Words with un-, dis-, in-, im- and non-

Key Notes:-

Introduction to Prefixes

A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Today, we’ll be focusing on the prefixes un-, dis-, in-, im-, and non-. These prefixes often have a negative meaning, indicating the opposite or absence of something. Understanding these prefixes can significantly expand your vocabulary and improve your reading comprehension.

The Prefix ‘un-‘

The prefix un- generally means “not” or “the opposite of.”

Definition: Not; the opposite of.

Examples:

• happy (feeling pleasure) → unhappy (not feeling pleasure)
• kind (caring and friendly) → unkind (not caring and friendly)
• fair (just) → unfair (not just)
• usual (common) → unusual (not common)

Explanation: Adding un- to a word creates its antonym (opposite).

The Prefix ‘dis-‘

The prefix dis- also often means “not” or “opposite of,” but can also indicate removal or separation.

Definition: Not; opposite of; remove; separate.

Examples:

• agree (to have the same opinion) → disagree (to have a different opinion)
• appear (to become visible) → disappear (to vanish)
• connect (to join together) → disconnect (to separate)
• obey (to follow rules) → disobey (to not follow rules)

Explanation: Dis- can negate a word’s meaning or imply an action of undoing or reversing something.

The Prefixes ‘in-‘ and ‘im-‘

The prefixes in- and im- also mean “not.” Im- is generally used before words beginning with m or p.

Definition: Not.

Examples:

• accurate (correct) → inaccurate (not correct)
• visible (able to be seen) → invisible (not able to be seen)
• possible (able to be done) → impossible (not able to be done)
• moral (ethical) → immoral (not ethical)
• patient (bearing pains or trials calmly) -> impatient (not patient)

Explanation: The prefixes in- and im- are used to create the negative form of many adjectives. Notice how the spelling changes to im- before the letters ‘m’ and ‘p’.

The Prefix ‘non-‘

The prefix non- means “not” or “without.”

Definition: Not; without.

Examples:

• fiction (imaginary story) → nonfiction (factual writing)
• sense (having logic) → nonsense (without logic)
• stop (ceasing movement) → nonstop (without stopping)
• violent (using force) → nonviolent (without using force)

Explanation: Non- simply negates the word it’s attached to, indicating the absence of something.

Practice and Application

Try to use these prefixes to create new words and understand their meanings in different contexts. Look for these prefixes in your reading material and identify how they change the meaning of the base word. Understanding and recognizing these prefixes will boost your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills!

Summary

In these notes, we’ve explored the prefixes un-, dis-, in-, im-, and non-, all of which primarily function to negate or reverse the meaning of a word. Recognizing these prefixes allows us to quickly understand the meaning of new words, improving both our reading and writing skills.

let’s practice!