A prefix
is a series of letters that comes at the beginning of a word
and has a specific meaning. There are many prefixes in English, but in
this lesson we will focus on six of the most common.
When you see these prefixes, you will be able to understand the meaning
of the word more easily.
Josephine does not like to take pills, but she was very sick. The
doctor told her to take some antibiotics.
An antibiotic
is a medicine that fights bacteria. The prefix anti-
means "against."
Here are some more common words with this prefix:
climax
anticlimax
war
antiwar
virus
antivirus
corruption
anticorruption
Again, you will not always find an exact opposite for words that begin
with anti-,
but knowing this prefix will help you understand the meaning of the
word.
2. Auto-
Madeleine is writing her autobiography.
She has had a very interesting life!
An autobiography
is a book someone writes about their own life. The prefix auto-
means "self."
Here are some more common words that begin with auto-:
automobile
autopilot
autograph
autonomous
automatic
autoimmune
When you see a word that begins with auto-, you can guess that it means
something about "self." Be sure to use a good dictionary to check the meaning of
the word. Do not guess!
3. Dis-
For example, when two people share the same opinion, we say that they agree. They have an agreement.
But, when the opposite is true, we say that they disagree.
They have a disagreement.
The prefix dis-
changes the meaning of the word. Dis-
means "reverse" or "remove."
Here are some more examples:
advantage
disadvantage
appear
disappear
ability
disability
approve
disapprove
comfort
discomfort
like
dislike
respect
disrespect
There
are many words in English that begin with this prefix. Although not all
of them have a direct opposite, like the words in the table, dis-
very often makes an opposite word.
4. Inter-
Agreements between different nations are called international
agreements.
The prefix inter-
means "between" or "among."
Here are some more common words that begin with inter-:
interact
intersect
interchange
interdependent
interface
interrelated
5. Sub-
India is a very large country. It is not a continent, but it is a subcontinent.
Sub-
means "under," "below," or "less."
Here are some more common words that begin with sub-:
subconscious
subsoil
subterranean
submarine
subcategory
submissive
subordinate
6. Un-
Roberta is unhappy
today.
The prefix un-
usually means "not." This is a very common English prefix, and you will
see it very often.
Here are some more common words that begin with un-:
unnecessary
unequal
untie
undesirable
unexpected
unacceptable
unreal
unwanted
unplug
unpack
undo
unfinished
Review
So, let's review what we have learned about common English prefixes: