WORD FORMATION BY ADDING PREFIXES
There are 6everal prefixes’ which can be added to,a basic word to modify
ita meaning or its function. These can change the meaning, the number, or the
part of apeech of a ‘base. Therefore, we can classify prefixes in the following manner.
(’i) Negative or Reueraatiue Prefixes
These prefixeB negate or reverse the meaning of the words —
|
Prefix |
Meaning Examples |
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|
a— |
Lacking without |
in, to |
be apathy, amoral,
apolitical, atheist |
asexual, |
asymmetry, |
|
tl p_ |
not, opposite of |
un-natural, unlawful, unhappy,
unlock, undo, untrue,
untie, unkind, unexpected, unveil, unfold, uncover, undue, unleash, unfortunate |
|||
|
contra— |
against |
contradict, contra.mention |
controverBy, |
contraception, |
|
|
non— |
not |
non-cooperation, non-vegetarian, non-adjustment |
non-entity, non-aenae, |
non-issue, non-payment, |
|
|
de — |
withdraw, away, remove |
take reverse, |
depollute, deform, decode,
decline, degrade, debase, defrost, decompose, devalue, dehydrate, decentraliBation, deconeest, deforestation. |
||
|
dis— |
un, opposite of, not |
dlBalloW, dislike, diBconnect, diBcontent, disappear, diBhoneBt, distrust,
displease, disobey, disarm, dlBparity,
diamias, dispel, discord |
|||
|
in— im— il— ir- |
nOt, Op]3OBlte of |
indecent, inefficient, indifferent, ineffective,
inaccurate, inability, impossible, immortal, immode ty, immature, impure,
improper, illegitimate, illogical, illegible, illegal, irregular, irreparable,
irreversible, irreligiouBpirrational. |
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(ii) Prefixes of Degree arid isize :
These prefixes modify the degree or the aize of the thing or quality or action denoted by the baaic word—
|
Prefix |
Meaning |
Exam_ples |
|
|
arch— |
chief, highest, first, wO2°Bt |
archbishop, arehenemy, archrival, archetype |
|
|
auper— |
above, over, more, better |
supernatural, superhuman,
Buperman, supervisor, superadded, supermarket, auperfluoua |
|
|
ultra— |
beyond, over and above, extremelv |
ultramodern, ultraviolet,
ultrasonic |
|
|
extra — |
outside, beyond, more than |
extraterreatrial, extracurricular, extraoidinary, extramarital |
|
|
hyper— |
excessively, extra, above |
hyper enaitivé, hypertension, hyperbolic |
|
|
out›- |
beyond, surpassingly, doing faster, doing better. |
outdo, outgrow, outahine, outwit, outreach, outbid |
|
|
under— |
below, too little, not enough |
undervalue, underdeclare, underestimate, under- perform,
underrate, understatement |
|
|
aub— |
under, lese, lower than |
aub-divide, subhuman, subinspector, subordinate, aubplot, sub-culture |
|
|
semi— |
half, partly |
aemi-darkneBs, seini-final, semi-circular, semi-spherical, semi-colon, serrri-solid |
|
|
mini- |
little |
mlIll-BkIrt,_mini-bua |
|
|
(ii’i) Prefix These pref |
es of Time
and Order : ixes add the dimension of time
and order to the basic word — |
||
|
Prefix |
Meaning |
Examples |
|
|
pre- |
before, earlier |
pre-marital, pre-war, pre-occupied, pre-planned,
pre -decided, pre- destined, pre-election |
|
|
fore- |
before |
forecast, foredoom, foretell, foresee, foreshadow, forenoon |
|
R at— |
after |
post-graduate ost-war,
poBt-script, poat-rriortem |
|
re— |
back, again |
recall, regain, recover, resettle, rewrite, remarry,
rebuild, redirect |
|
ex— |
former |
ex-president, ex-husband, ex-mayor |
|
vice— |
deputy replace of |
vice-president, vice-chancellor, vice-principal |
|
ante— |
before |
antedote, antecedent,
antenatal |
(iv) Prefixes of
Attitude :
TheBe prefixes are added to indicate the attitude of the
object or peraon represented by the baaic word—
|
Prefia |
Meaning |
Examples |
|
pro- |
in favour of, on the side
of, for |
pro-establishment, pro-government, pro-war,
pro-reforms, pro-dam, pro-technology |
|
anti— |
against, opposed to |
anti-social, antiseptic,
antibiotic, anti-establishment, anti- congreSBl8Dl |
|
counter— |
in opposition to, against |
counterattack, counteract, counterproductive,
counterpart |
|
|
with, together |
cooperation,
corre8pondence, co-exist, co-produce, collaborate, co-edit |
|
ambi— |
both, on both Sides |
ambivalent, ambiguous |
{Y) f/re/ s o/Number:
These prefixes are added to convey the idea of
number of the things denoted by a basic word
—
|
Prefix |
Meaning |
Exa'mples |
|
|
urii— ’ ’ |
one |
uniJateral, unisex, unicolour |
|
|
mono-- |
one |
monologue, monotony, monogamy, mono-acting, monc-syllabic |
|
|
bi- |
tWO |
bicycle, bilingual, bipolar, biennial, bi-weekly, bifocal |
|
|
tri— |
three |
tricycle, triangle,_tripartite, tricolour, tri-avllabic |
|
|
multi—, poly— |
many |
multi-national, multipurpoae, multi-colored,
multi-dimensional, polyandryppolveamY, polyclinic |
|
|
(vi) Prefixes
of Place : Theae prefixes are added to
indicate the position or direction of a thing — |
|||
|
Prefix |
Meaning |
Examples |
|
|
trans- |
acrosa, from one
place to another |
transatlantic, transplant,
transaction, transport |
|
|
inter— |
between, among |
interatateq inter-university, inter-disci_plinary |
|
|
sub— |
beneath |
subterranean, subway, eubBide, submarine, submerge |
|
(vii)
Derogatory
prefixes :
These prefixes add an uncomplimentary and derogatory aapect to the
meaning of the
|
Prefix |
Meaning |
Examples |
|
mis— |
wrong,
wrongly, hating |
miaatithropy, misguide, mislead, inisogamiat, misplaced,
misjvtdged, mistake |
|
zoa)— |
bad, badly |
ma)coiitent, inaltreat, mal-nutrition, malpractice, malevolent |
|
pseudo- |
False |
pseudo-secularism, pseudonvm, pseudo-classical |
(viii) Conuersiort T're/ins :
By adding some prefixes, we do not change the meaning or number of a
bB6lc word;
we only change its part of speech. These are the conversion prefixes —
|
Prefix |
Meaning |
Examples |
|
|
by, off, completely, around |
behead, beBide, bewitch, beguile, beamear, bemoan,
bedevilled, befriend, benighted beloved |
|
en- em- |
cause to be, in |
endanger,
enshrine, endear, embitter, empower, enlist, enlarge, embed, enjpy, emboBal |
