Word part · Latin prefix
Prefix co- words: meaning and 13 examples
In short
The Latin prefix co- (from Latin) means "together, or with". Words with it include coworker, coworkers, coauthor, copilot, cooperate and cooperation. Co- is a short form of the prefix con-.
- Part
- co-
- Meaning
- together, or with
- Origin
- Latin
- Words listed
- 13
Co- is a short form of the prefix con-. It names people or things that share a job: a copilot flies with the pilot.
Words with the Latin prefix co-
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 |
|---|---|---|
| coworker | co (prefix)+work (root or base)+er (suffix)→coworker | a person you work with |
| coworkers | co (prefix)+work (root or base)+er (suffix)+s (suffix)→coworkers | people you work with |
| coauthor | co (prefix)+author (root or base)→coauthor | someone who shares the writing of a book |
| copilot | co (prefix)+pilot (root or base)→copilot | a pilot who flies with the main pilot |
| coexist | co (prefix)+exist (root or base)→coexist | live in the same place at the same time |
| coexistence | co (prefix)+exist (root or base)+ence (suffix)→coexistence | living side by side |
| cofounder | co (prefix)+found (root or base)+er (suffix)→cofounder | a person who starts something with someone else |
| costar | co (prefix)+star (root or base)→costar | an actor who shares the lead in a film |
| coeditor | co (prefix)+edit (root or base)+or (suffix)→coeditor | a person who edits with someone else |
| cosign | co (prefix)+sign (root or base)→cosign | sign a paper along with someone else |
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| cooperate | co (prefix)+operate (root or base)→cooperate | work together |
| cooperation | co (prefix)+operate (root or base)+ion (suffix)→cooperationdrop the e | working together |
| coordinate | co (prefix)+ordinate (root or base)→coordinate | make parts work together |
How do you teach the prefix co-?
Co- means together or with, and it is a short cousin of con-. Most co- words name people who share a job: a coworker, a copilot, a coauthor. Start with those, because students can picture two people doing the same work. Then move to cooperate, work together, which every classroom uses. The double o in cooperate is a good spelling point.
A quick routine
Ask, "Who flies the plane with the pilot?" Write copilot. Say, "Co means together, or with. The copilot flies with the pilot." Then show coworker, coauthor and costar. The student says who each person works with. Finish by spelling cooperate and asking, "Why are there two o's?" The student explains that one o belongs to co and one to operate.
What do students mix up with co-?
Co is the first two letters of hundreds of words, such as cold, coat and color, that have no prefix at all. Take co off and see if a word is left. Coat leaves at, which does not mean anything together. Con, com, col and cor are the longer forms of the same prefix, used before roots.
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 co- mean?
Co- means "together, or with". It is a Latin prefix. Co- is a short form of the prefix con-. It names people or things that share a job: a copilot flies with the pilot.
What are some words with the prefix co-?
Start with coworker, coworkers, coauthor and copilot. Then move to cooperate and cooperation. This page lists 13 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
Why does cooperate have two o's?
One o ends the prefix co and the other starts the base operate. Nothing is dropped when they join, so both stay. Coordinate works the same way.
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