3 AFFIXES If you know the meaning of the main prefixes (letters added at the beginning of a word) and suffixes (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 (affixes) which may often be found in scientific English. Abbreviations: adj = adjective; adv = adverb; n = noun; v = verb PREFIXES Prefixes are added to words to change their meaning. PREFIX MEANING USED WITH EXAMPLES a- (an-) not, without, lacking in adj, adv, n dis- not, opposite of adj, adv, n, v in- (il-, im-, ir-) not, opposite of adj, adv, n un- not, opposite of adj, adv, n, v non- not, absence of adj, adv, n de- opposite of, removal of adj, adv, n, v ab- wrong adj, n, v mis- bad(ly), wrong(ly) n, v mal- bad(ly), wrong(ly) adj, n, v over- too much adj, adv, n, v under- not enough adj, n, v out- surpassing adj, adv, n, v forere- in advance, in front of again n, v adj, adv, n, v aseptic, anaerobic; aseptically; asymmetry discolouring; discontinuously; disapproval; to disable inexaustible, illegal, immeasurable, irregular; infinitely, illegally, impossibly, irregularly; infinity, illegality, impossibility, irregularity unable; unconsciously; untruth; to unlock non-flammable, non-stop; non-proliferation deficient; defectively; deforestation; to defrost abnormal; abuse; to abuse misunderstanding; to misbehave malodorous; malnutrition; to malfunction overfertilized; overpoweringly; overdose; to overestimate underdeveloped; undernutrition; to underestimate outsized; outstandingly; outbalance; to outnumber foreground; to forecast recyclable; refreshingly; recycling; to readjust 270 FURTHER MATERIALS