📚 Prefixes & Suffixes
Prefixes come at the beginning of a word. They are usually two to four alphabets long. By using prefixes, the word's meaning changes. For example, the word "disclose" consists of the prefix "dis-" (meaning "not") combined with the root word "close" — "disclose" means "to reveal."
Suffixes come at the end of a word. For example, the word "careless" consists of the root word "care" combined with the suffix "-less" (meaning "without") — "careless" means "having no care."
📚 Key Definitions
Prefix: A group of letters placed before the root of a word to modify its meaning.
Suffix: A group of letters placed after the root of a word to modify its meaning.
Affix: The collective term for prefixes and suffixes.
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| de- | from, down, away, reverse | decode, decrease, decent, descent |
| dis- | not, opposite, away, absence of | disagree, disappear, disoriented |
| ex- | out of, away from, lacking, former | exhale, explosion, extravagant, extra-curricular |
| il- | not | illegal, illogical, illegitimate |
| im- | not, without | impossible, improper, imperfect |
| in- | not, without | inaction, invisible, inappropriate, indefinite, incapable |
| mis- / mal- | bad, wrong | mislead, misplace, misguide, mishandle, misunderstood, malformed |
| non- | not | nonfiction, nonsense, non-vegetarian, non-prose |
| pre- | before | prefix, prehistory, prepone, prehistoric |
| pro- | for, forward, before | proactive, profess, program, proficient, professional |
| re- | again, back | react, reappear, rework, redo, resume, recycle, reuse |
| un- | against, not, opposite | undo, unequal, unusual, unnecessary, unhappy |
| anti- | against | antibiotic, antivirus, antisocial, antifreeze |
| auto- | self | automatic, autobiography, automobile |
| bi- | two | bicycle, bilingual, biannual, bimonthly |
| co- | together | cooperate, coexist, co-pilot, co-author |
| inter- | between | international, intercity, interactive, interlock |
| micro- | small | microscope, microwave, microorganism, microchip |
| multi- | many | multicolor, multimedia, multitask, multinational |
| post- | after | postpone, postgraduate, post-war, postseason |
| sub- | under, below | submarine, subway, substandard, subzero |
| super- | above, beyond | supermarket, superstar, supernatural, superpower |
| tele- | far, distant | telephone, television, telescope, telepathy |
| trans- | across, beyond | transport, translate, transfer, transparent |
| tri- | three | tricycle, triangle, triple, tricolor |
| ultra- | beyond, extremely | ultrasound, ultraviolet, ultramodern, ultra-light |
...and many more: a-, ab-, ad-, ante-, be-, circum-, contra-, counter-, demi-, dia-, en-, em-, fore-, hyper-, hypo-, intro-, macro-, mid-, mini-, mono-, neo-, omni-, over-, pan-, para-, per-, poly-, pseudo-, semi-, thermo-, vice- (total 50+ prefixes)
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -able | able to, having the quality of | comfortable, portable, changeable, washable |
| -al | relating to | annual, comical, intellectual, educational |
| -er | comparative | bigger, stronger, sharper, taller, faster |
| -est | superlative | strongest, tiniest, tallest, bravest |
| -ful | full of | beautiful, grateful, careful, hopeful, joyful |
| -ible | forming an adjective | reversible, terrible, responsible, flexible |
| -ily | forming an adverb | eerily, happily, lazily, easily |
| -ing | denoting an action, a material, or a gerund | acting, showing, eating, cherishing, memorizing |
| -less | without, not affected by | friendless, tireless, careless, hopeless, fearless |
| -ly | forming an adjective/adverb | clearly, hourly, weekly, monthly, stately, quickly |
| -ness | denoting a state or condition | kindness, wilderness, cleanliness, darkness, happiness |
| -y | full of, denoting a condition | glory, messy, victory, rainy, sunny, sleepy |
| -tion | state or action | action, education, attention, celebration, direction |
| -ment | result or action | government, enjoyment, agreement, payment, announcement |
| -ance/-ence | state or quality | importance, difference, patience, performance, confidence |
| -ity/-ty | state or condition | ability, reality, creativity, sincerity, purity |
| -ize/-ise | to make or become | organize, realize, modernize, emphasize, finalize |
| -ive | tending to | active, creative, attractive, productive, impressive |
| -ous | full of, having | dangerous, famous, serious, curious, adventurous |
| -ship | state, condition, or quality | friendship, scholarship, leadership, relationship, membership |
| -hood | state or condition | childhood, adulthood, brotherhood, motherhood, livelihood |
| -ward | direction | forward, backward, upward, downward, homeward |
| -wise | in the manner of | clockwise, likewise, otherwise, crosswise, lengthwise |
...and many more: -age, -cy, -dom, -ee, -en, -ess, -fold, -ful, -fy, -ic, -ish, -ism, -ist, -ity, -ive, -ize, -let, -ling, -like, -logy, -ment, -ory, -ous, -proof, -ship, -some, -ster, -th, -ty, -ure (total 50+ suffixes)
📌 Important Points to Note:
- With prefixes, the start of the word changes. If the prefix ends with a vowel (e.g., "re-"), the root word starting with a consonant remains as is — e.g., "rework."
- If the root word starts with a vowel, a consonant may be added — e.g., "pre-emptive."
- With suffixes, the end of the word may change. If the word ends in the vowel "e," we do not use a double "e" — e.g., "hope" + "ful" = "hopeful" (not "hopeful").
- If the word ends in "y," we often replace the "y" with "i" — e.g., "happy" + "ly" = "happily."
- Be careful with common mistakes: "illogical" is correct, not "dislogical" or "inlogical."
- Understanding prefixes and suffixes helps you decipher unfamiliar words and build vocabulary.
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