Understanding Prefixes and Suffixes in English

Prefixes and Suffixes in English

Prefixes

• Negation:
  • a-: atheist
  • dis-: disobey
  • in-: incomplete
  • non-: nonsmoker
  • un-: unwise
• Reversal:
  • de-: defrost
  • dis-: disconnect
  • un-: unmask
• Disparaging:
  • mal-: malfunction
  • mis-: mislead
  • pseudo-: pseudo-event
• Size or Degree:
  • arch-: archenemy
  • co-: copilot
  • hyper-: hypermarket
  • mega-: megaloan
  • mini-: miniskirt
  • sub-: subconscious
  • super-: supermarket
  • sur-: surcharge
  • ultra-: ultramodern
  • vice-: vice president
• Orientation:
  • anti-: anticlockwise
  • auto-: autosuggestion
  • contra-: contraindicate
  • counter-: counterclockwise
• Location and Distance:
  • extra-: extraterrestrial
  • inter-: interplay
  • intra-: intravenous
  • pan-: pan-African
  • super-: superstructure
  • tele-: telescope
  • trans-: transplant
• Time and Order:
  • ex-: ex-husband
  • fore-: foreshadow
  • neo-: neo-Gothic
  • paleo-: paleolithic
  • post-: postmodern
  • pre-: premarital
  • proto-: prototype
  • re-: recycle
• Number:
  • bi-: bilingual
  • demi-: demigod
  • di-: dioxide
  • mono-: monorail
  • multi-: multiracial
  • poly-: polytechnic
  • semi-: semicircle
  • tri-: tripod
  • uni-: unisex
• Grammatical Conversion:
  • Verb to Adjective:
    • a-: astride, aboard
  • Noun to Verb:
    • be-: befriend, bewitch
    • en-: inflame, endanger

Suffixes

• Inflectional Suffixes:
  • -s: noun plural
  • -'s: genitive case
  • -s: third person singular
  • -ed: past tense
  • -n't: contracted negative
  • -ing: form of present participle
  • -ed: form of past participle
  • -er: comparison
  • -est: comparison
• Derivational Suffixes:
  • Abstract Noun-makers:
    • -age: mileage
    • -dom: stardom
    • -ery: slavery
    • -ful: spoonful
    • -hood: brotherhood
    • -ing: faring
    • -ism: idealism
    • -ocracy: aristocracy
    • -ship: membership
  • Concrete Noun-makers:
    • -eer: engineer
    • -er: teenager
    • -ess: lioness
    • -ette: kitchenette
    • -let: booklet
    • -ster: gangster
  • Adverb-makers:
    • -ly: quickly
    • -ward(s): northward(s)
    • -wise: clockwise