
| ben- |
well |
Benediction, benign |
| bi- |
two |
bicycle, bijection, bicameralism |
| bi(o)- |
life |
biology, biography, biopsy |
| bibli(o)- |
relating to books |
bibliophilia, bibliography |
| blast(o)- |
bud, germination |
blastocyst |
| brady- |
slow |
bradycardia |
| brom(o)- |
stench |
Bromine, bromide |
| bronch(o)- |
relating to breathing |
bronchitis |
| cac(o)- |
bad |
cacophony, cacography |
| cad/cas- |
a fall |
cadence, cascade |
| cardi(o)- |
heart |
cardiovascular, Cardiac arrest |
| cent-, centi- |
hundred or hundredth |
centenarian, centimeter, centipede |
| cephal(o)- |
head |
cephalothorax |
| chrom(ato)- |
colour |
chromatic, chromosome |
| chron(o)- |
time |
chronology, chronic, chronicle |
| circum- |
around |
circumcision, circumlocution, circumference |
| co- |
together |
cooperative, |
| colpo- |
vagina |
colpospasm |
| con- |
with, together |
connotation, Congress, congregation |
| contr- |
against, opposite |
contradiction, contraception, controversy |
| cosm(o)- |
|
cosmology, cosmopolitan, cosmotheism |
| counter- |
against, opposite |
counterpoint, Counter-Reformation |
| crin(o)- |
cry(shed tears) |
endocrinology |
| cryo- |
frost, icy cold |
cryogenics, cryoelectronics, cryostorage |
| crypt(o)- |
hidden |
cryptography |
| cyt(o)- |
cell (originally hollow receptacle) |
cytoplasm, cytology |
| culp- |
fault |
culpable, culprit |
| dactyl(o)- |
finger, digit |
dactylogram |
| de- |
taking something away, the opposite |
decentralisation, dehydration |
| dec(a)-, dek(a)- |
ten |
decamerous, decimeter |
| deci- |
one tenth |
deciliter |
| dem(o)- |
people |
demographics, democracy |
| derm(at)- |
skin |
dermatology |
| di- |
two, double |
dichromic |
| di- |
day |
diurnal |
| dia- |
through |
diameter, diagnosis, diarrhea |
| didact(o)- |
apt at teaching |
didactic |
| dis- |
apart, separation, reverse, opposite |
dissent, discovery, disambiguation |
| dok, dox(o)- |
view, teaching |
doxology, dogma, orthodox |
| dynam(o)- |
power, force |
dynamic, dynamite, dynamo |
| dys- |
bad, deformed, abnormal |
dyspepsia, dystrophy |
| eco- |
house |
economy, ecology, ecosystem |
| ecto- |
outer, external |
ectomorphic, ectoparasite |
| edaph(o)- |
soil |
edaphic |
| electr(o)- |
relating to Electricity |
electrocution |
| embry(o)- |
embryo |
embryogenesis |
| end(o)-, ent(o)- |
inside |
endoscope, endothermic, entoblast |
| enne(a)- |
nine |
enneastyle, enneagram |
| enter(o)- |
intestine |
enteritis |
| eo- |
earliest, most primitive |
eobacterium, eohippus |
| ep(i)-, eph- |
upon, above, around |
epicenter, ephemeral |
| erg(o)- |
work, labour |
ergonomics |
| erythr(o)- |
red |
erythrocite |
| erot(o)- |
love |
erotic, erotomania |
| ethno- |
race, people |
ethnology, ethnolinguistics, ethnocentrism |
| eu- |
good |
eulogy, euphemism |
| Euro- |
European |
Eurocentric |
| ex- |
former |
ex-wife, ex-president |
| exo- |
outside |
exoskeleton |
| extra- |
outside, beyond, additional |
extra-thin, extra-special extraordinary,
extraterrestrial |
| flor- |
relating to flowers |
florist |
| fore- |
before, in advance |
foreshadowing |
| geo- |
earth |
geography, geology |
| glosso- |
language |
glossogeny, glossogony, glossolalia |
| gyn- |
female |
gynaecology, gynoid |
| hemi- |
half |
hemimetabolous, hemisphere |
| hemo- |
blood |
hemophilia, hemophobia |
| heter(o)- |
different |
heterogenous, heterosexual |
| hex(a)- |
six |
hexapod, hexagonal, hexameter |
| hom(o)- |
same |
homogenous, homosexual |
| hydro- |
water |
hydrogen, hydry |
| hyper- |
excessive2, having more than three spatial
dimensions (mathematics) |
hyperactive, hyperthyroidism |
| hyp(o)- |
below2 |
hypodermic, hypnosis |
| in- |
intensively |
inflammable, invaluable |
| in-1 |
not |
infallibility, illiteracy, immoral, irrelevant |
| inter- |
between, mutual |
intervention, international, internet |
| intra- |
within |
intramural, intravenous, intraocular |
| kilo- |
thousand |
kilogram, kilowatt |
| Litho- |
Rock |
lithosphere |
| Luso- |
Portuguese |
lusophone |
| Mac- or Mc- |
"son of" |
McCarthy, Kirsty MacColl |
| macro- |
large |
macrobiology, macroscopic |
| mal- |
bad |
malpractice, malnutrition |
| maxi- |
many ,most |
maximal, maximum |
| mega(l)- |
million, very large |
megabyte, megaphone, megalopolis |
| meso- |
middle |
mesoamerica, mesoscale |
| meta- |
after, beyond |
metacarpal, metaphysics |
| micro- |
one millionth, very small |
microgram, microorganism, micronation |
| mid- |
in the middle of |
mid-term elections, Mid-Autumn Festival |
| milli- |
thousandth |
milligram, milliliter |
| mini- |
small |
miniskirt, miniseries |
| mis- |
bad, wrong |
miscarriage, misanthropy, misogyny, mistake |
| mon(o)- |
one, single |
monolith, monorail, monotony, monocle |
| multi- |
many |
multiculturalism, multilingualism |
| myco- |
relating to fungi |
mycology, mycoprotein |
| myri(a)- |
Ten thousand |
myriagon, myriad |
| non- |
not |
nonsense, non-denial denial |
| non- |
nine |
nonagon |
| O'- |
(son) of (often used in last names) |
O'Brian |
| oct(o)-, oct(a)- |
eight |
octane, octopod, octagon, October |
| omni- |
all |
omnidirectional, omnivore, omnipotent |
| oo- ("oo-oh") |
egg, ovum |
oocyte |
| out- |
more, to a greater degree |
outdo, outrun |
| over- (noun) |
more than normal, too much |
overpopulation, over-consumption, overlord |
| over- (verb) |
to do too much, to (verb) over |
overlook, overspend, oversee |
| pent(a)- |
five |
pentagon |
| peri(o)- |
around, about, enclosing, near |
perimysium, pericardium, periosteum, perinatal |
| phyto- |
relating to plants |
phytogeography, phytoplankton |
| post- |
after |
postpartum depression, postmodernism |
| pre- |
before |
prediction, preview, precedent, prenatal care |
| pro- |
for, in favour of |
pro-choice, protagonist |
| psycho- |
mind, mental |
psychology, psychosomatic |
| pyro- |
fire, flame |
pyromania |
| quadr-, quart- |
four |
quadrangle, quadruplet, quartic, quartile |
| quinque- |
five |
quinquesection, |
| quint(i)- |
fifth, five |
quintiped, quintet |
| re- |
again, repeatedly |
reduction, reflection, revolution |
| rect(i)- |
proper, straight |
rectify, rectangle |
| retro- |
backward |
retrograde, retrospective |
| scler(o)- |
hard |
scleroderma, atherosclerosis |
| semi- |
half, partial |
semi-automatic, semi-detached |
| sept(a)- |
seven |
heptachord, September |
| sex(i)- |
six |
sexivalent |
| Sino- |
Chinese |
Sino-American relations |
| spasm(o)- |
spasm |
spasmatic, spasmolysis |
| sperm- |
seed |
spermophile, spermine |
| spher(o)- |
sphere, ball |
spherical, atmosphere |
| sphygm(o)- |
pulsation |
sphygmomanometer, sphygmograph |
| splen(o)- |
spleen |
splenomegaly |
| splanchn(o)- |
viscera |
splanchnopathy |
| schiz(o)-, schist(o)- |
split |
schizophrenia, schistocyte |
| staphyl(o)- |
cluster, uvula |
staphylococcus, staphyloplasty |
| stom(ato)- |
mouth |
stomatitis, stomach |
| styl- |
pillar |
stylus, stylist, stylopodium |
| sub- |
below, less than, under,2 |
subset, subsonic, subway, subtitles |
| super- |
extremely, more than,2 |
superhuman, Superego, supersonic |
| syn- |
together, united, at the same time |
synergy, synchronicity, synesthesia |
| tach(y)- |
rapid, accelerated |
tachycardia, tachymeter, tachyon |
| tel(e)- |
distance, distant |
telecommunications, television, telephoto lens,
telodynamic |
| tel(o)- |
end |
teloblast, telophase |
| theo- |
god |
theology, theogony |
| trans- |
across, beyond |
transfer, transubstantiation, transatlantic,
Trans-Siberian railway |
| tri- |
three |
triangle, tricolor, triptych |
| twi- |
two |
twilight, twig, twin |
| ultra- |
extremely, beyond certain limit |
ultramontanism, ultraviolet |
| un1- |
not, opposite, take something away |
unconstitutional, undelete |
| under- |
below, incompletely |
underestimate, underage, undercook |
| uni- |
one, single |
uniform, unification |
| up- |
higher |
upscale, update, upgrade, upheld |
| ur- |
first, original |
urtext |
| ur(o)- |
urine |
uric, urinal |
| vita- |
life |
vitamin, vital |
| with- |
together, united |
withhold, withstand |
| zoo- ("zoo-oh") |
relating to animals |
zoomorphic, zoology |
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