Prefixes and Suffixes

This page is a companion to Meanings; its special purpose is to save space by answering several questions in one line. Most of these prefixes and suffixes are used in more than one English word, and usually the meaning of the rest of the word is fairly obvious. So if you know what the prefix or suffix means, you should at least be able to have a stab at what the word in question means.

Sesqui–		1.5	Sesquicentennial – 150 years
Tetra–		4	Tetralogy – a work (of literature, etc.) in four parts
Quinqu–		5	Quinquereme – an ancient ship with five banks of oars
Hepta–		7	Heptarchy – the seven Anglo–Saxon kingdoms
Octa–		8	Octagonal – having eight sides
Nona–		9	Nonagon – a nine–sided figure
Deca–		10	Decathlon – a competition with ten events
Hendeca–		11	Hendecagon – an eleven–sided figure
Dodeca–		12	Dodecahedron – a solid figure with twelve faces
Icosa–		20	Icosahedron – a solid figure with twenty faces
Chili– (killy–)		1,000	Chiliagon – a polygon with one thousand sides
Myri(a)		10,000	Myriagon – a polygon with ten thousand sides

Algo–, –algesia		Pain	Analgesic – a drug to reduce pain
Andro–, –andry		Men	Polyandry – marrying more than one man
Anthro–		Man(kind)	Anthropophagy – cannibalism
Api–		Bees	Apiary – a place where bees are kept
Aqua–, Aque–		Water	Aqueduct – a channel to carry water
Ast–, Astr–, Astro–		Star	Astronaut – star sailor
Austral–		Southern	Australia, Aurora Australis
Avi–		Birds or flying	Aviary – a place where birds are kept
Bathy–		Depth	Bathyscaphe – a vessel for diving into deep water
Cardio–		Heart	Cardiology - the study of heart disease
–cephal–		Head	Hydrocephalus – “water on the brain”
Chiro–		Hand(s)	Chiropody – care of the hand and foot
Chrys–		Gold(en)	Chrysanthemum – golden flower
Copro–		Dung	Coprolite – fossilised dung
Crypto–		Hidden	Cryptography – use or study of codes; also Krypton
Cyn–		Dog	Cynophobia (SIGH-no-phobia) – fear of dogs
Dactyl–		Finger	Dactylogram – fingerprint Pterodactyl – winged finger
Derm–		Skin	Dermatologist – skin specialist
Drom–		Running, runner, racetrack	Dromedary – running camel
Emet–		Vomiting	Emetic – a drug to induce vomiting
Encephal–		Brain	Encephalopathy – a disease of the brain
Entomo–		Insects	Entomology – study of insects
Erg–		Work	Ergonomics – the study of work
Erot–		Physical love, sex	Erotic – (you know what erotic means)
Etymo–		Words	Etymology – study of words
Extra–		Outside	Extraordinary – outside the ordinary
Fitz–		Illegitimate son of	Fitzpatrick, Fitzherbert, etc.
Frat–		Brother	Fraternal – brotherly
–gamy		Marriage	Polygamy
Gastro–		Stomach	Gastronomy – study of culture and food
Genu–		Knee	Genuflect – to bend the knee (esp. in obeisance)
Geo–		Earth	Geometry – measurement of the Earth
Geront–		Old age or ageing	Gerontology – the study of ageing
Gloss–, –glot		Tongue or language	Polyglot – one who speaks many languages
Graph–, –graph		Writing	Graphic – (as if) written in words
Gymn–		Naked(ness)	Gymnasium – a place where people go naked (!)
–gyny		Women	Misogyny – dislike of women
Haemo–		Blood	Haemophilia – a disease that prevents blood clotting
Halo–		Salt	Halogens – elements that produce a wide range of salts
Helio–		The sun	Heliotropic – growing towards the sun
Hepat–		The liver	Hepatitis – inflammation of the liver
Herpet–		Snakes or reptiles	Herpetology – study of reptiles or snakes
Hetero–		Different	Heterogeneous – made up of dissimilar components
Hippo–		Horse(s)	Hippodrome – a place where horses were raced
Homo–		Same (Greek)	Homogeneous – of the same kind or nature Homosexual – attracted to members of the same sex
		Man, male (Latin)	Homunculus – a tiny man. And that's about it!
Hydr–		Water	Hydroponics – growing plants in water
Hyper–		Over	Hyperactivity – overactive behaviour
Hypo–		Under	Hypothermia – low body temperature
Ign–		Fire	Ignite – to set on fire; igneous – (rock) formed in fire
Inter–		Between	International – between different countries
Intra–, Intro–		Inside	Introspective – looking inwards
Lachry–, lacri–		Weeping	Lachrymal glands – the ones that produce tears
Lapi–		Stone (Latin)	Lapidary – an artist or artisan who works with stones
–lingua		Tongue or language	Sub–lingual – under the tongue Multilingual – able to speak more than one language
–lith–		Stone (Greek)	Lithography – stone writing Megalith – great stone
Logo–		Words	Logophile – lover of words
–mancy		Magic or fortune tellng	Cartomancy – telling fortunes using cards
Mat–		Mother	Maternal – motherly
–metry, –meter		Measurement	Geometry – measurement of the Earth Perimeter – the distance around (a shape)
Mono–		One	Monopoly – market with one seller and many buyers
Myrmec–		Ants	Myrmecology – the scientific study of ants
Necro–		Corpses	Necropolis – cemetery
Neo–		New	Neolithic – the new Stone Age
Nepho–		Clouds	Nephogram – photograph of a cloud
Nycto–		Night	Nyctophobia – fear of darkness (allegedly)
Oeno–		Wine	Oenology – study of; Oenophile – lover of
Oli–		Few	Oligarchy – rule by a few
Onco–		Cancer	Oncology – study of; oncogene – one that can cause
Ophid–		Snake(s)	Ophidiology– study of; ophidiophobia – fear of
Ornitho–		Birds	Ornithology – study of birds
Osm–		Smells or odours	Osmium – because of the smell of its oxide
Oss–		Bones	Ossuary – a place where bones are kept
Paleo–		Later	Paleolithic – the later Stone Age
Para–		Beyond or beside	Paranormal – beyond the normal
Pat–		Father	Patriarch – father figure
Pelo–		Mud	Pelotherapy – therapeutic use of mud
–phagy		Food	Anthropophagy – using people as food (cannibalism)
Phyto–		Plant	Phytozoon – a plant–like animal
Pluto–		Rich	Plutocracy – government by the rich
Pneumo–		Lung	Pneumonia – a disease of the lung
–pod–, –ped		Foot or feet	Quadruped – a creature with four feet
Poly–		Many	Polygamy – having more than one wife
Potam–		River	Hippopotamus – (lit.) river horse Mesopotamia – land between two rivers
Prot– or proto–		First	Proton – the first elementary particle
Pter–		Wings (or feathers)	Pterodactyl – winged finger Helicopter – spiral wing
Pyro–		Fire	Pyromania – a compulsion to start fires
Rhino–		Nose	Rhinoceros – nose–horned; Rhinoplasty – a nose job
–saur		Lizard or reptile	Dinosaur – terrible lizard
Scio–		Shade or shadow	Sciophyte – a plant that grows best in shade
Seri–		Silk	Serigraphy – silk screen printing
Somn–		Sleep	Somnambulism – sleepwalking
Sphygmo–		Pulse	Sphygmomanometer – a blood pressure monitor
Strato–		Military	Stratocracy – government by the military
Tachy–		Fast	Tachycardia – fast heart rate
Tele–		Distant	Telephone – sound from afar
Thalasso–		The sea	Thalassotherapy – use of seawater in therapy
Uxo–		Wife	Uxoricide – murder of one’s wife
Ventri–		Stomach	Ventriloquism – speaking from the stomach
Xanth–		Yellow	Xanthosis - yellow colouring of the skin
Xeno–		Strange, foreign	Xenophobia – fear of foreigners
Xero–		Dry	Xerophyte – a plant that thrives in dry or desert conditions
Xylo–		Wood(en)	Xylophone – wooden sound
Zoo–		Animal(s)	Zoology – the scientific study of animals

© Haydn Thompson 2017–23