Prefix Meaning Example
Un- Not/Opposite Unreal, Unlock
Re- Again Repeat, Return
Dis- Not/Opposite of Dislike, Disagree
In- Not Inactive, Intense
Under- Too little/Below Underage, Underground
Over- Too much/Above Overdone, Overheat
Non- Not Nonsense
Pre- Before Preplan, Prehistory
Bi- Two Bicycle, Binocular
Tri- Three Tricycle, Triangle
Quad- Four Quadrilateral, Quadrant
Oct- Eight Octagon, Octopus
Semi- Half Semicircle, Semicolon
Super- Above/On top /Beyond Superfine, Superhuman
Multi- Many/Much Multicolor, Multiplayer
Poly- Many/Much Polygon, Polysyllable
Tele- Distant/Far Television, Telephone
Mis- Bad or Badly/ Wrong or Wrongly Misspell, Misread, Mistaken
Inter- Between Interview, International
Mid- Middle Midnight, Midweek
Sub- Under, Beneath, Below/Secondary Subway, Substitute
Deca- / Deci- Ten Decade, Decimal, Decimeter
Kilo- 1000 (One Thousand) Kilogram, Kilowatt
Milli- / Millie- 1000 (One Thousand) Millenium, Millimeter
Centi- 100 (One Hundred) Centimeter, Centipede
Max- Great Maximum, Maximize
Photo- Light Photograph, Photocopy
Port- To carry Portable
Dic- To say / To tell Dictator
En- / Em- To cause to be/ To put in or onto/ To go into Encounter, Enable, Employ,
or onto Embark, Encircle
Fore- Before/Earlier Forearm, Foreword
De- Reduce down / Away from Defeat, Deform, Decrease
Trans- Across/Change/Through Transformation, Transportation,
Transfer
Anti- Opposite/Against Antibiotic, Antifreeze
Di-, Dia- Two /Through/Across Digraph, Dialogue, Diagonal
Ex- Out of / Away From Extract, Exhale, Extend
Auto- Self Autograph, Automatic
In- (Il-, Im-, Ir-) Not Inability, Impatient, Irregular,
Illegal.
In- (Il-, Im-, Ir-) In/On/Toward Infer, Illustrate, Improve, Irrigate
Bio- Life Biology, Biological
Mini- Small Miniature, Minimal
Micro- Small Microorganism, Microscope
Uni- One/Single Unicorn, Unicycle, Uniform
Suffix Meaning Example
-s/es Plural, more than one Pens, Brushes
-ing Action, process Reading, Running, Thinking
-ed Past Tense. Jumped, Helped, Danced
-er Person connected with an activity Teacher, Driver, Writer
-er Comparative degree Bigger, Taller, Smaller
-est Superlative degree Biggest, Tallest, Smallest
-ful Full of Full of Beautiful, Painful
-less Without Careless, Helpless
-y Characterized by Cloudy, Fishy
-ly Characteristic of Badly, Friendly, Quickly
-ion / -ation/ - Act of/ State of/ Result of Attention, Vision, Invitation
sion/ -tion
-ness Condition, State of Darkness, Fairness
-ment Act/Process Enjoyment, Replacement
-or One who/ that which Baker, Boxer, Conductor, Survivor
-able/-ible Can be done Enjoyable, Sensible,
-ian /-an One having certain skill/ Related to/ Belonging Electrician, Magician, American
to
-ship Condition of /Skill Championship, Friendship,
Hardship, Leadership
-ist One who does a specific action Artist, Tourist
-logy/ -ology Science of /Study of Biology, Chemistry
-ism Act/Belief/Practice of Patriotism, Idealism, Absenteeism.
-ence / -ance Act/Condition of Persistence, Excellence, Assistance
-ess Feminine Actress, Goddess
-meter / -metr Measure Diameter, Perimeter
-port To carry Transport
-phobia/ Irrational fear, or hatred, / one who fears/ one Hydrophobia, Claustrophobic
-phobic who hates.
-rupt Break/Brust Bankrupt, Rupture, Disruptive
-scrib/-script To write Describe, Manuscript, Transcript
-gram/-graph Written/ Drawn Autograph, Paragraph, Telegram
-ject To throw Inject, Objection
-spect / -spec To see / watch/ observe Prospect, Respect, Specimen
-en Made of / To make Wooden, Dampen, Tighten
-dom Condition of Boredom, Freedom, Kingdom
-ity State of / Quality of Prosperity, Equality
-al/-ial Related to/ Characterized by Colonial, Dental
-ion / -ation/ – Act of / State of / Result of Tension, Attention, Elevation,
sion / -tion Union.
-ish Relating to /Characteristic Childish, Foolish
-ent, -ant An action / Condition Student, Contestant, Immigrant.
-ent, -ant Causing an specific action Obedient, Absorbent, Elegant
-hood The state/ The condition/ The quality Likelihood, Childhood,
