lunes, 13 de julio de 2015

PREFIXES

PREFIXES



prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. This is a list of the most common prefixes in English, together with their basic meaning and some examples. You can find more detail or precision for each prefix in any good dictionary.






A prefix goes at the beginning of a word. A suffix goes at the end of a word.
The origins of words are extremely complicated. You should use this list as a guide only, to help you understand possible meanings. But be very careful, because often what appears to be a prefix is not a prefix at all. Note also that this list does not include elements like "auto-" or " bio-", because these are "combining forms", not prefixes.






prefixmeaningexamples
a-also an-not, withoutatheist, anaemic
a-to, towardsaside, aback
in the process of, in a particular statea-hunting, aglow
a-ofanew
completelyabashed
ab-also abs-away, fromabdicate, abstract
ad-also a-, ac-, af-, ag- al-, an-, ap-, at- as-, at-movement to, change into, addition or increaseadvance, adulterate, adjunct, ascend, affiliate, affirm, aggravate, alleviate, annotate, apprehend, arrive, assemble, attend
ante-before, precedingantecedent, ante-room
anti-also ant-opposing, against, the oppositeanti-aircraft, antibiotic, anticlimax, Antarctic
be-all over, all aroundbespatter, beset
completelybewitch, bemuse
having, covered withbejewelled
affect with (added to nouns)befog
cause to be (added to adjectives)becalm
com-also co-, col-, con-, cor-with, jointly, completelycombat, codriver, collude, confide, corrode
contra-against, oppositecontraceptive
counter-opposition, opposite directioncounter-attack, counteract
de-down, awaydescend, despair, depend, deduct
completelydenude, denigrate
removal, reversalde-ice, decamp
dia-also di-through, acrossdiagonal
dis-also di-negation, removal, expulsiondisadvantage, dismount, disbud, disbar
en-also em-put into or onengulf, enmesh
bring into the condition ofenlighten, embitter
intensificationentangle, enrage
ex-also e-, ef-outexit, exclude, expand
upwardexalt, extol
completelyexcruciate, exasperate
previousex-wife
extra-outside, beyondextracurricular
hemi-halfhemisphere
hyper-beyond, more than, more than normalhypersonic, hyperactive
hypo-underhypodermic, hypothermia
in-also il-, im-not, withoutinfertile, inappropriate, impossible
also il-, im-, ir-in, into, towards, insideinfluence, influx, imbibe
infra-belowinfrared, infrastructure
inter-between, amonginteract, interchange
intra-inside, withinintramural, intravenous
non-absence, negationnon-smoker, non-alcoholic
ob-also oc-, of-, op-blocking, against, concealingobstruct, occult, offend, oppose
out-surpassing, exceedingoutperform
external, away fromoutbuilding, outboard
over-excessively, completelyoverconfident, overburdened, overjoyed
upper, outer, over, aboveovercoat, overcast
peri-round, aboutperimeter
post-after in time or orderpostpone
pre-before in time, place, order or importancepre-adolescent, prelude, precondition
pro-favouring, in support ofpro-African
acting forproconsul
motion forwards or awaypropulsion
before in time, place or orderprologue
re-againrepaint, reappraise, reawake
semi-half, partlysemicircle, semi-conscious
sub-also suc-, suf-, sug-, sup-, sur-, sus-at a lower positionsubmarine, subsoil
lower in ranksub-lieutenant
nearly, approximatelysub-tropical
syn-also sym-in union, acting togethersynchronize, symmetry
trans-across, beyondtransnational, transatlantic
into a different statetranslate
ultra-beyondultraviolet, ultrasonic
extremeultramicroscopic
un-notunacceptable, unreal, unhappy, unmanned
reversal or cancellation of action or stateunplug, unmask
under-beneath, belowunderarm, undercarriage
lower in rankundersecretary
not enoughunderdeveloped