Do you know what a prefix is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on prefix, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to UEF AP, a prefix is an appendage that is added to the beginning of the word, often to an existing word. Many prefixes are Greek or Latin. These usually do not change the class of the base word, but suffixes usually do change the class of the word. These can change the meaning of the word, such as forming an antonym, or they can change another context of the word.
Many different languages also contain words that mean prefix. You may notice that some of these translations of prefix look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are words and phrases in different languages that likely have the same root or language of origin, causing them to sound the same. The below list of translations of prefix is provided by Word Sense.
Prefixes can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or grammatical technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of prefixes from UEF AP that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use
be- – make or cause – befriend, belittle
un- – reverses the meaning of the verb – unbend, uncouple, unfasten
un- – not – unfortunate, uncomfortable, unjust
dis- – reverses the meaning of the verb – disappear, disallow, disarm, disconnect, discontinue
de- – do the opposite of – devalue, deselect
dis- – the converse of – discomfort, dislike
tele- – distant – telecommunications
ex- – former – ex-chairman, ex-hunter
mal- – bad – malfunction, maltreatment, malnutrition
auto- – self – autobiography, automobile
out- – more or better than others – outperform, outbid
semi- – half – semicircle, semi-darkness
tri- – three – tripartism
counter- – against – counter-argument, counter-example, counter-proposal
over- – too much – overbook, oversleep, overwork
kilo- – thousand – kilobyte
poly- – many – polysyllable
trans- – across, over – transform, transcribe, transplant
mis- – wrong – misconduct, misdeed, mismanagement
im-/in-/ir-/il- – not – immature, impatient, improbable, inconvenient, irreplaceable, illegal
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
Kevin
December 8, 2021
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