Prefixes

A prefix is one or more letters or syllables that, when placed before a root or word, changes the meaning of the root or word. An affix.
 
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Prefix
Meaning
Example
     

after-

after

afternoon

ambi-

around, both

ambiguous

amphi-

around, both, on both sides

amphipod

ante-

before, earlier, in front of

antechamber

anti-

against

antisocial, antibiotic

auto-

self, same

autobiography

bene-

good, well

benevolent

bi-

two

bicycle

by-

near, aside

bystander

cent-

hundred

centimeter, century

circu-

around

circumnavigate

co-

together

cooperative

con-

with

context

contra-

against, opposite of

contraband

counter-

against, opposite of

counterproductive

de-

out of, away from, down

defrost

dec-, deci

ten

decimal

di-

two

dilemma

dia

through, across

diagonal

dis-

not, opposite of

displease

ex-

former

ex-husband

extra-

beyond, outside of
more than usual

extraordinary
extra-special

fore-

before, in advance of

foretell, foreground

hemi-

half

hemisphere

hetero-

various, unlike

heterogeneous

homo-

same

homogeneous

hyper-

beyond, above

hyperspace

hypo-

below, beneath, under

hypodermic

in-

not, opposite of

insane

il-

not, opposite of

illogical

im-

not, opposite of

imperfect

inter-

between

international

intro-

in, into, within

introduction

ir-

not

irrational

kilo-

thousand

kilowatt

mal-

bad

malodorous

maxi-

most, largest

maximum

mega-

million, very large

megawatt

meta-

beyond, beside, after

metaphysics, metacognition

micro-

one-millionth, very small

microchip

mid-

middle

midway

milli-

thousandth

millimeter

mini-

small

minibus

mis-

wrong

misunderstand

mono-

one, single

monotheist, monogram

multi-

many

multicultural

non-

not

nonsense

omni-

all

omnipotent

out-

more, to a greater degree

outdistance

over-

more than normal

oversleep

paleo-

ancient, prehistoric, early

paleontologist

pan-

all

pan-american

para-

beside, beyond

para-professional

penta-

five

pentamerous

poly-

many

polygon

post-

after

postscript, postwar

pre-

before

prepare, prepaid

pro-

for, forward

proactive

pseudo-

counterfeit, false,

pseudo-science

quad-

four

quadruple

re-

back, do again

rewrite, rebuild

retro-

back, backward, behind

retroactive

semi-

half

semicircle

sub-

under

submarine

super-

above, beyond

superhuman

supra-

above, beyond

supramolecular

syn, sym, syl

together, with

synthesize, symphony, syllable

tele-

far, over a long distance

telephone, telegraph

trans-

across

transport

tri-

three

tricycle, triangle

ultra-

beyond a certain limit

ultraviolet

un-

not, opposite

unprepared, undo

uni-

one, single

uniform

 

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