Complex Words
Prefixes and Suffixes

Complex Words


Prefix-base word-suffix

Deforestation
De- = undoing, unmaking

-ation = process, making

Deform
Deconstruct

Siam
Siamese

Vietnam
Vietnamese

Iran
Iranian


Video: Learning about Prefixes

Video: Prefix / Suffix
Video: Prefix & Suffix Song

Prefixes
A prefix is a group of letters placed before the root of a word. For example, the word “unhappy” consists of the prefix “un-” [which means “not”] combined with the root (or stem) word “happy”; the word “unhappy” means “not happy.”
A short list of prefixes:
Source: https://www.enchantedlearning.com/grammar/prefixsuffix/index.shtml

Prefix

Meaning
Examples
de-
from, down, away, reverse, opposite
decode, decrease
dis-
not, opposite, reverse, away
disagree, disappear
ex-
out of, away from, lacking, former
exhale, explosion
il-
not
illegal, illogical
im-
not, without
impossible, improper
in-
not, without
inaction, invisible
mis-
bad, wrong
mislead, misplace
non-
not
nonfiction, nonsense
pre-
before
prefix, prehistory
pro-
for, forward, before
proactive, profess, program
re-
again, back
react, reappear
un-
against, not, opposite
undo, unequal, unusual

Suffixes
A suffix is a group of letters placed after the root of a word. For example, the word flavorless consists of the root word “flavor” combined with the suffix “-less” [which means “without”]; the word “flavorless” means “having no flavor.”
A short list of suffixes:

Suffix

Meaning
Examples
-able
able to, having the quality of
comfortable, portable
-al
relating to
annual comical
-er
comparative
bigger, stronger
-est
superlative
strongest, tiniest
-ful
full of
beautiful, grateful
-ible
forming an adjective
reversible, terrible
-ily
forming an adverb
eerily, happily, lazily
-ing
denoting an action, a material, or a gerund
acting, showing
-less
without, not affected by
friendless, tireless
-ly
forming an adjective
clearly, hourly
-ness
denoting a state or condition
kindness, wilderness
-y
full of, denoting a condition, or a diminutive
glory, messy, victory