1614
meta- /metə/ especially tech beyond the ordinary or usual: metaphysical (=beyond ordinary physical things)
micro- /maɪkrəʊ, maɪkrə/ especially tech extremely small: a microorganasm | microelectronics (=using extremely small electrical parts) —compare MACRO-, MINI-
mid- /mɪd/ middle: She's in her mid-20s. (=is about 25 years old) | in mid-July | a cold midwinter night | at the midpoint of our holiday
milli- /mɪl/ 1000th part of the stated unit: a millilitre (=0.001 litres)
mini- /mɪnɪ/ infml very small compared with others of its kind: a minbreak (=a short holiday) | a miniskirt (=very short) —compare MICRO-
mis- /mɪs/ 1 bad or badly: misfortune (=bad luck) | to misbehave 2 wrong or wrongly: a miscalculation | misunderstand 3 (showing an opposite or the lack of something): I mistrust (=don't trust) him.
mock- /mɒk maɪk/ only pretendingly: a mock-serious expression on her face
mono- /mɒnəʊ, mɒnəʊˈmaɪ-/ one; single: a monoplane (=plane with only one wing on each side) | a monolingual dictionary (=dealing with only one language)
multi- /mʌltɪ/ more than one; many: multicoloured (=with many colours) | a multistorey office block
neo- /niːəʊ, niəʊ/ (especially in nouns and adjectives) a recent or later kind of the stated former system, style etc; new: neoclassical architecture (=copying that of ancient Greece and Rome) | neocolonialism (=the control of other countries by large modern states)
neuro- /njʊərəʊ||nʊərəʊ/ also neur- /njʊər||nʊər/ — med concerning the nerves: a neurosurgeon (=who specializes in the body's nervous system)
non- /nɒn||nɑːn/ 1 (especially in adjectives and nouns) (showing a negative) not: a nonalcoholic drink | a nonsmoker (=someone who does not smoke) | a non-stick frying pan (=which food does not stick to) —see UN- (USAGE) 2 infml (especially in nouns) not deserving the stated name: a non-event (=something dull) | It was a really bad book – a non-story with non-characters.
nor'- /nɔːr'/ lit or tech (used especially by sailors) north: nor'east | nor'west
omni- /ɒmnɪ||ɑːm-/ especially fml or tech everything or everywhere; all: an omnivore (=animal that eats all sorts of food)
osteo- /ɒstəʊ, ɒstiəʊ||ɑːs-/ med concerning bones: osteoarthritis (=disease of the joints)
out- /aʊt/ 1 (in nouns and adjectives formed from verbs followed by out): an out-break of flu (from break out) | outspoken comments (from speak out) | with outstretched hands (from stretch out) 2 (in nouns and adjectives) outside; beyond: an outhouse (=small additional building) | outlying areas (=far from the centre) 3 (in verbs) a beyond; further: She outlived her brother. (=he died before her) | He's outgrown his clothes. (=become too big for them) b so as to be better than or defeat: I can out-argue you any day.
over- /əʊvəʳ/ 1 too much: overpopulation | overcooked cabbage 2 above; beyond; across: overhanging branches | the overland route (=not by sea or air) 3 outer; covering: an overcoat 4 additional: working overtime (=beyond the usual time)
paleo-, palaeo- /pæliəʊ||peɪliəʊ/ tech extremely ancient, before historical times: paleobotany
pan- /pæn/ (sometimes cap.) including all: pan-African unity | Pan-Arabism (=political union of all Arabs)
para- /pærə/ 1 beyond: the paranormal (=strange unnatural events) 2 very similar to; (as if) copying: terrorists wearing paramilitary uniforms | paratyphoid 3 connected with and helping: paramidical workers such as ambulance drivers
patri- /peɪtri, pætri/ 1 concerning fathers: patricide (=killing one's father) 2 concerning men: a patriarchal society (=controlled by men) —compare MATRI-
penta- /pentə/ five: a pentagon (=shape with five sides)
phono- /fəʊnəʊ, fəʊnə, fɒn-||fəʊn, fɑːn-/ also phon- /fɒn; strong fəʊn, fɒn||fɑːn; strong fɑːn, fɑːm/ tech 1 concerning the voice or speech: phonetics (=science of speech sounds) 2 concerning sound: a phonoreceptor (=animal hearing organ)
photo- /fəʊtəʊ, fəʊtə/ 1 tech concerning light: photosensitive paper (=paper that changes colour when light acts on it) 2 concerning photography: photojournalism (=use of photographs in reporting news)
physio- /fɪziəʊ, fɪziə/ also physi- /fɪzi/ — 1 tech concerning nature and living things: physiology (=study of how the body works) 2 physical: physiotherapy (=treatment using exercises etc, rather than medicines)
politico- /pɒlɪtɪkə/ political and: politico-scientific
poly- /pɒli||pɑːli/ many: polysyllabic (=with three or more SYLLABLES) | polyandry (=having more than one husband at the same time)
post- /pəʊst/ later than; after: postwar (=after a war) | to postpone (=make later) —compare ANTE-, PRE-
pre- /priː/ 1 before: prewar (=before a war) 2 in advance: pre-arranged —compare ANTE-, POST-
pro- /prəʊ/ 1 in favour or; supporting: pro-American | the pro-abortion lobby —compare ANTI- 2 tech acting in the place of: the pro-vice-chancellor
USAGE In informal spoken English pro is sometimes used as a preposition: She's very pro the present government. —see also ANTI- (USAGE)
proto- /prəʊtəʊ, præʊtə/ also prot- /prəʊt/ — especially tech first in time or order, and especially having others come after it or develop from it; original: the huge protogalaxy from which all the galaxies of the present-day universe developed
pseudo- /sjuːdəʊ||suː-/ derog or tech not real; false: pseudo-intellectuals (=who pretend to be clever) | He says astrology's just a pseudoscience.
psycho- /saɪkəʊ, saɪkə/ also psych- /saɪk/ — tech concerning the mind as opposed to the body: psychotherapy (=treatment of the mind)
quadri- /kwɒdrɪ||kwɑːr-/ also quadru- /kwɒdruː||kwɑːr-/, quadri- /kwɒdrɪ||kwɑːr-/ — four; four times: quadrilateral (=with four straight sides) | a quadruped (=an animal with four legs)
quasi- /kwɑːzi, kweɪzaɪ/ 1 in some ways; partly: the chairman's quasi-judicial role (=acting in some ways like a judge) 2 derog PSEUDO-: quasi-scientific ideas
radio- /reɪdiəʊ/ also radi- /reɪdi/ — tech 1 a concerning waves or force, e.g. light, sound, or radio waves: radiopaque (=which waves will not pass through) b using radio waves: a radiotelephone (=working without wires) | radiopaging (=calling people by radio) 2 concerning RADIOACTIVITY radiochemistry (=study of RADIOACTIVE chemicals)
re- /riː/ (especially in verbs) 1 again: to rebroadcast a radio play 2 again in a new and better way: to rewrite a letter 3 back to a former state: After years of separation they were finally reunited.
USAGE When re- is used with the meanings shown here, it is pronounced /riː/. But it comes in many other words, such as rebate and respond, where it does not have a separate meaning of its own, and in them it is usually pronounced /rɪ/ (or /ri/ before a vowel). Compare recover (=to get better) /rɪˈkʌvəʳ/ and re-cover (=to cover again) /riːˈkʌvəʳ/.
retro- /retrəʊ, retrəʊ/ 1 back towards the past: retroactive legislation (=which has an effect on things already done) | in retrospect 2 back towards an earlier and worse state: a retrograde step | to retrogress 3 backwards: a retro-rocket (=that fires backwards, opposite to the direction of travel)
Romano- /rəʊmənəʊ/ 1 of ancient Rome; Roman 2 ancien Roman and: Romano-British art
Russo- /rʌsəʊ/ 1 of Russia; Russian: a Russophile (=someone who loves Russia) 2 Russian and: Russo-American trade
self- /self/ 1 by means of oneself or itself: He's selftaught (=He taught himself.) | self-propelled 2 of, to, with, for, or in oneself or itself: a self-addressed envelope (=which on addresses to oneself) | a selfportrait (=a picture of oneself drawn, painted etc by oneself) | self-restraint