Home GRAMMAR PREFIXES-SUFFIXES: MEANING AND EXAMPLES

PREFIXES-SUFFIXES: MEANING AND EXAMPLES

Prefix-Suffix_English Grammar
PREFIXES

Prefix is an element which is added before the Base Word. For example, in the word ‘preview’, ‘pre’ is a prefix and ‘view’ is the Base word. Every prefix has its own meaning and we can form many new words by adding prefixes to the words. This process of word formation is known as ‘Prefixation’.


Important Prefixes:

Prefixes Meanings Examples
  Ambi Two, double, both Ambiguity, ambivert,  ambivalent
  Auto Self Autograph, autocorrect, autobiography
  Anti opposite Anti-social, anti-war, anti-environment
  Bio Related to life Biodiversity, biography, biopic
  Bi Two Bilingual, bimonthly, biweekly
  Pro Supportive Pro-war, proactive, pro-Indian
  Co With Co-author, co-worker, co-wife
  Counter Against Counter-attack, counter-argument
  De Remove Defrost, deforest, de-tan
  Dis Showing negative Discontinue, discontent, discomfort
  Extra Beyond extra-marital, extra-curricular, extraordinary
  Hyper Exceeding the limit Hypertension, hyperthyroidism
  Inter Between Inter-college, inter-state, inter-city
  Micro Fine, small Micro-economics, microscope, micro-organism
  Mini Short Mini-bus, mini-skirt, minimize
  Mis Wrongly Misuse, miscarriage, misspell, mispronounce
  Mono One Monogamy, monotone, monolingual
  Non Showing negative Non-cooperation, non-aided, non-qualified
  Over Too much Over-state, over-eat, over-react, over-smart
  Out Excel Outstanding, outdo, outlive
  Post After Post-war, Post-Covid, post-test
  Pre Before Pre-election, pre-test, pre-war
  Re Again Re-read, re-write, re-unite
  Semi Half Semi-circle, semi-final, semi-English
  Sub Under Sub-inspector, sub-type, sub-category
  Super Above Superheat, super-hit, super-flop
  Tele Remote Telephone, telecommunication, telecast
  Un Showing negative Unwanted, unbearable, unbelievable
  Under Too little Underestimate, undervalue, under-state
  Vice Next in rank Vice-principal, vice-president, vice-captain
  Mal Bad Maltreat, malfunction, malnutrition
  Tri Three Tri-Colour, triangle, trilingual


SUFFIXES
Suffix is an element which is added at the end of the Base Word. For example, in the word ‘wrongly’, ‘ly’ is a suffix and ‘wrong’ is the Base word. Every suffix has its own meaning and we can form many new words by adding suffixes to the words. This process of word formation is known as ‘Suffixation’.


Important Suffixes:

Suffixes Meaning Examples
  -able/-ible Having the quality of something Admissible, acceptable, permissible, practicable
  -al Related to something Logical, rational, seasonal
  -an/-ian Person associated with something Musician, Indian, technician
  -ant/-ent Something or someone Defendant, recipient, assistant
 -ance/-ence Action, or quality Tolerance, patience, acceptance
  -ar Related to something Tabular, circular, muscular
  -cide Killing Homicide, patricide, matricide
  -cy Quality Privacy, accuracy, urgency
  -ee Someone Detainee, employee, payee
  -en Made up of/make Earthen, wooden, lessen, blacken
  -er/-or Someone doing something Examiner, carpenter, actor, collector
  -ess Feminine gender Lioness, mistress, tigress
  -free Without Tension-free, dust-free, tax-free
  -ful Having quality Awful, wonderful, faithful
  -gamy Related to number of marriage Monogamy, Polygamy
  -hood State or condition Motherhood, boyhood, girlhood, manhood
  -ic Related to Photogenic, psychic, photographic
  -ify Make Nullify, fortify, qualify, magnify
  -ion Condition Jurisdiction, connection, satisfaction
  -ise/-ize Make Centralize, finalize, regularize
  -ish Belonging to or having the quality British, blackish, Irish, yellowish
  -ism Belief in philosophy of Pantheism, Marxism, secularism, romanticism
  -ist Person having faith in Pantheist, Marxist, secularist, romanticist
  -ity/-ty Quality Punctuality, regularity, honesty, amnesty
  -less Without Shameless, jobless, reckless, clueless
  -let Small size Piglet, droplet, pamphlet, booklet
  -logy Study of particular subject Psychology, penology, morphology, phonology, philology
  -ment Act Management, government, adjustment
  -ness Condition Tenderness, carefulness, wellness
  -ocracy Government Ochlocracy, democracy, bureaucracy
  -ous Quality Treacherous, dangerous, venomous
  -proof Intact Sound-proof, dust-proof, rust-proof, leak-proof
  -ship Position/skill Scholarship, kingship, penmanship
  -y Full of Cloudy, starry, rainy, windy
  -ly Manner of Slowly, gently, mainly, broadly, madly

ACTIVITY SET 1

Add suitable prefixes (mal, re, mis, im, un, ill) and suffixes (-tion, -less, -ance –able, -ment, -al) to the words given below.

Words Prefix Suffix
  Represent Misrepresent Representation
  Use Reuse, misuse Useless
  Perfect Imperfect Perfection
  Read Re-read, Unread Readable
  Important Unimportant Importance
  Settle Unsettle Settlement
  Treat Ill-treat Treatment
  Understand Misunderstand Understandable
  Exam Re-exam Examination
  Function Malfunction Functional

ACTIVITY SET 2

Add suitable prefixes (pre, hyper, de, over, dis, in) and suffixes (-ty, -cy, -ness, -tion, -free) to the words given below.

Words Prefix Suffix
  Determine Predetermine Determination
  Sensitive Hyper-sensitive Sensitivity
  Forest Deforest Forestation
  Smart Over-smart Smartness
  Satisfy Dissatisfy Satisfaction
  Frost Defrost Frosty
  Tension Hyper-tension Tension-free
  Active Inactive Activity, Activeness
  Historic Pre-historic Historicity
  Colonial De-colonial Colonialization

ACTIVITY SET 3

Add suitable prefixes (super, re, auto, bi, mono, work) and suffixes (-ous, -ism, -er, -tion, -ist, -ly) to the words given below.

Words Prefix Suffix
  Suggest Auto-suggest Suggestion
  Lingual Bi-lingual Linguist
  View Review Viewer
  Natural Supernatural Naturalism
  Tone Monotone Toner
  Week Workweek Weekly
  Play Replay Player
  Imagine Re-imagine Imagination
  Form Biform Formation
  Present Represent Presentation

ACTIVITY SET 4

Add suitable prefixes (un, semi, pro, extra, dis) and suffixes (-an, -less, -fy,-ment, -ar, -ness, -ous, -tion) to the words given below.

Words Prefix Suffix
  Dark Semi-dark Darkness
  America Pro-American American
  Count Extra-count Countless
  Continue Discontinue Continuous
  Agree Disagree Agreement
  Solid Semi-solid Solidify
  Active Pro-active Activeness
  Sophisticate
Unsophisticate Sophistication
  Circle Semi-circle Circular
  Content Discontent Contentment

ACTIVITY SET 5

Add suitable prefixes (im, inter, post, un, ir, de, auto, mis, en) and suffixes (-al, -like, -ity, -ance, -ed, -tion) to the words given below.

Words Prefix Suffix
  Nation Internation National
  War Post-war War-like
  Regular Irregular Regularity
  Permanent Impermanent Permanence
  Match Mismatch Matched
  Centralize Decentralize Centralization
  Biography Autobiography Biographical
  Parallel Unparallel Paralleled
  Balance Imbalance Balanced
  Tangle Entangle Tangled

also see:

ONLINE GRAMMAR QUIZZES with CERTIFICATES
ENGLISH GRAMMAR_1
ENGLISH GRAMMAR_2
GRAMMAR: SPOT THE ERROR
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS IN ENGLISH SPEAKING
WORD FORMATION PROCESSES
PHONETICS
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