Prefixes - Greek and Latin

Prefixes are added to the beginning of root words and they change their meaning.

For example ante- is added to chamber (room) and together antechamber means a small room leading to a main or larger room.

Studying the Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes will help explain why words made up of those parts are spelled the way they are.

​The English language uses many Greek and Latin Prefixes, the most popular of which are listed alphabetically below.
​

 

PREFIXES

SIMPLE MEANING

EXAMPLES

aero-

air

aerobics, aerodynamics, aeronautics

agr-

field

agribusiness, agriculture, agronomy

alter-

other

alternative, alteration

ante-

before

antecedent, antechamber

anti-

against

antithesis, anticlimax

bi-

two

bicycle, bipolar

biblio-

book

bibliography, bibliophile

circum-

around

circumference, circumvent

con-

with

connote, disconcert

cosm-

universe

cosmonaut, cosmopolitan, cosmos, microcosm

cycl-

cycle, ring

bicycle, cyclone, cycle, recycle

de-

opposite

devaluation

dis-

opposite of, not

discovery, discord

em-, en-

cause to

empowerment, enacting

eu-

well, good

euphoria, eurythmic

ex-

away from, out of

excavate, extubate

fore-

front of, before

forearm, foresight

hyper-

above

hyperactive, hypermarket

hypo-

below

hypodermic, hypothermia

im-, in-

in

impulsive, income

il-, im-, in-, ir-

not

illiterate, immoral, inequity, irrelevant

inter-

between, among

interruption, interrelated

intra-

within, into

intravenous, intrastate

mal-

bad, evil

malignant, maleficent

mid-

middle

midrange, midlevel

migr-

move, change

migration, immigrant

mis- / miso-

hate

misogyny, misogamy

non-

not

nonentity, nontoxic

over-

too much

overweight

pre-

before

pretreat, predetermine

pro-

before

proclaim, proactive

post-

after

postmodern, postgraduate

re-

again

review, redo

retro-

again, back

retroactive, retrospect

mal-

bad, evil

malignant, maleficent

sub-

under

subway, submarine

super-

beyond, above

supermarket, superhuman

syn-

together

syntactic, synthetic

trans-

across

transatlantic, transport

tri-

three

tricycle, trimester

un-

opposite of, not

uneventful, ungrateful

under-

too little, under

underestimate, underground

 
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Prefixes - Greek and Latin

Prefixes are added to the beginning of root words and they change their meaning.

For example ante- is added to chamber (room) and together antechamber means a small room leading to a main or larger room.

Studying the Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes will help explain why words made up of those parts are spelled the way they are.

​The English language uses many Greek and Latin Prefixes, the most popular of which are listed alphabetically below.
​

 

PREFIXES

SIMPLE MEANING

EXAMPLES

aero-

air

aerobics, aerodynamics, aeronautics

agr-

field

agribusiness, agriculture, agronomy

alter-

other

alternative, alteration

ante-

before

antecedent, antechamber

anti-

against

antithesis, anticlimax

bi-

two

bicycle, bipolar

biblio-

book

bibliography, bibliophile

circum-

around

circumference, circumvent

con-

with

connote, disconcert

cosm-

universe

cosmonaut, cosmopolitan, cosmos, microcosm

cycl-

cycle, ring

bicycle, cyclone, cycle, recycle

de-

opposite

devaluation

dis-

opposite of, not

discovery, discord

em-, en-

cause to

empowerment, enacting

eu-

well, good

euphoria, eurythmic

ex-

away from, out of

excavate, extubate

fore-

front of, before

forearm, foresight

hyper-

above

hyperactive, hypermarket

hypo-

below

hypodermic, hypothermia

im-, in-

in

impulsive, income

il-, im-, in-, ir-

not

illiterate, immoral, inequity, irrelevant

inter-

between, among

interruption, interrelated

intra-

within, into

intravenous, intrastate

mal-

bad, evil

malignant, maleficent

mid-

middle

midrange, midlevel

migr-

move, change

migration, immigrant

mis- / miso-

hate

misogyny, misogamy

non-

not

nonentity, nontoxic

over-

too much

overweight

pre-

before

pretreat, predetermine

pro-

before

proclaim, proactive

post-

after

postmodern, postgraduate

re-

again

review, redo

retro-

again, back

retroactive, retrospect

mal-

bad, evil

malignant, maleficent

sub-

under

subway, submarine

super-

beyond, above

supermarket, superhuman

syn-

together

syntactic, synthetic

trans-

across

transatlantic, transport

tri-

three

tricycle, trimester

un-

opposite of, not

uneventful, ungrateful

under-

too little, under

underestimate, underground