How can I learn new vocabulary in English?
For anyone learning English, like many languages, the difficulty resides in the mechanism of the word creation. Like anything else, you have a much better chance to understand something if you already know how to make it! Secondly, the key in any languages is to learn how to correct yourself along with your learning so that the better you get, the more independent and efficient you become at improving.
So where to start?[Medium level English] [New vocabulary (Prefix)]
Prefix – Word – Suffix
A prefix is an add-on for a word and can change the meaning of the word while the suffix does the same thing put in place at the end. Learning these “Tools” will help you deconstruct new word and learn multiple words from one example, not bad! Now I recommend you only focus on “Prefix” because a “suffix” is more often used for meaning modifications that are not likely to be use in your everyday talks unless you are a doctor, IE. Drugs, Sciences, Formal uses etc…
Prefix
Pre – Fix – _ _ _ _
Pre = Before
Fix = put or attach
To put or attach a word before or in front of another word modify the word’s meaning.
Now let’s repeat the process with other words.
Bicycle
Bi – cycle – _ _ _
Bi = 2
Cycle = Any Complete Round
a vehicle with two wheels
Oh! my all time favorite example (because it sticks!)
Hetero – Sexual
Homo – Sexual
Bi – Sexual
Trans – Sexual
Sexual = (related to sex)
Hetero = Different
Homo = Same
Bi = 2
Trans = across
(Hetero) + (Sexual)
Different + Sex = Have sex with different sex (girl & boy together)
(Homo) + (Sexual)
Same + Sex = Have sex with same sex (girl&girl or boy&boy)
(bi) + (Sexual)
2 + Sex = Have sex with either sex (with girl or boy)
(Trans) + (Sexual)
across + Sex = Have sex change operation (become the other sex)
Ok you get the point now… so learn the prefix it will allow you to guess more accurately the meaning of new words.
What is a prefix?
A prefix (affix) is a word, or letter(s) placed at the beginning of another word (a base word) to adjust or qualify its usage or meaning. The opposite of prefix is suffix.
List of English Prefixes
Prefix |
General Meaning |
Example |
|---|---|---|
| a(n)- | not , without | atonality , asexuality , amoral , anarchy |
| ab- | away | abduction , absolutism , ablution |
| ac- | ||
| acr(o)- | high, up | Acropolis |
| aden(o)- | ||
| aer(o)- | air | aeronautics , aerodrome , aeroplane , aerodynamics |
| agr(o)- | relating to farming | agriculture |
| an- | ||
| an(a)- | out of | anachronism |
| an(o)- | ||
| andr- | man | androgyny , androcentrism , android , androgen |
| anem- | ||
| Anglo- | English or British | Anglo-Irish relations, anglophile |
| ante- | before | antebellum |
| anthrop(o)- | relating to human beings | anthropology , anthropocentrism , anthropomorphic |
| ant(i)- | against | antidote , antibody , anticlockwise |
| aut(o)- | self | autonomy , autobiography , automobile , autopilot |
| bar(o)- | atmosphere | |
| bathy- | deep | Bathyscape , Bathysphere |
| be- | completely, thoroughly; excessively; on; around; about; used to form transitive verbs | |
| bi- | two | bicycle , bijection , bilingual , bicameralism , bisexuality |
| bi(o)- | life | biology , biography , biosphere , biotechnology |
| bibli(o)- | relating to books | bibliophilia , bibliography |
| blast(o)- | ||
| brady- | slow | bradycardia |
| brom(o)- | ||
| bronch(o)- | relating to breathing | bronchitis |
| cac(o)- | ||
| cardi(o)- | heart | cardiovascular |
| cent-, centi - | hundred or hundredth | centenary, centimeter, centipede |
| cephal(o)- | ||
| chrom(o)-, chromat(o)- | ||
| chron(o)- | time | chronology, chronograph |
| circum- | around | circumcision, circumnavigation, circumlocution, circumference |
| cion(o)- | ||
| co- | together | cooperative, cohabit |
| colpo- | ||
| com-, con-, col-, cor- | with, together | conference , connotation , context , Congress , congregation |
| contr(a)-, contr(o) | against, opposite | contradiction , contraception , controversy |
| cosm(o)- | cosmology , cosmopolitan , cosmotheism | |
| counter- | against, opposite | counterpoint , counterweight , Counter-Reformation |
| crin(o)- | ||
| cry(o)- | frost , icy cold | cryogenics , cryoelectronics , cryostorage |
| crypt(o)- | hidden | cryptography , cryptozoology |
| cyt(o)- | hollow, receptacle, cell | cytoplasm , cytology |
| dactyl(o)- | ||
| de- | taking something away, the opposite | decentralisation , deforestation , dehydration |
| dec(a)-, dek(a)- | ten | decamerous |
| deci - | one tenth | deciliter |
| dem(o)- | people, nation | demographics , democracy |
| derm(o)-, derm(a)-, dermat- | skin | dermatology , dermatitis |
| di- | two , double | |
| didact(o)- | apt at teaching | |
| dynam(o)- | power , force | dynamic , dynamite , dynamo |
| dis- | reverse , opposite | dissent , discovery , disambiguation |
| dox(o)- | Doxology | |
| dys- | bad, deformed, abnormal | dyspepsia , dystrophy , dysarthria |
| eco- | house | economy , ecology , ecosystem , ecotourism , ecotage |
| ecto(s)- | outside | ectoskeleton |
| edaph(o)- | ||
| electr(o)- | electricity | electrocution |
| embry(o)- | full | |
| encephal(o)- | brain | encephalitis |
| end(o)-, ent(o)- | ||
| enne(a)- | nine | enneastyle |
| enter(o)- | ||
| eo- | dawn, early | eobacterium |
| ep(i)-, eph- | above | epitaxy |
| erg(o)- | ergonomics | |
| erythr(o)- | ||
| erot(o)- | ||
| stom(o)-, stomat(o)- | ||
| ethn(o)- | ethnology , ethnolinguistics , ethnocentrism | |
| eu- | good | eulogy , euthanasia , eugenics , euphemism |
| ex- | former | ex-wife, ex-president |
| ex(o)- | outside | exoskeleton |
| extra- | very, more than usual, outside, beyond | extra-thin, extra-special
extraordinary, extraterrestrial |
| flor(i)- | relating to flowers | florist |
| fore- | before, in advance | foreskin , foreshadowing |
| gyn- | female | gynaecology , gynoid |
| hemi- | half | hemimetabolous |
| hex(a)- | six | hexapod |
| hyper- | excessive, (least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper) | hyperactive , hyperthyroidism |
| hyp(o)- | below, (least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper) | hypodermic |
| in- | extremely | inflammable , invaluable |
| in-, il-, im-, ir- | not | infallibility , illiteracy , immoral , irrelevant |
| inter- | between, from one to another | intervention , international |
| intra- | within, interior | intramural, intravenous |
| kilo - | thousand | kilogram , kilowatt |
| mal- | bad, badly | malpractice , malnutrition |
| maxi- | most, very, large | maxi-dress |
| mega -, megal- | million , very large | megabyte , megaphone |
| meta- | after, beyond | metacarpal , metaphysics |
| micro - | one millionth, very small | microgram , microorganism , micronation |
| mid- | in the middle of | mid-term elections , Mid-Autumn Festival , Mid-Atlantic Ridge |
| milli - | thousandth | milligram , milliliter |
| mini- | small | miniskirt , miniscule |
| mis- | bad , wrong | miscarriage , misanthropy , misogyny |
| mon(o)- | one , single | monolith , monorail , monotony , monocle |
| multi- | many | multiculturalism , multilingual |
| non- | not | nonsense, non-denial denial |
| non- | nine | none, nonagon |
| oct(o)-, oct(a)- | eight | octane , octopod , octagon |
| oo- (” oo -oh”) | egg, ovum | oocyte |
| out- | more, to a greater degree | to outdo, to outrun |
| over- | more than normal, too much | overpopulation , over-consumption |
| pent(a)- | five | pentagon |
| post- | after | Post-Fordism , postpartum depression , postmodernity , postmodernism |
| pre- | before | prediction , preview , precedent , prenatal care |
| pro- | for, in favour of | pro-choice, pro-life, promotion |
| quadr-, quart- | four | quadrangle , quadruplet , quartic , quartile |
| quin(que)- | five , into five parts | quinquesection |
| quint(i)- | fifth , five | quintiped |
| re- | again, repeatedly | reduction , reflection , revolution |
| rect(i)- | proper, straight | rectify, rectangle |
| scler(o)- | hard | scleroderma atherosclerosis |
| semi- | half | semi-automatic , semi-detached |
| sept(a)- | seven | heptachord |
| sex(i)- | six | sexivalent |
| Sino- | Chinese | Sino-American relations |
| spasm(o)- | ||
| sperm(o)-, spermat(o)- | ||
| spher(o)- | ||
| sphygm(o)- | pulso | sphygmomanometer |
| splen(o)- | ||
| splanchn(o)- | ||
| schiz(o)-, schist(o)- | split | schizophrenia , schistocyte |
| staphyl(o)- | ||
| styl(o)- | pillar | |
| sub- | below, less than, under,(least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper) | subset , subsonic , subway , subtitles |
| super- | extremely, more than, (least to greatest in order: hypo, sub, super, hyper) | superhuman , Superego , supersonic |
| syn- | along with, together, at the same time | synergy , synchronicity |
| tach(y)-, tach(o)- | fast, speed | tachycardia , tachometer |
| tel(e)-, tel(o)- | far, over a long distance | telecommunications , television , telephoto lens , telodynamic |
| tel(o)-, tel(e)- | end, complete, mature | teloblast |
| trans- | across, beyond | transfer , transubstantiation , transatlantic , Trans-Siberian railway |
| tri- | three | triangle , tricolor , triptych |
| ultra- | extremely, beyond a certain limit | Ultramontanism , ultraviolet |
| un- | not, opposite, take something away | unconstitutional , undelete |
| uni- | one , single | uniform , unification |
| ur- | first, original | urtext |
| zoo- (” zoo -oh”) | relating to animals | zoomorphic , zoology |
Popularity: 16% [?]
Very useful!
even more for chinese learners