1615
semi- /semi/ 1 exactly half: a semicircle 2 partly but not completely: in the semidarkness | a semi-invalid | semi-literate people 3 happening, appearing etc twice in the stated period: a semiweekly visit | a semi-annual publication —compare BI-
she- /ʃi:/ female: a she-goat | a she-devil (=an evil woman)
Sino- /saɪnəʊ/ 1 of China; Chinese: Sinology (=study of China) 2 Chinese and: Sino-Japanese trade
socio- /səʊsiəʊ, -siə, səʊʃiəʊ, -ʃiə/ especially tech 1 concerning society; social: sociology (=study of society) 2 social and: sociopolitical
step- /step/ related not by birth but through a parent who has remarried: my stepfather (=not my real father, but a man who has married my mother) | her stepchildren
sub- /sʌb/ 1 under; below: subzero temperatures | subsoil (=beneath the surface) 2 less important or powerful or of lower rank than: a subcommittee | a sublieutenant 3 part of the stated bigger whole: a subsection 4 derog similar to, but not as good as or not real: dreary rows of sub-Victorian villas 5 especially tech almost: subtropical heat
super- /su:pə(r)||'su-/ more, larger, greater, or more powerful than usual: a supertanker (=a ship that can carry extremely large loads) | superglue | super-rich film stars | super-heated steam
sym- /sɪm/ (the form used for SYN- before b, m, or p): sympathy
syn- /sɪn/ together; sharing: a synthesis (=combining or separate things)
techno- /'teknəʊ/ concerning TECHNOLOGY: technocracy (=rule by skilled specialists) | technophobia (=especially fear of computers)
tele- /'teli, telɪ/ 1 at or over a long distance: a telescope (=for seeing a long way) | telecommunications | telepathy (=sending of thought messages) | teleshopping (=using a computer in one's home to order goods) 2 by or for television: a teleplay | a telerecording
theo- /θiə/ also the- /θi:/ — tech concerning God or gods: theology (=study of religion)
thermo- /'θɜ:məʊ, θɜ:mə||'θɜ:r-/ also therm- /θɜ:m||θɜ:rm/ — tech concerning heat: a thermostat (=for controlling temperature) | thermostable (=that does not change when heated)
trans- /træns, trænz/ 1 on or to the far side of; across: transatlantic flights | the trans-Siberian railway 2 between; INTER-; trans-racial fostering 3 (showing a change): to transform | the transmutation of base metal into gold
tri- /traɪ/ three; three times: trilingual (=speaking three languages) | triangle (=a shape with three sides and three angles) —see also BI-
ultra- /'ʌltrə/ 1 tech above in a range; beyond: ultrasound (=too high to hear) —compare INFRA- 2 infml very; extremely: an ultramodern building | ultracautious | ultrasensitive
un- /ʌn/ 1 (especially in adjectives and adverbs) (showing a negative, a lack, or an opposite) not: unfair (=not fair) | unhappy | unfortunately | unbelief (=lack of belief) 2 (especially in verbs) (showing an opposite): The pipe's blocked, we must unblock it. (=remove what is blocking it) | undress (=take one's clothes off)
USAGE Compare un-, in-, and non-, which all mean 'not'. The difference between them is the degree to which they suggest the idea of something opposite rather than something negative. Non- is usually just negative (for example, nonalcoholic drinks contain no alcohol), but un- is often used to suggest an opposite quality. Compare: He has applied for a nonscientific job (=not connected with science) in the Civil Service. | It was very unscientific (=showing too little attention to scientific principles) not to measure your results. Of the three prefixes, in- tends most often to suggest opposite qualities. Compare: their inhuman (=very cruel) treatment of political prisoners | The archaeologists discovered both human and non-human bones.
under- /'ʌndə(r)/ 1 too little: underdevelopment | undercooked cabbage 2 going underneath: an underpass 3 inner; beneath others: undergarments 4 less important or lower in rank: a head gardener and three under-gardeners
uni- /'ju:ni/ one; single: unidirectional
up- /ʌp/ 1 so as to be higher: to upgrade a job (=make it higher in importance) 2 (especially in adverbs and adjectives) at or towards the top or beginning: uphill | upriver (=nearer to where the river starts) 3 (especially in verbs) so as to be out of place or upside down: an uprooted tree | She upended the bucket. 4 (especially in adjectives and adverbs) at or towards the higher or better part: upmarket (=meeting the demand of the higher social groups) —compare DOWN-
vice- /vaɪs/ the person next in official rank below the stated person, who has the power to represent them or act in place of them: the Vice-President of the USA | the vice-captain of the cricket team
Word endings
-ability /ə'bɪləti/, -ibility (in nouns formed from adjectives ending in -able and -ible): manageability | suitability
USAGE This ending is commonly used with words that mean 'that can be ——ed' (-able (1)), but is much less usual with words that mean 'having a quality' (-able (2)) – you cannot say comfortability.
-able /'eɪbl/, -ible (in adjectives) 1 that can be ——ed: washable (=that can be washed) | unbreakable (=that cannot be broken) 2 having the stated quality or condition: knowledgeable (=knowing a lot) | comfortable – ably, -ibly (in adverbs): unbelievably
-ade /eɪd/ (in [U] nouns) a usually sweetened drink made from the stated fruit: orangeade (=drink made from orange juice)
-age /ɪdʒ/ (nouns) 1 the action or result of ——ing: to allow for shrinkage (=getting smaller) | several breakages (=things broken) 2 the cost of ——ing: Postage is extra. 3 the state or rank of a ——: a peerage (=noble rank)
-aholic /ə'hɒlɪk||ə'hɑ:-, əhɔ:-, əhɑr-/ infml (in nouns and adjectives) (a person) who cannot stop doing or using the stated thing: a workaholic (=who loves working and cannot stop) | a computaholic
-al /əl, əl/ 1 also -ial – (in adjectives) of or concerning ——s: coastal waters (=near the coast) | political 2 (in nouns) the action of ——ing: her arrival (=arriving) | a refusal
-an /ən, ən/ also -ean, -ian —— 1 (in adjectives and nouns) (someone or something) of, from, or connected with ——: an American (=person from America) | the pre-Tolstoyan novel 2 (in nouns) someone skilled in or studying the stated subject: a historian (=someone who studies history)
-ana /ɑ:nə||ænə/ (in nouns) -IANA: Americana
-ance, -ence /əns, əns/ (in nouns) (an example of) the action, state, or quality of ——ing or of being ——: his sudden appearance (=he appeared suddenly) | her brilliance (=she is BRILLIANT) | several performances
-ancy, -ency /'ənsi, ənsi/ (in nouns) the state or quality of ——ing of being ——: expectancy (=state of expecting) | hesitancy | complacency (=being complacent)
-ant, -ent /ənt, ənt/ (in nouns and adjectives) (someone or something) that ——s: a servant (=someone who serves others) | disinfectant (=substance for killing germs) | expectant (=expecting) | pleasant (=pleasing)
-ar /ə(r), ɑ:r/ 1 (in nouns) (the form used for -ER in certain words): a beggar (=person who begs) 2 (in adjectives) of or concerning ——s: muscular strength (=strength of muscles) | molecular —see also -ULAR
-archy /'ɑ:ki, əki||'ɑ:rki, ɑ:rki/ tech (in nouns) government; rule: anarchy (=no government) | monarchy (=with one ruler)
-ard /əd||ə:rd/ (in nouns) someone with the stated usually bad quality; someone who is usually or always ——: a drunkard
-arian /eəriən/ (in adjectives and nouns) (of or for) someone who is connected with or believes in the stated thing: a vegetarian restaurant (=for people who do not eat meat) | a librarian (=someone who works in a library) —see also -GENARIAN