3 AFFIXES If you know the meaning of the main (letters added at the beginning of a word) and (letters added to the end of a word), you have the key to a large number of new words made from words which you already know or which you may easily understand. Here is a list of prefixes and suffixes ( ) which may often be found in scientific English. Abbreviations: adj = adjective; adv = adverb; n = noun; v = verb prefixes suffixes affixes PREFIXES Prefixes are added to words to change their meaning. PREFIX MEANING USED WITH EXAMPLES a- (an-) not, without, lacking in adj, adv, n aseptic, anaerobic; aseptically; asymmetry dis- not, opposite of adj, adv, n, v discolouring; discontinuously; disapproval; to disable in- (il-, im-, ir-) not, opposite of adj, adv, n inexhaustible, illegal, immeasurable, irregular; infinitely, illegally, impossibly, irregularly; infinity, illegality un- not, opposite of adj, adv, n, v unable; unconsciously; untruth; to unlock non- not, absence of adj, adv, n non-flammable, non-stop; non-proliferation de- opposite of, removal of adj, adv, n, v deficient; defectively; deforestation; to defrost ab- wrong adj, n, v abnormal; abuse; to abuse mis- bad(ly), wrong(ly) n, v misunderstanding; to misbehave mal- bad(ly), wrong(ly) adj, n, v malodorous; malnutrition; to malfunction over- too much adj, adv, n, v overfertilized; overpoweringly; overdose; to overestimate under- not enough adj, n, v underdeveloped; undernutrition; to underestimate out- surpassing adj, adv, n, v outsized; outstandingly; outbalance; to outnumber fore- in advance, in front of n, v foreground; to forecast re- again adj, adv, n, v recyclable; refreshingly; recycling; to readjust