As you can see, the highlighted segments (un-, i-) give the radical a new meaning when they are joined to it. This segment is a morphic unit known as prefix.In this way, we can say that the prefix is the morphic element that appears before the stem and gives it a new meaning..
In Portuguese, the prefixes have two origins: Latin and Greek. From their union with the stem, new words are derived. See in the table below what these prefixes are:
Latin origin prefixes
Prefix |
Sense |
Example |
ab- abs- The- |
separation, separation |
abdicate, abort |
ad- The- air- at- |
approach, direction |
adjacent adept, attachment, approach, enroll |
before- |
anteriority |
anticipate, forearm |
circum- (circum-) |
move around |
circumscribe circumpolar |
cis- |
short position |
cisalpine, cisatlantic |
co- with- con- color- |
contiguity, company |
cohabit, supporting condone to contain correlation |
against- |
opposition, joint action |
contradict, nonsense, act together |
in- |
top-down movement, reduction |
decay, ebb, decrease |
un- |
separation, contrary action |
undo, divert, dig up |
dis- di- right- |
separation, movement to different sides, denial |
to dissolve spread settle |
in between- |
middle position |
between the lines, clash |
ex- s- and- |
outward move, previous state |
export drain emigrate |
extra- |
outer position (out of) |
unofficial, misplace |
in- im- i- in- en- |
inward movement |
inference immigrate break out to board |
in- im- i- go- |
denial, deprivation |
unhappiness waterproof illegal irreparable |
intra- |
inner position |
intracontinental intravenous |
intro- |
inward movement |
introduce introversion |
fair)- |
position beside |
juxtapose juxtafluvial |
w- O- |
forward position, opposition |
obstruct to occur |
per- |
move through |
go through, drill |
post- |
posterity |
postpone, postgraduate studies |
pre- |
anteriority |
predisposed prehistoric |
pro- |
forward movement |
progress propel |
re- |
backward movement, repetition |
to resort, replicate redo |
retro- |
backward movement |
go back retrograde |
soto- under- |
inferior position |
general sota sotopor wing |
sub- sus- su- under only- |
bottom-up movement, inferiority |
go up, underling suspend succeed survive uplift |
super- about- |
position up, excess |
superimpose overcrowded overlap |
above- |
position above, excess |
above, above |
trans- rear- tra- three- |
movement beyond, position beyond |
transpose translate tradition crazy sleepless |
ultra- |
position beyond the limit |
overtake, ultrasound |
vice vis- (vizo-) |
replacement, instead of |
vice dean viscount |
Prefixes of Greek origin
Prefix |
Sense |
Example |
a-N-A-) |
deprivation, denial |
illiterate, anemia, atheist |
a-N-A- |
reverse action or movement, repetition |
anachronistic, anaphylactic, anaphora |
host |
on both sides, around |
amphibian, amphitheater |
after- |
separation, separation |
apogee, apostate, apotheosis |
archi- arc- arch- arch- |
superiority |
archduke, arch-millionaire archangel archetype archbishop |
pick-up |
top down movement |
catalog, catalepsy, catadupa |
morning- di- |
movement through, removal |
diagnosis, diocese |
dis- |
difficulty, bad condition |
dyspnea, dysentery |
eh- ex- |
outward movement |
eczema exoderm |
en- in- and- endo- end- |
inward position, inward movement |
brain Ellipse endothermic endosmosis |
epi- |
superior position, posterity |
epicenter epidermis epigenesis |
me- ev- |
well good |
euphemism, euphoria gospel |
hyper- |
top position, excess |
hyperbole, hypertension |
hippo- |
inferior position, scarcity |
hypodermic hypotension |
goal- met- |
posterity change |
metacarpal, metamorphosis |
for- pair- |
proximity, next to |
paradigm, parasite |
peri- |
position or movement around |
perimeter, periphrase |
pro- |
forward position, previous |
prologue, prognosis |
yes- yea- si- |
simultaneity, company |
symphony, sympathy, syllable. |
By Mariana Rigonatto
Graduated in Letters
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/o-que-e/portugues/o-e-que-prefixo.htm