Word part · Greek prefix
Prefix anti- words: meaning and 19 examples
In short
The Greek prefix anti- (from Greek) means "against". It is also spelled ant. Words with it include antonym, antonyms, antonymous, antipathy, antifreeze and antibody. Anti- joins whole words without changing a letter: anti + freeze.
- Part
- anti-
- Meaning
- against
- Origin
- Greek
- Also spelled
- ant
- Words listed
- 19
Anti- joins whole words without changing a letter: anti + freeze. Before a vowel it sometimes loses its i, as in antacid.
Words with the Greek prefix anti-
The list runs from shorter, common words to longer ones. The bands are a rough guide built from syllable count and how common each word is in our word list, not a grade-level standard. Read each word, then its word sum.
Colors:prefixroot or basesuffix
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| antonym | ant (prefix)+onym (root or base)→antonymthe prefix changes to match | a word with the opposite meaning, like hot and cold |
| antonyms | ant (prefix)+onym (root or base)+s (suffix)→antonymsthe prefix changes to match | more than one antonym |
| antifreeze | anti (prefix)+freeze (root or base)→antifreeze | a liquid that works against freezing in a car engine |
| antiwar | anti (prefix)+war (root or base)→antiwar | against war |
| antitheft | anti (prefix)+theft (root or base)→antitheft | made to stop someone from stealing |
| antiglare | anti (prefix)+glare (root or base)→antiglare | made to cut down bright reflected light |
More words: antidote, antacid
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| antonymous | ant (prefix)+onym (root or base)+ous (suffix)→antonymousthe prefix changes to match | having the opposite meaning |
| antipathy | anti (prefix)+pathy (root or base)→antipathy | a strong feeling against someone or something |
| antibody | anti (prefix)+body (root or base)→antibody | a part of the blood that fights germs |
| antibodies | anti (prefix)+body (root or base)+es (suffix)→antibodieschange y to i | more than one antibody |
| antibiotic | anti (prefix)+biotic (root or base)→antibiotic | a medicine that works against germs |
| antibiotics | anti (prefix)+biotic (root or base)+s (suffix)→antibiotics | more than one antibiotic |
| antiseptic | anti (prefix)+septic (root or base)→antiseptic | something that stops germs from growing on a cut |
| antisocial | anti (prefix)+social (root or base)→antisocial | not wanting to be with other people |
| antiviral | anti (prefix)+viral (root or base)→antiviral | working against a virus |
| antibacterial | anti (prefix)+bacterial (root or base)→antibacterial | working against bacteria |
| anticlimax | anti (prefix)+climax (root or base)→anticlimax | a let-down after you expected something big |
How do you teach the prefix anti-?
Anti- is one of the friendliest prefixes to teach because the base is usually a word students know. Freeze, social, war, theft: put anti in front and the word means against it. Start with antifreeze and antitheft, where the job is obvious. Move to antibody and antibiotic once students know a little about germs from science class. Those two words come up every year in health units.
A quick routine
Write anti on a card and three bases on others: freeze, glare, war. Say, "Anti means against. Put it in front, read the new word, and tell me what it works against." The student says, "Antifreeze works against freezing." Do six words in two minutes. Finish by dictating antisocial, and have the student say the parts before spelling them.
What do students mix up with anti-?
Students sometimes see anti inside words that have nothing to do with it. Antique, anticipate and the ant in pants are look-alikes. Antique comes from a word meaning old, and anticipate from one meaning before. The test is simple: does against fit? Antique furniture is not against furniture, so it isn't this prefix.
Some of these words change spelling where the parts join. The spelling rules pages cover dropping e, doubling and changing y to i. For the sounds inside these words, see the phonics word lists. Routines that fit: meanings of prefixes and suffixes, circle the parts, read the base and flexible routine for big words.
Questions people ask
What does the prefix anti- mean?
Anti- means "against". It is a Greek prefix, also spelled ant. Anti- joins whole words without changing a letter: anti + freeze. Before a vowel it sometimes loses its i, as in antacid.
What are some words with the prefix anti-?
Start with antonym, antonyms, antifreeze and antiwar. Then move to antonymous and antipathy. This page lists 19 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
What is the difference between anti- and ante-?
Anti- means against, as in antifreeze. Ante- means before, as in anteroom, a small room you pass through before the main one. Ante- is rare in school words, so teach anti- first and point out ante- only when it comes up.
Related word parts
- contra-against, or opposite
- pro-forward, or for
- de-down, away, or remove
- non-not
- nymname, or word
- pathfeeling, or suffering
- -ousfull of, or having
Terms on this page: morpheme, root, prefix, suffix, base word, word sum, morphology.
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