Prefixes

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier

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Word Menu > Language > Structure and Usage > Prefixes and Suffixes > Prefixes

a- - not (asocial)
ab- - away from (absent)
acantho- - spine, thorn (acanthus)
aceto- - vinegar, acetic acid (acetometer)
acro- - top, tip (acrophobia)
actino- - ray, beam (actinometer)
adeno- - gland (adenovirus)
aero- - air, gas (aerodynamic)
agri- - farming (agribusiness)
agro- - field, soil, crop production (agronomy)
algo- - pain (algolagnia)
allo- - other (allotrope)
alti- - high (altitude)
ambi- - both (ambidextrous)
amphi- - both, around (amphibious)
amylo- - starch (amyloplast)
an- - not, lacking (anarchy)
ana- - up, against, back (anabasis)
andro- - male (androgenous)
anemo- - wind (anemometer)
angio- - container (angiosperm)
aniso- - unequal (anisotropic)
ante- - before (antebellum)
antho- - flower (anthophore)
anthropo- - human (anthropology)
anti- - against (antibody)
apo- - away, apart (apogee)
aqui- - water (aquifer)
arbori- - tree (arboriculture)
archeo- - ancient, old (archeology)
archi- - first, most basic (architrave)
arterio- - artery (arteriosclerosis)
arthro- - joint (arthropod)
asco- - sac (ascomycete)
astro- - star (astronomy)
atmo- - vapor, gas (atmosphere)
audio- - hearing, sound reproduction (audiophile)
auri- - gold (auriferous); ear (auriform)
auto- - self, same (automatic)
avi- - bird (aviculture)
bacterio- - bacteria (bacteriophage)
baro- - weight, pressure (barometer)
batho- - deep (bathosphere)
bene- - good (benevolent)
biblio- - book (bibliography)
bio- - life (biography)
blasto- - bud, embryo (blastosphere)
brachio- - arm (brachiopod)
brachy- - short (brachylogy)
brady- - slow (bradycardia)
branchio- - gills (branchiopod)
broncho- - throat (bronchoscope)
caco- - bad (cacology)
calci- - calcium (calcify)
calli- - beautiful (calligraphy)
cardio- - heart (cardiology)
carpo- - fruit (carpophore)
cata- - down, against, back (cataclysm)
ceno- - common (cenobite)
centi- - hundred (centigram)
centri- - center (centrifuge)
cephalo- - head (cephalothorax)
cerebro- - brain (cerebrospinal)
cero- - wax (ceroplastic)
chalco- - copper (chalcocite)
cheli- - claws (cheliped)
chilo- - lip (chiloplasty)
chiro- - hand (chiropractor)
chloro- - green (chlorophyll)
choreo- - dance (choreography)
chromo- - color (chromolithography)
chrono- - time (chronometer)
chryso- - gold (chrysolite)
circum- - around (circumference)
cis- - near to, on near side of (cisalpine)
clado- - branch (cladogenesis)
clino- - slope (clinometer)
co- - variation of com-, used esp. to form new words (coworker)
coel- - cavity (coelenteron)
com- - with, together with (combine)
contra- - against (contravene)
copro- - excrement (coprophilia)
cortico- - cortex (corticosteroid)
cosmo- - universe (cosmology)
costo- - rib (costotomy)
cranio- - skull (craniotomy)
cruci- - cross (cruciform)
cryo- - - cold (cryogenics)
crypto- - hidden (cryptography)
cteno- - rake, comb (ctenophore)
cupri- - copper (cupriferous)
cysto- - bladder (cystoscope)
cyto- - cell (cytoplasm)
dactylo- - finger, toe (dactylomegaly)
de- - negation (dehumidify)
deca- - ten (decagon)
deci- - tenth (decimeter)
demi- - half, lesser (demitasse)
demono- - devil, demon (demonolatry)
dendro- - tree (dendrology)
denti- - tooth (dentifrice)
dermato- - skin (dermatology)
deutero- - second (deuteropathy)
di- - two, double (dicotyledon)
dia- - thorough, opposed, completely (diagnosis)
dicho- - in two parts (dichotomy)
dino- - terrifying (dinosaur)
diplo- - double (diplopod)
dis- - apart, asunder, away, or having a general negative or reversing force (disability, discontent, dislike)
dodeca- - twelve (dodecahedron)
dorsi- - back of body (dorsiflexion)
duo- - two (duologue)
dyna- - force, power (dynamotor)
dys- - evil, bad, impaired (dysfunction)
eco- - ecology (ecosystem)
ecto- - outside, external (ectoderm)
electro- - electric (electromagnetic)
enantio- - opposite (enantiomorph)
encephalo- - brain (encephalogram)
endo- - within (endogenous)
ennea- - nine (enneahedron)
entero- - intestine (enterology)
entomo- - insect (entomophagous)
eo- - early, dawn (eolith)
epi- - on, over, near (epidermis)
equi- - equal (equilateral)
ergo- - work (ergonomic)
eroto- - sexual desire (erotogenesis)
erythro- - red (erythrocyte)
ethno- - race, nation (ethnography)
eu- - good (eugenics)
eury- - broad, wide (euryphagous)
ex- - former (ex-president); out of, thoroughly (extract, exhaust)
exo- - outside, external (exogamous)
extra- - outside, external (extraterrestrial)
febri- - fever (febrifuge)
ferro- - iron (ferromagnet)
fibro- - fiber (fibroblast)
fissi- - split, cleft (fissiped)
flori- - flower (floriculture)
fluoro- - fluoride (fluorocarbon)
fructi- - fruit (fructiferous)
galacto- - milk (galactophorous)
gameto- - mature reproductive cell (gametogenesis)
gamo- - joined, united (gamopetalous)
gastro- - stomach (gastronomy)
geo- - land, earth (geology)
geronto- - old age (gerontocracy)
glosso- - tongue (glossolalia)
glotto- - tongue (glottochronolgy)
glyco- - sugar, sweet (glycogen)
gono- - sexual, reproductive (gonophore)
grapho- - writing (graphomotor)
gymno- - naked, nude (gymnogynous)
gyneco- - woman (gynecology)
hagio- - holy (hagiography)
halo- - salt (halogen)
haplo- - single, simple (haplology)
hecto- - hundred (hectoliter)
helico- - spiral (helicospore)
helio- - sun (heliotherapy)
hema- - blood (hemagglutination)
hemato- - blood (hematocyst)
hemi- - half (hemisphere)
hemo- - blood (hemoglobin)
hendeca- - eleven (hendecagon)
hepato- - liver (hepatotoxin)
hepta- - seven (heptagon)
hetero- - different (heterogeneous)
hexa- - six (hexagon)
hiero- - sacred (hierogram)
histo- - tissue (histology)
holo- - complete, whole (hologram)
homeo- - similar, like (homeostasis)
homo- - same (homogeneous)
homoio- - similar, like (homoiothermal)
hyalo- - glass (hyaloplasm)
hydro- - water (hydrodynamic)
hyeto- - rain (hyetograph)
hygro- - wet (hygrometer)
hylo- - matter (hylotheism)
hyper- - above (hyperactive)
hypno- - sleep, hypnosis (hypnotherapy)
hypo- - under (hypothermia)
hystero- - womb (hysterectomy)
iatro- - medicine (iatrogenic)
ichythyo- - fish (ichthyology)
icono- - image, likeness (iconology)
ideo- - idea (ideology)
idio- - peculiar (idiosyncrasy)
il- - not (illogical)
ileo- - intestinal ileum (ileocolitis)
ilio- - ilium portion of hipbone (iliofemoral)
im- - not (impartial)
immuno- - immune (immunology)
in- - not, used to give negative or privative force, esp. to adjectives (inexpensive)
inter- - between (interscholastic)
intra- - inside, within, interior (intracellular)
ir- - not, against (irreducible)
irido- - rainbow, iris of eye (iridotomy)
iso- - equal (isometric)
jejuno- - jejunum portion of intestine (jejunostomy)
juxta- - close, near, beside (juxtaposition)
karyo- - cell nucleus (karyolysis)
kerato- - horn (keratogenous)
kineto- - movement (kinetoscope)
labio- - lip (labiovelar)
lacto- - milk (lactogenic)
lamelli- - plate, scale (lamelliform)
laparo- - abdominal wall (laparoscope)
laryngo- - larynx (laryngoscope)
lepido- - scale (lepidopteron)
lepto- - thin, fine (leptodactylous)
leuko- - white (leukocyte)
levo- - left (levorotatory)
ligni- - wood (ligniform)
litho- - stone (lithography)
logo- - word, spoken (logomachy)
longi- - long, length (longicorn)
luni- - moon (lunitidal)
lympho- - lymph (lymphocyte)
lyso- - decomposition, dissolving (lysosome)
macro- - large (macrocosm)
magni- - great, large (magnify)
male- - evil, bad (malevolent)
masto- - breast (mastopathy)
matri- - female (matriarchy)
mechano- - machine (mechanoreceptor)
mega- - great (megalopolis)
megalo- - great (megalomania)
melano- - black (melanocyte)
mero- - part (merogony)
meso- - middle (mesopause)
meta- - after, beyond, changed (metaphysics)
metro- - measure (metronome)
micro- - small (microorganism)
milli- - one thousandth (millimeter)
mis- - wrong, ill, incorrect (misprint, mistrust)
miso- - hatred (misogyny)
mono- - single, one (monotone)
morpho- - shape (morphology)
muco- - mucus (mucopurulent)
multi- - many (multifaceted)
musculo- - muscle (musculoskeletal)
myco- - fungus, mold, mushroom (mycotoxicosis)
myelo- - marrow, spinal cord (myelocyte)
myo- - muscle (myocardium)
myria- - ten thousand (myriagram)
mytho- - myth (mythology)
myxo- - mucus, slime (myxovirus)
nano- - one billionth (nanosecond)
narco- - stupor, drugged state (narcoanalysis)
naso- - nose (nasolacrimal)
necro- - dead body (necrophilia)
nemato- - thread (nematocyst)
neo- - new (neologism)
nepho- - cloud (nephometer)
nephro- - kidney (nephrology)
neuro- - nerve (neurology)
neutro- - neutral (neutrosphere)
nocti- - night (noctilucent)
nomo- - custom, law (nomology)
non- - not, freely implying negation or absence of something (nonprofessional, nonpayment)
noso- - disease (nosogeography)
noto- - back of body (notochord)
nucleo- - nucleus (nucleotide)
nycto- - night (nyctophobia)
ob- - against (obverse)
octa- - eight (octagon)
oculo- - eye (oculomotor)
odonto- - tooth (odontogeny)
oleo- - oil (oleomargarine)
oligo- - few (oligopoly)
omni- - all (omnipotent)
oneiro- - dream (oneiromancy)
onto- - being, existence (ontology)
oo- - egg (oocyte)
ophio- - snake (ophiolatry)
ophthalmo- - eye (ophthalmology)
opistho- - back, behind (opisthograph)
opto- - eye (optometry)
organo- - body organ (organoleptic)
ornitho- - bird (ornithology)
oro- - mountain (orography); mouth (oropharynx)
ortho- - straight (orthopedic)
ossi- - bone (ossiferous)
osteo- - bone (osteopath)
oto- - ear (otolaryngology)
out- - beyond, to an end point, abnormal (outdoors, outlast, outmoded)
over- - too much, to excess (overweight)
ovi- - egg (oviparous)
oxy- - sharp, acute (oxymoron)
pachy- - thick (pachyderm)
paleo- - ancient, old (paleolithic)
pan- - all (pantheism)
para- - beside, beyond; guard against (parallel, parachute)
pari- - equal (paripinnate)
partheno- - without fertilization (parthenogenesis)
patho- - disease, suffering (pathological)
patri- - male (patriarchy)
pedi- - foot (pedicab)
pedo- - child (pedophilia)
penta- - five (pentagon)
per- - through, very (pervade)
peri- - around, very (perimeter)
petro- - stone (petrology)
phago- - eating (phagocyte)
pharmaco- - drug (pharmocology)
pharyngo- - pharynx (pharyngoscope)
pheno- - shining, appearing (phenotype)
philo- - loving (philosophy)
phlebo- - vein (phlebotomy)
phono- - sound (phonograph)
photo- - light (photography)
phreno- - brain (phrenology)
phyco- - seaweed, algae (phycology)
phyllo- - leaf (phyllotaxy)
phylo- - race, tribe, species (phylogeny)
physio- - nature (physiology)
phyto- - plant (phytogenesis)
piezo- - pressure (piezoelectric)
pinni- - web, fin (pinniped)
pisci- - fish (pisciculture)
plagio- - oblique (plagiotropic)
plano- - flat (planogamete)
pleo- - more (pleomorphism)
pleuro- - side, lateral (pleurocarpous)
pluto- - riches, wealth (plutocracy)
pluvio- - rain (pluviometer)
pneumato- - air, breath (pneumatophore)
pneumo- - air, breath (pneumococcus)
pod- - foot (podiatry)
polio- - gray matter (poliomyelitis)
poly- - many (polygon)
post- - after (postmortem)
pre- - before (preproduction)
preter- - beyond (preternatural)
primi- - first (primipara)
pro- - before, forward (prologue); for, favoring (proslavery)
proprio- - one’s own (proprioceptive)
proto- - first (prototype)
pseudo- - false (pseudonym)
psycho- - mind, spirit, soul (psychosomatic)
pterido- - fern (pteridology)
ptero- - wing (pterodactyl)
pyelo- - pelvis (pyelonephritis)
pyo- - pus (pyorrhea)
pyro- - fire (pyromania)
quadri- - four (quadrilateral)
quinque- - five (quinquevalent)
re- - again (revitalize)
recti- - straight (rectilinear)
reni- - kidney (reniform)
retro- - backward (retroactive)
rhabdo- - rod, wand (rhabdovirus)
rheo- - flow, current (rheostat)
rhino- - nose (rhinoplasty)
rhizo- - root (rhizogenic)
rhodo- - rose (rhodolite)
sacchar- - sweet, sugar (saccharide)
sangui- - blood (sanguiferous)
sapro- - rotten, decomposed (saprogenic)
sarco- - flesh (sarcophagous)
scato- - excrement (scatology)
schizo- - split (schizophrenia)
sclero- - hard (scleroderma)
seleno- - moon (selenography)
self- - of or by oneself (self-analysis); to, with, or toward oneself (self-abnegating); independent or automatic (self-governing, self-operating)
semi- - half, partially, somewhat (semiweekly, semidetached)
septi- - seven (septilateral)
sero- - serum (serology)
sesqui- - one and a half (sesquicentennial)
sex- - six (sexpartite)
shm- - used to form jocular variations as replacement for initial consonant in standard form of word (fancy shmancy)
sidero- - iron (siderolite)
siphono- - tube (siphonostele)
socio- - society (sociology)
somato- - body (somatotype)
somni- - sleep (somnifacient)
spermato- - seed (spermatozoon)
spermo- - seed, germ (spermophyte)
spheno- - wedge (sphenography)
sphygmo- - pulse (sphygmometer)
spiro- - respiration (spirograph); coil, spiral (spirochete)
sporo- - spore (sporophyte)
steato- - fat, tallow (steatopygia)
stego- - cover (stegosaur)
stelli- - star (stelliform)
steno- - close, narrow (stenography)
stereo- - solid (stereoscope)
stomato- - mouth (stomatoplasty)
strati- - stratum (stratification)
strepto- - twisted (streptococcus)
stylo- - column, pillar (stylolite)
sub- - below, under (subarctic); secondary (subplot)
super- - above (supernatural)
supra- - above, beyond (supraorbital)
sus- - under, beneath, secondary (suspend)
syl- - with (syllepsis)
sym- - with (symmetry)
syn- - with (synoptic)
synchro- - occurring together (synchrotron)
tacho- - speed (tachometer)
tachy- - rapid (tachycardia)
tauto- - same (tautology)
techno- - technique, skill (technology)
tele- - distant (telekinesis)
teleo- - final (teleology)
telo- - end (telophase)
teno- - tendon (tenotomy)
tera- - trillion (terabyte)
terato- - monster (teratology)
terri- - land, earth (terricolous)
tetra- - four (tetralogy)
thanato- - death (thanatology)
thaumato- - miracle, wonder (thaumatology)
theo- - god (theology)
thermo- - heat (thermoplastic)
thrombo- - blood clot, coagulation (thrombocyte)
toco- - birth, child (tocopherol)
tomo- - cut, section (tomography)
tono- - stretching, tension (tonometer)
topo- - place, local (topology)
toti- - entire (totipalmation)
toxico- - poison (toxicology)
toxo- - poison (toxoplasmosis)
tracheo- - trachea (tracheotomy)
trachy- - rough (trachycarpous)
trans- - across, through, on far side of (transverse)
tri- - three (trilateral)
tribo- - friction (triboluminescence)
tricho- - hair (trichocyst)
tropho- - nourishment (trophosome)
tropo- - turn, response, change (troposphere)
ultra- - beyond (ultrasonics)
un- - not, freely used to give negative or opposite force to adjectives (unhappy); used to reverse action or state of verb (unfasten)
under- - beneath, below, or lesser in place, grade, or extent (undersized)
uni- - single, one (unicycle)
urino- - urine (urinoscopy)
uro- - urine (urology)
vaso- - vessel (vasoconstrictor)
veno- - vein (venostasis)
ventro- - abdomen (ventrodorsal)
vermi- - worm (vermiform)
vini- - wine (viniculture)
vitri- - glass (vitriform)
vivi- - living, alive (vivisection)
xantho- - yellow (xanthophyll)
xeno- - foreign (xenophobia)
xero- - dry (xeroderma)
xylo- - wood (xylophone)
zoo- - animal (zoology)
zygo- - yoke, double (zygomorphic)