Free English / Vocabulary / Prefixes and suffixes
Prefixes and suffixes: build and spell hundreds of words
A prefix goes at the front of a word and a suffix goes at the end. Learn the meaning of each one and you can work out words you have never met.
Quick answer
- Prefix
- Added to the front. It changes the meaning: un + happy.
- Suffix
- Added to the end. It often changes the word class: care + ful.
- Key tip
- Most prefixes and suffixes are added with no change. Check the notes for the few that need one.
Ten prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Examples | Spelling note |
|---|---|---|---|
| un- | not, or the opposite of | unkind unfair undo unlock unhappy | Added straight on: un + necessary = unnecessary (double n). |
| dis- | not, or the opposite of | disagree disappear dislike disobey disconnect | Added straight on: dis + appear = disappear. |
| mis- | wrongly or badly | misbehave mislead misspell mistake misplace | Added straight on: mis + spell = misspell (double s). |
| re- | again or back | redo rebuild return reappear refresh | Sometimes a hyphen helps: re-cover (cover again) and recover are different words. |
| pre- | before | preview prepare prehistoric prepay preheat | Added straight on. |
| sub- | under | submarine subway subtitle subheading submerge | Added straight on. |
| inter- | between or among | interact intercity international interlock interchange | Added straight on. |
| super- | above or beyond | supermarket superstar superhero supernatural supersonic | Added straight on. |
| anti- | against | antiseptic antisocial anticlockwise antifreeze | A hyphen is sometimes used: anti-clockwise. |
| auto- | self or own | autograph autobiography automatic autopilot | Added straight on. |
Eleven suffixes
| Suffix | What it does | Examples | Spelling note |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ly | turns an adjective into an adverb | slowly gently happily basically | y changes to i (happily); -le becomes -ly (gently); -ic adds -ally (basically). |
| -ous | makes an adjective: full of or having | famous dangerous nervous humorous | Drop the e of fame; -our becomes -or (humorous). |
| -tion | turns a verb into a noun (shun sound) | invention action completion education | Root ends in t or te. |
| -sion | turns a verb into a noun (zhun or shun) | division decision confusion expansion extension | Root ends in d or se, or the sound is zhun. |
| -cian | a person who does something | musician magician electrician politician | Root ends in c or cs. |
| -ment | makes a noun | enjoyment payment movement agreement | Added straight on to most words. |
| -ness | makes a noun for a state or quality | kindness sadness happiness darkness | Consonant + y changes to i (happiness). |
| -ful | full of | careful helpful joyful beautiful | Only one l: careful, not carefull. y changes to i (beautiful). |
| -less | without | careless hopeless fearless homeless | Two s letters. Consonant + y changes to i (penniless). |
| -able | can be done | enjoyable comfortable readable breakable | Keep the e after a soft c or g (noticeable). |
| -ible | can be done (less common) | possible visible flexible edible incredible | Often used when you cannot hear a whole word before it. |
Quiz
Questions
What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?
A prefix comes before the root word (unhappy). A suffix comes after it (happiness). A word can have both.
Does adding a prefix change the spelling of the root?
Not normally. The root stays the same. The prefix in- is the exception: it changes to il-, im- or ir- before some letters. See the Year 3 spelling rules.
Related
Spelling lists and grammar terminology: Department for Education, National curriculum in England: English programmes of study, Appendices 1 and 2 (Crown copyright 2013), reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example sentences, tips, explanations and questions are by Litlings.