Page 383 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

40_571656 appa.qxd 11/10/04 12:50 PM Page 377
Prefix/Suffix Meaning/Usage Prefixes and Suffixes 377

-lysis destruction; dissolving; loosening; dissolution (analysis)
macro- large or enlarged (macrobiotic)

-mania a mental disorder or a wild enthusiasm for something
(pyromania, hulamania)

-maniac a person affected by a mania (cleptomaniac)
maxi- maximum; of larger scope than usual (maxi-power), often
hyphenated as an attachment to a word

micro- very small; a millionth of a unit (microscope, micrometer)
milli- one one-thousandth of a unit (milliliter)

mini- miniature (miniskirt)
mis- wrong; wrongly; bad; poorly (miscue, misfire)
mult- same as multi- before a vowel

multi- much; many; more than two (multichanneled)
narco- 1. sleep (narcolepsy); 2. narcotic (narcotism)

neur- same as neuro- before a vowel
neuro- of the nerves or nervous system (neurology, neuritis)
non- not; the opposite of (nonagressive)

nona- nine (nonagon, nonet)
-nym name (pseudonym)

o- same as ob- before m
ob- 1. to; for; in front of (obtrude); 2. opposed to; against; oppo-
site (obverse); 3. upon; over (obscure)

oc- same as ob- before c
oct(a/o)- eight (octagon, octopus)
of- same as ob- before f

-oid like; resembling (ovoid)
op- same as ob- before p

-or 1. a person or thing that does something specific (addressor,
incisor); 2. a quality or condition (error, savor)
(continued)