Prefix
|
General Meaning
|
Example
|
a(n)-
|
not , without
|
atonality , asexuality , amoral , anarchy
|
ab-
|
away
|
abduction , absolutism , ablution
|
ac-
| | |
acr(o)-
|
high, up
|
Acropolis
|
aden(o)-
| | |
aer(o)-
|
air
|
aeronautics , aerodrome , aeroplane , aerodynamics
|
agr(o)-
|
relating to farming
|
agriculture
|
an-
| | |
an(a)-
|
out of
|
anachronism
|
an(o)-
| | |
andr-
|
man
|
androgyny , androcentrism , android , androgen
|
anem-
| | |
Anglo-
|
English or British
|
Anglo-Irish relations, anglophile
|
ante-
|
before
|
antebellum
|
anthrop(o)-
|
relating to human beings
|
anthropology , anthropocentrism , anthropomorphic
|
ant(i)-
|
against
|
antidote , antibody , anticlockwise
|
aut(o)-
|
self
|
autonomy , autobiography , automobile , autopilot
|
bar(o)-
|
atmosphere
| |
bathy-
|
deep
|
Bathyscape , Bathysphere
|
be-
|
completely, thoroughly; excessively; on; around; about; used to form transitive verbs
| |
bi-
|
two
|
bicycle , bijection , bilingual , bicameralism , bisexuality
|
bi(o)-
|
life
|
biology , biography , biosphere , biotechnology
|
bibli(o)-
|
relating to books
|
bibliophilia , bibliography
|
blast(o)-
| | |
brady-
|
slow
|
bradycardia
|
brom(o)-
| | |
bronch(o)-
|
relating to breathing
|
bronchitis
|
cac(o)-
| | |
cardi(o)-
|
heart
|
cardiovascular
|
cent-, centi -
|
hundred or hundredth
|
centenary, centimeter, centipede
|
cephal(o)-
| | |
chrom(o)-, chromat(o)-
| | |
chron(o)-
|
time
|
chronology, chronograph
|
circum-
|
around
|
circumcision, circumnavigation, circumlocution, circumference
|
cion(o)-
| | |
co-
|
together
|
cooperative, cohabit
|
colpo-
| | |
com-, con-, col-, cor-
|
with, together
|
conference , connotation , context , Congress , congregation
|
contr(a)-, contr(o)
|
against, opposite
|
contradiction , contraception , controversy
|
cosm(o)-
| |
cosmology , cosmopolitan , cosmotheism
|
counter-
|
against, opposite
|
counterpoint , counterweight , Counter-Reformation
|
crin(o)-
| | |
cry(o)-
|
frost , icy cold
|
cryogenics , cryoelectronics , cryostorage
|
crypt(o)-
|
hidden
|
cryptography , cryptozoology
|
cyt(o)-
|
hollow, receptacle, cell
|
cytoplasm , cytology
|
dactyl(o)-
| | |
de-
|
taking something away, the opposite
|
decentralisation , deforestation , dehydration
|
dec(a)-, dek(a)-
|
ten
|
decamerous
|
deci -
|
one tenth
|
deciliter
|
dem(o)-
|
people, nation
|
demographics , democracy
|
derm(o)-, derm(a)-, dermat-
|
skin
|
dermatology , dermatitis
|
di-
|
two , double
| |
didact(o)-
|
apt at teaching
| |
dynam(o)-
|
power , force
|
dynamic , dynamite , dynamo
|
dis-
|
reverse , opposite
|
dissent , discovery , disambiguation
|
dox(o)-
|
Doxology
| |
dys-
|
bad, deformed, abnormal
|
dyspepsia , dystrophy , dysarthria
|
eco-
|
house
|
economy , ecology , ecosystem , ecotourism , ecotage
|
ecto(s)-
|
outside
|
ectoskeleton
|
edaph(o)-
| | |
electr(o)-
|
electricity
|
electrocution
|
embry(o)-
|
full
| |
encephal(o)-
|
brain
|
encephalitis
|
end(o)-, ent(o)-
| | |
enne(a)-
|
nine
|
enneastyle
|
enter(o)-
| | |
eo-
|
dawn, early
|
eobacterium
|
ep(i)-, eph-
|
above
|
epitaxy
|
erg(o)-
| |
ergonomics
|
erythr(o)-
| | |
erot(o)-
| | |
stom(o)-, stomat(o)-
| | |
ethn(o)-
| |
ethnology , ethnolinguistics , ethnocentrism
|
eu-
|
good
|
eulogy , euthanasia , eugenics , euphemism
|
ex-
|
former
|
ex-wife, ex-president
|
ex(o)-
|
outside
|
exoskeleton
|
extra-
|
very, more than usual, outside, beyond
|
extra-thin, extra-special
extraordinary, extraterrestrial
|
flor(i)-
|
relating to flowers
|
florist
|
fore-
|
before, in advance
|
foreskin , foreshadowing
|
gyn-
|
female
|
gynaecology , gynoid
|
hemi-
|
half
|
hemimetabolous
|
hex(a)-
|
six
|
hexapod
|
hyper-
|
excessive, (least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper)
|
hyperactive , hyperthyroidism
|
hyp(o)-
|
below, (least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper)
|
hypodermic
|
in-
|
extremely
|
inflammable , invaluable
|
in-, il-, im-, ir-
|
not
|
infallibility , illiteracy , immoral , irrelevant
|
inter-
|
between, from one to another
|
intervention , international
|
intra-
|
within, interior
|
intramural, intravenous
|
kilo -
|
thousand
|
kilogram , kilowatt
|
mal-
|
bad, badly
|
malpractice , malnutrition
|
maxi-
|
most, very, large
|
maxi-dress
|
mega -, megal-
|
million , very large
|
megabyte , megaphone
|
meta-
|
after, beyond
|
metacarpal , metaphysics
|
micro -
|
one millionth, very small
|
microgram , microorganism , micronation
|
mid-
|
in the middle of
|
mid-term elections , Mid-Autumn Festival , Mid-Atlantic Ridge
|
milli -
|
thousandth
|
milligram , milliliter
|
mini-
|
small
|
miniskirt , miniscule
|
mis-
|
bad , wrong
|
miscarriage , misanthropy , misogyny
|
mon(o)-
|
one , single
|
monolith , monorail , monotony , monocle
|
multi-
|
many
|
multiculturalism , multilingual
|
non-
|
not
|
nonsense, non-denial denial
|
non-
|
nine
|
none, nonagon
|
oct(o)-, oct(a)-
|
eight
|
octane , octopod , octagon
|
oo- (" oo -oh")
|
egg, ovum
|
oocyte
|
out-
|
more, to a greater degree
|
to outdo, to outrun
|
over-
|
more than normal, too much
|
overpopulation , over-consumption
|
pent(a)-
|
five
|
pentagon
|
post-
|
after
|
Post-Fordism , postpartum depression , postmodernity , postmodernism
|
pre-
|
before
|
prediction , preview , precedent , prenatal care
|
pro-
|
for, in favour of
|
pro-choice, pro-life, promotion
|
quadr-, quart-
|
four
|
quadrangle , quadruplet , quartic , quartile
|
quin(que)-
|
five , into five parts
|
quinquesection
|
quint(i)-
|
fifth , five
|
quintiped
|
re-
|
again, repeatedly
|
reduction , reflection , revolution
|
rect(i)-
|
proper, straight
|
rectify, rectangle
|
scler(o)-
|
hard
|
scleroderma atherosclerosis
|
semi-
|
half
|
semi-automatic , semi-detached
|
sept(a)-
|
seven
|
heptachord
|
sex(i)-
|
six
|
sexivalent
|
Sino-
|
Chinese
|
Sino-American relations
|
spasm(o)-
| | |
sperm(o)-, spermat(o)-
| | |
spher(o)-
| | |
sphygm(o)-
|
pulso
|
sphygmomanometer
|
splen(o)-
| | |
splanchn(o)-
| | |
schiz(o)-, schist(o)-
|
split
|
schizophrenia , schistocyte
|
staphyl(o)-
| | |
styl(o)-
|
pillar
| |
sub-
|
below, less than, under,(least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper)
|
subset , subsonic , subway , subtitles
|
super-
|
extremely, more than, (least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper)
|
superhuman , Superego , supersonic
|
syn-
|
along with, together, at the same time
|
synergy , synchronicity
|
tach(y)-, tach(o)-
|
fast, speed
|
tachycardia , tachometer
|
tel(e)-, tel(o)-
|
far, over a long distance
|
telecommunications , television , telephoto lens , telodynamic
|
tel(o)-, tel(e)-
|
end, complete, mature
|
teloblast
|
trans-
|
across, beyond
|
transfer , transubstantiation , transatlantic , Trans-Siberian railway
|
tri-
|
three
|
triangle , tricolor , triptych
|
ultra-
|
extremely, beyond a certain limit
|
Ultramontanism , ultraviolet
|
un-
|
not, opposite, take something away
|
unconstitutional , undelete
|
uni-
|
one , single
|
uniform , unification
|
ur-
|
first, original
|
urtext
|
zoo- (" zoo -oh")
|
relating to animals
|
zoomorphic , zoology
|
