English Negative Prefixes
Negative statements are the opposite of affirmative statements. In English, one way to make negative statements is with negative prefixes.
Here is a list of English negative prefixes: a-, dis-, il-, im-, in-, ir-, non-, un-.
For example, the prefix un- can be attached to the adjective happy to create the negative adjective unhappy.
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affirmative |
|
negative |
||
|
|
|
negative prefix |
|
negative adverb not |
|
Tom is happy. |
|
Tom is unhappy. |
|
Tom is not happy. |
Note there are two ways to make this statement
negative. There is no difference in meaning between these two sentences.
Using negative prefixes
Words that take a- as a negative prefix always begin with a consonant.
|
affirmative |
negative |
|
political |
apolitical |
|
sexual |
asexual |
|
typical |
atypical |
Words that take dis- as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.
|
affirmative |
negative |
|
agree |
disagree |
|
comfort |
discomfort |
|
mount |
dismount |
|
orient |
disorient |
Words that take il- as a negative prefix always begin with the letter l.
|
affirmative |
negative |
|
legal |
illegal |
|
legible |
illegible |
|
literate |
illiterate |
|
logical |
illogical |
Words that take im- as a negative prefix always begin with the letter m or p.
|
affirmative |
negative |
|
mobile |
immobile |
|
moral |
immoral |
|
perfect |
imperfect |
|
possible |
impossible |
Words that take in- as a negative prefix can begin with a vowel (except i and u) or a consonant.
|
affirmative |
negative |
|
accurate |
inaccurate |
|
eligible |
ineligible |
|
organic |
inorganic |
|
decent |
indecent |
|
sane |
insane |
Note: There are many words that begin with in- that are not words with a negative prefix, for example
|
incline |
|
indulge |
|
insist |
|
invoke |
Words that take ir- as a negative prefix always begin with the letter r.
|
affirmative |
negative |
|
rational |
irrational |
|
reconcilable |
irreconcilable |
|
regular |
irregular |
|
resistible |
irresistible |
Words that take non- as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or a consonant.
|
affirmative |
negative |
|
conformist |
nonconformist |
|
essential |
nonessential |
|
fiction |
nonfiction |
|
sense |
nonsense |
Words that take un- as a negative prefix may begin with a vowel or consonant.
|
affirmative |
negative |
|
able |
unable |
|
interesting |
uninteresting |
|
usual |
unusual |
|
comfortable |
uncomfortable |
|
helpful |
unhelpful |
|
prepared |
unprepared |
Remember, not all words that appear to have a negative prefix are negative.
|
correct |
|
incorrect |
|
alike |
|
not like |
|
discuss |
|
not cuss |
|
universe |
|
not iverse |
|
illuminate |
|
not luminate |
|
important |
|
not portant |
|
involve |
|
not volve |
|
irrigate |
|
not rigate |
LISTS:
1. de-
deactivate, debug, decode, decompose, deconstruct, decontaminate, decrease, deflate, deform, defrost, demythologize, derail, devalue
Note that the prefix de- in Latin (and in words that originate in Latin) has other, contrary meanings as well as sometimes making words negative. It is often used as an intensifier, meaning completely (as in demand), as well as meaning from, down, or away. When used with an English verb to make a new word, it works as a negative.
2. dis-
disaffected, disagree, disagreement, disagreeable, dishonorable, disloyal, distasteful.
(‘Tasteful’ refers to something that shows good taste or judgment. Things which are pleasant to the taste buds are ‘tasty.’ ‘Distasteful’ refers to tasks that are unpleasant. Foods that lack flavor are tasteless. A lack of good taste in aesthetics can also be called tasteless.)
3. in- (or, for better sound, –im before b, m, or p; -il before l; & -ir before r):
illegal, illegible, illiterate, illogical, imbalance, immature, immaturity, immovable, impatient, imperfect, impolite, impossible, improper, inability, inaccessible, inadequate, incomplete, incorrect, independent, inevitable, informal, insane, instability, irrational, irregular, irrelevant, irreparable, irresistible, irresponsible, etc.
Exceptions in which ‘in-‘ does not negate, but intensifies: Inflammable has the same meaning as flammable-- something that burns easily. Their opposite is nonflammable. The same is true for habitable and inhabitable (the negative is uninhabitable). Valuable and invaluable also are synonyms— except that invaluable is even stronger. It means something is priceless: so valuable that a person would not want to give it up for any amount of money.
4. mis-
misanthropic, misconduct, misdiagnose, misinform, mislead, misleading, misplace, misspell, mistake, mistaken, mistrust, misunderstand.
5. non-
nonconformist, nonentity, nonexistent, nonintervention, nonmetallic, nonpartisan, nonresident, nonrestrictive, nonsense, nonsmoker, nonstop, etc.
Some words can be negated either with non- or with another negative. In those cases non- has a more neutral connotation. For example, “nonstandard” means not according to the usual standard, but “substandard” is below the standard: not good. “Nonreligious” means not religious, but irreligious means more actively opposed to religion.
6. un-
unable, unaffected (not affected at all; “disaffected” means affected badly), unafraid, unbelievable, uncertain, unclear, unemployed, unexpected, unfair, unforgettable, unfortunate, unhappy, unhelpful, uninformed, unkind, unknown, unnatural, unrealistic, unfriendly (in this case the –ly isn’t for an adverb; “friendly” & “unfriendly” are adjectives), unpleasant, unstable, untouched, unwilling, unwise, etc.