Negative Prefixes in English

Negative Prefixes

• a-/an-: Not, without, lack of, absence
  • Example: Amorphous (without shape), Anemia (decrease of hemoglobin in blood), Antipyretic (drug that reduces fever)

Other Negative Prefixes

• Anti-: Against

  • Example: Antipyretic

• Contr-/Counter-: Against

  • Example: Contraception (a process or technique for prevention of pregnancy)

Prefix "De-"

• De-: Removal, loss, down
  • Example: Detoxify (to remove a poison/toxin)

Prefix "Dis-"

• Dis-: Absence, removal, separation
  • Example: Disinfection (to remove infectious organisms)

Prefixes "In-/Im-" and "Un-"

• In-/Im-: No, not
  • Example: Incontinence (lack of control over secretion), Immature (not mature), Unconscious (not responsive)
• Un-: Not
  • Example: Unconscious

Prefix "Trans-"

• Trans-: Through
  • Example: Transfusion (introduction of blood or blood components into blood stream)

Prefixes Pertaining to Degree

• Hyper-: Over, excess, abnormally high, increased
  • Example: Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Hypo-: Under, below, abnormally low, decreased
  • Example: Hypoventilation (low amount of air entering lung)

Prefixes Relating to Number

• Olig-: Few, scanty
  • Example: Oligospermia (low number of sperms in the semen)
• Pan-: All
  • Example: Panplegia (total paralysis)
• Supra-: Above, over
  • Example: Suprarenal (above the kidney)

Prefixes Relating to Size

• Homo-: Same
  • Example: Homothermic (maintaining a normal body temperature)
• Macro-: Large, abnormally large
  • Example: Macroscopic (visible with naked eye)

Prefixes Relating to Size (continued)

• Mega-: Large, abnormally large
  • Example: Megabladder (permanent enlargement of the bladder)
• Micro-: Small
  • Example: Microcephaly (small head)

Prefixes Pertaining to New, Normal, Straight, and Correct

• Neo-: New
  • Example: Neonate (newborn infant)
• Normo-: Normal
  • Example: Normovolemia (normal blood volume)
• Ortho-: Straight, correct, up-right
  • Example: Orthostatic (pertaining to a standing position)

Prefixes Pertaining to False and Again

• Pseudo-: False
  • Example: Pseudo pregnancy (false pregnancy)
• Re-: Again, back
  • Example: Reabsorption (absorption again)

Prefixes Pertaining to Time and/or Position

• Ante-: Before
  • Example: Antenatal (before birth)
• Pre-: Before
  • Example: Pre-prandial (before meal)

Prefixes Pertaining to Time

• Pro-: Before, in front of
  • Example: Prophylaxis (prevention of a disease)
• Post-: After, behind
  • Example: Postoperative (after a surgical operation)

Prefixes Pertaining to Location or Combination

• Dextro-: Right
  • Example: Dextrocardia (location of the heart in the right side of the chest)
• Syn-: Together
  • Example: Syndactyly (fusion of two or more fingers)

Other Prefixes for Combination

• Sym-: Together
  • Example: Symbiosis (living together)

Prefixes Pertaining to Outside/Bad

• Extra-: Outside of
  • Example: Extrahepatic (outside of the liver)
• Mal-: Bad
  • Example: Malignant tumor (cancerous tumor)

Prefixes Pertaining to Beneath/Absent

• Sub-: Beneath, less than
  • Example: Subcutaneous (under the skin)
• Nulli-: None
  • Example: Nullipara (woman with no history of normal labour)

Test your knowledge of negative prefixes in the English language. This quiz focuses on prefixes such as a-/an-, anti-, dis-, and more, providing examples to enhance your understanding. Discover how these prefixes change the meanings of words in various contexts.