Affixes, Prefixes and Suffixes AFFIX A letter or group of letters added to the beginning or end of a word to get a new word with a changed meaning. Examples - im- in impossible; inter- in international -able in agreeable; -er in learner English Affixes could be divided into two groups: Prefixes and Suffixes PREFIX A letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word to get a new word with a changed meaning. Examples - im- in impossible; inter- in international; un- in unaffected SUFFIX A letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to get a new word with a changed meaning. Examples - -able in agreeable; -er in learner; -ness in quickness Sample This: ENGLISH PREFIXES - A a- Used to form: adjectives, adverbs and nouns General meaning: not, without Examples: acellular / amoral / apolitical / atheism / atheist / atypical ****** anti- Used to form: adjectives and nouns General meaning: against; the opposite of; preventing Examples: anti-aircraft / anti-bacterial / antibiotic / antibody / anti-choice / anticlerical / anticlimax / anticlockwise / anticoagulant / anti-competitive / anti-corruption / anticyclone / antidepressant / anti-encroachment / antifreeze / anti-globalization / anti-graft / antigravity / anti-hate / anti-hero / anti-inflammatory / anti-liquor / anti-lock / anti-national / antioxidant / antiparticle / anti-people / anti-personnel / antiperspirant / anti-poaching / antipyretic / antiretroviral / anti-rowdy / anti-sabotage / antiseptic / antisocial / anti-stalking / antitank / anti-terror / antitrust / antiviral / antivirus ****** ENGLISH SUFFIXES - A -able Used to form: adjectives, adverbs and nouns General meaning: that can, should or must be done; having the characteristic of Examples: agreeable / approachable / avertable / avoidable / believable / breakable / calculable / changeable / comfortable / computable / controllable / curable / desirable / enjoyable / escapable / excitable / exploitable / fashionable / imaginable / manageable / moveable / noticeable / observable / payable / preventable / quantifiable / ratable / readable / recognizable / reputable / respectable / serviceable / stoppable / taxable / transferable / transportable / understandable / usable / washable / wearable / workable ****** -ability Used to form: nouns General meaning: a level of skill, intelligence, etc. Example: capability / curability / excitability / playability / preventability / serviceability / usability / workability ****** -ance Used to form: nouns General meaning: the action or state of Examples: appearance / assistance / attendance / clearance / extravagance / resistance ****** -ant Used to form: adjectives and nouns General meaning: that is or does something; having an effect Examples: contestant / dormant / important / inhabitant / lubricant / pleasant / reliant / servant / significant ****** -ate Used to form: adjectives, nouns and verbs General meaning: having the characteristic, function or status of Examples: activate / ameliorate / amputate / consulate / doctorate / elaborate / electorate / hyphenate / intricate / Italianate / motivate / passionate / separate / stimulate / violate ****** -ation Used to form: nouns General meaning: the action or state of Examples: allegation / allocation / alteration / amplification / association / calculation / celebration / circulation / commemoration / communication / connotation / contamination / creation / declaration / denunciation / deterioration / devastation / disputation / elimination / eradication / exaggeration / fascination / fortification / implication / indication / innovation / insinuation / intensification / intimation / magnification / manifestation / migration / obliteration / ornamentation / refutation / rejuvenation / revelation / rotation / termination / transformation / vacation / vaccination ******