When do we use a hyphen?

When the base word is a proper noun

Revise Prefixes: Meaning and Examples in English

Q: What is an example of a prefix?

Some examples of prefixes are bi , counter and ir. E.g. bisexual, counterargument, and irregular.

Q: How do you use a prefix in English?

In English, prefixes are attached to the beginning of the base word. They may or may not be separated by a hyphen.

This article will define what a prefix is, provide plenty of examples of the different prefixes used in the English language, and explain how and when you should use them.

What is a prefix?

A prefix is a type of affix attached to the beginning of a base word (or root) to change its meaning.

Affix - Letters that are added to the base form of a word to give it a new meaning.

The word prefix itself actually contains a prefix! The letters 'pre' is a prefix that means before or in front of. It is attached to the root word fix, which means attach.

Prefixes are always derivational, meaning once a prefix is used, it creates a new word with a different meaning from the base word.

When the prefix 'un ' is added to the base word 'happy ', it creates the new word 'unhappy'.

This new word (unhappy) has the opposite meaning of the base word (happy).

What is Prefix as a Verb?

As a verb, the term prefix means placing in front of

Redo: Here, the letters 're' are prefixed to the base word 'do'. This creates a new word with a new meaning.

What is prefix as a noun?

As a noun, a prefix is a type of affix that is attached to the beginning of a base word to alter its meaning.

Polyglot: the prefix 'poly' (meaning: many ) is attached to the base word 'glot' (meaning: speaking or writing in a language ), to form a new word - polyglot - which is used to refer to a person who knows and can speak in more than one language.

What are some examples of prefixes?

The following table shows a comprehensive but not complete list of prefixes used in the English language.

Examples of prefixes that negate a word:

Certain prefixes create a new word with the opposite or nearly opposite meaning of the base word. In many cases, the word changes from something positive to something more negative. Here is a list of prefixes that negate (make negative) a word:

Prefix	Meaning	Examples
a / an	lack of, without, not	asymmetric, atheist, anaemic
ab	away, not	abnormal, absent
anti	contrary to, against	anti-inflammatory, antisocial
counter	contrary to, against	counter-argument, counterproposal
de	undo, remove	deter, deactivate
ex	previous, former	ex-husband
il	not, without	illegal, illogical
im	not, without	improper, impossible
in	no, lacking	injustice, incomplete
ir	not	irreplaceable, irregular
non	not, lacking	non-fiction, nonnegotiable
un	not, lacking	unkind, unresponsive

Prefix the words illegal and legal wirtten on paper StudySmarter Fig 1. The prefix 'il' can be added to the word 'legal' to form a new word

Examples of common prefixes in English:

Some prefixes don't necessarily negate the meaning of a base word but alter it to express the word's relationship with time, place, or manner.

Prefix	Meaning	Example
ante	before, prior to	anterior, antebellum
auto	self	autobiography, autograph
bi	two	bicycle, binomial
circum	around, to go around	circumnavigate, circumvent
co	jointly, together	copilot, coworker
di	two	diatomic, dipole
extra	beyond, more	extracurricular
hetero	different	heterogeneous, heterosexual
homo	same	homogeneous, homosexual
inter	in between	intersect, intermittent
mid	middle	midpoint, midnight
pre	before	preschool
post	after	post-workout
semi	partial	semicircle

Using hyphens with prefixes

There are no fixed and complete rules regarding when you should and should not use a hyphen to separate a base word from its prefix. However, there are a few things you should be aware of to help you use prefixes and hyphens correctly.

Use a hyphen with a proper noun

You must use a hyphen if a prefix is attached to a proper noun.

Pre-World War I
Anti-American

Use a hyphen to avoid ambiguity

A hyphen should be used with a prefix in cases where it may lead to confusion over meaning or spelling. Confusion most commonly arises when the base word plus a prefix creates a word that already exists.

Re-cover vs Recover

Adding the prefix 're' to the word 'cover' creates a new word 'recover', which means to cover again.

However, this may cause confusion as the word recover already exists (a verb meaning to return to health).

Adding a hyphen makes it more apparent that 're' is a prefix.

Use a hyphen to avoid double vowels

If a prefix ends with the same vowel that the base word starts with, use a hyphen to separate the two.

Re-enter
Ultra-argumentative

There may be exceptions to this rule with the vowel "o". For example, 'coordinate' is correct, but 'coowner' is incorrect. In such cases, using a spellchecker may prove to be helpful.

Use a hyphen with 'ex' and 'self'

Certain prefixes such as 'ex' and 'self' are always followed by a hyphen.

Ex-wife
self-control

What is the Importance of prefixes in English?

Knowing how to use prefixes will make you more proficient in the language and improve your vocabulary. It will also allow you to convey information in a more concise and precise manner.

Using the word 'reestablish' instead of 'establish it again' will allow for more concise communication.

Prefix - Key takeaways

A prefix is a type of affix attached to the beginning of a base word (or root) to change its meaning.
The word prefix itself is the combination of the prefix - pre and the base word - fix.
Some examples of prefixes are - ab, non, and ex.
A hyphen must be used alongside a prefix for several reasons, such as to prevent ambiguity, when the root word is a proper noun, when the last letter of the prefix is the same as the first letter of the root word, and when the prefix is either ex or self.

Frequently Asked Questions about Prefix

What is a prefix?

A prefix is a type of affix that goes at the beginning of a word. An affix is a group of letters attached to the root word to change its meaning.

What is an example of a prefix?

Some examples of prefixes are bi, counter and ir. E.g. bisexual, counterargument, and irregular.

What are some common prefixes?

Common prefixes are those that alter the meaning of the root word to express relationships of time, place or manner. Some examples are: ante, co, and pre.

How do you use a prefix in English?

In English, prefixes are attached to the beginning of the base word. They may or may not be separated by a hyphen.

What does prefix a mean?

The prefix a can have various meanings, depending on the context.

It can mean not or without, as in the word 'amoral' (without morals) or 'asymmetrical' (not symmetrical).
It can also mean 'toward' or 'in the direction of,' as in the word 'approach' (to come closer to something).
In some cases, a is simply a variant of the prefix 'an,' which means not or without, as in 'atheist' (one who does not believe in God) or 'anaemic' (without vigour or energy).

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StudySmarter Editorial Team