
Prefixes
The meaning of the following common prefixes may help you both to understand words and to build them.
Prefixes
a— stands for on, in, or at
atop, alike
a— onward or away (especially for verbs of motion)
arise, awake
a— not or without
amoral, agnostic
a— to or into a state
agree, avenge
ab— off, away, or from
absent, abstain
ad— to, towards, addition, or change into
adapt, adhere, advance
aero— air or aviation
aerate, aerobics, aeroplane
al—, all— everyone or everything
all-day, all night, all-purpose, all right
almost, alone, already, also, altogether
al— to, towards, addition, or change into (similar to ad—)
alliterate, allocate, allotment, allow
an— without or not
anarchy, anorexia
an— on, adjacent, or attached
ancestor, anchor, ankle
ambi— both, around, or uncertain
ambidextrous, ambiguous
ana— anew, again, up, or back
analyst, analogy
ante— before
antecedent, antedate
anti— opposite, against
antibody, anticlockwise
arch— superior
archbishop, archduke
Exercise
- Can you think of more examples for each prefix?