PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES
unimaginative
un-
to form
the opposite
tasteless
imagine
-ative
taste
-less
root
word
to form
the adjective
root
word
to form adjective
meaning “without”
Prefixes
Meaning
Example
un-
opposite
uncommon
in-
opposite
incorrect
over-
too much
oversleep
Suffixes
Meaning
Example
-less
without
defenseless
-ive
constructive
-able
fashionable
adjective
-ible
horrible
-ous
humorous
-ly
adverb
slowly
PREFIXES (Adjectives)
Prefix
Meaning
Example
un-
opposite
uncomfortable / unjust
in-
opposite
inconvenient / inedible
*becomes im- before a root beginning with “m” or “p”
*becomes ir- before a word beginning with “r”
*becomes il- before a word beginning with “l”
immature / impatient
irreplaceable / irreversible
illegal / illegible
dis-
dissimilar / disloyal
opposite
PREFIXES (Verbs)
Prefixes
Meaning
Examples
dis-
opposite (to reverse the action of the verb)
disagree, disapprove,
disbelieve, disconnect,
discredit, dislike,
dismount, disprove, etc.
un-
opposite (to reverse the action of the verb)
unbend, undo, undress,
unfold, unload, unlock,
unveil, unwrap, unzip.
OTHER PREFIXES
Prefix
Meaning
Examples
anti
against
anti-war, antisocial, antibiotic
auto
of or by oneself
autograph, auto-pilot, autobiography
bi
two, twice
bicycle, bi-monthly, biannual
ex
former
ex-wife, ex-student, ex-president
ex
out of
extract, exhale, excommunicate
micro
small
micro-computer, microwave
mis
badly / wrongly
misunderstand, mistranslate
mono
one / single
monologue, monogamous
multi
many
multi-national, multi-purpose
over
too much
overdo, overtired, oversleep
post
after
postwar, postgraduate
pro
in favour of
pro-government, pro-revolutionary
pseudo
false
pseudo-scientific
re
again or back
retype, reread, replace, rewind
semi
half
semicircular, semi-final
sub
under
subway, submarine, subdivision
under
not enough
underworked, underused
SUFFIXES (Common Nouns)
Suffix
Meaning
-er
Examples
writer, worker, shopper
the person who does an activity
-or
actor, operator, sailor
-er
pencil-sharpener, grater
things which do a particular job
-or
projector
-er/-ee
person who receives or
experiences the action
employer/employee
sender/addressee
-(t)ion
to make nouns from verbs
complication, pollution
-ist [person]
people’s politics, beliefs and
ideologies, and sometimes
their profession
Marxism, Buddhism,
journalism, anarchist,
-ism [activity
physicist, terrorist
or ideology]
-ist
-ness
people who play musical
instruments
to make nouns from adjectives
pianist, violinist, cellist
goodness, readiness,
sadness, weakness
SUFFIXES (Adjectives)
Suffix
Meaning
Examples
-able /-ible
“can be done”
drinkable, washable, readable,
recognizable, countable, forgivable,
edible, flexible
SUFFIXES (Verbs)
Suffix
Meaning
Examples
-ise (or –ize)
makes verbs from adjectives
modernize,
commercialize,
industrialize
OTHER SUFFIXES
-ment
(nouns)
excitement, enjoyment, replacement
-ity
(nouns)
flexibility, productivity, scarcity
-hood
(abstract nouns especially
family terms)
childhood, motherhood
(abstract nouns especially
status)
friendship, partnership, membership
-ive
(adjectives)
passive, productive, active
-al
(adjectives)
(nouns)
brutal, legal
refusal, arrival
-ous
(adjectives)
delicious, outrageous, furious
-ful
(adjectives)
forgetful, hopeful, useful
-less
(adjectives)
useless, harmless, cloudless
-ify
(verbs)
beautify, purify, terrify
-ship
NOTE: the informal suffix –ish, which can be added to most common
adjectives, ages and times to make them less precise, e.g. She’s thirtyish.
He has reddish hair. Come about eightish.