Prefixes and suffixes

Words with a different grammatical form or meaning can be derived from a base word using prefixes
and suffixes. By understanding how these prefixes and suffixes work, it is often easier to deal with
unknown vocabulary. You can sometimes see what part of speech a word is (verb, noun, adjective
etc., or additional information that a prefix may give.
!. "hanges in grammatical form.
#he noun $power$ can be used as an adjective by adding the suffix %ful (powerful. #he adverbial form
is made by adding the suffix %ly to the adjective (powerfully.
#he verb $to improve$ becomes a noun by adding the suffix %ment (improvement. #he same root word
can also become a verb (improvise
#he noun $nation$ changes into an adjective with the suffix %al (national, and by adding another suffix
%i&e the word changes from an adjective to a verb (nationali&e
#he adjective $special$ can change to a verb (speciali&e or a noun (speciality.
'. "hanges in meaning.
(refixes and suffixes can also change the meaning of a word.
#he meaning of $possible$ is reversed with the addition of the prefix im% (impossible.
#o $overeat$ means to eat too much and if food is undercooked, it is not cooked enough.
)ome suffixes commonly denote an occupation.
*g. #he verb $to teach$ is transformed into the occupation with the suffix %er (teacher.
Both grammatical changes and changes in meaning can be applied to the same base word.
*g. #he noun $interest$ can be made an adjective and given opposite meaning by adding a prefix and a
suffix %un+.%ing (uninteresting.
,. "hanges in pronunciation.
When prefixes and suffixes are added to root words, the word stress sometimes changes.
*g. -oun . verb/ $photograph$. 0djective/ $photographic$. 1pposite/ $unphotographic$.
(erson/ $photographer$.
2n *nglish the word stress is often on the third syllable from the end.
1verleaf is a list of the most common suffixes and prefixes and the grammatical and meaning changes
that they apply to root words.
Prefixes
What Are Prefixes?
3(refixes are first syllables like 4non56 and 4re56 that have their own meaning.
3(refixes combine with words to create new meanings.
!.(re 7 8iew 9 (review (first look
'.)uper 7 )tar 9 )uperstar (top player
Why Learn Prefixes?
3(refixes add meaning to thousands of words.
3:earn a few prefixes, and you open up the meaning of thousands of words.
3#he four most fre;uent prefixes are 97< of prefixed words=
Most Common Prefixes
!. a 9 without / amoral, apolitical, atypical
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'. ante 9 before / antecedent, antedate
,. anti 9 against, opposing / anti5war, anti5bacterial
>. arch 9 more extreme / arch5capitalist, arch5rebel
?. auto 9 self / auto5dial, auto5rotate
@. bi 9 two, twice / bilingual, bisect, bi5monthly
A. circum 9 round / circumnavigate, circumvent
B. co 9 with / co5author, co5edit
C. col, com, con 9 with / collaborate, combine, connect
!D. contra, counter 9 against, opposing / contraception, counter5claim
!!. de 9 opposite action / declassify, destroy
!'. dia 9 across / diagonal, diameter
!,. dis 9 not, opposite of / disagree, disprove, distrust, disbelief
!>. dys 9 abnormal / dyslexia, dysfunctional
!?. e 9 electronic / e5literate, e5book
!@. eco 9 relating to the environment / eco5tourism, eco5disaster
!A. en(m 9 cause to / encode, embrace
!B. e;ui 9 e;ual / e;uidistant, e;uilateral
!C. ex 9 previously / ex5president, ex5student
'D. extra 9 very / extra5bright, extra5strong
'!. extra 9 outside / extra5curricular, extra5sensory
''. fore 9 before / forecast
',. hyper 9 having too much / hyperactive, hypersensitive
'>. il, im, in, ir 9 not / illogical, impossible, indistinct, irrational
'?. in(m 9 in, movement to/ input, inset, intake, implant, import
'@. inter 9 between, connected / interrelated, interact
'A. intra 9 within / intra5generational, intramuscular
'B. kilo 9 thousand / kilogram, kilometer, kilowatt
'C. macro 9 large in si&e or scope / macro5economics, macro5scale
,D. mal 9 badly / malfunction, malpractice
,!. micro 9 small in si&e or scope / micro5economics, micro5scale
,'. mid 9 middle / midway
,,. mis 9 wrongly / mistake, mistranslate, misunderstanding
,>. mono 9 one / mono5centric, monoculture
,?. multi 9 many / multicultural, multi5level
,@. neo 9 based on something older but in new form / neo5classical
,A. non 9 not / non5believer, non5competitive, nonsense
,B. out 9 more, to a greater extent / outnumber, outlive
,C. over 9 overEaboveEtoo much / overlook, overcook, overhead
>D. post 9 after / post5examination, post5modern
>!. pre 9 before / pre5industrial, preview, pre5war
>'. pro 9 in favour of / pro5feminist, pro5liberal
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>,. pseudo 9 false / pseudo5intellectual, pseudo5science
>>. ;uasi 9 almost, not ;uite / ;uasi5academic, ;uasi5legal
>?. re 9 again / rediscover, redefine, rename, return
>@. retro 9 backwards / retrogressive, retrospective
>A. semi 9 half, partly / semicircle, semi5organic, semi5precious
>B. sub 9 under, beneath, part of something/ submarine, subsection
>C. super 9 above, bigger / superpower, supersonic, superstar
?D. trans 9 across / transcontinental, transcribe, transport
?!. ultra 9 extreme / ultra5sensitive, ultrasound
?'. un 9 not / uncertain, unusual, unscrew, unplug, unfriendly
?,. under 9 insufficient, under, beneath / underemployed, undersea
?>. well 9 useful, successful / well5designed, well5written
-ow we will turn our attention to suffixes
Suffixes for
Nouns
Suffixes for
Adjecties
Suffixes for
!er"s
%ment %er %ful %ive %i&e
%ness %age %ic %al %ise
%sion %sis %able %ed %yse
%tion %ism %ible %ing %ate
%ty %ity %ous %ish %ent
%al %ant %y %ly %en
%ance %ssion %like %some %ify
%hood %ship %worthy %fy
%dom %th %ct
%ght %cess %fine
%ful %ive
Suffixes for Suffixes for Suffixes for
Ader"s Professions # peop$e %niersity su"jects
%ly %er %ics
%ily %ess (female %y
%ely %or %ing
%ingly %ian %ism
%ist
%ic
%ee
%eer
%man
Suffixes for
&Without'sma$$&
%less
%let
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What Are Suffixes?
)uffixes are last syllables like 4ed6 and 4ly6 that have their own meaning.
)uffixes combine with words to create new meanings.
!.#urn 7 ed 9 #urned (in the past
'. Fuick 7 ly 9 Fuickly (how it turned
Why Learn Suffixes?
)uffixes add meaning to thousands of words.
:earn a few )uffixes, and you open up the meaning of thousands of words.
#he four most fre;uent suffixes are CA< of suffixed words=
Most Common Suffixes
!. 5able, ible 9 can be done / identifiable, predictable
'. 5al, ial 9 has property of / personal
,. 5ant 9 having an effect / coolant, accelerant
>. Gbased 9 forming a major part of / computer5based, oil5based
?. Gcy 9 state or ;uality / accuracy, literacy, urgency
@. 5edH 9 past verb / turned
A. Gee 9 person affected by something / interviewee, trainee, addressee
B. 5en 9 made of / golden
C. 5er 9 comparative / higher
!D. 5er 9 one who / doer, actor
!!. 5est 9 superlative / best, biggest
!'. Gfree 9 without / debt5free, pain5free
!,. Gful 9 full of / careful, joyful
!>. Ghood 9 state, condition, period / adulthood, motherhood
!?. Gic 9 having property of, connected with / linguistic, photographic, electric
!@. Gics 9 study of / genetics, electronics
!A. Gify 9 give something a ;uality / clarify, purify, solidify
!B. GingH 9 present participle / running
!C. Gism 9 belief, behaviour / modernism, heroism
'D. G ist 9 person with specific beliefs or behaviour / anarchist, optimist
'!. G(tion 9 act, process / action
''. G(ity 9 state of / infinity, sanity
',. G(tive 9 adjective / motive, votive
'>. Gi&e, 5ise 9 bring about a state or condition / moderni&eEmoderni&e, coloni&eEcolonise
'?. Gless 9 without / fearless, careless, childless, meaningless
'@. Glike 9 resembling / bird5like, child5like, hook5like
'A. GlyH 9 having / ;uickly, ;uietly
'B. Gment 9 action, process / enjoyment
'C. Gness 9 ;uality or state of / kindness, effectiveness, openness
,D. Gocracy 9 type of ruling body / meritocracy, bureaucracy
,!. Gocrat 9 person ruling / technocrat, aristocrat
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,'. Gology, 5ological 9 study of / archaeology, biology, biological, geology, physiological
,,. Gous 9 having / joyous, religious
,>. Gproof 9 protected against, safe from / waterproof, dustproof
,?. GsH 9 more than one / books
,@. Gship 9 state or experience of having a specific position / professorship, leadership
'D. Gy 9 having / happy, windy
Ise these suffixes correctly, and you look and sound pretty smart.
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