Prefix Meaning English embodiments
A, ab from, away avert, abnegation,
abstract Ad to adduce,
adjacent, affect, accede Ante before
antediluvian, anteroom Bi
two biped, bicycle Circum
around circumambient, circumference
Cum, com, with, together combine, consort,
coadjutor
con, co
Contra against contradict, contrast
De from, negative deplete, decry,
demerit, declaim
down,
intensive
Di, dis asunder, away from, divert, disbelief
negative
E, ex from, out of evict, excavate
Extra beyond extraordinary,
extravagant In in, into, not
innate, instil, insignificant Inter among,
between intercollegiate, interchange Intro,
into, within introduce, intramural
intra
Non negative nonage, nondescript
Ob against, before
(facing),
toward obloquy, obstacle, offer
Per through, extremely persecute, perfervid,
pursue,
pilgrim,
pellucid
Post after postpone, postscript
Pre before prepay, preoccupy
Pro before proceed, proffer
Re back, again return, resound
Retro back, backward retroactive,
retrospective Se apart, aside
seclude, secession Semi half
semiannual, semicivilized Sub under,
less than, subscribe, suffer, subnormal,
inferior
subcommittee
Super above, extremely superfluous,
supercritical, soprano Trans across, through
transfer, transparent Ultra beyond,
extremely ultramundane, ultraconservative
Greek Ancestors of English Words
(Scientific terms in English are largely derived
from the Greek)
Greek word Meaning English representatives
Aner, andros, man, stamen androgynous, philander, anthropos philanthropy Archos chief, primitive archaic, architect Astron star asterisk, disaster Autos self autograph, automatic, authentic Barvs heavy baritone, barites Biblos book Bible, bibliomania Bios life biology, autobiography, amphibious Cheir hand chiropody, chirurgical, surgeon Chilioi a thousand kilogram, kilowatt Chroma color chromo, achromatic Chronos time chronic, anachronism