Prefixes

   A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. This is a list
   of the most common prefixes in English, together with their basic meaning and some examples.
   You can find more detail or precision for each prefix in any good dictionary. The origins of
   words are extremely complicated. You should use this list as a guide only, to help you
   understand possible meanings. But be very careful, because often what appears to be a prefix
   is not a prefix at all. Note also that this list does not include elements like "auto-" or "
   bio-", because these are "combining forms", not prefixes.

   +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
   |Prefix                  |Meaning                    |Examples                               |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |a-   |also an-          |not, without               |atheist, anaemic                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |a-                      |to, towards                |aside, aback                           |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |in the process of, in a    |a-hunting, aglow                       |
   |                        |particular state           |                                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |a-                      |of                         |anew                                   |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |completely                 |abashed                                |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |ab-  |also abs-         |away, from                 |abdicate, abstract                     |
   |-----+------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |ad-  |also a-, ac-, af-,|movement to, change into,  |advance, adulterate, adjunct, ascend,  |
   |     |ag- al-, an-, ap-,|addition or increase       |affiliate, affirm, aggravate,          |
   |     |at- as-, at-      |                           |alleviate, annotate, apprehend, arrive,|
   |     |                  |                           |assemble, attend                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |ante-                   |before, preceding          |antecedent, ante-room                  |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |anti-|also ant-         |opposing, against, the     |anti-aircraft, antibiotic, anticlimax, |
   |     |                  |opposite                   |Antarctic                              |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |be-                     |all over, all around       |bespatter, beset                       |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |completely                 |bewitch, bemuse                        |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |having, covered with       |bejewelled                             |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |affect with (added to      |befog                                  |
   |                        |nouns)                     |                                       |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |cause to be (added to      |becalm                                 |
   |                        |adjectives)                |                                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |com- |also co-, col-,   |with, jointly, completely  |combat, codriver, collude, confide,    |
   |     |con-, cor-        |                           |corrode                                |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |contra-                 |against, opposite          |contraceptive                          |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |counter-                |opposition, opposite       |counter-attack, counteract             |
   |                        |direction                  |                                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |de-                     |down, away                 |descend, despair, depend, deduct       |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |completely                 |denude, denigrate                      |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |removal, reversal          |de-ice, decamp                         |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |dia- |also di-          |through, across            |diagonal                               |
   |-----+------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |dis- |also di-          |negation, removal,         |disadvantage, dismount, disbud, disbar |
   |     |                  |expulsion                  |                                       |
   |-----+------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |en-  |also em-          |put into or on             |engulf, enmesh                         |
   |     |                  |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |     |                  |bring into the condition of|enlighten, embitter                    |
   |     |                  |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |     |                  |intensification            |entangle, enrage                       |
   |-----+------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |ex-  |also e-, ef-      |out                        |exit, exclude, expand                  |
   |     |                  |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |     |                  |upward                     |exalt, extol                           |
   |     |                  |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |     |                  |completely                 |excruciate, exasperate                 |
   |     |                  |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |     |                  |previous                   |ex-wife                                |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |extra-                  |outside, beyond            |extracurricular                        |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |hemi-                   |half                       |hemisphere                             |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |hyper-                  |beyond, more than, more    |hypersonic, hyperactive                |
   |                        |than normal                |                                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |hypo-                   |under                      |hypodermic, hypothermia                |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |in-  |also il-, im-     |not, without               |infertile, inappropriate, impossible   |
   |     |------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |     |also il-, im-, ir-|in, into, towards, inside  |influence, influx, imbibe              |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |infra-                  |below                      |infrared, infrastructure               |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |inter-                  |between, among             |interact, interchange                  |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |intra-                  |inside, within             |intramural, intravenous                |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |non-                    |absence, negation          |non-smoker, non-alcoholic              |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |ob-  |also oc-, of-, op-|blocking, against,         |obstruct, occult, offend, oppose       |
   |     |                  |concealing                 |                                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |out-                    |surpassing, exceeding      |outperform                             |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |external, away from        |outbuilding, outboard                  |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |over-                   |excessively, completely    |overconfident, overburdened, overjoyed |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |upper, outer, over, above  |overcoat, overcast                     |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |peri-                   |round, about               |perimeter                              |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |post-                   |after in time or order     |postpone                               |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |pre-                    |before in time, place,     |pre-adolescent, prelude, precondition  |
   |                        |order or importance        |                                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |pro-                    |favouring, in support of   |pro-African                            |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |acting for                 |proconsul                              |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |motion forwards or away    |propulsion                             |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |before in time, place or   |prologue                               |
   |                        |order                      |                                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |re-                     |again                      |repaint, reappraise, reawake           |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |semi-                   |half, partly               |semicircle, semi-conscious             |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |sub- |also suc-, suf-,  |at a lower position        |submarine, subsoil                     |
   |     |sug-, sup-, sur-, |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |     |sus-              |lower in rank              |sub-lieutenant                         |
   |     |                  |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |     |                  |nearly, approximately      |sub-tropical                           |
   |-----+------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |syn- |also sym-         |in union, acting together  |synchronize, symmetry                  |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |trans-                  |across, beyond             |transnational, transatlantic           |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |into a different state     |translate                              |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |ultra-                  |beyond                     |ultraviolet, ultrasonic                |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |extreme                    |ultramicroscopic                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |un-                     |not                        |unacceptable, unreal, unhappy, unmanned|
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |reversal or cancellation of|unplug, unmask                         |
   |                        |action or state            |                                       |
   |------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |under-                  |beneath, below             |underarm, undercarriage                |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |lower in rank              |undersecretary                         |
   |                        |---------------------------+---------------------------------------|
   |                        |not enough                 |underdeveloped                         |
   +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+