A base or root word can stand alone and has meaning (for example, read).

A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word (for example, -able). If you add the suffix -able to the base word, read, the word is readable.

A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word or base word (for example, un-). If the prefix un- is added to readable, the word is unreadable.

Here’s a list of some common Prefixes and how they’re used👇🏾

Prefix	Meaning	Examples
a-	not, without	anaemic, atheist
anti-	opposing, against	antibiotic, anticlimax
be-	completely	bemuse, bewitch
en-	bring into the condition of	enforce, enlighten
hypo-	under	hypodermic, hypotension
im-	not, without	impolite, impossible
infra-	below	infrared, infrasonic
inter-	between, among	interchange, inter-school
intra-	inside, within	intracranial, intramural
non-	absence, negation	non-alcoholic, non-violent
ob-	blocking, against	obstacle, obstruct
out-	surpassing, exceeding	outgoing, outperform
over-	excessively, completely	overconfident, overjoyed
peri-	round, about	perimeter, periscope
post-	after in time or order	postgame, postmortem
pre-	before in time, place, order or importance	precondition, prelude
pro-	in support of; before in time, place or order	pro-American; prologue
re-	again	recycle, repaint
semi-	partly	semicircle, semiformal
sub-	at a lower position	sub-lieutenant, submarine
syn-	in union, together	synchronize, synthesis
trans-	across, beyond	transatlantic, transnational
ultra-	beyond, extreme	ultramicroscopic, ultrasonic
un-	not, reversal	unhappy, unmask
under-	beneath, below	undercarriage, undersecretary

Here’s a list of some common Suffixes and how they’re used👇🏾

Suffix	Meaning	Examples
-able	able to be	drinkable, excitable
-ation	action or process	creation, narration
-cracy	rule, government, power	autocracy, democracy
-dom	condition of, state, realm	freedom, wisdom
-fy	make, cause	falsify, terrify
-ization	act or process of making	fertilization, modernization
-less	without	fearless, helpless
-ness	state or quality	kindness, shyness
-ology	study of, science of	biology, neurology
-onym	name, word	antonym, synonym
-opsy	examination	autopsy, biopsy
-ous	full of	hazardous, humourous
-pathy	feeling, diseased	cardiopathy, naturopathy
-phile	one who loves	audiophile, bibliophile
-phobia	abnormal fear of	claustrophobia, xenophobia
-phone	sound	homophone, telephone
-plegic	one who is paralyzed	paraplegic, quadriplegic
-sion	state or quality	confusion, depression
-some	characterized by, group of	foursome, quarrelsome
-sophy	wisdom, knowledge	geosophy, philosophy
-tomy	to cut	craniotomy, lobotomy
-ty	state, condition or quality	honesty, loyalty
-ure	action, condition	closure, failure
-wise	in what manner or direction	clockwise, lengthwise
-y	made up of, characterized	curly, messy

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