Prefixes in English: Examples, Defination, Types & Practice Exercise

A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word or base word to change its meaning and grammatical function. Prefixes in English are crucial for building vocabulary, enhance language skills and understanding the meanings of new words. Let’s see some examples.

Word	Prefix	Example
Happy	Un (unhappy)	I am unhappy that you are leaving tomorrow.
Like	Dis (dislike)	I dislike the new version of coffee.
Active	In (inactive)	She has become inactive from some time.

Also Read: Conjunctions in English Grammar

In Oxford dictionary, a prefix is defined “as a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.”

For instance, "un-" in "unhappy" changes the meaning of "happy" to its opposite. Prefixes can also indicate time, place, manner, or degree. It is pronounced as /ˈpriːfɪks/.

According to Cambridge dictionary, “Prefix is a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word to make a new word.”

For example, in the word "unimportant", "un-" is a prefix. Similarly, Eco-" is a prefix used to mean 'relating to the environment. It is pronounced as uk  /ˈpriː.fɪks/ /ˈpref.ɪks/ us  /ˈpriː.fɪks/.

Also Read: Antonyms: Meaning, Examples, Exceptions and Examples

 

Prefixes in Grammar can be broadly categorized into types like location and direction, time and sequence, quantity and size, and negative prefixes. Let’s take a look at them in detail with examples:

1. Negative Prefixes 

un-: Not, opposite of (e.g., unhappy, unusual)

non-: Not, without (e.g., non-fiction, non-refundable)

dis-: Not, opposite of (e.g., disagree, dislike)

il-, im-, in-, ir-: Not, without (e.g., illegal, impossible, incorrect, irregular)

Examples:

• She is unhappy to go there.
• She is fond of non-fiction
• I disagree with her on this point.
• It is impossible to reach there at 10 am.

 

2. Time and Sequence Prefixes:

pre-: Before (e.g., pre-arrangement, preview)

post-: After (e.g., post-war, post-script)

re-: Again, back (e.g., re-elect, re-do)

ex-: Former (e.g., ex-president)

Examples:

• I have previewed the film.
• The place is calm post-war.
• The teacher asked to re-do the test.
• The ex-president has been re-elected.

 

3. Location and Direction Prefixes:

inter-: Between, among (e.g., international, interact)

intra-: Within, inside (e.g., intravenous, intranet)

extra-: Outside of (e.g., extracurricular, extra-terrestrial)

under-: Below, not enough (e.g., underpaid, underdevelop)

over-: Above, too much (e.g., overcook, oversleep)

Examples:

• I love to interact with new people.
• The intranet of the office is slow.
• She is underpaid for the job.
• The rice is overcooked

 

4. Quantity and Size Prefixes:

mono-: One, single (e.g., monologue, monopoly)

bi-: Two (e.g., bicycle, binoculars)

tri-: Three (e.g., triangle, tripod)

multi-: Many (e.g., multiple, multitude)

micro-: Very small (e.g., microscope, microchip)

mega-, megalo-: Very large (e.g., megalopolis, megastructure)

Examples:

• This is China’s monopoly.
• I bought a new bicycle.
• Tripod is helpful in making videos.
• She knows multiple
• The phone has a microchip.
• India is building a new

 

5. Other Common Prefixes:

co-, com-, con-, cor-: Together (e.g., co-operate, communicate, connect, correct)

auto-: Self (e.g., autobiography, automobile)

de-: Down, away from (e.g., de-escalate, decode)

anti-: Against (e.g., anti-war, antibody)

Examples:

• She writes correct
• She is writing her autobiography.
• The government has de-escalated the issue.
• India has an anti-war

Also Read: Adverbs with Excercises and Examples

In English, prefixes only change the meaning of the word, without changing the word’s part of speech, meaning, adding a prefix to a verb still results in a verb.

Generally, prefixes are attached directly to the base word without changing its spelling. Hyphens are sometimes used to separate the prefix from the base word for better clarity or when the prefix ends in a vowel and the base word begins with the same vowel.

Let’s take a look at the rules and structure of using prefixes in detail:

The spelling of the base word is not changed when adding a prefix. For example, "un" + "happy" = "unhappy", and "co" + "operate" = "cooperate".

Hyphen is used in following cases:

• When the prefix ends in a vowel and the base word begins with the same vowel. For example, we should co-operate with the police.
• When a prefix is added to a proper noun. For example, the rules in the country are pro-Indian.
• When a prefix is added to a number. For example, this is her twenty-first
• When using "self" as a prefix. For example, her self-esteem is very high.
• Use a hyphen if a compound word could be misinterpreted for clarity or to avoid misreading. For example, She has completed her high-school.

Also Read: Prepositions Rules and Structure

In English, prefixes are generally added at the start of the word that change the meaning of the word without changing the spellings. However, there are few exceptions, which are as follows:

• Sometimes, a hyphen is used between the prefix and the verb. This happens when a prefix precedes a proper noun, a number, or the word "self". For example:

Prefix with Hyphen	Example
un-American (proper noun)	It is very un-American to not follow this regime.
pre-1947 (number)	My father has witnessed the pre-1947 era.
Self-respect (self before a root word)	It is important to stand for your self-respect.
Re-elect (prefix ends in the same vowel as the root word)	He was re-elected as our college president.

 

• Some prefixes, like ex- and non-, also require a hyphen when combined with a word. For example: Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam is the late ex-president of India; Our country believes in non-violence.
• When the prefix ‘in’, meaning "not" or "without", is added to a word that starts with the letters "l," "m," "p," or "r," it changes to il-, im-, or ir-, respectively. For example: It is illegal to use drone here; How can you be so irresponsible? ; It is impossible to catch the flight now.
• Certain prefixes have specific rules about which type of base word they can attach to. For example, the prefix re- meaning "again" is usually added to verbs.

Also Read: Paraphrasing Meaning, Tips and more

To master English prefixes, students should focus on recognizing their meanings. Also, understand when and where hyphens are to be used, and practice with various examples, are other ways to get expert at the usage of prefixes in English grammar.

Read widely to encounter prefixes in context and see how they're used.  Practice writing sentences using prefixes, and try to create new words with different prefixes.

If you're unsure about a particular prefix or its usage, consult a dictionary or grammar resource. You can also put to use various online resources available these days to study and understand the topic in detail.

Also Read: Articles in English Language

Prefixes and their meanings allow students to better understand the definitions of new words and improve the vocabulary. Students can follow the below mentioned ways to identify prefix in the sentence:

• Look for the part at the beginning of a word as Prefixes are always placed at the beginning of a root word.
• Notice the change in the meaning of the word as a prefix alters the meaning of the base word, for example, "un-" in "unhappy" changes the meaning from happy to not happy.
• The surrounding words and phrases can help you determine the meaning and the type of prefix that has been used.

Also Read: Precis Writing Tips in English Grammar