english prefixes to improve your vocabulary
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ENGLISH PREFIXES
TO IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY
PREFIXES
English has many common word parts: prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
PREFIXES
If you learn some of these word parts, it will be easier for you to figure out the meanings of new words.
WORD PARTS = VOCABULARY POWER!
PREFIXES
We can add a prefix to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.
UN (not) + KIND = UNKIND (not kind)
A-AN-
Examples: atypical amoral anarchy
Meaning:“not” or “without”
ANTI-
Examples: antisocial antibiotic antiwar
Meaning:“against”
BENE-
Examples: benefit benefactor benediction
Meaning:“good”
BI-
Examples: bicycle bilingual bisexual
Meaning:“two”
CIRCUM-
Examples: circumference circumstance circumnavigate
Meaning:“around”
COM- CON- COL- COR- CO-
Examples: combine connect collect correspond cooperate
Meaning:“together”
CONTRA-COUNTER-
Examples: contrast contradict counteract
Meaning:“against”
IL- IM- IN- IR-
Examples: illiterate impossible ineffective irreplaceable
Meaning 1:“not”
IL- IM- IN- IR-
Examples: illuminate immerse invade irradiate
Meaning 2:“in; enter”
INTER-
Examples: international intervene interview
Meaning:“between”
INTRO-INTRA-
Examples: introduce intravenous
Meaning:“inside”
MICRO-
Examples: microscope microwave microphone
Meaning:“small”
MIS-
Examples: mistake misunderstand misspell
Meaning:“wrong”
MON(O)-
Examples: monarchy monotone monopoly
Meaning:“one”
POLY-
Examples: polygon Polynesia polymer
Meaning:“many”
POST-
Examples: postgame postgraduate postlude
Meaning:“after”
PRE-
Examples: preview prehistoric prepare
Meaning:“before”
RE-
Examples: recycle return recite
Meaning:“again”
SUB- SUP- SUS-
Examples: submarine support sustain
Meaning:“below”
SUPER-
Examples: superior supervise supermarket
Meaning:“above, beyond”
SYN- SYM- SYL-
Examples: synthesis symphony syllable
Meaning:“with”
TRANS-
Examples: transportation trans-Atlantic transfer
Meaning:“across”
UN-
Examples: unkind unfair untie
Meaning:“not”