Prefix Examples: 40 Essential Prefixes and Their Meanings

What is a prefix? A prefix is defined as a syllable or group of syllables added to the beginning of a word or a root word stem to alter its meaning. Prefixes add complexity to the English language and make it possible to create new words that are easily understood by speakers everywhere. Reviewing a variety of prefix examples and what they mean will help you apply logic to new words and decode them appropriately.

prefix examples chart

15 Prefixes That Negate Another Word

Several prefixes serve to make the new word mean the opposite, or nearly the opposite, of the original meaning of the base word. For example, consider the prefix de-. This prefix means to undo something and is usually attached to a verb. Using this prefix, you can take the verb activate, which means to put something to use, and change it to deactivate, which means to take something out of use.

Prefix	Meaning	Examples
a-	lacking, without, not	amoral, atheist, abiotic
ab-	away, removed, not	abnormal, abstract, absent
an-	without, not, lacking	anaerobic, anacoustic, anhydrous
anti-	against, opposing, contrary to	antibiotic, antifreeze, antisocial
contra-	contrary to, against, opposing	contraindicated, contralateral, contraflow
counter-	opposing, contrary to, against	counterproposal, counteroffer, counter-attack
de-	reverse, undo, remove	deactivate, de-ice, deplane
dis-	remove, separate, apart from	disagree, disapprove, disconnect
ex-	away from, former, lacking	ex-husband, ex-wife, ex-boss
il-	not, lacking, without	illegal, illegible, illogical
im-	without, not, lacking	impossible, improper, impermeable
in-	no, without, lacking	injustice, incomplete, invisible
ir-	not, non, opposite	irreversible, irreplaceable, irregular
non-	not, lacking, without	nonexistent, nonfiction, nonnegotiable
un-	opposite, not, lacking	unkind, unresponsive, unruly

25 Common Prefixes in English With Examples

There are many prefixes that don't negate the original meaning of the root word, but rather alter it in unique ways, such as expressing relationships of time, place or manner. Prefixes are sometimes added to complete English words or to root word stems that can be traced to Latin or Greek.

Prefix	Meaning	Examples
ante-	before, prior to, front	antebellum, antechamber, anterior
auto-	self, one's self, yourself	autobiography, autograph, autonomy
circum -	around, go around	circumnavigate, circumscribe, circumvent
co-	jointly, with, together	coexist, copilot, coworker
com-	together, with	commiserate, compartment, community
con-	with, together	confound, confluence, conversation
en-	put into, surround	encase, endow, envelope
exo-	out, outer	exhale, extend, exoskeleton
extra-	beyond, more	extracurricular, extraterrestrial, extravert
hetero-	different, not the same	heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterocyst
homo-	same, not different	homogenize, homophone, homosexual
hyper-	extreme, beyond	hyperactive, hyperspace, hypertension,
inter-	between, in the midst of, among	intermittent, intersect, interstate
mega -	large, massive	megaphone, megadose, megabyte
micro-	small, tiny	microcosm, microphone, microscope
mid-	middle. midpoint	midnight, midseason, midterm
mis-	incorrect, bad, wrongful	misappropriate, misunderstand, misuse
mono-	one, singular	monogamous, monotone, monochrome
over-	too much, excessive	overcook, overdone, overwrought
post-	after	postdate, postscript, post-war
pre-	before, prior to	prefix, preliminary, preschool
re-	again, do over	reconsider, re-evaluate, rewrite
semi-	partial, somewhat, less than fully	semiconductor, semester, semi-retired
sub-	below, beneath	subjugate, submarine, sub-par
trans-	across, change	transferrence, transgender, translate

Expand Your Vocabulary With Prefixes

Prefixes are a powerful tool in the English language. Learning about common prefix examples and how to use them will help you strengthen your vocabulary and develop the ability to vary the language you use in your writing and conversations. Remember that some prefixes can share a meaning, such as il-, in-, im- and ir-, and that you do not generally hyphenate a prefix unless it’s attached to a proper noun (though there are some exceptions, as illustrated by a few of the examples in the tables). Once you have mastered these prefixes, it's much easier to figure out the meaning of new words when you come across them.

Now that you've mastered some common prefix examples, next you'll want to study a selection of suffixes. Boost your skills by practicing with roots, base words, prefixes, and suffixes. Once you master these, there will be no limit to your language arts learning and what you can do with your English language skills.

Mary Gormandy White

M.A. Communication