Prefix

prefix

meaning

example

a-

not, without

ashore

ab-

from, away, off

abnormal

ad-

ac-

af-

ag-

al-

an-

ap-

ar-

as-

at-

to, toward, toward

addition

acro-

beginning, end, tip, top, peak, summit, height

acromegaly

aero-

air, atmosphere, gas, aviation

aeroplane

Afro-

African

Afro-American

agro-

of or belonging to fields or soil, agricultural

agrotechnology

ambi-

amphi-

ambidextrous

ana-

up, upward, back, backward

anabaptist

Anglo-

English

Anglo-American

ante-

antedate

anti-

ant-

one that is opposite in kind to, opposing or hostile to in opinion, sympathy, or practice, serving to prevent, cure, or alleviate, 

antibiotic

apo-

away from, off

apogee

aqua-

water

Aquarius

arch-

archi-

chief, principal, extreme, primitive, original, primary

archbishop

audio-

hearing, sound, auditory

audiometer

astro-

star, heavens, outer space, astronomical

astronaut

auto-

self, same one, automatic, self-acting

automaton

baro-

weight, pressure

barometer

be-

on, around, over about, to,  at,  upon, against, across, make, cause to be, treat as, affect, afflict, treat, provide, or cover with especially excessively

befool

bene-

good

benediction

bi-

two, into two parts, twice, doubly, on both sides, 

bicycle

biblio-

book

bibliomania

bio-

life, living organisms or tissue

biology

by-

secondary, ab

bypath

cardio-

heart

cardiogram

cat-

cata-

down, per

category

cent-

centi-

one hundredth part of

centimeter

chrono-

time

chronograph

cine-

movie

cinematograph

circum-

around, about

circumstance

co-

with, together, joint, jointly, in or to the same degree

cooperation

con-

com-

col-

cor-

connect

contra-

 against, contrary, contrasting

contradict

counter-

contrary, opposite, opposing, retaliatory, complementary, corresponding, duplicate, substitute

counteract

cyber-

computer, computer network

cyberspace

de-

do the opposite of, reverse of, remove from, reduce, something derived from, get off of

decode

deca-

dec-

deka-

ten

decathlon

deci-

one tenth part of

deciliter

demi-

half, one that partly belongs to 

demitasse

dendro-

tree

dendrochronology

di-

twice, twofold, double

dioxide

dia-

through, across

diagram

dis-

di-

do the opposite of, not, completely, deprive of

dislike

dys-

abnormal, difficult, impaired, bad

dyspeptic

eco-

habitat or environment, ecological or environmental

ecology

en-

em-

in, within, put into or onto, go into or onto, cause to be, provide with, 

enable

endo-

within, inside taking in

endocytobiology

epi-

upon, besides, over, alter, outer

epistle

ethno-

race, people, cultural group

ethnocentric

eu-

well, easily, true, good

eugenics

Euro-

European

European

ex-

e-

ef-

out of, outside, not, away, off

exact

exa-

quintillion (10¹⁸)

1Em

exo-

outside, outer, turning out

exocarp

extra-

outside, beyond

extraordinary

femto-

one quadrillionth (10⁻¹⁵) part of

femtosecond

ferro-

ferrous iron

ferroelectric

for-

so as to involve prohibition, exclusion, omission, failure, neglect, or refusal,

completely, excessively, to exhaustion, to pieces

destructively, detrimentally 

forbid

fore-

earlier, beforehand, foremost, front part of

forearm

Franco-

French

Franco-American

gastro-

stomach, gastric

gastroenteritis

geo-

earth, ground, soil, geographic, geography 

geology

giga-

billion (10⁹), huge

gigabit

grand-

large and striking in size, scope, extent, or conception

grandfather

hecto-

hect-

hundred

hectare

hemo-

haemo-

blood

hemoglobin

helio-

sun, helicopter

heliograph

hemi-

half

hemisphere

hepta-

hept

seven, containing seven atoms, groups, or equivalents

heptagon

hetero-

heter

other than usual , other , different

heterochromatin

hexa-

hex

six

hexagon

homo-

one and the same, similar, alike

homeopathy

hydro-

hydr-

water, liquid

hydrogen

hygro-

humidity, moisture

hygrometer

hyper-

above, beyond, excessive

hyperactive

hypo-

hyp

under, beneath, down

hypocrite

in-

il-

im-

ir-

not, in 

invisible

Indo-

India or the East Indies, Indo-European

Indo-European

infra-

below, within, below in a scale or series

infrared

inter-

between, among, in the midst, reciprocal

international

intra-

intravascular

intro-

in, into, inward, within

introduce

iso-

equal, homogeneous, uniform

isotope

kilo-

thousand

kilometer

macro-

 large, on a large scale

macrobiotic

mal-

bad, abnormal, inadequate

malicious

maxi-

extra long, large

maximum

mega-

great, large, million (10⁶)

greatly surpassing others of its kind, 

megalopolis

meta-

occurring later than or in succession to, after

change

more comprehensive, transcending

derived from by loss of water

metaphysical

micro-

 small, minute, one millionth (10^-6) part of

microwave

mid-

being the part in the middle or midst

occupying a middle position

middle

milli-

one thousandth part of

millimeter

mini-

smaller or briefer than usual, normal, or standard

miniature

mis-

badly, wrongly, unfavorably, not, opposite or lack of, 

misunderstand

mono-

one, single, alone

monoplane

multi-

many, multiple, much

multinational

nano-

one billionth (10⁻⁹) part of, nanoscale

nanometer

neo-

new, recent

neolithic

neuro-

nerve, neural

neurogenic

new-

recently, newly

newborn

nitro-

nitrogen

nitrogen dioxide

non-

not, other than, reverse of, absence of

of little or no consequence, unimportant, worthless

nonsense

ob-

o-

oc-

of-

op-

inversely, 

obverse

oct-

octa-

octo-

eight

octagon

off-

away

off-duty

omni-

all, universally

omnibus

ortho-

orth-

straight, upright, vertical, correct, corrective

orthodox

out-

out, away

outage

over-

so as to exceed or surpass, excessive

overact

oxy-

containing oxygen or additional oxygen

oxygen

paleo-

palaeo-

early, primitive, archaic

Paleozoic

pan-

 all, completely, whole, general

Pan-American

para-

beside, alongside of, beyond, aside from

closely related to

faulty, abnormal

closely resembling, almost

parachute

penta-

pent-

five

pentagon

per-

throughout, thoroughly

containing an element in its highest or a high oxidation state

perfect

peri-

all around, about, near, enclosing, surrounding

periscope

peta-

quadrillion (10¹⁵)

petabyte

petro-

stone, rock, petroleum

petrol

philo-

phil-

loving, having an affinity for

philosophy

phono-

sound, voice, speech

phonogram

photo-

light, radiant energy, photographic

photograph

pico-

one trillionth (10⁻¹²) part of, small

picosecond

poly-

many, several, much, multi

polytechnic

post-

after, subsequent, later

behind, posterior, following after

subsequent to, later than

posterior to

postpone

pre-

earlier than, prior to, before

in advance, beforehand

in front of, anterior to

prefix

pro-

earlier than, prior to, before

rudimentary

precursory

front, anterior

projecting

taking the place of, substituting for

favoring, supporting, championing

produce

proto-

first in time

beginning, giving rise to

first formed, primary

prototype

pseudo-

false, spurious

temporary or substitute formation similar to

resembling, isomeric with, or related to

pseudonym

psycho

psych-

mind, mental processes and activities

brain

psychology

pyro-

fire, heat

pyrolysis

quad-

quadri-

quadrangle

quasi-

in some sense or degree

resembling in some degree

quasiparticle

radio-

radiant energy, radiation

radioactive

re-

again, anew, back, backward

restart

retro-

backward, back, situated behind

retroactive

Russo-

Russian

Russo-Japanese War

self-

oneself or itself

to, with, for, or toward oneself or itself

from or by means of oneself or itself

self-acting

semi-

precisely half of

to some extent, partly, incompletely

partial, incomplete

semiconductor

Sino-

Chinese

Sino-Japanese War

step-

related by virtue of a remarriage (as of a parent) and not by blood

stepfather

stereo-

solid, solid body

stereoscopic

stereoscope

strato-

stratus and

stratosphere

sub-

suc-

suf-

sug-

sum-

sup-

sur-

sus-

under, beneath, below

subordinate, secondary, next lower than or inferior to

less than completely, perfectly, or normally, somewhat

almost : nearly

submarine

sulfo-

sulf-

sulpho-

sulph-

sulfur

sulfoxide

super-

over and above, higher in quantity, quality, or degree than : more than

in addition, extra

superb

supra-

over and above, higher in quantity, quality, or degree than : more than

in addition, extra

supranational

syn-

sy-

sym-

syl-

sys-

syr-

with, along with, together

at the same time

synergy

sur-

surface

techno-

technical, technological

technology

tele-

tel-

distant, at a distance, over a distance

telegraph

telephone

tera-

trillion (10¹²)

terabyte

thermo-

therm-

heart, thermoelectric

thermometer

topo-

top-

place, locality, topography

topography

tetra-

tetragon

trans-

on or to the other side of, across, beyond

through

so or such as to change or transfer

transparent

tri-

three, having three elements or parts

triangle

turbo-

coupled directly to a driving turbine

consisting of or incorporating a turbine

turbocharger

twi-

two, double, doubly, twice

twins

ultra-

beyond in space, on the other side

beyond the range or limits of, transcending

beyond what is ordinary, proper, or moderate, excessively, extremely

ultraviolet

un-

not

opposite of, contrary to

deprive of

completely 

unknown

under-

in or into a position below or beneath something

below or short of some quantity, level, or limit

down to defeat, ruin, or death

underfoot

undeca-

twelve

undecagon

uni-

uniform

up-

used as a function word to indicate motion to or toward or situation at a higher point of

in a direction regarded as being toward or near the upper end or part of

in the direction opposite to

uphold

vermi-

worm

vermin

vice-

one that takes the place of

vice president

vita-

vital

with-

in opposition to

so as to be separated or detached from

in the direction of

used as a function word to indicate a participant in an action, transaction, or arrangement

withdraw