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Learn common prefixes and suffixes
Knowing common prefixes and suffixes can help you work out the meaning of a word without looking it up in the dictionary. Here are some common prefixes and suffixes. There are many others - ask a teacher or look on the Internet for more.
| Prefix or suffix |
Meaning |
Examples |
| -able, -ible |
capable of |
portable, teachable |
| anti- |
against, opposed |
antisocial, antidote, anticlimax |
| -ar, -ary, -ory |
relating to |
auditory, similar, imaginary |
| bio- |
life |
biology, biography |
| co-, con-, com- |
together, with |
conspiracy, cooperate |
| de- |
from, away |
demote, depart |
| dys- |
hard, ill, with difficulty |
dysfunctional, dyslexia |
| ex- |
out, from |
express, exhale |
| geo- |
Earth |
geologist, geography |
| -gress |
go, move |
egress, progress, |
| hyper- |
excessive, over, above, beyond |
hyperthermic, hypersensitive |
| hypo- |
under, below, beneath |
hypothermic, hypodermic |
| -ic |
having characteristics of |
Linguistic |
| inter- |
between |
interstate, international |
| intra- |
within |
intrastate, intranet |
| -less |
without |
heartless, careless |
| -logy |
study of |
Biology |
| macro- |
large |
macroeconomics, macromolecule |
| micro- |
small |
microchip, microscope |
| -mit, -miss |
send |
transmit, dismiss, missile |
| non- |
not |
nonsense, nonetheless |
| omni- |
all |
omnipotent, omnipresent, omnivore |
| peri- |
around |
peripheral, perimeter, periscope, |
| -phon- |
sound |
phonetic, phonics, telephone |
| port- |
carry |
portable, portfolio |
| post- |
after |
postgraduate, postpone, posterior |
| pre- |
before |
preamble, preconceived, predict, preface |
| re- |
back, again |
redo, return, refund |
| -rupt |
break |
rupture, bankrupt, interrupt |
| -scope |
view |
microscope, telescope |
| semi- |
half |
semicircle, semester |
| spect- |
see, look |
spectacle, spectator |
| sub- |
under |
submarine, subversive |
| super- |
over, above |
supersonic |
| tele- |
far |
telephone, telepathy, telemetric |
| therm- |
heat |
thermal, thermometer, thermostat |
| trans- |
across |
transport, transmit, translate |
| un- |
not, opposing, reverse |
uncertain, unlawful, unbearable |
| under- |
below, beneath |
underground, underneath, underestimate |
Some words are simple combinations of these prefixes and suffixes. Try looking up the parts of these words in the table above: Microscope, biology, telephone, telescope, periscope, and hypothermic. Pick one of these for a day and underline it every time you see it while reading.
Next : Understand the history of words
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