Prefixes are letters that you add to the front of a word in order to give it a different meaning. In many cases, it can actually completely reverse the original meaning of the word.[1]https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/prefixes
The Most Common English Prefixes
The 4 most common English prefixes are: dis-, in-, re-, and un-.
In fact, they make up around 58% of all English words with prefixes![2]https://howtospell-letterpatterns.co.uk/building-words-prefixes/
Dis-
This prefix means negative, not, or opposite.
For example:
- disadvantage
- disagree
- disappear
- disgrace
- dishonest
- dislike
- disloyal
- disobey
- dissatisfied
- distrust
In-
This prefix means negative, not, or opposite.
For example:
- inaccurate
- incompetent
- incomplete
- incorrect
- indecent
- indirect
- inefficient
- informal
- insecure
Re-
This prefix means reverse, back, or again.
For example:
- rebuild
- redo
- regain
- remodel
- repaint
- replay
- retell
- retry
- return
- reuse
- reword
Un-
This prefix means negative, not, or opposite.
For example:
- unable
- uncover
- unequal
- uneven
- unfair
- unkind
- untidy
- unusual
Hyphens
There isn’t any absolute rules for using hyphens with prefixes. The best way to known if there is a hyphen or not is to look in the dictionary.
However, there are some general rules including:
- Use a hyphen if the prefix comes before a capital letter such as anti-European.
- With single letter prefixes such as e-mail. However, this rule is also slowly changing.
- With a prefix that end in a vowel and come before a word starting in a vowel such as co-operate.
Some Common Prefixes
There are a lot of prefixes in English.
Below are some of the most common. If you memorize these prefixes, it can help you identify and understand words that you might have never seen before.
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
| anti- | against, opposite | antimatter |
| de- | opposite, remove | deactivate |
| il- | not | illegal |
| im- | not | impossible |
| ir- | not | irresponsible |
| non- | not | nonliving |
| un- | not | unable |
| fore- | before | foreman |
| pre- | before | preplan |
| em- | to make happen | empower |
| en- | to make happen | encircle |
| over- | to much, above | overreact |
| super- | above, beyond | superman |
| sub- | under | subpar |
| under- | under, not enough | underwater |
| inter- | between | interstate |
| mid- | middle | midway |
| mis- | wrong | misbehave |
| semi- | half, part | semicircle |
| trans- | across, change | transformational |
References