{"id":26507,"date":"2023-09-03T17:35:17","date_gmt":"2023-09-03T15:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/?p=26507"},"modified":"2023-09-05T11:58:53","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T09:58:53","slug":"prefixes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/2023\/09\/prefixes\/","title":{"rendered":"Prefixes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A <strong>prefix<\/strong> is one or more letters <strong>added before a base word<\/strong> to <strong>change<\/strong> its <strong>meaning<\/strong>. Prefixes have <strong>different functions<\/strong>. They may make the word <strong>negative<\/strong> (<strong><em>-un, in<\/em><\/strong>), by showing <strong>repetition<\/strong> (<strong><em>-re<\/em><\/strong>), or by showing <strong>support<\/strong> (<strong><em>-pro<\/em><\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prefixes are mostly used to <strong>shorten phrases<\/strong>. For example, if you want to say that someone is &#8220;<strong>eating too much<\/strong>&#8220;, you can simply say that they are &#8220;<strong>overeating<\/strong>&#8220;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is a list of prefixes from a-z and their meaning and examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Prefix<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Meaning<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>ab<\/strong><\/td><td>away, from<\/td><td>abstract, abort, abrupt<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>a<\/strong><\/td><td>not or without, a state of being<\/td><td>atypical, amoral, anew<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>ad<\/strong><\/td><td>to, toward, near<\/td><td>adjust, adapt, adverb<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>ambi<\/strong><\/td><td>both<\/td><td>ambivalent, ambilateral<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>ante-<\/strong><\/td><td>before<\/td><td>anteroom, antechoir<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>anti-<\/strong><\/td><td>against, opposing<\/td><td>antibiotic, antibacterial<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>arch<\/strong><\/td><td>chief, most important<\/td><td>archenemy, archbishop<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>a<\/strong><\/td><td>at, in, on, to<\/td><td>awake<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>at<\/strong><\/td><td>to, toward<\/td><td>attend<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>auto<\/strong><\/td><td>self<\/td><td>automatic, autobiography<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>be<\/strong><\/td><td>cause to be<\/td><td>bespoke, belittle<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>bene<\/strong><\/td><td>good<\/td><td>benefactor, benediction<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>bi<\/strong><\/td><td>two, twice<\/td><td>bicycle, billingual<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>circum-<\/strong><\/td><td>around<\/td><td>circumference, circuit<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>co<\/strong><\/td><td>with, together<\/td><td>collude, coalition<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>con<\/strong><\/td><td>jointly<\/td><td>connect, consensus<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>contra<\/strong><\/td><td>against<\/td><td>contraindicate, contraceptive<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>counter<\/strong><\/td><td>opposite<\/td><td>counteract, counterbalance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>co-<\/strong><\/td><td>with<\/td><td>co-author, co-parent<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>deca<\/strong><\/td><td>ten<\/td><td>decagon, decagram<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>demi<\/strong><\/td><td>half<\/td><td>demibillionaire, demivoice<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>de-<\/strong><\/td><td>off, down, away from<\/td><td>descend, deactivate, declog<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>dia<\/strong><\/td><td>through, across<\/td><td>diagonal, diagram<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>dis-<\/strong><\/td><td>opposite of, not<\/td><td>disadvantage, discredit<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>di<\/strong><\/td><td>two<\/td><td>dilemma<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>dys<\/strong><\/td><td>bad, abnormal<\/td><td>dyslexia<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>em-<\/strong><\/td><td>cause to<\/td><td>embitter, empower<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>em-, en-<\/strong><\/td><td>cause to, put into<\/td><td>enlighten, embody<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>en-<\/strong><\/td><td>to cause, provide<\/td><td>ensure<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>endo<\/strong><\/td><td>internal<\/td><td>endoscopy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>epi-<\/strong><\/td><td>upon, close to, after<\/td><td>epidemic, epilogue<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>equi<\/strong><\/td><td>equal<\/td><td>equilibrium<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>ethno<\/strong><\/td><td>race, nation<\/td><td>ethnocentric<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>ex-<\/strong><\/td><td>former, out of<\/td><td>ex-wife, exclude<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>extra-<\/strong><\/td><td>outside, beyond<\/td><td>extramarital, extracurricular<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>fore-<\/strong><\/td><td>before<\/td><td>forefather, foresee<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>homo-<\/strong><\/td><td>same<\/td><td>homonym, homosexual<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>hyper-<\/strong><\/td><td>beyond, more than, more than normal<\/td><td>hypersensitive, hyperbole<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>im-,-in<\/strong><\/td><td>in<\/td><td>improper, influence<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>il-, im-, in-, ir-<\/strong><\/td><td>not<\/td><td>illogical, impossible, inappropriate, irrational<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>infra-<\/strong><\/td><td>beneath, below<\/td><td>infrastructure, infrahuman<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>im-, in-<\/strong><\/td><td>into<\/td><td>inject, imbibe<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>inter-, intra-<\/strong><\/td><td>between<\/td><td>interact, intravenous<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>macro-<\/strong><\/td><td>large<\/td><td>macrolanguage, macrohistory<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>micro-<\/strong><\/td><td>small<\/td><td>microchip, microorganism<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>mid-<\/strong><\/td><td>middle<\/td><td>midterm, midpoint<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>mis-<\/strong><\/td><td>wrongly<\/td><td>misuse, mismanage<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>mono-<\/strong><\/td><td>one, singular<\/td><td>monologue, monopoly<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>non-<\/strong><\/td><td>not, without<\/td><td>nonfiction, nonpayment<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>omni-<\/strong><\/td><td>all, every<\/td><td>omnipresent, omniscience<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>over-<\/strong><\/td><td>over<\/td><td>overrule, overkill<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>para-<\/strong><\/td><td>beside, closely related<\/td><td>paragraph, paradigm<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>post-<\/strong><\/td><td>after<\/td><td>postgame, postseason<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>pre-<\/strong><\/td><td>before<\/td><td>prenatal, prenuptial<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>re-<\/strong><\/td><td>again<\/td><td>restart, relive<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>semi-<\/strong><\/td><td>half<\/td><td>semicircle, semiformal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>sub-<\/strong><\/td><td>under<\/td><td>submarine, subordinate, subtitle<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>therm-<\/strong><\/td><td>heat<\/td><td>thermal, thermonuclear<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>trans-<\/strong><\/td><td>across, beyond<\/td><td>translucent, transparent<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>tri-<\/strong><\/td><td>three<\/td><td>tristate, triathlon, tricolor<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>under-<\/strong><\/td><td> under <\/td><td>underpay, undergo<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>un-<\/strong><\/td><td>not<\/td><td>unable, uncommon, unhappy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>uni-<\/strong><\/td><td>one<\/td><td>unicameral, unison<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When to use <strong>hyphens<\/strong> with prefixes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>a.<\/strong> Prefix with a <strong>proper noun<\/strong> <strong>except<\/strong> for the word &#8220;<strong><em>transatlantic<\/em><\/strong>&#8220;, the only word that does not follow this rule on proper nouns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>pro-China protesters<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>trans-American flights<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>b. <\/strong>If the word with the prefix <strong>already exists<\/strong>, use a hyphen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>resign = voluntarily leave a job or other position<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>re-sign = sign (a document) again<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>c.<\/strong> <strong>all<\/strong>-, <strong>ex<\/strong>\u2013 (former), and <strong>self<\/strong>\u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>all-knowing<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>ex-husband<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>self-care<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The prefix ex- has two different meanings (\u201cout from,\u201d and \u201cin the past\u201d).<br>Only use a hyphen when the meaning of ex- is \u201cformer\u201d or \u201cin the past.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The prefix &#8220;<strong>extra<\/strong>&#8221; does not need a hyphen if it means &#8220;<strong>outside of<\/strong>&#8220;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>extraordinary<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>extravagant<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A prefix is one or more letters added before a base word to change its meaning. Prefixes have different functions. They may make the word negative (-un, in), by showing repetition (-re), or by showing support (-pro). Prefixes are mostly used to shorten phrases. For example, if you want to say that someone is &#8220;eating [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[309],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-grammar"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v16.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Prefixes | phone english blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/2023\/09\/prefixes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Prefixes | phone english blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A prefix is one or more letters added before a base word to change its meaning. 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