Composite Words - 4 (Prefixes)

Traverse is a composite word, which means “passage across”. “Tra” means “across”, as in Trans-Atlantic, transport, trajectory.

Amphitheatre is a composite word which means “an open space surrounded by rising rows of seats”. “Amphi” means “surround”.

Viceroy is composite word which means “an officer who administers on behalf of the royalty”. “Vice” means “in place of” as in vice-president.

Dilemma is a composite word which means “a position where each of the two or of all alternatives is eminently undesirable”. “Di” means “double or two” as in dichotomy.

Deduct is a composite word which means “to take away from a total”. “De” means “away” as in debar, derail.

Occult is a composite word that means “mysterious/hidden”. “Oc” means “conceal or cover”.

Perforce is a composite word which means “by force or through force”, “Per” means “through” as in perforation.

Necrosis is a composite word that means “death of a tissue”. “Necro” means “death” as in necrophilia, necromania.

Anagram is a composite word which means “a word or phrase made from another by rearranging its letters”. “Ana” means “in return/back”, gram means writing.

Peninsula is a composite word which means “a piece of land that is almost an island”; “pen” means “almost”.

Distend is a composite word which means “to stretch out”. “Dis” means “apart”.

Balance is a composite word which means “a weighing instrument with two dishes”. “Ba” or ‘Bi’ means “two”.

Dialogue is a composite word which means “a conversation”. “Dia” means “between” as in dialect. In a different context, dia means across, as in diagonal, diagram.

Enmesh is a composite word that means “to catch into a net or to entangle”. “En” means “to put into” as in encase, endanger, enthrone.

Abdicate is a composite word which means “to give up/to renounce”. “Ab” means “away” as in aberration, abhorrent.