PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES
unimaginativetasteless
un-imagine-ativetaste-less
to form rootto formrootto form adjective
the oppositewordthe adjectivewordmeaning “without”
PrefixesMeaningExample
un-oppositeuncommon
in-oppositeincorrect
over-toomuchoversleep
SuffixesMeaningExample
-lesswithoutdefenseless
-iveconstructive
-ablefashionable
adjective
-iblehorrible
-oushumorous
-lyadverbslowly
PREFIXES (Adjectives)
PrefixMeaningExample
un-oppositeuncomfortable / unjust
in-oppositeinconvenient / inedible
*becomes im- before a root beginning with “m” or “p”immature / impatient
*becomes ir- before a word beginning with “r”irreplaceable / irreversible
*becomes il- before a word beginning with “l”illegal / illegible
dis-oppositedissimilar / disloyal
PREFIXES (Verbs)
PrefixesMeaningExamples
dis-opposite (to reverse the action of the verb)disagree, disapprove,
disbelieve, disconnect,
discredit, dislike,
dismount, disprove, etc.
un-opposite (to reverse the action of the verb)unbend, undo, undress,
unfold, unload, unlock,
unveil, unwrap, unzip.
OTHER PREFIXES
PrefixMeaningExamples
antiagainstanti-war, antisocial, antibiotic
autoof or by oneselfautograph, auto-pilot, autobiography
bitwo, twicebicycle, bi-monthly, biannual
exformerex-wife, ex-student, ex-president
exout ofextract, exhale, excommunicate
microsmallmicro-computer, microwave
misbadly/ wronglymisunderstand, mistranslate
monoone/ singlemonologue, monogamous
multimanymulti-national, multi-purpose
overtoomuchoverdo, overtired, oversleep
postafterpostwar, postgraduate
proinfavourofpro-government, pro-revolutionary
pseudofalsepseudo-scientific
reagainorbackretype, reread, replace, rewind
semihalfsemicircular, semi-final
subundersubway, submarine, subdivision
undernotenoughunderworked, underused
SUFFIXES (Common Nouns)
SuffixMeaningExamples
-erwriter, worker, shopper
the person who does an activity
-oractor, operator, sailor
-erpencil-sharpener, grater
things which do a particular job
-orprojector
-er/-eeperson who receives oremployer/employee
experiences the actionsender/addressee
-(t)ionto make nouns from verbscomplication, pollution
-ist [person]people’s politics, beliefs andMarxism, Buddhism,
ideologies, and sometimesjournalism, anarchist,
-ism [activitytheir professionphysicist, terrorist
or ideology]
-istpeople who play musical
instrumentspianist, violinist, cellist
-nessto make nouns from adjectivesgoodness, readiness,
sadness, weakness
SUFFIXES (Adjectives)
SuffixMeaningExamples
-able /-ible“can be done”drinkable, washable, readable,
recognizable, countable, forgivable,
edible, flexible
SUFFIXES (Verbs)
SuffixMeaningExamples
-ise (or –ize)makes verbs from adjectivesmodernize,
commercialize,
industrialize
OTHER SUFFIXES
-ment(nouns)excitement, enjoyment, replacement
-ity(nouns)flexibility, productivity, scarcity
-hood(abstract nouns especially
family terms)childhood, motherhood
-ship(abstract nouns especially
status)friendship, partnership, membership
-ive(adjectives)passive, productive, active
-al(adjectives)brutal, legal
(nouns)refusal, arrival
-ous(adjectives)delicious, outrageous, furious
-ful(adjectives)forgetful, hopeful, useful
-less(adjectives)useless, harmless, cloudless
-ify(verbs)beautify, purify, terrify
NOTE: the informal suffix –ish, which can be added to most common adjectives, ages and times to make them less precise, e.g. She’s thirtyish. He has reddish hair. Come about eightish.