If you’ve studied the English language, then there’s a good chance that you have heard about prefixes. A prefix is a group of letters which can be added to the beginning of a word. A prefix cannot be used alone, and using one will change the meaning of the word it is attached to. Let’s take a look at some examples:
- I’m uncomfortable with speaking Italian. I need to study and practise more often. [Un- + comfortable = not comfortable]
- The boy felt demotivated after he failed his test. He thought he would get a better grade. [de- + motivated = opposite of motivated]
- Have you watched the new ‘Mission Impossible’ film? Tom Cruise does his own stunts! [Im– + possible = not possible]
There are many prefixes in the English language, but today we’re going to take a look at 12 of the most common ones.
Prefix | Meaning | Example |
| 1. Anti- | Against | Antisocial |
| 2. De- | Opposite | Demotivated |
| 3. Un- | Not | Unhappy |
| 4. Dis- | Not, opposite of | Disagree |
| 5. Im- | Not | Impolite |
| 6. Mid- | Middle | Midday |
| 7. Mis- | Wrongly | Misunderstand |
| 8. Over- | Over | Overenthusiastic |
| 9. Pre- | Before | Prehistoric |
| 10. Re- | Again | Rewrite |
| 11. Super- | Above, beyond | Superhuman |
| 12. Under | Under | Underestimate |
Want to check how well you know your prefixes, and perhaps discover a few more? Check out these 5 free English lessons to get started.
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