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Common Prefixes & Suffixes
12 common prefixes and 12 common suffixes, each with its real meaning and a real example word — picked from MorphyLearn's own curriculum for how often they show up and how clearly they teach.
A tip for using this sheet: kids don't need to memorize all 24 at once. Learning to recognize
a handful of these patterns is enough to start noticing them inside bigger, unfamiliar words —
let that recognition build gradually.
| Prefix | Meaning | Example | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| un- | not | unrest | un- + rest |
| re- | again | reuse | re- + use |
| dis- | not / opposite of | disown | dis- + own |
| mis- | wrongly | mislead | mis- + lead |
| pre- | before | preorder | pre- + order |
| inter- | between or among | interaction | inter- + act + -ion |
| sub- | under or away | subtraction | sub- + tract + -ion |
| super- | over or above | supervisor | super- + vis + -or |
| auto- | self | autograph | auto- + graph |
| non- | not | nonreactive | non- + react + -ive |
| over- | too much / beyond | overact | over- + act |
| in- | not | inaction | in- + act + -ion |
| Suffix | Meaning | Example | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ness | the state of | sadness | sad + -ness |
| -less | without | aimless | aim + -less |
| -ment | the result or action of | movement | move + -ment |
| -able | capable of being | lockable | lock + -able |
| -ful | full of | joyful | joy + -ful |
| -er | one who / thing that | owner | own + -er |
| -or | one who | actor | act + -or |
| -y | having the quality of | rainy | rain + -y |
| -en | to make | dampen | damp + -en |
| -ing | in the act of / in the process of | acting | act + -ing |
| -ly | in a certain way | warmly | warm + -ly |
| -ion | the act of | reaction | react + -ion |
Practice these patterns inside MorphyLearn — short missions that turn lists like this into games kids actually enjoy playing.
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