The prefix, multi-, implies many, much or more than two. Words with the Prefix Multi- We created the list of words with the prefix multi- by referencing two dictionaries: Merriam-Webster Children's Dictionary and Merriam-Webster's Intermediate Dictionary. We limited these words to those most
Prefixes are found at the beginning of a word; they are small but meaningful groups of letters that when added to the front or base of a word they contribute to the meaning of the word.
Knowing the meaning of prefixes will assist a child when encountering unknown words, it helps a child comprehend the meaning of word.
Most Common Prefixes
The following 20 prefixes are commonly used; representing approximately 97%.
| Rank | Prefix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | un | not, opposite of | uneasy, unhappy & unheard |
| 2 | re | again, back | return, restore & reset |
| 3 | in, im, ir, ill | not, opposite of | incomplete, impossible, irregular & illegal |
| 4 | dis | not, opposite | discomfort, disconnect & discover |
| 5 | en, em | cause to | endanger, enlarge & enjoy |
| 6 | non | not, opposite of | nonprofit, nonliving & nonessential |
| 7 | in, im | in or into | indulge, inflame & impact |
| 8 | over | too much, above | overtime, overweight & overthrow |
| 9 | mis | wrongly | misfit, misspell & misstep |
| 10 | sub | under, lower | subway, submerge & subsoil |
| 11 | pre | before | predict, prehistoric & preface |
| 12 | inter | between, among | intervene, interactive & international |
| 13 | fore | before | forefront, foreman & foresee |
| 14 | de | opposite of, down | decrease, defrost & deform |
| 15 | trans | across | transatlantic, transfer & transport |
| 16 | super | above, beyond | supermarket, supernatural & supersonic |
| 17 | semi | half | semicolon, semifinal & semicircle |
| 18 | anti | against | antisocial, antidote & antibody |
| 19 | mid | middle | midway, midsummer & midwinter |
| 20 | under | too little, below | underclothes, undercooked & underdog |
Source: Fry, E.B., Ph.D. & Kress, J.E., Ed.D. (2006). The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists 5th Edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.