Common Prefixes and Suffixes: A Quick Reference Guide
Prefixes and suffixes are important components of the English language. Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word and change the meaning of the word, while suffixes are added to the end of a word and also change its meaning. For instance, the prefix ‘un’ can be added to the word ‘happy’ to make it ‘unhappy’ and the suffix ‘-ly’ can be added to the word ‘quick’ to make it ‘quickly’. Knowing how to use prefixes and suffixes correctly can help to improve a person’s understanding of the English language and help them to become more proficient in their writing.
Prefixes:
Are a group of letters that come at the beginning of a word and they change its meaning :
Example:
- happy/unhappy
- war/postwar
Suffixes:
Are a group of letters that come at the end of a word and they change its category ( verb – noun – adjective – adverb….) :
Example:
child (NOUN) / childish (ADJECTIVE)
Help (VERB) / Helpful (ADJECTIVE)
lazy (ADJECTIVE) / lazily (ADVERB)
- Generally speaking, there are three types of suffixes :
- Verb Suffixes
These are suffixes added to adjectives or nouns to make verbs.
dark (adjective) => darken
center (noun) => centralize - Noun Suffixes
These are suffixes added to verbs, adjectives, or nouns to make nouns.
manage (verb) => management
serious ( adjective) => seriousness
friend (noun) => friendship - Adjectival Suffixes
These are suffixes added to nouns, adjectives, or verbs to make adjectives.
beauty (noun) => beautiful
economic (adjective) =>economical
excite (verb) => excited
NOTE: a word without any prefix or suffix is called the root
List of Common Prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
| anti | against, opposed to | antibiotic, antiwar, anti-virus, antifreeze |
| auto | self/by oneself | autobiography – autograph – autodidact – automatic |
| bi | two | bicycle – bilingual – bilateral |
| co | with – together | co-worker, co-producer, co-author |
| counter | against, opposing | counter-clockwise , counteract , counter-attack |
| de | undo / opposite action / remove | depress, demotivate, decode, degenerate |
| dis | not / the opposite of | dislike, distrust, disable, disagree, disorganized, disarm, disadvantage, disable, disobey |
| en | cause to be or become | enlarge ,enrich ,endanger ,enable ,enact |
| ex | former / previous | ex-teacher , ex-president , ex-student, ex-wife |
| il | not ( used before a word beginning with the letter “L” like legal) | illegal ,illogical ,illicit ,illegitimate |
| im | not ( used before a word beginning with the letter “m” like mature or “p” like possible) | immature ,impossible ,improbable ,imperfect -impersonal ,immodest ,immobile |
| in | not / opposite to | indistinct, inaccurate, indecent, inhuman, incorrect, incapable, insufficient, incomprehensible, incomparable |
| in | in, movement to | insert, instill, inbuilt |
| inter | among / between / connected | international, inter-ship, intercontinental, internet |
| ir | not ( used before a word beginning with the letter “r” like rational) | irrational, irregular, irresistible, irresponsible, irrelevant |
| mis | wrongly / badly | mislead, mistake, misunderstand |
| mono | one / having one | monolingual, monosyllabic |
| multi | many | multicultural, multilingual, multimedia |
| neo | new / based on something old but in a new form | neocolonialism , neoclassic , neonatal ,non-conservative |
| non | not | non-governmental, nonsense, non-essential |
| out | more / to a greater extent | outnumber, outlive, outrage, outlaw |
| over | above / too much | overcook, overheat, overdo, overeat, overpaid |
| poly | many | polyglot , polyclinic , polygamy |
| post | after /come after | postwar , post-conflict , post-communism ,post-colonialism |
| pseudo | false | pseudonym , pseudo-scientist , |
| pre | before / come before | prehistoric, prefix, pretest, predict, prepare |
| pro | in favor of | pro-American, pro-capitalist, proactive |
| re | back / do again | redo, rewrite, rename, revisit |
| self | by oneself | self-made, self-sufficient, self-service, self-taught, selfish |
| half | semi | half-baked, halfway, half-time |
| sub | under / beneath | the submarine, subject, subordinate, subway |
| super | above / beyond | superpower, superman, superstar |
| tele | far | telephone, telescope, telecommunicate, telescope |
| trans | across | transcontinental , transatlantic , transfer , transform |
| un | not | unknown, unjust, unkind, unsafe, unable |
| under | below / beneath / not enough , insufficient | underline, under-age, underemployed, underpaid |
List of Common suffixes
| suffixes | meaning | examples |
| -able/-ible | liable / that can be of /capable of | drinkable, washable, disposable, believable, responsible |
| -ai /ial | has the property of | personal, industrial, financial, critical, musical |
| -ance | state /condition or quality | acceptance, inheritance, performance, assistance, importance, guidance |
| -ant | quality or state / full of | assistant, distant, important, pleasant, ignorant, relevant, tolerant |
| -ate | to make | cooperate, procrastinate, coordinate, decorate, collaborate, accelerate, activate, donate, animate |
| -ent | quality or state | fluent, innocent, prudent, silent, different, confident |
| -ar | one who / thing which / from | liar, regular, muscular, solar, lunar, similar |
| -ary | like / connected with / belonging to | stationary, dictionary, legendary, imaginary, necessary, secondary, documentary, summary, voluntary |
| -dom | state or condition | freedom, boredom, wisdom |
| -cy | state or quality | literacy, accuracy, frequency, fluency, democracy, privacy |
| -ed | past from | turned, collected, cooked, killed |
| -en | made of (adjective) | golden, wooden |
| -en | to make (verb) | lengthen, widen, shorten, soften, threaten |
| -ence | quality or state | reference, conference, residence, difference, violence, existence, competence |
| -ent | one who | resident, president |
| -er | one who | teacher, writer, painter, worker, player |
| -er | comparative | taller, shorter, bigger, smaller, faster |
| -ful | full of/with | hopeful, painful, careful, joyful, skillful, peaceful, successful, harmful, wonderful |
| -hood | state / condition / period | fatherhood, girlhood, neighborhood, adulthood, womanhood, brotherhood |
| -ic | having the property of / connected with | heroic, economic, automatic, periodic, allergic, fantastic |
| -if | make …./cause… | clarify, justify, purify, solidify, classify, simplify, qualify, verify, identify |
| -ion | act / process | action, prediction, pollution, solution, addition, occupation, description, explanation, classification |
| -ish | like / similar to / of a nationality | childish, girlish, mannish, Spanish, British, foolish |
| -ism | act / action / behaviour / doctrine | tourism, cubism, criticism, socialism, journalism, racism, feminism, heroism |
| -ist | a person with specific knowledge, belief, or behavior | optimist, typist, specialist, stylist, socialist, novelist, dentist |
| -ive | connection / function / disposition / character /quality / tendency / inclination | detective, destructive, impressive, massive, productive, creative, active, attentive, passive, relative, addictive |
| -ity | state/quality or condition | sanity, ambiguity, ability, purity, fraternity, dignity |
| -ize / -ise | bring about a state or condition / make | modernize, colonize, advertise, summarise, analyze |
| -less | without | homeless, childless, fearless, toothless, sleepless, jobless |
| -ly | every | daily, weekly, monthly |
| -ment | action / process | enjoyment, employment, development, movement, environment, agreement |
| -ness | quality/state of being | kindness, openness, darkness, awareness, happiness, greatness |
| -or | the person who | actor, doctor, advisor, counselor, governor, sailor |
| -ory | the state of being/relating to | satisfactory, discriminatory, repository, contradictory, compulsory |
| -ous | full of / having | marvelous, religious, famous |
| -ship | state or experience of having a specific position | leadership, relationship, championship, citizenship, friendship, membership |
| -y | the state of / having | sunny, rainy, happy |
thanks for the effort .
with pleasure , Rachid .
6
Thank you my teacher nabil I’m zakaria
You are welcome zakaria . 🙂
hi sir am aziza i wanted to askl you if prefixes and sufixes are included in 2 bac national exam? THANKS IN ADVANCE
Yes They are
Teacher please where i can found the answers ?
Teacher please where i can found the answers ?
التصحيح هو منين تتعطي الجواب الصحيح . عاد التمرين تيقبلو وتيعطيك النقطة ديالك
Thank you soo much my teacher for all your effort may Allah bless you
you are such a generous person , I really appreciate you ! Thanks for everything teacher
I am a teacher too, i use your site to help my students practice more . May Allah reward you for all your efforts
Thanks a lot for This great gift. Only God can reward you.