Prefixes and Suffixes in CBSE Class 10 English Grammar: Clear Rules & Examples Prefixes and Suffixes Get PDF @ Rs. 99 – All Chapter Notes Get PDF @ Rs. 199 – Class 10 Notes Prefixes and Suffixes System of Affixation in English In English, fixing a group of letters to a word to change its meaning, number, state or form is known as the System of Affixation. There are two primary types of affixation: Prefix Suffix Prefix A prefix is a small group of letters which are affixed at the beginning of the word. Subsidiary Nonviolence Intolerance They perform the following functions: Indicate presence or absence Indicate position Indicate qualities, size or number Indicates time, frequency or order Types of Prefixes Negative Prefixes Prefixes of Size Prefixes of Position or Location Prefixes of Time and Sequence Prefixes of Numbers and Amount Miscellaneous Prefixes Suffix A suffix is a group of letters which are fixed to the end of a root word or a base word. They perform the following functions: Change the part of speech of the word Indicate whether the number is singular or plural Indicate the tense of the verb Indicate the gender of a noun Types of Suffixes Noun Suffixes Suffixes of Verbs Suffixes of Adjectives Suffixes of Adverbs Root Words and Base Words The root word and the base words are the parts which contain the primary meaning of the word. Prefixes and suffixes are added to root and base words to create new words and ideas. Root Word A root word cannot stand on its own as an independent word. It needs the addition of the prefix or the suffix for the completion of its meaning. For example, let us consider the words amphibian, regeneration and subtraction. In the above cases, the roots -bi-, -generat- and -tract- cannot stand alone as individual words. They are therefore known as root words. Base Word A base word, unlike a root word, can stand on its own like an independent word. It does not need the addition of the prefix or suffix in order to function as a stand-alone word. For example, let us consider the words redone, nonviolent and unmoved. In the above examples, done, violent and moved can function as independent words. Common Root Words How to Use the Affixation System Thorough knowledge of the English affixation system helps us in guessing the meaning of the word purely by the means of its Prefix-Root-Suffix structure. Because of the limitations of our memory, it is not easy to mug up a large number of words at a time. We may find it difficult to associate the meaning of the word with its structure. With the knowledge of the affixation system, we can guess the meaning of the given word. In this manner, we can guess the meanings of the words solely by the virtue of their roots. Thus, in order to have a rich vocabulary, students should learn the Prefix-Root-Suffix method. It is an interesting way to expand your vocabulary with a little effort. Students who are well-versed with the affixation system find it easier to tackle difficult words and are more confident about their word usage. It will definitely give you an edge over the others when it comes to vocabulary. Base Words, Affixations, and Resulting Words Base Word Affixation Resulting Word determined pre + determined predetermined play play + er player weekly bi + weekly biweekly follow follow + ing following moral a- (without) amoral inject injected (put into) injected genital con- (present from birth) congenital dermic (skin) hypo- (under) hypodermic navigate circum- (around) circumnavigate chamber ante- (before) antechamber stellar (stars) inter- (between) interstellar meter (measure) thermo- (heat) thermometer cosm (world/universe) macro- (big) macrocosm glot (tongue/language) poly- (many) polyglot dated post- (later than) postdated do re- (again) redo primary — primary Prefixes, Their Meanings, and Usage Examples Prefix Meaning Usage Examples un- not uncomfortable, unbearable, unforgivable in- not incomplete, indecisive, independent dis- opposite of disinterested, disproportionate, displeasure ir- not irresponsive, irresponsible, irrevocable il- not illogical, illegitimate, illegible im- not improbable, impossible, impenetrable non- not nonviolent, nonchalant, non-invasive mis- wrong/wrongly misinterpret, misunderstand, miscalculation mis- hate misogynist, misogamist, misanthrope mal- bad/badly malfunction, malevolent, malediction, malnutrition anti- against antinational, antibacterial, antibiotics de- down, reduce descend, decry, deject, demote, decline a- without, not asocial, amorphous, abiotic, atrophy dis- apart, off, away disband, disturb, disburse, dismiss dys- bad dystopia, dysfunctional, dyslexia inter- between interstellar, intermediate, interval, intervene super- over, above superfluous, supersede, superintendent, supervisor trans- across transfer, transport, transgress, transmit ex- out exterior, external, extraneous, extract in-/im- inside internal, induce, imbibe, impregnate, influence sub-, suc-, sus- under subterranean, susceptible, submit, submarine sur- over surface, surfeit, surrender, survive, surcharge circum- around circumspect, circumnavigate, circumscribe, circumvent peri- around perimeter, periscope, perimortem per- through percolate, pervade, perfect, perforated, perceive infra- below infrared, infravision, infrarealism ab- away abduct, abstain, abjure, abdicate contra- against contravene, contradict, contralto, contrast de- down descend, decline, demote, decrease dia- across diagonal, diaphanous, diachronical, diagnosis hyper- over hypertrophy, hyperactivity, hyperbole, hypertension hypo- under hypothermia, hypothyroid ob- against obloquy, obnoxious, object, obfuscate pro- for prologue, provide, protect, project, procreate syn-, sym- together synthesis, syndicate, sympathy ultra- beyond ultraviolet, ultramodern, ultra-royalist, ultrasonic under- under underground, underachiever, underestimate meta- beyond metastasis, metabolise, metamorphic, metaphysics mid- between midterm, middle, midday by- near bypass, bygone, by-product epi- upon epidermis, epilogue, epitaph post- back postern, posterior 1. Prefixes: Time, Order, and Position PrefixMeaningUsage pre-beforeprevent, prepare, predict, premonition, prelude ante-beforeantediluvian, antebellum prime-firstprimary, primordial, prima donna, primate, primeval post-afterposterity, posthumous, postlude, post marital retro-beforeretrogression, retroflex, retrospect pro-beforeprogenitor, proceed, prologue, prophecy, prophylactic re-againrecur, recount, rethink fore-beforeforetell, forestall, foresight after-afterafter-effects, afterthought chron-timechronology, chronicle 2. Prefixes: Numbers PrefixMeaningUsage mono-onemonotheism, monologue, monarch uni-oneuniverse, unity bi-twobicycle, biannual du-, di-twodual, dichromatic tri-threetrident, trilogy quad-fourquadrilateral tetra-fourtetrapod, tetrameter penta-fivepentagon quint-fivequintal hex-sixhexagon sex-sixsextet sept-sevenseptuagenarian hept-sevenheptathlon octa-eightoctopus nov-nineNovember dec-tendecade hendeca-elevenhendecagon dodeca-twelvedodecahedron triskaideka-thirteentriskaidekaphobia cent-hundredcentury hector-thousandhectogram kilo-thousandkilogram mega-millionmegaton giga-billiongigabyte multi-manymultimillionaire poly-manypolymath 3. Prefixes: Characteristics and Other Concepts PrefixMeaningUsage alb-whitealbino ambi-bothambivalent amphi-bothamphibian bio-lifebiology auto-selfautocrat co-, com-, con-togethercooperate, companion en-, em-make, becomeempower, engender eu-goodeulogy, euphemism cario-heartcardiogram hydr-waterhydraulic ig-badignoble, ignorant bene-goodbenevolent bon-goodbon voyage homo-samehomophone pan-allpanorama pseudo-fakepseudonym neo-, nov-newnovelty amo-, ami-loveamiable aqua-wateraquatic 4. Word Form Changes FormExample Noun → Adjectivemeaning → meaningful Adjective → Adverbbeautiful → beautifully Noun → Verbsubject → subjecting Singular → Pluralgirl → girls Singular → Plural (irregular)stratum → strata Verb (singular) → Plurallifts → lift Verb Tensehopped → hopping Past → Past Participlesteal → stolen Masculine → Femininehost → hostess Masculine → Femininesteward → stewardess Masculine → Feminineexecutor → executrix 5. Suffixes and Their Uses SuffixUsageExample -alstaterefusal -ance / -ence / -ancy / -encyquality or statemilitancy, performance -tion / -sioncondition / processrelation, expansion -iceconditionjustice -er / -ordoerpainter, actor -graphrecordpolygraph -ismbeliefcommunism -istdoerpianist -iansomeone who doespolitician -ingactivitygardening -itystatecontinuity -logystudygeology -shipstatefriendship -oryplacelaboratory -orium / -ariumplaceaquarium -maniamadnessegomania -phobiafearmysophobia -urestateleisure -mentstateentertainment -nessstatehappiness Suffix Usage Examples Suffix Usage Example -able-able to makeenable, disable -ate-ate Latin origin verbsrecreate, abate, mediate -ed-ed simple past or participle formkilled, toyed, booked -en-en verbs formed from adjectivesbroken, frozen, sunken -er-er actions that have repetitive qualityblabber, snicker, mutter -fy-fy domagnify, specify, rectify -ing-ing action in continuationhearing, yearning, making -ise-ise to make/dorevolutionise, apologise, despise -ish-ish become or doflourish, banish, demolish -nt-nt to doprevent, augment, content -s, -es-s, -es simple present tense formcriticises, runs, laughs Suffix Meaning and Usage Suffix Meaning Usage -able, -iblehaving the quality offlexible, available, eatable -alrelated toventral, global, musical -antdoingdependent, buoyant, resilient -ichaving the qualityterrific, generic, specific -esquelike, having the qualitystatuesque, picturesque -er, -estcomparative and superlative qualitiesfatter, tallest -osefull ofverbose, grandiose -fulfull ofbeautiful, boastful, grateful -ingparticiple form of adjectiveinteresting, frustrating, sleeping -istichaving the qualityrealistic, artistic, surrealistic -ivehaving the nature ofpensive, aggressive, massive -ous, -iousfull ofgaseous, spacious, gracious Additional Suffix Meaning and Usage Suffix Meaning Usage -ably-ably with a qualitycomfortably, admirably, disagreeably -ibly-ibly with a qualityaudibly, horribly, negligibly -s-s shows time or placebackwards, always, forwards -wise-wise shows manner or positionclockwise, otherwise, lengthwise Affix Structure amphi-prefix -bi-root -ansuffix re- -generat- -ion prefix root suffix sub- -tract- -ion prefix root suffix Root Words, Meanings, and Usages Root Word Meaning Usage -acr-, -ac-sharp, tip, bitteracropolis, acronym, acrid, acerbic, acid, acne, acme -ami-, -amo-love, friendshipamity, amicable, amiable, amorous, paramour, enamoured -anim-life, mindanimate, animal, unanimous, equanimous, pusillanimous -anthrop-man, mankindanthropology, misanthrope, anthropomorphic -agog-leaddemagogy, pedagogy, synagogue -alt-highaltitude, altar, altiloquent -alter-otheralter ego, alternative -apt-, -ept-abilityaptitude, apt, adept, inept -arch-rulemonarch, oligarch, autarchy, anarchy -avi-fly, birdavian, aviation -bell-war, fightrebel, bellicose, belligerent -burs-purse, moneyreimburse, disburse, bursary -cap-, -cept-seizecapture, intercept -cap-headcapital, decapitate -carn-fleshcarnal, carnage, carnivorous -cede-, -cess-goincessant, accede, recede -cide-killsuicide, homicide, regicide, parricide, insecticide, pesticide -clin-, -cliv-slopeincline, recline, acclivity, declivity -corp-bodycorpuscles, corporation, incorporation -crat-, -cracy-rulerdemocrat, bureaucrat, theocracy -cred-beliefcredibility, credit, credulous -culp-fault, guiltculpable, culprit -dic-speakdictation, dictator, dictionary -doc-teachdocument, doctrine -dol-sadnessdolour, condolence, doleful -duc-leadabduct, induct, ductile -ego-selfegocentric, egoist, egomaniac -equ-equalequal, equality, equity -fac-, -fic-to dofactory, fiction, manufacture -fal-falsefallacy, fallible, false -fid-, -fed-faithfidelity, confederation, infidel -flu-, -flux-flowfluvial, fluent, influx -fort-luckfortuity, fortune -fort-strengthfort, fortitude, fortify -gen-birthgeneration, genre, generate, genome, genetic -grad-stepgradual, grade -graph-writegraphic, graphology, biography -grat-pleasegrateful, gratitude -grav-, -griev-serious, sadgrave, grieve, aggravate -greg-crowdgregarious, congregation, segregation -gress-goprogress, ingress, egress, congress Root Word Table Root Word Meaning Usage -helio-, -heli-sunhelium, heliocentric -hol-wholeholistic, holocaust -ject-, -jet-throwjettison, eject, inject -journ-dayjournal, journey, adjourn -jud-, -jur-lawjudge, judicial, jury, abjure -loc-, -loq-speakelocution, colloquial, loquacious -log-, -logy-study, word, signbiology, zoology, neologism, logo -luc-lighttranslucent, lucid, pellucid -man-handmanual, manufacture, manuscript -magn-largemagnanimous, magnificent, magnum -mit-, -mis-let, allowadmit, permission, intermittent -med-, -mid-middlemedieval, Mediterranean, middle, midday -nom-, -nym-nameanonymous, pseudonym -nox-, -noc-night, harmfulequinox, nocturnal, noxious, obnoxious, innocuous -path-feelsympathy, empathy, antipathy -phil-lovephilosopher, bibliophile -photo-lightphotograph, photosynthesis -scribe-, -script-writescript, scribe, scribble, scripture -sent-, -sense-feelsentimental, sensational, sensible -soph-wisdomsophisticated, philosophy -terr-landterritory, territorial, terrestrial, terrain, terracotta -vis-, -vid-sightvisual, video -vac-emptyvacuum, vacation, vacant -vol-flyvolatile, volley -zoo-animalzoology, zoophile, zoo Word Meanings Word Meaning innocuousharmless unanimoustogether in agreement translucentallowing light to pass Prefix, Root, Suffix, Meaning Prefix Root Suffix Meaning in- (not)noc- (harmful)-uous(having the quality of)not harmful uni- (one)-anim-(war)-ous (belonging to)with a single mind (unitedly) trans- (talk)luc (light)-ent (quality of)light passing across JOIN TELEGRAM CHANNEL Join Our WhatsApp Channel JOIN NOW