Common Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots
Compiled by Alice Thomas
The 20 Most Common Prefixes in Academic Texts
Prefix Meaning Examples
1. un- not; opposite uncover, unlock, unsafe
2. re- again; back rewrite, reread, return
3.in-, im-, ir-, i not; into incorrect, insert, inexpensive, illegal, irregular, inability
4. dis- not, away, apart, negative disagree, discord, discomfort, discontent, distrust
5. en-, em- cause to enjoy, endure, enlighten, entail
6. non- not nonsense, nonverbal, nonstick, nonspecific
7. in-, im- in, into, not invade, implant, imperfect, immoral, inedible, incapable
8. over- too much overload, overdo, overact, overboard, overdose
9. mis- wrongly misjudge, misinterpret, misguided, mismatch, misplace
10. sub- under submarine, subtext, substandard, subsitute, subversive
11. pre- before preview, pretest, prevent, preplan
12. inter- between, among interstate, international, intermission, intermingle, interface
13 fore- before foreshadow, foresight, foreseeable, forecast, foreground
14. de-, dis- opposite of, not depose, detour, dehydrated, decaffeinated, discord, discomfort, disengage
15. trans- across; move between transatlantic, transcend, transfer, transact, transport
16. super- above supersonic, superstar, supernatural, superstore
17. semi- half semicircle, semiprecious, semicolon, semifinal
18. anti- against antifreeze, antithesis, antitrust, antidote, antisocial
19. mid- middle midterm, Midwest, midstream, midway, midnight
20. under- too little; not enough underfed, underdog, underestimate, underage
Ranked by Carroll et al (1971) and applied to third grade research by White, Sowell and Yanagihara (1989) 1
, Other Common Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Examples
ante- before antebellum, antecedent, anterior
be- to, completely belittle, befriend, bejeweled
bene- good, well beneficial, benefit, benediction, benevolent
circum- around, about circumference, circumvent
co-, com-, con-, cooperate, copilot, committee, commit, concur, concert, collide, collaborate,
together, with
col- colleague
dia- across, through diagonal, diameter, diagnostic
ex- out, from expel, excavate, exhale
homo- same, alike homonym, homogenize, homophone
hyper- over, above, excessive hyperactive, hypervenilate, hypercritical, hyperthermia
mal- bad, evil malicious, maladjusted, malnuitrition
micro- small microscopic, microcosm, microbiology, microwave
multi- many, much multiply, multigrain, multiple
para- beside, alongside parparofessional, paralegal
poly- many, much polygon, polyester
post- after, behind postwar, posterior, postdate
pro- forward, earlier, prior to project, proceed, progress
retro- back, backward retroactive, retrogression
tele- distant telephone, telegraph, television
therm- heat, warm thermostat, thermal
trans- across; move between transatlantic, transcend, transfer, transact, transport
uni- one, single universe, unicycle, unicorn
Center for Development and Learning ● www.cdl.org ● ● (504) 840-9786 2
Compiled by Alice Thomas
The 20 Most Common Prefixes in Academic Texts
Prefix Meaning Examples
1. un- not; opposite uncover, unlock, unsafe
2. re- again; back rewrite, reread, return
3.in-, im-, ir-, i not; into incorrect, insert, inexpensive, illegal, irregular, inability
4. dis- not, away, apart, negative disagree, discord, discomfort, discontent, distrust
5. en-, em- cause to enjoy, endure, enlighten, entail
6. non- not nonsense, nonverbal, nonstick, nonspecific
7. in-, im- in, into, not invade, implant, imperfect, immoral, inedible, incapable
8. over- too much overload, overdo, overact, overboard, overdose
9. mis- wrongly misjudge, misinterpret, misguided, mismatch, misplace
10. sub- under submarine, subtext, substandard, subsitute, subversive
11. pre- before preview, pretest, prevent, preplan
12. inter- between, among interstate, international, intermission, intermingle, interface
13 fore- before foreshadow, foresight, foreseeable, forecast, foreground
14. de-, dis- opposite of, not depose, detour, dehydrated, decaffeinated, discord, discomfort, disengage
15. trans- across; move between transatlantic, transcend, transfer, transact, transport
16. super- above supersonic, superstar, supernatural, superstore
17. semi- half semicircle, semiprecious, semicolon, semifinal
18. anti- against antifreeze, antithesis, antitrust, antidote, antisocial
19. mid- middle midterm, Midwest, midstream, midway, midnight
20. under- too little; not enough underfed, underdog, underestimate, underage
Ranked by Carroll et al (1971) and applied to third grade research by White, Sowell and Yanagihara (1989) 1
, Other Common Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Examples
ante- before antebellum, antecedent, anterior
be- to, completely belittle, befriend, bejeweled
bene- good, well beneficial, benefit, benediction, benevolent
circum- around, about circumference, circumvent
co-, com-, con-, cooperate, copilot, committee, commit, concur, concert, collide, collaborate,
together, with
col- colleague
dia- across, through diagonal, diameter, diagnostic
ex- out, from expel, excavate, exhale
homo- same, alike homonym, homogenize, homophone
hyper- over, above, excessive hyperactive, hypervenilate, hypercritical, hyperthermia
mal- bad, evil malicious, maladjusted, malnuitrition
micro- small microscopic, microcosm, microbiology, microwave
multi- many, much multiply, multigrain, multiple
para- beside, alongside parparofessional, paralegal
poly- many, much polygon, polyester
post- after, behind postwar, posterior, postdate
pro- forward, earlier, prior to project, proceed, progress
retro- back, backward retroactive, retrogression
tele- distant telephone, telegraph, television
therm- heat, warm thermostat, thermal
trans- across; move between transatlantic, transcend, transfer, transact, transport
uni- one, single universe, unicycle, unicorn
Center for Development and Learning ● www.cdl.org ● ● (504) 840-9786 2
