Prefix definitions

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Prefix definitions, etymology & examples

[[category:Grammar]

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

Terms

  • assimilation
  • cognate
  • etymology
  • PIE


A-B-C[edit | edit source]

ab-[edit | edit source]

  • 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-[edit | edit source]

  • 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-[edit | edit source]

  • 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-[edit | edit source]

  • 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[edit | edit source]

em-[edit | edit source]

  • 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

en-[edit | edit source]

  • from PIE *en, into, to make or put
in- prefix synonyms w/ opposite meanings
prefix definition 1 definition 2
em- opposite of, not in, into
en- opposite of, not in, into
im- opposite of, not in, into
in- opposite of, not in, into
Pronoun letter
letter / sound m n
goes with -b, -m, -p -c, -d, -f, -g, -h, -j, -l, n, -r, -q, -t, -v
em-, en-, im-, in- ember, immaterial, important include, induce, infuse, ingress, inhuman, injury, enliven, enrage, inquisitive, into, invisible
-un does not change with the


digi-[edit | edit source]

G-H-I[edit | edit source]

in-[edit | edit source]

  • same as en-, im-, em-
  • see entry for en-

J-K-L[edit | edit source]

M-N=O[edit | edit source]

P-Q-R[edit | edit source]

S-T-U[edit | edit source]

sym-[edit | edit source]

  • 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-[edit | edit source]

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

V-X-Y-Z[edit | edit source]