Prefixes are the beginning letters of a word. They generally come from Greek or Latin languages and help to change the meaning of the word. Here are 10 very common prefixes:
Prefix Meaning Example
A-, An- not, without atypical, atheist, anarchy, anemia, anathema
Anti- against, counter, antisocial, anti-Semitic, antibody, antibiotic
Pre- before prejudice, preview, preliminary, preserve
Re- again review, rewind, remember, reinvent, react
De- opposite, away, against deter, deflate, defame, detain, detach
Dis-, Dif- not, opposite, undo, away distract, dismiss, differ, disrespect
Mis- not, wrongly, bad mistake, misstep, misappropriate, misspell
Para- alongside, not intersecting parallel, parachute, paraphrase, paraprofessional
Tele- far away, distant television, telegraph, telephone, telepathy
Un- not, opposite unfair, unbelievable, unreal, unapologetic
Here are 240 more:
Act-, do, act active, activate, react, activity, action, actuate
Acu- sharp accurate, acupuncture, acute, acumen
Aero- air aerosol, aerial, aeroplane
Agri- soil, earth agriculture, agribusiness, agroindustry
Alter-, Altr other alter ego, altruistic, alteration, altercation
Am- love amiable, amorous, amicable
Ambi- both ambidextrous, ambivalent, ambitious
Arch- chief, rule, first architect, monarchy, anarchy, patriarch
Auto- self automatic, automobile, autocorrect, autograph
Bene- good, well benevolent, beneficial, benefactor, benefit
Bi- two biannual, biped, binoculars
Bio- life biology, biography, biodiesel, biotechnology
Cent- hundred century, centigrade, centimeter, centipede
Co- together cooperate, coordinate, commander, costar, cohabitate
Contr- against contradict, contract, contrary
Corp- body corporation, corps, corporal punishment
Demo- people democracy, demographic, demagogue
Dia- through, across diagonal, diachronic, diagnosis, dialect, diatribe, diaphragm
Dic-, Dict- say, speak dictate, dictionary, diction, dictator, predict, contradict
Dys- bad, wrongly dysfunctional, dystrophy, dyslexic
Equi- equal, same equivalent, equitable, equator, equinox, equilateral
Exter-, Extra- outside, beyond external, extraordinary, exterior, extrapolate, extravagant
Fac-, Fact-, Fea- make, do feature, feasible, fact, factory, manufacture
Fid-, Fed- true, trust, faith fidelity, federal, fiduciary, confident, confidante, confide
Fin- end final, finish, finale, refine, define, finite
Fix- repair, attach fix, fixate, prefix, suffix, fixture,
Flu- flow influence, fluctuate, fluent, fluvial, flush
Fort- strength fort, fortitude, fortify, effort
Form- shape form, conform, reform, formation, format, formula
Gen- birth, produce Genesis, genetics, eugenics, generate, generic, generous
Geo- earth geology, geography, geopolitical
Graph- write graph, telegraph, graphic, geographical, autobiography
Hetero- other, different heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodox
Homo- same homogenous, homosexual, homonym, homeopathic
Hum- earth, ground human, exhume, humane, humus
Hydr- water hydraulic, hydrant, dehydrate,
Hyper- over, above, beyond hyperactive, hyperbolic, hyperkinetic, hypersensitive
Hypn- sleep hypnotherapy, hypnotize, hypnotic,
Infra- under, below infrastructure, infrared, infra
Inter- between, among international, interstate, internet, intercede, interfere
Intra- within, inside intramural, intrauterine, intranet
Intro- into, toward the inside introduction, introspection, introvert, intro
Leg- law legal, legislative, legality, legitimate
Liber- free liberty, liberal, liberalize, liberate, deliverance
Liter- letter literature, literary, alliterate, literal
Loc- place location, locomotion, locate, local, allocate
Loqu-, Locu- speak colloquial, loquacious, circumlocution, eloquent
Lum-, Luc-, Lus- light illustrious, luminous, illuminate, lucent
Magn- great magnitude, magnify, magnate, magnanimous
Main- strong maintain, mainstay, mainstream, remain, main
Mal- bad, wrong malnutrition, malignant, malformation, malfunction
Man- hand manipulate, maneuver, manage, manual, manufacture
Mega- great, big, million megaton, megalopolis, megaphone, megalomania
Meta- beyond, upon metaphor, metamorphosis, metastasize, metaphysical
Mono- one monopoly, monocle, mononucleosis, monotonous
Morph- form, shape morphology, amorphous, morpheme
Multi- many multicultural, multiply, multitude, multilingual
Nasc-, Nat- birth nascent, natal, natural, native, innate, pregnant
Neo- new neonatal, Neolithic, neoconservative, neoclassical
Omni- all, every omniscient, omnipotent, omnibus, omnivorous
Ortho- straight, correct orthodox, orthodontic, orthopedic
Over- too much, excessive overcompensate, overwork, overload
Paleo- old paleolithic, paleographic
Pan- all panacea, pan-African, pandemonium
Patr- father paternity, patron, patriarch
Path- feeling, suffering pathology, pathetic, sympathy, telepathy
Ped-, Pod- foot podiatry, podium, pedestrian, centipede, pedal
Pend- hang appendage, pendulum, pending, pendant
Peri- around perimeter, periphery, periodontal
Phil- love philharmonic, philosophy, philanthropic
Phobia fear phobia, arachnophobia, homophobia, xenophobia
Phon sound telephone, phonetic, phonic, phoneme, symphonic
Photo- light photograph, photon, photovoltaic, photosynthesis
Place- peace, pleasure placenta, complacent, placid, placebo,
Plu- more, many plus, plural
Poli- people politics, police, metropolis, polite
Poly- many polytechnic, polygraph, polyglot, polygamy
Pos-, Pon- put, place position, opponent, expose, depose, posit
Pop- people popular, population
(10+80)Port- carry portable, transport, import, support
Potent- power potent, potential, impotent, potentate
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