pseudo-

From Ancient Greek ψευδο- (pseudo-, “false”), from Ancient Greek ψευδής (pseudḗs, “false, lying”).

der

pseudo-langue

pseud-

found before vowels, as in pseudesthésie


a-

Inherited from Old French a-, from Latin ad-.

A prefix forming words, especially verbs, that denote entering a state, making progress toward a goal, or the like.


a-

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel; generalized from the many Latin borrowings using this prefix.


psycho-

From Ancient Greek ψυχή (psukhḗ, “soul”).


yotta-

From Ancient Greek ὀκτώ (oktṓ, “eight”).


ir-

Variant of in- by assimilation, used before r.


im-

a form of the prefix in-, used before b, m and p


auto-

From Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-), from αὐτός (autós, “self”).


zoo-

From (combining form of) Ancient Greek ζῷον (zôion, “animal”).


micro-

From Ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós, “small”).


ambi-

From Latin ambi- (“both”), from ambo (“both”).


anti-

From Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-, “against”).


mono-

From Ancient Greek μόνος (mónos, “alone, only, sole, single”).


octo-

From Latin octō (“eight”) or Ancient Greek ὀκτώ (oktṓ, “eight”).


penta-

From Ancient Greek πέντε (pénte, “five”).


poly-

From Ancient Greek πολύς (polús, “many, much”), from Proto-Indo-European *polh₁ús (“much, many”).


biblio-

From Ancient Greek βιβλίον (biblíon, “paper, document, tablet, small book”).


re-

re- + marcher (“to function”) → remarcher (“to function again”)

meaningless generic derivation prefix, especially as r-. From semantic bleaching of sense 1 followed by the unprefixed terms becoming obsolete or diverging in meaning.


dys-

From Ancient Greek δυσ- (dus-) expressing the idea of difficulty, or bad status.


astro-

From Ancient Greek ἄστρον (ástron, “star”).


dia-

From Ancient Greek prefix δια- (dia-), from διά (diá, “through, across, by, over”).


ecto-

From Ancient Greek ἐκτός (ektós, “outside”).


franco-

Franco- (relating to France, the ethnic French, the French language, or the Franks)


endo-

From Ancient Greek ἔνδον (éndon, “inner; internal”).


ferro-

From chemin de fer (literally “iron paths”).


gastro-

Coined based on Ancient Greek γαστήρ (gastḗr, “stomach”).


an-

in-, an-. Alternative form of a- before a vowel or h


dis-

Borrowed from Latin dis-. Compare the inherited dé-.


en-

Inherited from Old French en-, from Latin in-, prefixation of Latin in (“in, into”); see en.


ex-

ex- + femme → ex-femme


for-

Inherited from Middle French [Term?], from Old French for-, partially from Late Latin forīs, taken as an adaptation of the adverb forīs (“outdoors, outside”) and used to calque Frankish words prefixed by *fur- (“for-”) (compare Late Latin foris faciō (“to do wrong”) = Old High German firwirken (“to do wrong”), forisfactus (“evil deed”) = Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌷𐍄𐍃 (frawaurhts, “evil deed”), foris coⁿsilio (“to mislead”) = Old High German firleitan (“to mislead”), etc.), and partially continuing from Proto-Germanic *fur-, *fer-, *fra- (“away, from, off”), from Proto-Indo-European *pro-, *per-, *pr-. See for-. Related to French fors (“except”), French hors (“outside”).

cog

(nonproductive) prefix used to express error, exclusion, or inadequacy


con-

Inherited from Latin con-, from cum (“with”).


intra-

intra- (prefix indicating inside, within, interior)


inter-

Borrowed from Latin inter. Cognate with the non-borrowed form entre-.


pseud-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ψευδ- (pseud-).

bor+

(rare) Alternative form of pseudo- (only used before a vowel)


myria-

From Ancient Greek μυρίος (muríos, “ten thousand”).

uder

(obsolete) myria- In the metric systems of units, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 10,000. Symbol: my


hyper-

C’est hypercool !

C’est hyperennuyeux.

(informal) mega- (extremely, incredibly, totally)


chrono-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos, “time”).


syn-

From Ancient Greek σύν (sún, “with, together”).


mal-

Inherited from Middle French mal-, from Old French mal-, from mal (“bad; badly”).

mal- + faisant → malfaisant (“harmful”)

denotes the opposite of the unprefixed form


super-

Learned borrowing from Latin super-. Doublet of sur-.


iso-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἴσος (ísos, “equal”).


caco-

From Ancient Greek κακός (kakós, “bad”).


trans-

Learned borrowing from Latin trāns. Doublet of très and trans.


archi-

archi- + faux (“wrong”) → archifaux (“dead wrong, extremely wrong”)

archi- + vrai (“true”) → archivrai (“extremely true”)


beau-

head

beau- (feminine belle-, before a vowel or unaspirated h bel-, masculine plural beaux-, feminine plural belles-)

belle- (feminine)
or unaspirated h bel- (before-vowel)
beaux- (masculine plural)
belles- (feminine plural)

belle-mère

beau-fils


para-

From Ancient Greek παρα- (para-, “beside”).


para-

Via Italian para-, from parare, from Latin parō (“to shield”).


grand-

From grand. Its invariability in certain uses reflects the invariability of Latin grandis.

grand-; indicates a relationship of ancestry one generation older than the noun: grand-mère (“grandmother”), grand-tante (“great aunt”).

Non-productively used in certain conventional forms where grand before a feminine noun is invariable in usage: grand-chose, grand-messe, grand-rue.


psychro-

From Ancient Greek ψυχρός (psukhrós, “cold, frozen”).


techno-

From Ancient Greek τέχνη (tékhnē, “skill”).


exo-

From Ancient Greek ἔξω (éxō, “outer; external”).


apico-

Borrowed from Latin apicem (“point, tip”).


cosmo-

From cosmos, from Ancient Greek κόσμος (kósmos, “universe”).


cyclo-

From Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos, “circle”).


hydr-

Alternative form of hydro-, used before a vowel


hydro-

From Ancient Greek ὑδρο- (hudro-), from ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”).


télé-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek τῆλε (têle, “far away”).


chromo-

From Ancient Greek χρῶμα (khrôma, “color”).


sym-

Alternative form of syn-, used before labials


hygro-

From Ancient Greek ὑγρός (hugrós, “wet”, “moist”).


litho-

From Ancient Greek λίθος (líthos, “stone”).


macro-

From Ancient Greek μακρός (makrós, “long”).


supra-

Learned borrowing from Latin suprā- (“above, over, beyond”).


dé-

* Partially inherited from Middle French des-, from Old French des-, from a conflation of Latin dis- (“apart”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dwís) and Late Latin dē ex = dē- (“from”) + ex- (“out”); Compare the neological borrowing dis-.
* Partially borrowed from Latin dē- (“from”) in some cases; compare the inherited form de-.

used to make antonyms (similar to English prefixes un-, dis-)


cardio-

From Ancient Greek καρδία (kardía, “heart”).


rhino-

→ Persian: رینوـ (rino-)

→ Romanian: rino-

→ Turkish: rino-

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ῥινός (rhinós), genitive of ῥίς (rhís, “nose”).


sino-

From Medieval Latin Sina (“China”), from Latin Sinae (“the Southern Chinese; Southern China”), from Ancient Greek Σῖναι (Sînai), q.v.


anthropo-

From Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos, “human”).


holo-

From Ancient Greek ὅλος (hólos, “whole”).


tachy-

From Ancient Greek ταχύς (takhús, “rapid”).


sur-

Inherited from Old French sur-, sour-, from syncopation of Latin super-. Doublet of super-.

over- (excessive; excessively; too much)


xéno-

From Ancient Greek ξένος (xénos, “foreign, of a stranger”).


démo-

From Ancient Greek δῆμος (dêmos, “people”).


omni-

omniprésent.

omnivore.


crypto-

From Ancient Greek κρυπτός (kruptós, “hidden, secret”).


physio-

From Ancient Greek φύσις (phúsis, “nature”).


onycho-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ὄνυξ (ónux).


dendro-

From Ancient Greek δένδρον (déndron, “tree”).


dés-

Inherited from Middle French des-, from Old French des-, from Latin dis-, from Proto-Indo-European *dwís.

désarmer (“to disarm”)

désordre (“disorder”)

(variant of dé- before a vowel sound) dis-, de-


ré-

Learned reborrowing of Latin re-. Compare re-, r-, the inherited forms.
Some verbs in ré- continue Old French res-, a combination of re- + es- (from Latin ex). Compare Romanian răs-, which might have a similar development.


mé-

mé- + faire → méfaire

Alternative form of més- used before consonants.


més-

Inherited from Middle French mes-, from Old French mes- (“badly, wrongly”), from Frankish *missa-, from Proto-Germanic *missa- (“divergent, amiss, astay”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey-t(h₂)- (“to swap, exchange”). Akin to Old English mis- (“mis-”), Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐍃𐍃𐌰- (missa-), Old High German missa- (“mis-”). More at mis-.

més- + estimer → mésestimer

mes-

until 18th century; was used before vowels as well as consonants


ophio-

From Ancient Greek ὄφις (óphis, “snake”).


-ule

From Latin -ulus, Latin -ula, Latin -ulum.


scia-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek σκῐά (skiá, “shade”).


é-

Inherited from Old French es-, from Latin ex-, ē-.

prefix indicating away, moving away from; sometimes used as an intensifier, for example in écru


méga-

From Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas, “great, large, mighty”).


atmo-

From Ancient Greek ἀτμός (atmós, “vapor, smoke, steam”).


iatro-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἰατρός (iatrós, “doctor”).


malaco-

From Ancient Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft”).


sous-

From Latin sub, via Old French sus-, sous- (the spelling with s by analogy with the preposition sous < Latin subtus).


oro-

From Ancient Greek ὄρος (óros, “mountain”).


pneumo-

→ Persian: پنوموـ (penomo-)

→ Romanian: pneumo-

→ Turkish: pnömo-

From Ancient Greek πνεύμων (pneúmōn, “lung”).


glyco-

From Ancient Greek γλυκύς (glukús, “sweet”).


œno-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek οἶνος (oînos, “wine”).


helleno-

From Ancient Greek Ἑλλάς (Hellás, “Greece”).


amphi-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀμφίς (amphís).


strepto-

→ Persian: استرپتوـ (esterepto-)

→ Romanian: strepto-

→ Turkish: strepto-

From Ancient Greek στρεπτός (streptós, “twisted”).


brady-

From Ancient Greek βραδύς (bradús, “slow”).


thanato-

From Ancient Greek θάνατος (thánatos, “death”).


hippo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἵππος (híppos).


taxi-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek τάξις (táxis, “arrangement, ordering”).


aéro-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀέρος (aéros), the genitive singular of ἀήρ (aḗr, “air”).


métro-

From Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, “measure, rule”).


métro-

From Latin mātrīx, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr (“mother”).

(by extension) related to metropolis or city


péri-

From Ancient Greek περί (perí, “about, around”).


tétra-

From Ancient Greek τετρα- (tetra-, “four”).


hémato-

Representing the combining form of Ancient Greek αἷμα (haîma, “blood”).


paléo-

From Ancient Greek παλαιός (palaiós, “old”).


mi-

Inherited from Middle French mi (“middle”), from Old French mi, mie (“middle”), from earlier *miei (compare lit, liet < *lieit), from Latin medius (adjective), medium (noun).

inh+

à mi-chemin

à mi-voix

in a low voice (literally, “in a half-voice”)

mi-amer


mélo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek μέλος (mélos, “song, melody”).


gyro-

From Ancient Greek γῦρος (gûros, “circle”).


rétro-

Learned borrowing from Latin retrō. Compare arrière.


hagio-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἅγιος (hágios, “saintly”).


dors-

(anatomy, relational) back dors-, dorso-


héli-

Extracted by metanalysis from hélicoptère, from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (hélix, “spiral”) + πτερόν (pterón, “wing”).


ostéo-

From Ancient Greek ὀστέον (ostéon, “bone”).


aristo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄριστος (áristos, “best”).


myrio-

From Ancient Greek μυρίος (muríos, “ten thousand”).


arachno-

From Ancient Greek ἀράχνη (arákhnē, “spider”).


belle-

female equivalent of beau-: step-, in-law (female)


arrière-

Forms nouns (normally with a hyphen) from the adverb usage of arrière


ptil-

Representing the Ancient Greek πτῐ́λον (ptílon, “feather”, “down”).

ptiline


ombro-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ὄμβρος (ómbros).


Lal.

(astronomy) abbreviated prefix for stars under Lalande designations


dodéca-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek δώδεκα (dṓdeka, “twelve”).


méso-

From Ancient Greek μέσος (mésos, “middle”).


Mme.

Mrs. (“prenominal titular prefix for a married woman”) (missus) Abbreviation of madame.


géronto-

From Ancient Greek γέρων (gérōn, “old man”).


belgo-

Belgo-; a combining form relating to Belgium


hollando-

(relational, by extension) the Netherlands


norvégo-

norvégo-américain, norvégo-danois, norvégo-islandais, norvégo-suédois


turco-

Turco- (prefix of words related to the country Turkey, the Turkish language, and/or Turks)


libro-

Borrowed from Latin liber (“book”, stem libr-).


ciné-

From Ancient Greek κῑνέω (kīnéō, “to move”).


ciné-

(film, relational) cinematography; cine-


stégo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek στέγος (stégos, “roof”).


ichtyo-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἰχθύς (ikhthús, “fish”).


finno-

Finno- (Relating to Finland or the Finnish)


japano-

Japano- (Relating to Japan or the Japanese)


méro-

From Ancient Greek μέρος (méros, “part”).


génio-

From Ancient Greek γένειον (géneion, “chin”).


mnémo-

From Ancient Greek μνήμη (mnḗmē, “memory”).


hystéro-

From Ancient Greek ὑστέρα (hustéra, “womb”).


quint-

Learned borrowing from Latin quīntus (“fifth”).


séléno-

From Ancient Greek σελήνη (selḗnē, “moon”).


éroto-

From Ancient Greek ἔρως, ἔρωτος (érōs, érōtos, “love”).

der

ἔρως, ἔρωτος


maroco-

Moroccan; a combining form relating to Morocco


petit-

grand-; indicates a relationship of ancestry one generation younger than the noun: petite-fille (“granddaughter”), petit-neveu (“grandnephew”).