Prefix definitions

Prefix definitions, etymology & examples

[[category:Grammar]

see https://www.dailywritingtips.com/list-prefixes-suffixes

Terms

• assimilation
• cognate
• etymology
• PIE

A-B-C

ab-

• 1. away, from, from off, down,
  • PIE *apo- off, away
• 2. by (as in agency, for origin, consequence of)
• 2. can generally mean "not" (as in a negation)
• examples
  • aberration, abstract, abnormal, abysmal
  • Note that ab- in "abbreviation" is from ad- (to, toward), thus
    • ab- for "to" (from ad-) + breviare (Latin) for short, low, little, shallow = "to shorten"
    • PIE *mregh-u for short

ad-

• to, toward (space or time), in relation to, regarding
  • from PIE *ad- for to, near, at
  • becomes a- before -sc-, -sp- and -st-
    • aspect, astronomy
  • also af-, -ag, -al,
    • affection, aggression

ana-

• 1. up, upward, through (in place or time)
• 2. back, backward, against
• 3. again, anew
  • by itself, "ana" means "an equal quantity"
• origin
  • PIE *an- for "on, upon, above"
• examples
  • anabaptism for "a second" or "renewed" baptism
  • analysis
    • ana- "up" + *leu "loosen, divide, cut apart" thus "cut or divided up"
  • analog
    • log = from "logos" thus "through or again words or logic"
  • analogy
    • log -y "through or separate words or logic" (that mean the same thing)

com-

• with
• examples
  • complement = with (com-) + fill (-plere) for "add/ed to make complete"
    • from PIE *pele for "to fill"
  • compliment = cognate with Latin complere shifting to complire for "to complete"
    • indicates "completion" and thus "expression of respect" for something completed or done

D-E-F

em-

• put in or into, to affect, bring to the state of, distribute
  • assimilation from in- and into
  • PIE root *em- for "to take, distribute"
• used instead of -en words beginning with -b- and -p-

• examples
  • empathy
    • in the (same) state of pathos (emotions, feelings)
  • embitter (make bitter)
  • embody (make into the body of; representation)
  • emit (distribute
  • emotion

S-T-U

sym-

• alike, with, together, mutual, reciprocal, at the same time
  • assimilated with syn-
  • origin in PIE *ksun- for "with"
• used instead of syn-' with words beginning with -b-, -m-, -p-, -ph-, -ps-
• examples
  • symbiosis, symbol, sympathetic,

syn-

• alike, with, together, mutual, reciprocal, at the same time
• examples
  • synagogue, synthesis, synthetic,
  • sympathy
    • with emotion