Introduction
As you expand your vocabulary, you may come across many unfamiliar words. One effective way to improve your understanding of new words is to learn prefixes. Prefixes are an essential component of the English language that can help you to decode and comprehend new words. In this article, we will delve into what prefixes are, and how they work, and provide some examples to help you better understand them.
What are prefixes?
A prefix is a group of letters that are added to the beginning of a word, thereby changing its meaning. Prefixes are used in combination with root words to create new words. The prefix comes before the root word and helps to modify its meaning. In most cases, prefixes are added to the beginning of a word without changing the spelling of the original word.
Types of Prefixes
There are two primary types of prefixes, namely, derivational and inflectional prefixes.
Derivational Prefixes
Derivational prefixes change the meaning of the original word and create a new word. They are often used to form adjectives, verbs, and nouns. Here are some examples of common derivational prefixes:
- Un- (e.g., Unhappy, Unkind)
- Pre- (e.g., Precaution, Preheat)
- In- (e.g., Incomplete, Inaccurate)
- Re- (e.g., Reuse, Rebuild)
Inflectional Prefixes
Inflectional prefixes, on the other hand, do not change the meaning of the original word but rather alter its tense, number, or gender. Some common inflectional prefixes include:
- Dis- (e.g., Disagree, Disappear)
- Mis- (e.g., Misunderstand, Misbehave)
- Non- (e.g., Nonsense, Nonfiction)
- Anti- (e.g., Antisocial, Antifreeze)
Negative Prefixes
Negative prefixes change the meaning of a word to its opposite. Some common negative prefixes include:
- “un-” (e.g. unhappy)
- “dis-” (e.g. disagree)
- “in-” (e.g. incorrect)
Time and Number Prefixes
Time and number prefixes indicate the time or number of something. Some common time and number prefixes include:
- “pre-” (e.g. prehistoric)
- “post-” (e.g. postgraduate)
- “bi-” (e.g. bicycle)
Direction and Position Prefixes
Direction and position prefixes indicate the direction or position of something. Some common direction and position prefixes include:
- “sub-” (e.g. submarine)
- “super-” (e.g. superstar)
- “inter-” (e.g. international)
Examples of Prefixes and Their Meanings
Now that we have established the types of prefixes let’s take a look at some examples of prefixes and their meanings.
Un-
The prefix “un-” means “not.” It is often added to adjectives to create their antonyms. For example:
- Happy (root word) + Un- = Unhappy (new word)
- Kind (root word) + Un- = Unkind (new word)
Pre-
The prefix “pre-” means “before.” It is often added to verbs and nouns to indicate something that comes before the main action or event. For example:
- Heat (root word) + Pre- = Preheat (new word)
- Caution (root word) + Pre- = Precaution (new word)
In-
The prefix “in-” can mean “not,” “opposite,” or “inside.” It is often added to adjectives to create their opposites. For example:
- Complete (root word) + In- = Incomplete (new word)
- Accurate (root word) + In- = Inaccurate (new word)
Re-
The prefix “re-” means “again” or “back.” It is often added to verbs to indicate that an action is being repeated. For example:
- Use (root word) + Re- = Reuse (new word)
- Build (root word) + Re- = Rebuild (new word)
More Examples with Meanings:
- Anti-: against, opposite (e.g., antifreeze, antithesis)
- De-: opposite, reverse, reduce (e.g., deactivate, defrost)
- Dis-: opposite, not (e.g., disagree, disconnect)
- En-: put into, make, provide with (e.g., enclose, empower)
- Ex-: former, out of, away from (e.g., ex-president, exit)
- Fore-: before, in front of (e.g., forecast, forehead)
- Im-: not, opposite of, without (e.g., impossible, immoral)
- In-: not, opposite of (e.g., incorrect, incomplete)
- Inter-: between, among (e.g., interact, international)
- Mis-: wrongly, badly (e.g., misinterpret, misunderstand)
- Non-: not, without (e.g., nonsense, nonfiction)
- Pre-: before, earlier than (e.g., prehistoric, preview)
- Re-: again, back (e.g., rewrite, return)
- Sub-: under, below (e.g., submarine, submerge)
- Super-: above, beyond (e.g., superstar, supernatural)
- Trans-: across, beyond (e.g., transport, transatlantic)
- Un-: not, opposite of (e.g., unhappy, unwilling)
Here are some more examples of words with prefixes:
- Unhappy: The prefix “un-” changes the meaning of the word “happy” to its opposite, meaning not happy.
- Prehistoric: The prefix “pre-” indicates the time period before recorded history.
- Disagree: The prefix “dis-” changes the meaning of the word “agree” to its opposite, meaning not to agree.
- Submarine: The prefix “sub-” indicates the position of the object underwater.
- Postgraduate: The prefix “post-” indicates the time period after graduation.
List of Common Prefixes
Here is a list of some common prefixes in the English language, organized by type:
Negative Prefixes
- Un- (e.g. unhappy, unkind)
- Dis- (e.g. disagree, discomfort)
- In- (e.g. incorrect, inability)
Time and Number Prefixes
- Pre- (e.g. prehistoric, preview)
- Post- (e.g. postgraduate, postscript)
- Bi- (e.g. bicycle, bipedal)
- Tri- (e.g. tricycle, triangle)
- Quad- (e.g. quadrilateral, quadruple)
Direction and Position Prefixes
- Sub- (e.g. submarine, subterranean)
- Super- (e.g. superstar, supernatural)
- Inter- (e.g. international, interstellar)
- Intra- (e.g. intranet, intravenous)
Degree and Intensity Prefixes
- Hyper- (e.g. hyperactive, hypersensitive)
- Hypo- (e.g. hypodermic, hypoglycemia)
- Mega- (e.g. megaphone, megawatt)
- Micro- (e.g. microscope, microcosm)
Size Prefixes
- Macro- (e.g. macroeconomics, macroscopic)
- Micro- (e.g. microbe, microwave)
- Mega- (e.g. megabyte, megapixel)
Color Prefixes
- Chromo- (e.g. chromatic, chromosome)
- Melano- (e.g. melanin, melanoma)
- Leuko- (e.g. leukocyte, leukoderma)
How Prefixes Change Word Meanings
Prefixes can drastically change the meanings of words. For example, adding the prefix “un-” to the word “happy” changes it from a positive to a negative meaning, resulting in the word “unhappy.” Similarly, adding the prefix “pre-” to the word “view” creates the word “preview,” which means to see something before it is fully finished or released.
Negative prefixes such as “dis-” and “un-” can be used to create negative versions of words, such as “dislike” and “untrue.” Prefixes related to time and numbers, such as “pre-” and “post-,” can be used to indicate the timing of events, as in “prehistory” and “postgraduate.”
Direction and position prefixes such as “sub-” and “super-” can indicate a position relative to something else, as in “submarine” and “supermarket.” Degree and intensity prefixes such as “hyper-” and “hypo-” can indicate the degree of a characteristic, as in “hypertension” and “hypothermia.”
Size prefixes such as “micro-” and “macro-” can indicate size, as in “microscope” and “macroeconomics.” Color prefixes such as “chrom-” and “xanth-” can indicate color, as in “chromatic” and “xanthophyll.”
Using Prefixes in Writing and Speech
Using prefixes can greatly enhance your writing and speech, allowing you to express yourself more precisely and with greater nuance. By understanding the meanings of different prefixes, you can use them to create new words, modify existing words, and convey more complex ideas.
For example, instead of saying “I disagree with your point of view,” you could say “I’m sorry, but I must disapprove of your perspective.” By using the prefix “dis-” instead of “un-” or “not,” you convey a more forceful and intentional disagreement.
Similarly, instead of saying “I like this book, but it’s not as exciting as I thought it would be,” you could say “I appreciate this book, but it’s somewhat underwhelming.” By using the prefix “under-” instead of “not,” you convey a more nuanced and precise critique.
Overall, learning about prefixes and their meanings can greatly improve your language skills and allow you to communicate more effectively.
Tips for Learning Prefixes
Here are some tips that can help you to learn and remember prefixes:
- Create flashcards: Write the prefixes on one side of the card and the meaning on the other side. Quiz yourself regularly to reinforce your memory.
- Use online resources: There are many online resources that can help you to learn prefixes. Some websites provide lists of prefixes and their meanings.
- Read widely: As you read, take note of unfamiliar words and their prefixes. Try to work out the meaning of the word based on the prefix.
- Practice: Use prefixes in your writing and speaking to get comfortable with them.
By following these tips, you can become more confident in your use and understanding of prefixes.
FAQs
Q. Can a word have more than one prefix?
A. Yes, a word can have multiple prefixes. For example, “un-pre-dict-able.”
Q. Are there any rules for using prefixes?
A. While there are some general rules for using prefixes, there are many exceptions. It is best to learn prefixes in context to understand their meanings.
Q. Do prefixes always change the spelling of the root word?
A. No, in most cases, prefixes are added to the beginning of a word without changing its spelling.
Q. Are there any prefixes that are used more commonly than others?
A. Yes, some prefixes are more commonly used than others. For example, “un-” is a common prefix for creating antonyms.
Q. Can prefixes be used in combination with suffixes?
A. Yes, prefixes can be used in combination with suffixes to create new words. For example, “un-happy-ness.”
Conclusion
Prefixes are an important part of the English language. By understanding the different types of prefixes and their meanings, you can expand your vocabulary and improve your understanding of new words. With practice and dedication, you can become proficient in using prefixes and unlocking the meaning of unfamiliar words.