A prefix is a word part that is added to the beginning of a word to make a new word that has a different meaning. Let’s look at some common prefixes.

Prefixes Often Used With Numbers

• uni or mono means one:
  • unicycle — has one wheel
  • unify — bring together into one group
  • monologue — a speech given by one person
  • monotone — uses one tone
• bi means two:
  • bicycle — has two wheels
  • biweekly — every two weeks
• tri means three:
  • tricycle — has three wheels
  • triangle — polygon with three sides and three angles
• quart means four
  • quartet — has four singers
  • quarter — four quarters in a dollar
• penta or quin means five:
  • pentagon — a polygon with five sides and five angles
  • pentagram — a star with five points
  • quintuplet — one of five children born to a mother from a single pregnancy
• ses or sex means six:
  • sextuplets — one of six children born to a mother from a single pregnancy
• sept means seven:
  • September — eighth month of the year
• octa means eight:
  • octagon — a polygon with eight sides
• non or nov means nine:
  • November — ninth month of the year
• deca means ten
  • decade — a unit of time equal to 10 years

General Prefixes

• a means without:
  • amoral — without morals
• anti means against, in opposition to:
  • antitoxin — used to work against toxins like snakebites
• con means against:
  • contradict — speak against what is being said
• dis means not:
  • disable — not able to use
• inter means between:
  • interact — to have an effect on or modify one another
• mal means evil or bad:
  • malcontent — someone who is never happy
• micro means small
  • microscope — used for viewing small things
• mis means goes wrong:
  • mistake — answer is wrong
• multi means many:
  • multitude — many people in a crowd
• omni means all:
  • omnipotent — all powerful
• over means above or excessive:
  • overweight — has excessive weight
• peri means around:
  • perimeter — the distance around the outside of a polygon
• post means after:
  • postpone — doing something after the time it was planned
• pro means for or forward:
  • promote — go forward to the next grade or assignment
• pseudo means false
  • pseudonym — a false name
• re means again:
  • replay — play again
• semi means half:
  • semicircle — half of a circle
• super means faster or beyond:
  • superman — beyond man
• trans means across or through:
  • transportation — across the land or water
• un means not:
  • unclear — not clear
• under means under or below:
  • underground — below the ground

Hotlist

• Prefix Quizzes: www.manythings.org/fq/m/2992.html

• Root Words and Prefixes: www.virtualsalt.com/roots.htm

• SkillWise — Prefixes: Three levels of prefix quizzes. www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/spelling/wordbuilding