What is Prefix – Prefixes are a letter or combination of letters that are used at the beginning of a word to modify the word and also to change the meaning of the word. It is basically affixes of one to three syllables .
Prefixes can be used without hyphen or with hyphen before the word .
Some rules of using hyphen between the Prefixes and the words –
1 . If the prefix ‘ ex ‘ indicates to mean ‘ former ‘ , then we use hyphens between the Prefixes and the words .
Example – ex + captain – ex- captain
ex + teacher – ex- teacher
2 . To add some Prefixes like all, self , we use hyphens .
Examples – all – knowing
self – attested
3. We use hyphen for Prefixes with a Proper nouns –
Examples – trans – Siberian
trans- Himalayan
4. Use hyphen to avoid using the same vowels together –
Examples – re – entry
Exception -cooperate
Uses of some Prefixes –
A ( not / without )-
a + theist – atheist
a+ political – apolitical
Ab ( opposite ) – ab + normal – abnormal
After ( following)-
after + noon – afternoon
after + life – afterlife
after + effect – aftereffect
after + shock – aftershock
after+ shave- aftershave
All ( completely )-
all – knowing – all-knowing
all – encompassing – all – encompassing
Astro ( relating to star )-
astro+ nomy – astronomy
astro + logy – astrology
Anti – anti + virus – antivirus
anti + dote – antidote
(against )
anti + body – antibody
anti + climax – anticlimax
anti + biotic – antibiotic
Ambi ( both )-
ambi + dextrous – ambidextrous
ambi + guous – ambiguous
Auto ( by oneself)-
auto + mobile – automobile
auto + biography- autobiography
Back ( behind or reverse )-
back + ground- background
back + ward – backward
Bi – bi+ cycle. – bicycle
bi + annual – biannual
bi+ colour – bicolour
(two )
bi + focal – bifocal
bi + furcated – bifurcated
bi + ceps. – biceps
bi + lingual – bilingual
bi + weekly – biweekly
bi + lateral – bilateral
Be ( having / covered with ) –
be + friend – befriend
be + calm – becalm
be + jewelled – bejewelled
Circum -( around )-
circum + stance – circumstance
circum + ference – circumference
Com/ Con ( jointly, with , completely )-
com + bat – combat
con + fined – confined
Bio ( related to life )-
bio + technology – biotechnology
bio + informatics – bioinformatics
bio + logy – biology
Co – ( with ) –
co + operation – cooperation
co + operative – cooperative
co + worker – co- worker
co+ pilot – co – pilot
Counter ( reaction / opposition) –
counter + part – counterpart
counter + attack – counterattack
counter+ feit – counterfeit
De ( down or away from )-
de + register – deregister
de + generating – degenerating
de + compose – decompose
de + press – depress
de + crease – decrease
de + code – decode
de + grade – degrade
Down ( moving from higher to lower )-
down + load – download
down + grade – downgrade
Dis ( not ) –
dis + tress – distress
dis +appear – disappear
dis + allow – disallow
dis + able – disable
dis + connect – discurrent
dis + count – discount
dis + mantle – dismantle
dis + pose – dispose
dis + temper – distemper
dis + agree – disagree
dis + respect – disrespect
dis + loyal – disloyal
dis + like – dislike
dis + obey – disobey
En ( to put into )-
en + dangered – endangered
en + close – enclose
en + crypt. – encrypt
E ( electronics) –
e + waste – e-waste
e+ mail – email
e+ statement – e-statement
Extra ( more than ) –
extra + ordinary – extraordinary
extra + curricular – extracurricular
extra + terrestrial – extraterrestrial
Em ( cause to ) – .
em + brace – embrace
em + body – embody
em + boss – emboss
Ex ( out of / in the past or former ) –
ex + change – exchange
ex + ceed – exceed
ex + gratia – ex-gratia
ex + clusion – exclusion
ex + clusive – exclusive
ex + plosion – explosion
ex + army – ex-army
ex + captain – ex- captain
Fore( before ) –
fore+ arm- forearm
fore+ head – forehead
fore + hand – forehand
fore+ cast – forecast
fore + runner – forerunner
Geo ( location )-
geo + tagging – geo- tagging
Hyper( above ) –
hyper + tension – hypertension
hyper + active – hyperactive
hyper+ text – hypertext
hyper + ventilate – hyperventilate
hyper + link – hyperlink
hyper + local – hyperlocal
hyper + sonic – hypersonic
Hypo ( under ) –
hypo + tension – hypotension
hypo + allergenic – hypoallergenic
Hetero ( different )-
hetero + geneous – heterogeneous
Homo ( same ) –
homo + sphere – homosphere
home + nuclear – homonuclear
homo + phone – homophone
Hydro ( water related )-
hydro + electric – hydroelectric
hydro + carbon – hydrocarbon
hydro+ phobic – hydrophobic
hydro + plane – hydroplane
Im( without ) –
im + practical – impractical
im + prove – improve
im + proper – improper
im + pure – impure
im + possible – impossible
In ( not ) –
in + active – inactive
in + accurate – inaccurate
in + accessible – inaccessible
in + visible – invisible
in + capable – incapable
in + delible – indelible
Infra ( below )-
infra + structure – infrastructure
infra + red – infrared
infra + sonic – infrasonic
Info ( information) –
info + graphics – infographics
Inter ( between )-
inter + continental – intercontinental
inter + section – intersection
inter + national – international
inter + stellar – Interstellar
inter + mediate – intermediate
inter + view – interview
inter + net – internet
inter + galactic – intergalactic
inter + state – interstate
Intra( inside ) –
intra + state – intrastate
intra + net – intranet
intra + vascular – intravascular
intra + muscular – intramuscular
intra + personal – intrapersonal
intra + cellular – intracellular
Ir ( negation or reversion )-
ir+ relevant – irrelevant
ir+ regular – irregular
ir + respective – irrespective
ir + responsible – irresponsible
ir + resistible – irresistible
il (reversion or negation ) –
il + legal – illegal
il + literate – illiterate
Mal(bad ) – mal + nutrition – malnutrition
mal + practice – malpractice
mal + nourished- malnourished
Macro ( large ) –
macro + economics – macroeconomics
macro + molecule – macromolecule
Mega ( very large )-
mega + city – megacity
Megalo ( very large )-
megalo + maniac – megalomaniac
Micro ( small ) –
micro + scope – microscope
micro + biology – microbiology
micro + phone – microphone
micro + wave – microwave
micro + economics – microeconomics
Mini ( small or less )-
mini + bus – minibus
Mono ( one )-
mono + syllable – monosyllable
mono + lithic – monolithic
mono + tone – monotone
mono + brow – monobrow
mono + chrome – monochrome
Mid ( half ) –
mid + day – midday
mid + night – midnight
mid + life – midlife
Mis – mis + conception – misconception
mis + take – mistake
mis + interpret – misinterpret
mis + place – misplace
mis + lead – mislead
mis + inform – misinform
Multi ( many or more than one )-
multi + task – multitask
multi + storied – multi-storied
multi+ millionaire – multimillionaire
multi + vitamin – multivitamin
Non ( not or negation ) –
non + sense – nonsense
non+ entity – nonentity
non + government – non – government
non + stop – nonstop
non + stick – nonstick
Neo ( new or revived form ) –
neo + civilization – neo -civilization
neo + natal – neonatal
neo + classical – neoclassical
Omni ( all) –
Omni + vore – omnivore
Omni+ bus – omnibus
Omni + potent – omnipotent .
On ( live / immediate / active )-
on + line – online
on + demand – on – demand
on + going – ongoing
on + camera – on-camera
on + screen – onscreen
Off ( away from or not standard ) –
off + line – offline
off + screen – offscreen
off + shore – offshore
off + beat – offbeat
Out ( surpassing )-
out + perform – outperform
Over ( excessive or going above )-
over + step – overstep
over+ react – overreact
over+ flow – overflow
Pan (including everything)-
pan+ acea – panacea
Pre ( before )-
pre + admission – pre- admission
pre + hospitalization – pre -hospitalization
pre + fix – prefix
pre + mature – premature
pre+ heat – preheat
pre + existing – pre-existing
pre + mature – premature
Pro ( in support of / advancing ) –
pro + active – proactive
pro + gram – program
pro + biotic – probiotic
pro + gress – progress
pro + pulsion – propulsion
Post ( after ) –
post + mortem – post -mortem
post + natal – post – natal
post + hospitalization – post – hospitalization
post + graduate – postgraduate
Per – per + cent – percent
per + capita – per- capita
per + cussion- percussion
Peri ( around / about )-
peri + pheral – peripheral
peri+ meter – perimeter
peri + scope – periscope
Para ( beside )-
para + chute – parachute
para + medical- paramedical
para + graph – paragraph
para + meters – parameters
Poly ( many )-
poly + math – polymath
poly+ gonal – polygonal
poly+ gamy – polygamy
Photo (relating to light )-
photo + synthesis – photosynthesis
photo + grapher – photographer
Re( again ) –
re + open – reopen
re + gain – regain
re + move – remove
re + generate – regenerate
re + habituate – rehabituate
re + port – report
re+ post – repost
re + appear – reappear
re + apply – reapply
re + order – reorder
Semi ( half ) –
semi + circle – semicircle
semi + colon – semicolon
semi + conductor – semiconductor
semi + final – semifinal
Super ( above )-
super + star – superstar
super+ natural – supernatural
super + impose – superimpose
super + food – superfood
super + fast – superfast
Sub ( below or a lower position) –
sub + title – subtitle
sub + category – sub – category
sub + merge – submerge
sub + marine – submarine
sub + lime – sublime
sub + way – subway
sub + traction – subtraction
sub + tract – subtract
Self ( toward oneself )-
self+ made – self-made
self + motivation – self – motivated
self + conscious – self -conscious
self + assured – self – assured
self + attested – self – attested
Syn / Sym( acting together)-
syn + thesis – synthesis
syn + chronous – synchronous
sym + metric – symmetric
Trans( across)-
trans + form – transform
trans + former – transformer
trans + fer – transfer
trans + port – transport
trans + atlantic – transatlantic
trans + gender – transgender
Tri ( three ) –
tri + colour – tricolour
tri + angle – triangle
tri + cycle – tricycle
tri + lateral – trilateral
Thermo( heat ) –
thermo + dynamics – thermodynamics
thermo + meter – thermometer
thermo+ stat – thermostat
thermo + flux – thermoflux
Tele ( from a distance)-
tele + vision – television
tele+ phone – telephone
Un ( opposite )-
un + used – unused
un + usual – unusual
un + able – unable
un + tie – untie
un + do – undo
un + equal – unequal
un + lawful – unlawful
un + successful – unsuccessful
Uni ( one) –
uni + form – uniform
uni + lateral – unilateral
uni + cycle – unicycle
uni + corn – unicorn
uni + versal – universal
Under ( lower in rank / beneath / not enough ) –
under + cooked – undercooked
under + stand – understand
under + wear – underwear
under + cover – undercover
under + ground – underground
under + graduate – undergraduate
under + lying – underlying
under + line – underline
under + prepared – underprepared
under + privileged – underprivileged
under + pants – underpants
under + pass – underpass
Ultra ( beyond / extreme ) –
ultra + violet – ultraviolet
ultra + sonic – ultrasonic
ultra + modern – ultra-modern
Up ( upward or higher )-
up + grade – upgrade
up + date – update
With ( resisting )-
with + hold – withhold
with + out – without
with + draw – withdraw
X – x+ ray – x -ray
x+ factor – x- factor
