Prefixes and Suffixes. Meaning, Definition, Rules and Examples List

Root words, prefixes, and suffixes form the foundation of the English language. Understanding them can significantly enhance your vocabulary and comprehension. This article will explore these fundamental components in detail.

What are Root Words?

Root words are the basic parts of a word without any prefixes or suffixes. They carry the core meaning of the word. For example, the root word "act" means "to do." From this root, we get words like "action," "react," and "actor."

What are Prefixes?

Prefixes are letters added to the beginning of a root word to change its meaning. Here are some common prefixes:

Un-: Means "not." Example: Unhappy (not happy)

Re-: Means "again." Example: Rewrite (write again)

Pre-: Means "before." Example: Predict (to say before)

Prefixes modify the meaning of the root word, giving it a new context.

1. Negative Prefixes

Prefix	Mainly Added To	Usual Meaning	Example Nouns, Adjectives, or Verbs
a-	adjectives	not, without	amoral, asexual
anti-	adjectives, nouns	against	antisocial, anti-war, antiseptic
counter-	adjectives, verbs, nouns	against	counteract, counter-revolution(ary)
de-	verbs	reversing action	defrost, deregulate
de-	verbs	take away	deforest
dis-	adjectives, verbs, nouns	not, opposite	disloyal, disappear, disorder, dishonest
dis-	verbs	reversing action	disconnect, disinfect
ex-	nouns	former	ex-husband
il-	adjectives	not, opposite (before L)	illegal, illegible
ill-	past participles	badly	ill-advised, ill-expressed
im-	adjectives	not, opposite (before M or P)	impatient, immoral, impossible, imperfect
in-	adjectives	not, opposite	incomplete, incorrect, indifferent, insensitive
ir-	adjectives	not, opposite (before R)	irregular, irrelevant, irrational, irresponsible
mal-	adjectives, verbs, nouns	bad(ly)	maltreat, malformed, malfunction, maladjusted
mis-	verbs, nouns	wrong(ly)	misunderstand, misconduct
non-	nouns, adjectives	not	non-alcoholic, non-smoker, non-stick
over-	adjectives, verbs	too much	over-confident, overeat, overweight, overdue
un-	adjectives, nouns	not, opposite	unhappy, uncertain, unexpected
un-	verbs	reverse action	untie, undress, unthinkable
under-	verbs	too little	underestimate
under-	participles	too little	under-developed, undercooked

2. Prefixes of Size

Prefix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Noun
hyper-	adj., nouns	extreme(ly)	hypercritical, hypertension, hyperactive
macro-	adj., nouns	large	macroeconomics, macromolecular
mega-	adj. (informal)	extremely	mega-rich
micro-	adj., nouns	very small	microlight (aircraft), micrometre
mini-	nouns	little	miniskirt, minicab
semi-	adj., nouns	half	semi-conscious, semicircle
super-	adj., nouns	more than, special	supernatural, supermarket, superhuman
ultra-	adj., nouns	extreme, beyond	ultra-modern, ultrasound

3. Prefixes of Location 

Prefix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Example
Anglo-	adj.	English	Anglo-American
eco-	adj., nouns	environment	eco-friendly, eco-tourism
Euro-	adj., nouns	European	Eurocentric, Europop
extra-	adj.	outside	extra-terrestrial
geo-	adj., nouns	earth	geothermal, geophysics
infra-	adj.	below	infra-red
inter-	adj., verbs	between, among	international, intermarry
mid-	nouns	in the middle of	mid-December, mid-afternoon
pan-	adj.	right across	pan-African, pandemic
peri-	adj., nouns	around	perinatal, perimeter
sub-	adj., nouns	below	sub-standard, subconscious, subway, subnormal
tele-	nouns	distant	telescope
trans-	adj., verbs	across	transatlantic, transplant

4. Prefixes of Time and Order

Prefix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Noun
ante-	adj., verbs, nouns	before	antenatal, antedate, anteroom
fore-	verbs, nouns	before	foretell, foreknowledge
neo-	adj., nouns	new(ly)	neo-classical, neo-Nazi
post-	adj., nouns	after	post-modern, post-war
pre-	adj., nouns	before	premarital, pre-war, preheat
retro-	adj., nouns	back towards the past	retroactive, retrograde

5. Other Prefixes

Prefix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Noun
arch-	nouns	supreme, most	archbishop, arch-enemy
auto-	adj., nouns	self	automatic, autobiography
co-	verbs, nouns	together (with)	co-operate, co-pilot
cyber-	nouns	computer, internet	cybercrime, cybercrime
e-	nouns	electronic, internet	email, e-commerce, e-book
en-	nouns	put in	endanger, encircle
adj.	make	enrich, enable
extra-	adj.	exceptionally	extra-special
photo-	adj., nouns	light	photoelectric, photosynthesis
pro-	adj., nouns	for, in favour of	pro-communist, pro-government
pseudo-	adj.	false	pseudo-academic
psycho-	adj., nouns	mind, mental	psycho-analysis
re-	verbs, nouns	again, back	rewrite, rebuild, reconstruction
socio-	adj., nouns	society	socio-economic
thermo-	adj., nouns	heat	thermos-electric, thermometer
vice-	nouns	deputy	vice-chairman

What are Suffixes?

Suffixes are letters added to the end of a root word. They often change the word's part of speech or its meaning. Common suffixes include:

-er: Indicates a person who does something. Example: Teacher (a person who teaches)

-ly: Turns adjectives into adverbs. Example: Quickly (in a quick manner)

-ness: Turns adjectives into nouns. Example: Happiness (the state of being happy)

Suffixes help us understand how a word is used in a sentence.

1. Noun Forming Suffixes

Suffix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Examples
-age	verbs	instance of	breakage, shrinkage, postage
-al	verbs	instance of	refusal, dismissal, arrival
-ance, -ancy	adj., verbs	process/state of	acceptance, resistance, performance, expectancy
-ar	verbs	sb who does sth	liar, beggar
-ate	verbs	group of people	electorate
-ation	verbs	process/state of	exploration, starvation
-ation	verbs	product of	organisation, foundation
-cy	adj., nouns	state/quality of being sth	accuracy, bankruptcy
-cy	adj., nouns	rank or position	baronetcy
-dom	nouns	territory / estate	kingdom, dukedom
-dom	adj.	condition / state	freedom, boredom
-ee	verbs	object of verb	payee, employee, trainee
-eer	nouns	sb that does/makes sth	engineer, profiteer, auctioneer
-ence, -ency	adj., verbs	process/state of	existence, independence, preference, presidency
-ent	adj., nouns	sb or sth that does sth	student, (p)resident, independent
-er	adj., nouns	belonging to	teenager, Londoner
-er	verbs	person/thing that does sth	dancer, writer, driver, scraper, starter
-ery, -ry	verbs	activity	bakery, refinery
-ery, -ry	adj., nouns	quality/condition	bravery, discovery, slavery
-ery, -ry	adj., nouns	kind of	finery, machinery
-ess	nouns	female	lioness, waitress
-ette	nouns	small	kitchenette
-ette	nouns	woman doing a job	usherette
-ette	nouns	not real but imitation	flannelette, leatherette
-ful	nouns	amount held in	mouthful, spoonful, cupful
-head	nouns	top of sth	pithead, letterhead
-head	nouns	place where sth begins	fountainhead
-hood	nouns	state / period of time	parenthood, childhood
-hood	nouns	group	boyhood, priesthood, brotherhood
-ing	nouns	quantity of material	carpeting, tubing
-ing	nouns	activity	farming, surfing
-ion, -sion, -tion	verbs	act/state/result of doing sth	attention, decision, election, extension, possession
-ism	nouns	belief or religion	socialism, Buddhism
-ism	nouns	action/process of doing sth	criticism
-ism	nouns	quality of action/remark	witticism
-ism	nouns	be/have quality	heroism, magnetism
-ism	nouns	illness caused by too much	alcoholism
-ism	nouns	treating people unfairly	sexism, racism
-itis	nouns	illness	tonsillitis
-itis	nouns	have too much (humour.)	televisionitis
-ity, -ty	adj.	quality of	elasticity, falsity, safety, certainty

2. Noun or Adjective Forming Suffixes 

Suffix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Examples
-an	nouns	sb or sth of, from	suburban, Republican, Moroccan, Roman
-ant	verbs	sb or sth that does sth	assistant, hesitant, pleasant, servant, tolerant
-ese	place nouns	inhabitant / language of	Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Milanese
-i(a)n	nouns	who practices	Dickensian, librarian, musician, historian
-ian	nouns	citizen of	Athenian, Parisian, Canadian, Malaysian, Peruvian
-ist	nouns	who believes	Buddhist, atheist, nationalist
-ist	nouns	who studies/plays/does	linguist, novelist, guitarist, machinist, pianist
-ist	nouns	who treats unfairly	sexist, racist
-ist	nouns	political/religious belief	socialist, rightist, leftist
-ite	place nouns	who lives /belongs to group	Brooklynite, Israelite
-ite	nouns	follower / political/religious	Reaganite, Pre-Raphaelite, Trotskyite

3. Verb Forming Suffixes 

Suffix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Noun - ate nouns; adj. causative; having a quality
-ate	Nouns; adjectives	Make or become	Orchestrate, chlorinate; activate, regulate
-en	Adjectives	Make or become	Darken, harden, deafen, ripen, strengthen
-ify	Adjectives, nouns	Make	Simplify, electrify
-ize / -ise	Adjectives, nouns	Various	Modernize, symbolize, realize, humanize

4. Adjective Forming Suffixes 

Suffix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Examples
able	Noun, verbs	Can be done	Changeable, drinkable, calculable, washable
al	Nouns	Having the quality of	Fashionable, changeable, comfortable
ar	Nouns	Related to	Logical, accidental, mechanical, professional
ate	Nouns	Full of, showing a quality	Affectionate, fortunate
centric	Nouns	Centered on	Eurocentric
ed	Nouns	Having the quality of	Wooded, pointed, blue-eyed
en	Nouns	Made of	Wooden, golden
ent	Nouns	That is or does something	Different, resident, sufficient
esque	Nouns	In the manner or style of	Kafkaesque, Romanesque
ful	Nouns	Full of, providing	Beautiful, careful, useful, helpful
i	Place nouns	Citizen of	Iraqi, Pakistani, Yemeni
ible	Verbs	Can be done	Comprehensible, responsible, visible
ic	Nouns	Related to	Islamic, automatic, mythic, electric
ical	Nouns	Related to	Electrical, musical, technological
ing	Verbs	Something that caused the feeling	Amazing, interesting
ish	Adj., nouns	Rather (like)	Reddish, childish, foolish, thirtyish
ive	Verbs	Can do/ does	Attractive, selective
less	Nouns	Without	Useless, endless, careless, ageless, powerless
let	Nouns	Small kind of	Booklet, piglet
like	Nouns	Like	Businesslike, lifelike, childlike
ling	Nouns	Small, young, or less important	Duckling, princeling
ly	Nouns	With the quality of	Lovely, friendly, motherly
or	Verbs	Does a particular thing	Explanatory, congratulatory, satisfactory, sensory
ous	Nouns	Having	Dangerous, virtuous, ambitious, luxurious
proof	Nouns	Protected/ -ing against	Bullet-proof, waterproof
some	Verbs	A tendency to, behave	Bothersome, fearsome, troublesome
ular	Nouns	Of or relating to	Triangular, glandular, tubular

5. Adverb Forming Suffixes 

Suffix	Mainly added to	Usual meaning	Noun
-ally	Verb	Adverb	basically, presumably
-ly	Adjective	Adverb	completely, beautifully,calmly
-ward(s)	Noun or Adjective	Adjective	backwards, forward, northward
-wise	Noun or Adjective	Noun	clockwise, crosswise, lengthwise

Combining Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes

By combining root words with prefixes and suffixes, we can create new words. Here’s an example using the root "cycle" (which means "circle" or "wheel"):

Bicycle: "Bi-" means two. A bicycle has two wheels.

Unicycle: "Uni-" means one. A unicycle has one wheel.

Cyclist: "-ist" refers to a person. A cyclist is someone who rides a cycle.

Why Understanding These Elements is Important. Knowing root words, prefixes, and suffixes helps you:

• Improve Vocabulary: You can deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words.
• Enhance Spelling Skills: Understanding the components of words makes spelling easier.
• Better Comprehension: Breaking down words helps you understand texts better.

Tips for Learning Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes

• Use Flashcards: Write down root words, prefixes, and suffixes on flashcards. Test yourself regularly.
• Read Regularly: Exposure to new words in context helps reinforce your learning.
• Practice Breaking Down Words: Whenever you encounter a new word, try to identify its root, prefix, and suffix.

Conclusion

Root words, prefixes, and suffixes are essential for mastering the English language. They help you expand your vocabulary and improve your understanding of word meanings. By learning these elements, you can become a more effective and confident communicator. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll find that you can decode and understand even the most complex words.