Affixes
An affix can be added to the root of a word to change its meaning. An affix added to the front of
a word is known as a prefix. One added to the back is known as a suffix. Here are a few affixes:
Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Prefix Meaning Prefix Meaning
a- not or without eco- natural environment mis(o)- negative sense; hatred
nation; people;
ab- off; away; from ethno- multi- many
culture
direction to; reduction
out; upward; removal;
ad- or change into; addition ex- neo- new
former
or increase
ambi- on both sides; around extra- outside; beyond non- not
ante- before or preceding fore- before; in front of opto- vision or light
audi- hearing or sound geo- the earth photo- light
bene- good or well hetero- different or other pre- before; in front of
bi- two homo- the same; human post- after
biblio- a book or books hydr- water pro- in favor of; support
excessive; above
bio- life; living things hyper- quadr- four; square
normal
centi- one hundredth hypo- under; below normal re- again; back
chrom- color ideo- idea semi- half; a part
il-/im-/
chron- time not; without; in; into son(o)- sound
in-/ ir-
co(m)- joint; mutual inter- between; among sub- low position; somewhat
above; beyond; great/
contra- against intra- on the inside; within super-
large; of a higher kind
computer
cyber- intro- into; inwards tele- to or at a distance
communication
de- remove or reduce macro- long or large tri- three
demi- half; partially mal- improperly; badly ultra- beyond; extreme
demo- the people mega- large or great un- not; reversal of state
di- twice; two; double micro- small uni- one
dif/dis- negative sense milli- a thousand xeno- foreign; different
dys- bad; difficult mini- very small zoo- animal; animal life
Suffixes
Suffix Meaning Suffix Meaning Suffix Meaning
-able full of; characterized
able to be (adj.) -escent becoming (adj.) -lent
-ible by (adj.)
from a place (adj.)
-ac/-ic like; pertaining to (adj.) -ese -less without (adj.)
language (n.)
-acious
full of (adj.) -esis action or process (n.) -logy subject of study (n.)
-icious
-age forming nouns (n.) -est superlative form -ly in this manner (adv.)
an action resulting in a
-al pertaining to (adj.) -fic making or doing (adj.) -ment
state (n.)
-an(e) of or belonging to
-ful full of (adj.) -ness state or condition (n.)
-ian something (n. & adj.)
-ant
full of (adj.) -fy to make (v.) -oid resembling; like (adj.)
-ent
Descriptive sciences;
-archy type of government (n.) -graphy -ose full of (adj.)
writing; images (n.)
like; connected with group of people;
-ary -hood -osis condition (n.)
(adj.) condition; quality (n.)
producing/bearing
-ate to make (v.) -iferous -ous full of (adj.)
(adj.)
pertaining to; capable
-ation that which is (n.) -il(e) -phile lover of something (n.)
of (adj.)
something/someone
like; pertaining to extreme fear; dislike
-cide that kills ; an act of -ine -phobia
(adj.); some nouns of something (n.)
killing (n.)
present participle (v.)
government; rule;
-cracy -ing causing; affecting -phone -sound (n.)
influence (n.)
(participial adjective)
-cy state of being (n.) -ism doctrine; belief (n.) -polis city (n.)
-dom state; condition (n.) -ist dealer; doer (n.) -ry action; place; state (n.)
signals past tense (v.)
-ed having; affected by -ity state of being (n.) -ship quality or state (n.)
(participial adjective)
-(e)er
person who (n.) -ive like (adj.) -tude state of (n.)
-or
full of (adj.)
-ence state or quality (n.) -ize to make (v.) -y
state; entity (n.)