6 Prefixes FINAL

PREFIXES

Function, Types and Examples

Prefixes are added at the beginning of a word. Their function is to assign a new meaning to the word. These meanings can be: a negative meaning, the opposite meaning, a meaning related to position, a meaning denoting a number, etc. Prefixes can be of

different origin.They can be added to adjectives (and adverbs), nouns and verbs.Some prefixes are used with only one part of speech, for instance IL- is only used with adjectives, while others can be used for different parts of speech, e.g. UN- is used for nouns, adjectives and verbs.

Adjectives: Prefixes with Negative and Opposite Meanings

IL-, IN-, IR-, IM-, UN-, DIS-, A-, NON-, PSEUDO- (meaning false), AB-Come up with an example of an adjective for each prefix.

Examples– legal

illegal– direct

indirect– regular

irregular– moral

immoral

– official unofficial– respectful

disrespectful– typical

atypical– scientific

non-scientific*– scientific

pseudo-scientific*– normal

abnormal

*Note the difference in meaning between non-scientific and pseudo-scientific, i.e. the opposite and negative meaning are NOT the same thing.

Adjectives: Prefixes Denoting Situation/Place

Table 5Prefix Meaning

extra- outside

intra- inside

inter- between

para- beside

peri- around

sub- underneath

infra- below

supra- above

retro- behind

Examples

– outside the cells extracellular– inside the veins

intravenous– inside the muscle

intramuscular– between the vertebrae

intervertebral– beside the nose (nasum)

paranasal– around the tooth

peri(o)dontal

– underneath the ribssubcostal– underneath the epidermis

subepidermal– below the sternum

infrasternal – above the orbit

supraorbital– behind the doudenum

retroduodenal

* More on the formation of adjectives related to anatomy, i.e. adjectives with Latin roots and compound adjectives in Unit 9 Adjectives.

Nouns: Prefixes with Negative and Opposite Meanings

A-, DIS-, MIS- (meaning wrong/wrongly), NON-, UN-, MAL- (meaning bad/badly)

Come up with an example of a noun for each prefix.Examples

– symmetry asymmetry– satisfaction

dissatisfaction– understanding

misunderstanding– smoker

non-smoker – happiness

unhappiness – nutrition

malnutrition

Verbs: Prefixes with Different Meanings

Negative and Opposite Meanings: CONTRA-, DE-, DIS-, MIS- (meaning wrong/wrongly), UN-, UNDER- Repetition: RE- Across, over, beyond: TRANS-

Come up with an example of a verb for each prefix.

Examples – indicate - contraindicate– activate- deactivate– connect- disconnect– calculate- miscalculate– do- undo– feed- underfeed– build- rebuild – plant- transplant

Other Prefixes

Prefixes Denoting NumbersMeaning one: MONO-, UNI-Meaning two: BI- , DI-Meaning three: TRI- Meaning more than three (many): MULTI-, POLY- For other numbers 4: QUADR-, 5: QUINT-, 6: SEX-, 7: SEPT-,

8: OCT-, 9: NON-Meaning a half: SEMI-, DEMI-

Most of these prefixes belong to the group of neoclassical prefixes. Come up with an example of a word for each prefix.Examplesunisex , monolingual, bisexual, tricycle, multimillionaire, polydactily, dioxide, quadrant, quintuplet, sextet, septangle, octogenarian, nonagon, semicircle, demimonde

Neoclassical and Native English Prefixes with Different Meanings

In addition to the already listed prefixes there is a number of neoclassical prefixes and a number of native English prefixes with different meanings that are used in the English language. Some of them are listed in Table 6.

Table 6

Prefix Meaning Example

ambi- both ambidextrous

ante- before antenatal

anti- opposite antibiotic

auto- self autoimmune

bio- biological, life biodegradable

co- with, joint cooperation

counter- against counterdrug

circum- around circumcision

eco- 1) house2) ecological

1) economy2) ecosystem

endo- inside endogenous

exo- outside exogenous

geo- related to the Earth geodesic

Prefix Meaning Example

hetero- different heterosexual

homo- same homosexual

hyper- high, extra, over hypersensitivehypo- under, below, low hypothermia

hydro- related to water hydrophobic

kilo- a thousand kilogram

micro- extremely small/tiny

microbacillus

mini- small minivan

maxi- very large/long maxi-skirt

mega- , meaglo- extremely large/big megastoremegalopolis

milli- one thousandth part

milligram

neo- new, renewed neoclassical

Prefix Meaning Example

pro- for, on the side of pro-life

proto- first, original prototype

super- over, more than, better, above

superpower

self- self self-inflicted

tele- at a distance television

ultra- 1) beyond 2) extreme

1) ultrasound2) ultralight