Learn More About Prefixes
A prefix is what is called an “affix”— an additional element placed at the beginning or end of a root, stem or word to modify its meaning. Another type of affix is a
suffix, an element added to the end of the word. The four most common prefixes account for more than 95 percent of prefixed words. They are
dis-,
in-,
re- and
un-.
Examples:
- dis- (not or none): dislike, disappear, disagree, disconnect, disinfect
- in- (not): injustice, insincere, informal, inadequate, indirect
- re- (again): reappear, revise, replay, refresh, review
- Un- (not): unfriendly, unhappy, unwell, unkind, unafraid
Other common prefixes include:
anti- : antifreeze, antiwar
fore- : forecast, foresee
inter -: interact, interstate
mid- : midday, midway
mis- : misfire, misspell
non- : nonsense, noncommunicative
over- : overlook, overpass
pre- : prefix, predestined
semi- : semicircle, semidarkness
sub- : submarine, subconscious
super- : superstar, superachiever
trans- : transport, transaction
Some important points to remember when adding prefixes:
- The base word never changes. Simply add the prefix to the beginning of the word.
-
Double letters can occur when adding prefixes.
Examples: unnatural, illogical, irregular Beware or words that look like prefixes but are not.
Examples: uncle, antique, interest
Some base words, when a prefix is added, need a hyphen to avoid ambiguity. Follow these rules when adding hyphens to prefixes.
- Hyphenate when adding a prefix before a proper noun or numeral.
Examples: un-American, pre-2017
- Hyphenate when adding the prefix “ex,” meaning former.
Examples: ex-husband, ex-president
- Hyphenate after the prefix “self.”
Examples: self-control, self-directed
- Hyphenate to separate the e’s and i’s.
Examples: anti-intellectual, re-election
- Hyphenate some words with the “re” prefix to avoid ambiguity in meaning.
Examples: re-create (to create again), re-cover (to cover again)
