Prefixes and Suffixes 

(One Paragraph on Each) 

Formatted for Computer-Voice and Text by Paragraph.


A, means in, on, of, or to. Abed means in bed. 

A, ab, or abs, mean from, or away. Abrade means wear off. Absent means away, not present.

A, or an, mean lacking, or not. Asymptomatic means showing no symptoms. Anaerobic means able to live without air.

Ad, ac, af, ag, al, an, ap, ar, as, or at, mean to, or toward. Accost means approach and speak to. Adjunct means something added to.

Ambi, or amphi, mean around, or both. Ambidextrous means using both hands equally. Amphibious means living both in water and on land.

Ana, means up, again, anew, or throughout. Analyze means loosen up, or break up into parts. Anagram means a word spelled by mixing up letters of another word.

Ante, means before. Antediluvian means before the Flood.

Anti, means against. Antiwar means against war.

Arch, means first, or chief. Archetype means first model.

Auto, means self. Automobile means a self-moving vehicle.

Bene, or ben, means good, or well. Benefactor means one who does good deeds.

Bi, means two. Bilateral means two-sided.

Circum, means around. Circumnavigate means sail around.

Com, co, col, con, or cor, means with, or together. Concentrate means bring closer together. Cooperate means work with. Collapse means fall together.

Contra, contro, or counter, mean against. Contradict means speak against. Counterclockwise means against the clock.

De, means away from, down, or opposite of. Detract means draw away from.

Demi, means half. Demitasse means half cup.

Di, means twice, or double. Dichromatic means having two colors.

Dys, means bad, or poor. Dyslexia means poor reading.

Equi, means equal. Equivalent means of equal value.

Ex, e, or ef, mean from, or out. Expatriate means one who lives outside his native country. Emit means to send out.

Extra, means outside, or beyond. Extraterrestrial means from beyond the earth.

Fore, means in front of, or beyond. Forecast means to tell ahead of time. Foreleg means front leg.

Geo, means earth. Geography means the science of the earth’s surface. 

Homo, means same, or like. Homophonic means sounding the same.

Hyper, means too much, or over. Hyperactive means overly active.

Hypo, means too little, or under. Hypothermia means state of having too little body heat.

In, il, ig, im, or ir, mean not. Innocent means not guilty. Illogical means not logical. Ignorant means not knowing. Irresponsible means not responsible.

In, il, im, or ir, mean on, into, or in. Impose means to place on. Invade means to go into.

Inter, means between, or among. Interplanetary means between planets.

Intra, or intro, means within, or inside. Intrastate means within a state.

Mal, or male, mean bad, wrong, or poor. Maladjust means to adjust poorly. Malevolent means ill-wishing.

Mis, means badly, or wrongly. Misunderstand means to understand wrongly.

Mis, or miso, means hatred. Misogyny means hatred of women.

Mono, means single, or one. Monorail means a train that runs on a single rail.

Neo, means new. Neolithic means of the New Stone Age.

Non, means not. Nonentity means a nobody.

Ob, means over, against, or toward. Obstruct means to stand against.

Omni, means all. Omnipresent means present in all places.

Pan, means all. Panorama means a complete view.

Peri, means around, or near. Periscope means a device for seeing all around.

Poly, means many. Polygonal means many sided.

Post, means after. Postmortem means after death.

Pre, means before, or earlier than. Prejudice means judgement in advance.

Pro, means in favor of, forward, or in front of. Prowar means in favor of war. Proceed means to go forward.

Re, means back, or again. Reimburse means pay back. Rethink means think again.

Retro, means backward. Retrospective means looking backward.

Se, means apart, or away. Seclude means to keep away.

Semi, means half. Semiconscious means half conscious.

Sub, suc, suf, sug, or sus, mean under, or beneath. Subscribe means write underneath. Suffer means to undergo. Suspend means to hang down. 

Super, means above, or greater. Superfluous means overflowing, beyond what is needed.

Syn, sym, syl, sys, means with, or at the same time. Synthesis means putting together. Sympathy means a feeling with. 

Tele, means far. Television means a machine for seeing far.

Trans, means across. Transport means carry across a distance. 

Ult, means beyond, or last. Ultramarine means beyond the sea. 

Un, means not. Uninformed means not informed.

Vice, means acting for, or next in rank to. Viceroy means one acting  for the king.


Able, or ible, mean able, or capable. Acceptable means able to be accepted.

Acious, or cious, mean characterized by, or having the quality of. Fallacious means having the quality of a fallacy.

Age, means sum, or total. Mileage means the total number of miles.

Al, means of, like, or suitable for. Theatrical means suitable for theater.

Ance, or ancy mean act, or state of. Disturbance is an act of disturbing.

Ant, or ent, mean one who. Defendant means one who defends himself.

Ary, or ar, mean having the nature of, or concerning. Military means relating to soldiers. Polar means concerning the pole.

Cise, or cide, mean cut, or kill. Herbacide means plant killer.

Cy, means act, state, or position of. Presidency means position of president. Ascendency means state of being raised up.

Dom, means state, rank, or that which belongs to. Wisdom means state of being wise.

Ence, means act, state, or quality of. Dependence means state of depending.

Er, or or, mean one who, or that which. Doer means one who does. Conductor means that which conducts.

Escent, means becoming. Obsolescent means becoming obsolete.

Fy, means to make. Pacify means to make peaceful.

Hood, means state, or condition. Adulthood means the state of being adult.

Ic, or ac, mean of, or like. Demonic means of or like a demon.

Il, or ile, mean having to do with, like, or suitable for. Civil means having to do with citizens. Tactile means having to do with touch. 

Ion, means act of, or condition of. Operation means act of operating.

Ious, means having, or characterized by. Anxious means characterized by anxiety.

Ish, means like, or somewhat. Foolish means like a fool.

Ism, means belief of, or practice of. Racism means belief in racial superiority.

Ist, means one who does, one who makes, or one who is concerned with. Scientist means one who is concerned with science.

Ity, ty, or y, means character of, or state of being. Amity means friendship. Jealousy means state of being jealous.

Ive, means of, relating to, or tending to. Destructive means tending to destroy. 

Logue, or loquy, mean speech, or writing. Monologue means speech by one person. Colloquy means conversation.

Logy, means speech, or study of. Geology means study of the earth. 

Ment, means act of state of. Abandonment means act of abandoning.

Mony, means a resulting thing, condition, or state. Patrimony means property inherited from ones father.

Ness, means act or quality. Kindness means quality of being kind.

Ory, means having the quality of, or a place or thing for. Compensatory means having the quality of a compensation. Lavatory means a place for washing.

Ous, or ose, mean full of, or having. Glamorous means full of glamour. 

Ship, means skill, or state of being. Horsemanship means skill in riding. Ownership means the state of being an owner.

Some, means full of, or like. Frolicsome means playful.

Tude, means state or quality of. Rectitude means state of being morally upright.

Ward, means in the direction of. Homeward means in the direction of home.

Y, means full of, like, or somewhat. Wily means full of wiles.