What Are Prefixes?

Prefixes: Quick Summary

A prefix is a letter or group of letters that are added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. For example, “bi-” is a prefix that means “two.” Therefore, bicycle refers to “a human-powered two-wheeled vehicle.”


What Is a Prefix?

A prefix is a letter or group of letters that are added to the beginning of a word to alter its meaning. For example, the prefix “co-” means “together.” Therefore, cooperation refers to “working together.”

I was not used to the level of cooperation but found it extremely beneficial.

A prefix is a subcategory of affixes, which are letters that are added to a word to change its meaning.

Affixes can be either inflectional or derivational. An inflection affix is added to a word to indicate grammatical information (such as tense and number) while maintaining the word’s core meaning (e.g., bird vs. birds). Derivational affixes can completely change the meaning or grammatical role of a word (e.g., interesting vs. interestingly).

In English, suffixes can be both inflectional or derivational, while prefixes solely undertake a derivational role.

Keep In Mind

The word prefix can also function as a verb that means “to fix or appoint beforehand.”

  • She decided to prefix the presentation with a quick recap of her school’s recent accomplishments.


Examples of Prefixes

There are countless prefixes, all with different meanings. Below, we’ll go over some common ones, tell you what they mean, and provide examples of words that contain them.

A-

“A-” means “not.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Atypical

“Not typical”

Our meeting was atypical

Ante-

“Ante-” means “prior.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Antecedent

“Something that comes before or precedes another thing”

The recession had is antecedents in a series of poor decisions made by the government. 

Auto-

“Auto-” means “by one’s self or itself.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Autobiography

“The account of a person’s life written by that person” 

It took me two years to write my autobiography

Circum-

“Circum-” means “go around”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Circumvent

“To find a way around something (usually an obstacle)”

Despite having to circumvent numerous  issues, we managed to submit  the project on time. 

De-

“De-” means “remove” or “negative.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Destabilize

“To make something unstable”

The election had a destabilizing impact on several other countries. 

Dys-

“Dys-” means “negative,” “badly,” or “wrongly.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Dystopia

“An imagined place or state in which there is great suffering and injustice”

It seemed like we were living in a dystopian novel. 

Endo-

“Endo-” means “within” or “inner.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Endoskeleton

“An internal skeleton”

Humans have endoskeletons, which provide a framework that supports and protects their internal organs. 

Hyper-

“Hyper-” means “above,” “over,” or “beyond.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Hyperactivity

“The condition of being overly or extremely active”

My dog’s hyperactivity can be a lot to handle. 

Hypo-

“Hypo-” means “below” or “not enough.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Hypothermia

“A medical condition in which the body temperature is much lower than normal”

The risk of hypothermia is a serious issue during the winter. 

In-

“In-” means “not.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Incorrect

“Not correct” or “wrong”

I tried to answer the question, but the professor said I was incorrect

Inter-

Inter-” means “between” or “among.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Interact

“To act or communicate with each other”

The newcomers were encouraged to interact with each other. 

Mega-

“Mega-” means “large.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Megaphone

“A cone-shaped device used to amplify sound”

The megaphone wasn’t working, so the crowd struggled to hear me. 

Macro-

“Macro-” means “large-scale.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Macroeconomics

“The branch of economics that deals with the economy as a whole”

We were studying for a macroeconomics exam. 

Micro-

“Micro-” means “small-scale.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Microscopic

“So small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye”

The microscopic algae were wreaking havoc on the reef. 

Mis-

“Mis-” means “bad” or “wrong.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Misspell

“To spell a word incorrectly”

She misspelled the final word. 

Milli-

“Milli-” means one thousandth.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Millimeter

“A unit of length equal to one thousandth of a meter”

For precision, we had to measure it in millimeters

Para-

“Para-” means “beside,” “beyond,” or “related to.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Paranormal

“Relating to the claimed occurrence of an event devoid of scientific reasoning” 

No one believed me when I told them I had a paranormal experience involving a ghost. 

Poly-

“Poly-” means “many” or “much.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Polyglot

“Someone who knows several languages”

I only speak English, but my goal is to become a polyglot.

Re-

“Re-” means “again.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Redo

“Do something again or differently”

I had to redo my art project because my sister spilled coffee all over it. 

Sub-

“Sub-” means “below.”

Example

Meaning

Example Sentence

Subzero

“Below zero”

It was so cold outside, it seemed like we were in subzero temperatures. 


Using Prefixes Correctly

The examples listed above represent only a few of the numerous prefixes found in the English language. Don’t be intimidated or overwhelmed if you aren’t completely familiar with all of them. There’s a way to ensure you always use prefixes correctly—by using LanguageTool as your writing assistant.

Not only will this advanced spelling, grammar, and punctuation checker ensure your vocabulary and word usage are pristine, but it can also help you reach your writing goals by offering suggestions that are tailored specifically to your text.

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