1613
con- /kən, kɒn||kɑn, kɑm/ together; with: a confederation | to conspire (=plan together)
contra- /kɒntrə||kɑn-/ 1 acting to prevent the stated thing: contraceptive devices (=against conception) 2 opposite: plants in contradistinction to animals
cor- /kə, kɒ|kə, kɔ, kɑ/ (the form used for CON- before r): to correlate (=connect together)
counter- /kaʊntəʳ/ 1 the opposite of: a counterproductive thing to do (=producing results opposite to those intended) 2 matching: my counterpart in the American system (=someone in the American system who has the same job as mine) 3 done or given in return, especially so as to oppose the original one: proposals and counter proposals 4 acting to prevent the stated thing: a counterinsurgency strategy (=to prevent INSURGENTS)
cross- /krɒs||krɔːs/ 1 going from one side to the other; across: a cross-Channel ferry (=sailing from Britain to France) 2 going between the stated things and joining them: cross-cultural influences
crypto- /krɪptəʊ, krɪptə/ fml derog secret or hidden: a crypto-Communist
de- /diː, d/ 1 (in verbs and nouns) (showing an opposite): a depopulated area (=which all or most of the population has left) | deindustrialization (=becoming less industrial) 2 (especially in verbs) to remove or remove from the stated thing: to debone a fish (=remove its bones) | to dethrone a king (=remove him from power) 3 (especially in verbs) to make less; reduce: to devalue the currency
deca- /dekə/ also dec- /dek/ — ten: a decade (=a period of 10 years) | the decathlon (=sporting competition with 10 different events)
deci- /desɪ/ a 10th part of the stated unit: a decilitre (=0.1 litres)
demi- /demɪ/ 1 half: a demisemiquaver (=very short musical note) 2 partly the stated thing: a demigod (=partly human and partly a god)
derm- /dɜːm||dɜːrm/ med concerning the skin: dermatitis (=painful skin condition)
di- /daɪ, d/ two; twice; double: a diphthong is a vowel made up of two sounds. —see also BI-
dis- /dɪs/ 1 (showing an opposite or negative): I disapprove. (=do not approve) | his dishonesty (=lack of honesty) | with a discontented look 2 (shows the stopping or removing of the stated condition): Disconnect the machine from the electricity supply. (=so that it is no longer connected) | Disinfect the wound. 3 (especially in verbs) to take away; remove: a dismantled ship
down- /daʊn/ 1 so as to be lower: to downgrade a job (=make it lower in importance) | a downpour (=heavy rain) 2 (especially in adverbs and adjectives) at or towards the bottom or end: downstairs | downriver (=nearer to its mouth) 3 (especially in adverbs and adjectives) at or towards the lower or worse part: down-market (=meeting the demand of the lower social groups) —compare UP-
electro- /ɪlektrəʊ, trə/ tech 1 concerning or worked by electricity: to electrocute (=kill by electricity) | an electromagnet 2 electric and: electrochemical
em- /em, ɪm/ (the form used for EN- before b, m, or p): an embittered man (=made bitter)
en- /en, ɪn/ (especially in verbs) 1 to cause to become; make: to enlarge | to enrich 2 to put into the stated condition: the endangering of life
equi- /ekwɪ, ɪkwɪ/ equal or equally: equidistant | an equilateral triangle (=with equal sides)
Euro- /jʊərəʊ/ 1 a European, especially western European: Eurocommunism b European and: Euro-American relations 2 of the EU: the Europarliament
ex- /eks/ former (and still living): my ex-wife | the ex-minister | an ex-England cricketer —compare LATE¹ (3, 4)
extra- /ekstrə/ outside, beyond: extragalactic (=outside our GALAXY) | extramarital sex (=between people who are not married to each other)
fore- /fɔː/ 1 in advance; before: to forewarn 2 placed at the front: her forenames | a horse's forelegs 3 the front part of the stated thing: his strong forearms
foster- /fɒstəʳ||fɔː-, faː-/ giving or receiving parental care although not of the same family: a foster-mother | a foster-son | a foster-home | Danny is my foster-brother. (=we have different parents, but he is being brought up with me in my family)
Franco- /fræŋkəʊ/ 1 of France; French: a Francophile (=someone who loves France) 2 French and: the Franco-Belgian border
geo- /dʒiːəʊ, diə/ tech concerning the Earth or its surface: geophysics | geopolitical
Greco-, Graeco- /grɪkə, grekəʊ/ 1 of ancient Greece, Greek 2 ancient Greek and: Greco-Roman art
gyn- /gaɪn/ tech, especially med concerning women: gynaecology (=treatment of women's diseases)
hemo- /hiːmə, hemə/ AmE for HAEMO-
he- /hiː/ (of an animal) male: a he-goat
hecto- /hektəʊ/ 100 times the stated unit: a hectometre (=100 metres)
haemo-, hemo- /hiːmə, hemə/ med concerning the blood; a hemorrhage (=bleeding)
hetero- /hetərəʊ, -rə/ fml or tech other; opposite; different: heterosexual (=attracted to the opposite sex)
homo- /həʊməʊ, hɒməʊ||hoʊməʊ, hɑː-/ fml or tech same: homosexual (=attracted to the same sex) | homographs (=words spelt the same way)
hydro- /haɪdrə, haɪdrə/ 1 concerning or using water: hydro-electricity (=produced by water power) | hydrotherapy (=treatment of disease using water) 2 concerning or containing HYDROGEN: hydrocarbons
hyper- /haɪpəʳ/ more than usual, especially too much: hypersensitive (=too sensitive) | hyperactive children | an economy suffering from hyperinflation
hypo- /haɪpəʊ, haɪpə/ tech less than usual, especially too little: dying of hypothermia (=too low body temperature)
il- /ɪl/ (the form used for IN- before l): illogical (=not logical)
im- /ɪm/ (the form used for IN- before b, m, or p): immobilize | impossible
in- /ɪn/ (especially in adjectives and nouns) (showing a negative, an opposite, or a lack) not: insensitive (=not sensitive) | inattention (=lack of attention) —see UN- (USAGE)
Indo- /ɪndəʊ/ 1 of India; Indian 2 Indian and: the Indo-Pakistan border
infra- /ɪnfrə/ tech below in a range; beyond: the infrared end of the spectrum —compare ULTRA- (1)
Inter- /ɪntə/ between; among (a group): interdepartmental (=between departments) | to intermarry (=marry someone of another race, religion etc)
intra- /ɪntrə/ fml or tech 1 inside; within: intradepartmental (=within a department) | intracranial pressure (=inside the head) 2 into: an intravenous injection (=into a vein)
intro- /ɪntrə/ into, especially into the inside: introspection (=examining one's own feelings)
ir- /ɪ/ (the form used for IN- before r) not: irregular (=not regular)
iso- /aɪsəʊ, aɪsə/ tech the same all through or in every part; equal: an isotherm (=line joining places of equal temperature)
Italo- /ɪtæləʊ/ 1 of Italy; Italian 2 Italian and: the Italo-Austrian border
kilo- /kiːlə/ 1000 times the stated unit: a kilogram (=1000 grams)
macro- /mækrəʊ/ especially tech large, especially concerning a whole system rather than particular parts of it: macroeconomics (=the study of large money systems, e.g. a country's) —compare MICRO-
mal- /mæl/ bad or badly: a malformed (=wrongly shaped) limb | She maltreats her children. (=treats them cruelly)
matri- /meɪtri, mætri/ 1 concerning mothers: matricide (=killing one's mother) 2 concerning women: a matriarchal society (=controlled by women) —compare PATRI-
mega- /megə/ 1 a million times the stated unit: a 100-megaton bomb 2 slang unusually large or great: Hollywood megastars | The film is set to earn megabucks. (=an extremely large amount of money)