Part II: Latin Prefixes

The most common Latin prefixes are derived from prepositions. They are added most frequently to verb bases, but also to noun and adjective bases.

English has native prefixes of a similar kind, but these are no longer as productive as those from Latin.

Native word Compare to Derivative from Latin

• onrush     incursion
• uphold    sustain
• overturn    subvert
• withstanding   constant
• bygone    preterite
• backslide     relapse
• outcome     event
• foreknowledge prescience
• afterword     postscript
• underwrite    subscribe

 

There are also prefixes which are not derived from prepositions.

English un- corresponds to Latin in-:

• unfeeling insentient

English all, as prefix all-, al- corresponds to Latin omni-:

• all-knowing omniscient
• almighty omnipotent

Before studying the prefixes, the student should have clearly in mind two linguistic phenomena.

1. Vowel weakening: after a prefix a > i or e: capere > incipere; captum > praeceptum; and e > i tenere > continere.

When a prefix is added:

• a or e > i before a single consonant
• a > e before two or more consonants

2. Assimilation: [base, simil-, like] the act of making one thing like [to = ad-] another. Sometimes a consonant at the end of a prefix changes so that it will be easier to pronounce before the first consonant of the base.

For example:

ad-, to becomes ac- before c; as- before s

• ad-cede > accede
• ad-similation > assimilation

com-, with, together becomes cor- before r

• com-rupt > corrupt

After ex-, out an initial s is dropped in English, but retained in Latin

• ex-spectare > expect
• ex-stirpare > extirpate
• exspirare > expire
• exstinguere > extinguish

The variations will be listed with the prefixes.

Learn these Latin prefixes. Asterisks mark the most productive prefixes.

1. *a-, ab-, abs- away from, off, badly [The usual form is ab-; a- is used before m, p, v; abs before c, t.]

Examples:

• abruptus (broken off)
• avertere (to turn away)
• abstractus (drawn away)

2. *ad- to, toward, against, intensely [ad- appears also as ac- (before c, q), af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, ar-, as-, at-, and a- (before sc, sp, st, gn).]

Examples:

• adventus (a coming towards)
• accuratus (attended to)
• annotare (to add notes to)
• assentire (to feel to, agree)

3. ambi- around, about, on both sides [amb- before vowels]

        Examples:

• ambiguus (going around, uncertain)
• [cf. Eng. ambidextrous (right-handed on both sides)]
• ambitio (a going around, canvassing for votes)

4. *ante- before, in front of, ahead of

            Example: antecedere (to go before)

5. *circum- around

Examples:

• circumcido (cut around)
• circumflectere (to wheel around)
• circumspicere (to look around)

6. cis- on this side of, on the near side of

Examples:

• Cisalpinus (on this side of the Alps)
• cismontanus dwelling on the near side of the mountains
• [cf. Engl. cislunar (on this side of the moon)]

7. *com- with, together [com- before b, p, m; cor- before r; col- before l; co- before h, gn and usually before vowels; con- before all other consonants.]

Examples:

• colloquium (a speaking together)
• corrodere (to gnaw thoroughly, nibble away)
• cogere < co + agere (to drive together, compel)

8. *de- down from, off, utterly; this prefix may imply removal or cessation and it may give a bad (or negative) sense to the word.

Examples:

• devolvere (to roll down)
• deformis (ill/badly formed);
• demens (out of one's mind, mad)

9. *dis- apart, in different directions, at intervals; it can also have a negative force. [di- before voiced consonants; dif- before f; in English derivatives, sometimes de- under French influence: depart, defy]

Examples:

• differre (to bear/carry apart)
• dispellere (to push in different directions)

10. *ex-, e- out from, out of, off, away, away from, thoroughly  [ef before f]

Examples:

• eventum (outcome)
• extollere (to raise out)
• exspectare (to look out, await)

11. extra- {variant, extro-} outside, beyond

Example: extraordinarius (beyond the rank)

12. *in-(1) in, into, on, toward, against [il- before l; im- before b, m, p; ir- before r; in English derivatives, sometimes en- under French influence.]

Examples:

• incidere (to cut into)
• impellere (to push on)

13. *in-(2) not, lacking, without [i- before gn; other changes as in-(1)]

Examples:

• illepidus (inelegant, churlish)
• ignobilis (not noble, unknown, low-born)
• inermis [< in + arma] (unarmed)

14. *inter- among, between, at intervals, mutually, each other [intel- before l]

Examples:

• intercipere (to take between, intercept, embezzle, steal)
• intercedere (to come between)
• intellectus (a choosing between, understanding)

15. infra- (Rare) below, beneath, inferior to, after, later

Example: infraforanus (under the Forum)

16. intra- (Rare) in, within, inside of

Example: intraclusus (shut in, enclosed)

 17. intro- in, into, inward

Example: introducere (to lead into)

18. *ob- toward, against, across, in the way of, opposite to, down, for, out of, intensely [o- before m; oc- before c; of- before f; op- before p.]

Examples:

• oblongus (long across)
• offerre (to bring for)
• obduratus (hardened against)

19. *per- through, by, thoroughly, away, badly, to the bad  [pel- before l]

Examples:

• permeare (to pass through)
• perfidia (bad faith)
• pellucidus (thoroughly clear/bright)

20. *post- behind, after

Examples:

• postponere (to put after)
• postmeridianus (in the after noon)

21. *prae- [Engl. pre-] before, in advance, in front of, headfirst, at the end

Examples:

• praecedere (to go before)
• praetendere (to spread in front, give as an excuse) 

22. praeter- [Engl. preter-] past, beyond

Examples:

• praeteritus (gone past)
• praetermissio (omission, passing over)

23. *pro- forth, for, forward, publicly, instead of  [before vowels, prod-]

Examples:

• proclamare (to shout publicly/forth)
• procedere (to go forward)

24. *re- back, again, against, behind [red- before vowels]

Examples:

• repello (push back)
• recordari (to bring back to mind)
• redimere < emere (to buy back)

25. *se- aside, apart, away [sed- before vowels]

Examples:

• securus (away from/free from care)
• seducere (to lead apart)

26. *sub- under, inferior, secondary, less than, in place of, secretly   [suc- before c; suf- before f; sug- before g; sum- before m; sup- before p; sur- before r; sometimes sus- before c, p, t.]

Example: subtrahere (to draw from under)

27. subter- beneath, secretly

Example: subterfugere (evade, flee in secret)

28. *super- over, above, excessively, beyond [In English derivatives, sometimes sur- under French influence: surtax, surrealism, surcharge]

Example: superimponere (to put over/on top) 

29. *trans- across, over, beyond, through, very [tra-, tran-]

Examples:

• transportare (to carry across/over)
• transgredi (to step across)

Some of these are long exercises. Students could work in groups and divide up the chores.

I. Give:

II. Choose one prefix marked with an asterisk from the list beginning on page 37 and collect 10 compounds in addition to those in the exercises.

PREFIX: __________

MEANINGS: ______________________________________________

VARIATIONS: ______________________________

WORDS USING IT:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Check your creations in a Latin dictionary and note any special meanings beyond the literal definitions.