Prefix A-Z
A
ab,abs
from, away from
abduct lead away, kidnap, abjure renounce
ad, ac, af, ag, an, ap, ar, as, at
to, forward
accord agreement, harmony, affliction cause by distress, aggregation collection, annexation addition, appease bring toward peace, arraignment indictment, assumption arrogance, taking for granted, attendance presence, the persons present
ambi
both
ambiguous of double meaning, ambivalent having two conflicting emotions
an, a
without
anarchy lack of government, amoral without morals
ante
before
antecedent preceding event or word, antediluvian ancient
anti
against, opposite
antipathy hatred, antithetical exactly opposite
arch
chief, first
archetype original, archbishop chief bishop
B
be
over, thoroughly
bedaub smear over, befuddle confuse thoroughly
bi
two
bicameral composed of two houses, biennial every two years
C
cata
down
catastrophe disaster, cataract waterfall, catapult hurl
circum
around
circumnavigate sail around, circumspect cautious, circumscribe limit
com, co, col, con, cor
with, together
combine merge with, coeditor joint editor, collateral subordinate, connected, conference meeting, corroborate confirm
contra, contro
against
contravene conflict with, controversy dispute
D
de
down, away
debase lower in value, decadence deterioration
demi
partly, half
demigod partly divine being
di
two
dichotomy into two parts, dilemma choice between two bad alternatives
dia
across
diagonal across a figure, diameter distance across a circle
dis, dif
not, apart
discord lack of harmony, differ disagree
dys
faulty, bad
dysfunctional not functioning properly
E
ex, e
out
exit, exodus, emit give off something
extra, extro
beyond, outside
extracurricular beyond the curriculum, extraterritorial beyond a nation’s bounds, extrovert person interested in external objects and actions
H
hyper
above, excessively
hyperbole exaggeration, hyperventilate breath at an excessive rate
hypo
beneath, lower
hypoglycemia low blood sugar
I
in, il, im, ir
not
inefficient not efficient, inarticulate not clear or distinct, illegible not readable, impeccable not capable of sinning, irrevocable not able to be called back
in, il, im, ir
in, on, upon
invite call in , illustration something that makes clear, impression effect upon mind or feelings, irradiate shine upon
inter
between, among
intervene come between, international between nations, interjection a statement thrown in
intra, intro
within
intramural within a school, introvert person who turns within himself
M
macro
large, long
macrobiotic tending to prolong life, macrocosm the great world
mega
great, million
megalomania delusions of grandeur, megaton explosive force of a million tons of TNT
meta
involving change
metamorphosis change of form
micro
small
microcosm miniature universe, microscopic extremely small.
mis
bad, improper
misdemeanor minor crime, mischance unfortunate accident
mis
hatred
misanthrope person who hates mankind, misogynist woman-hater
mono
one
monarchy government of one ruler, monotheism belief in one god
multi
many
multifarious having many parts, multitudinous numerous
N
neo
new
neologism newly coined word, neophyte beginner
non
not
noncommittal undecided
O
ob, oc, of, op
against
obstruct block, occlude close, block out, offend insult, opponent someone who struggles against
olig
few
oligarchy government by a few
P
pan
all, every
panacea cure all, panorama unobstructed view in all directions
para
beyond, related
parallel similar, paraphrase restate, translate
per
through, completely
permeable allowing passage through, pervade spread throughout
peri
around, near
perimeter outer boundary, periphery edge
poly
many
polyglot speaking several languages
post
after
posthumous after death
pre
before
preamble introductory statement, premonition forewarning
prim
first
primordial existing at the dawn of time, primogeniture state of being the first born
pro
forward, in favour of
propulsive driving forward, proponent supporter
proto
first
prototype first of its kind
pseudo
false
pseudonym pen name
R
re
again, back
reiterate repeat, reimburse pay back
retro
backward
retrospect look back in time
S
se
away, aside
secede withdraw, seclude shut away
semi
half, partly
semiconscious partly conscious
sub, suc, suf, sug, sup, sus
under, less
subjugate bring under control, succumb yield, cease to resist, suffuse spread through, suggest hint, suppress put down by force, suspend delay, temporarily cease
super, sur
over, above
supernatural above natural things, surtax additional tax
syn, sym, syl, sys
with, together
synchronize time together, sympathize pity, identify with, syllogism explanation of how ideas relate, system network
T
tele
far
telegraphic communication over a distance
trans
across
transport carry across
U
ultra
beyond, excessive
ultra conservative exceedingly conservativel, ultraviolet
un
not
unkempt not combed, disheveled
under
below
underling someone inferior
uni
one
unison oneness of pitch, complete accord
V
vice
in place of
viceroy governor acting in place of a king
W
with
away, against
withstand stand up against, resist
