PREFIXES

Prefix

Meaning

Examples

Un-

Not, opposite of

Unlock, unsafe,
uncover, unable,
unacceptable,
unaffordable

Re-

Again, back

Reread, rewrite,
return, reuse, resend,
replace

Pre-

before

Pretest, preplan,
premade, preview,
preschool, prehistoric

Dis-

Not, opposite of

Dislike, distrust,
disagree, disappear,
disqualify, dishonest

not

Inactive, incomplete,
incorrect

InIm-

Impossible, imperfect,
impatient

Bad or wrong

Misbehave, misread,
misspell, mislead,
misplace,
mispronounce

Auto-

self

Autograph, automatic,
autobiography,
automobile, autopilot,
autofocus

Bi-

two

Bicycle, binocular,
bilingual, biceps,
biannual, biweekly

Tri-

three

Tricycle, triangle,
triceratops, trilingual,
trilogy, trio

four

Quadrilateral,
quadrant, quadruple,

Mis-

Quad-

quadrilingual,
quadrisect,
quadriceps

Oct-

Eight

Octagon, octopus,
octet

SUFFIXES
Suffix

Meaning

Examples

-less

without

Careless, helpless,
fearless, useless,
jobless, breathless

-est

Superlative degree

Biggest, coldest,
tallest, meanest,
longest, darkest

-ed

Past tense

Called, started,
carried, washed,
needed, happened

-ment

Act, process

Enjoyment,
replacement

-ness

Condition, state of

Darkness, fairness,
loudness, kindness,
sadness, goodness

-er

Person connected
with

Teacher, writer, baker

-s

Comparative
degree
Plural, more than
one

es

Bigger, colder, taller

Hats, books, trees

wishes, boxes, glasses

-ly

Characteristic of

Badly, friendly,
quickly, safely, lonely,
sickly

-ing

Action or process

Helping, skipping,
running, seeing,
thinking, crashing