Word formation - prefixes (2)
Here is a list of some common prefixes, with their basic meaning in English and examples of words. If you have done exercise | 1 | you should have a reasonable understanding of how you can analyse words to find out what they mean. Please note that alternatives like in- il-, ir-, etc. are usually due to assimilation* A more advanced exercise is to try to use different prefixes with different "roots". Use a dictionary to find out whether your words exist or not. For example, how many of the listed prefixes can form words with the root -tract- ?
Prefix Meaning Example words       a- an- not, without amoral anarchy anaesthesia anonymous atheist atypical   ab- abs- away from, off abduct abnormal aboriginal abstain abstract   ad- ac- af- ag- al- an- ap- as- at-   to, towards accept admit adhesive adjust advertisement affix aggressive allude annex appendix assimilate attach attract   ante- anti- before A.M. (ante meridiem) anteroom antedate antediluvian anticipate   anti- against, opposite antibody antichrist antidepressant antifreeze antihero antisocial anti-war   auto- self autobiography autograph automatic automobile autonomous autopilot   bi- two bicycle bifocals bigamy bimonthly bisexual   circum- around circumflex circumcision circumference circumnavigate circumscribe circumstance   con- co- col- com- cor-   with, together collaborate compress combine contemporary contract cooperate copilot corrupt   contra- counter- against, opposite contraband contradict counteract counterplay   de- from, down, away decentralize decline defrost degenerate descend detach   dis- di- dif-   away, apart, not, no longer different diminish direct disadvantage disconnect discontinue discourage distract disused   ex- e- ef-   out, away, from, before efficient elect emit exclude ex-husband exit express extract   extra- exter-   (on the) outside external exterior extraordinary extraterrestrial extrasensory extravagant   hyper- over, above hype hyperactive hypersensitive hypersonic hypertext   hypo- below, less than, under hypodermic hypothermia hypothesis   in- il- im- ir- in, inside, into   indoors inject illuminate import irrigate inside inspect   in- il- im- ir- not, un- incompetent illegal impossible irrational irregular   inter- between interact international intercontinental interplanetary interrupt intervene   intra- intro- within, inside intracranial intramuscular intravenous introduce introvert   meta- of higher order or level metacognitive metaindex metadata metaphor metaphysical   macro- big macroeconomics   micro- small microbiology microscope Microsoft microwave   mis- bad, badly, wrong misbehave misfire misinform misinterpret mistake misuse   multi- many multi-billionaire multimedia multinational multiply multitask   neo- new neoclassic neocolonial neo-Nazism   non- not nonaddictive non-automatic noncritical nonsense nonsmoker   omni- all omnibus omnipotent omnipresent omnivorous   para- beside, against parachute paradox paragraph parallel parasol   per- through, completely perfect perforate permit perform perspire perverted   peri- around perimeter peripheral periscope   poly- many polyester polyglot polygamy polymorphous Polynesia   re- back, again readjust redo reread return rewind rewrite   semi- half semicircular semiconscious semidarkness semifinal   sub- suc- suf- sug- sup- sus-   under, below, from below subcommittee subconscious subway submarine successive suffix suggest suppose sustain   super-   above, over super superb superior superficial superman supermarket   syn- sym- together synchronous syndicate synergy synonym symbiosis sympathy symphony   tele- at a distance telecom telegraph telephone telepathy telescope television   trans- across transaction transatlantic translate transmit transport transsexual