| Prefix |
Meaning |
Examples |
| a- |
in/ on/ to/ off/
in the act of |
aboard/ ahead |
ab-
(a-/ abs-) |
from/ away/ off |
abhor/ absent |
ad-
(a-/ ac-/ af-/ ag-/ al-/ an-/ ap-/ ar-/ as-/ at-) |
to/ toward/ at |
adhere/ affirm |
| ante- |
before: prior to/
in front of |
antedate/ antecedent |
anti-
(ant-) |
against/ opposed to/
opposite of |
antifreeze/ antitrust |
| apo- |
from/ away from/
detached |
apology/ apostasy |
arch-
(arche-/ archi) |
principal/ chief/
extreme |
archangel/ archenemy |
| bi- |
two/
occurring every two |
bimonthly/ binomial |
cata-
(cat-) |
down/ downward/
against |
catalog/ catapult |
| circum- |
around/ in a circle |
circumscribe/
circumspect |
com-
(co-/ col-/ con-/ cor-) |
with/ together/
altogether |
compare/ coexist |
contra-
(contro-/ counter-) |
against/ contrary |
contradict/ counteract |
| de- |
do the opposite of/
away/ off/ remove/ down/ completely |
degrade/ deprive |
| di- |
twice/ double/ twofold |
digraph/ dioxide |
dia-
(di-) |
through/ across/
thoroughly |
diagram/ diameter |
dis-
(di-/ dif-) |
not/ opposite of/
lack of |
discontinue/ diffuse |
en-
(em-) |
in/ on/ cause to be/ emphasis |
enable/ encase |
epi-
(ep-) |
on/ upon/ above/ among |
epigraph/ epitaph |
ex-
(e-/ ef-) |
former/ not/ without |
ex-president/ effluent |
extra-
(extro-) |
outside/ beyond |
extraordinary/ extrovert |
| for- |
opposite/ completely/ away |
forbid/ forgo |
| fore- |
front/ in front of/ before |
forecast/ foresee |
| hyper- |
over/ above/ exceedingly |
hyperactive/ hypertension |
| hypo- |
under/ beneath/ below |
hypocrite/ hypodermic |
in-
(il-/ im-/ ir-/ en-) |
in/ on/ into/ not/
the absence of |
illegal/ inland |
| inter- |
between/ among/ together |
intervene/ interview |
| intra- |
within/ on the inside |
intramural/ intravenous |
| intro- |
within/ inwardly |
introduce/ introspect |
meta-
(met-) |
change/ among/ behind/ after |
metabolism/ metamorphosis |
| mis- |
bad/ badly/ wrong/ wrongly |
miscount/ misjudge |
mono- |
one/ single |
monopoly/ monoplane |
| non- |
not/ lack of/ opposite of |
nondrinking/ nondurable |
ob-
(oc-/ of-/ op-) |
against/ toward/ over/ contrary |
obstacle/ oppress |
par-
(para-) |
beside/ near to/ related to |
parish/ paramedical |
| per- |
thoroughly/ throughout |
percolate/ permutation |
| post- |
after/ behind |
postdate/ postwar |
| pre- |
before in advance of |
preauthorized/ premature |
| pro- |
in front of/ before/ supporting |
propulsion/ prorude/ prorevolutionary |
| re- |
back/ again/ once more |
rebuild/ repay |
| retro- |
back/ backward/ behind |
retroactive/ retrospect |
| semi- |
half/ partly/ twice |
semiannual/ semitrailer |
sub-
(suc-/ suf-/ sug-/ sup-/ sus-) |
under/ below/ down/ further |
subcontractor/ suspect |
super-
(sur-) |
over/ above/ further |
supersensitive/ surcharge |
sym-
(syn-) |
together/ with/
at the same time |
symbolize/ synonym |
| trans- |
across/ over/ beyond |
transaction/ transmission |
| ultra- |
beyond/ excessively |
ultrasound/ ultraviolet |
| un- |
not/ the opposite of |
unafraid/ unhappy |
| up- |
up/ toward the top of/
through |
upbringing/ update |
