➖ Essential Prefixes ➖

Prefixes don't stand alone as their own words, but they significantly change a word's meaning when attached to the beginning. There are a variety of prefixes in English, and sometimes different prefixes have similar meaning. By learning common prefixes, you can understand how a word's meaning shifts or changes dramatically.

The word prefix derives from the ancient Latin prae, meaning before, and figere, meaning to fix. It entered English as a verb in the mid-16th century from the Old French prefixer and as a noun in the mid-17th century from the modern Latin praefixum.

Some common prefixes are: 

-re: to do again
example: reexamine

-un: not
example: unwilling

-pre: before
example: precaution

Memorize the following 10 prefixes to expand your vocabulary.

BI - two. E.g.: a) bicycle - vehicle with two wheels; b) binocular - involving or built for two eyes.

BIO - life. E.g.: a) biography - story of someone's life; b) biology - study of life or living matter.

CO - together or with. E.g.: a) coexist - to live together in peace; b) cohabitant - person living with another.

DIS - apart or away. E.g.: a) disappear - to vanish from sight; b) dislike - feeling of aversion or distaste.

EX - out of. E.g.: a) exclude - to deny someone access; b) exit - way out of somewhere. 

FORE - before. E.g.: a) forecast - to predict a future event; b) foreshadow - to indicate a future event.

IN - not or lacking. E.g.: a) inability - being unable to do something; b) inordinate - unusually large or excessive. 

INTER - between or among. E.g.: a) interactive - involving the actions of another; international - existing between two or more countries.

NON - not. E.g.: a) nonsense - words or language having no meaning; b) nonstop - continuing without pause.

SEMI - half or partly. E.g.: a) semiannual - ocurring twice a year; b) semiserious - partly serious.

Vocabulary Building Study Materials will help you:

- Master unfamiliar words by learning roots, prefixes, and suffixes ;
- Learn strategies to improve your vocabulary ;
- Identify unfamiliar words based on context ;
- Use words with greater precision ;
- Employ vocabulary essential for professional and personal settings .