由一个词加上前缀或后缀构成一个与原单词意义相近或截然相反的新词叫做派生法。

　　1. 前缀

　　除少数前缀外，前缀一般改变单词的意义，但不改变单词的词性。

　　(1)表示否定意义的前缀

　　un- unhappy unfinished undress

　　dis- disagree disbelieve

　　in- [il-(在字母l前)，im- (在字母m,b,p前)，ir- (在字母r前)] inaccurate illegal impolite imbalance irregular

　　mis- misbehave mislead mistake

　　non- nonstop nonsmoker

　　(2)表示其他意义的前缀

　　en- “使……”enrich enlarge encourage

　　inter- “相互”international intercontinental

　　re- “再，又，重”rethink retell recycle

　　tele- “远程的”telescope telephone telegraph

　　auto- “自动的”automatic automobile

　　co- “共同”coworker cooperate coexist

　　anti- “反对，抵抗”antiwar antifreeze antinuclear

　　multi- “多”multistory multicultural multicolor

　　bi- “双，二”bicycle bilingual bilateral

　　micro- “极小的，微小的”microwave microcomputer

　　over- “太多，过分”overwork overdo overestimate

　　self- “自己，本身”self-centered self-confident self-control

　　under- “在……下面，……下的，不足的”underline, underground, underestimate, underrate

　2. 后缀

　　(1)形容词后缀

　　-able “可……的，具有……的”acceptable drinkable knowledgeable reasonable

　　-al “与……有关的”physical, magical, political

　　-an “属于某地方的人”American African

　　-ern “方向”southern, northern, eastern

　　-ful/ less “(没)有……的”helpful, useful, homeless, hopeless

　　-ish “如……的;有……特征的”foolish childish selfish

　　-ive “有……倾向的”active attractive expensive

　　-en “由……制成的”golden wooden woolen

　　-ous “有(性质)的”famous, dangerous, poisonous

　　-ly “有……性质的”friendly yearly daily

　　-y “构成形容词”noisy dusty cloudy

　　(2)名词后缀

　　-er / or “表人或用具” farmer, baker, visitor, professor, cooker, container

　　-ese “某国(人)的”Chinese, Japanese

　　-ian “某国、某地人;精通……的人”musician, Asian, Russian, technician

　　-ist “某种主义或职业者”physicist, scientist, communist，socialist

　　-ess “表女性，雌性”hostess, actress, princess

　　-ment “行为或其状态”government, movement, achievement

　　-ness “性质，状态”illness, sadness, carelessness

　　-tion “动作，过程，结果”invention, organization, translation

　　-ance/ ence “抽象;行为、性质、状态”importance, appearance, absence, existence

　　-th “性质、情况” depth, warmth, truth

　　-ful “(满的)量”handful, spoonful, mouthful

　　-(a)bility “抽象、性质、状态”possibility, disability, reliability

　　-al “过程、状态”survival, arrival, approval

　　-y “性质、情况”modesty, delivery, honesty

　　-dom “处于……状态;性质”freedom, boredom

　　-age “状态，行为，身份及其结果”courage, storage, marriage

　　(3)动词后缀

　　-fy / ify “使得;变得” simplify, beautify, purify

　　-en “使成为;变得” shorten, deepen, sadden

　　-ize “使成为” apologize, realize, specialize

　　(4)副词后缀

　　-ly “方式，程度” freely, truly, angrily

　　-ward(s) “向……” towards, forward, upwards

　　(5)数词后缀

　　-teen “十几” fourteen, eighteen, thirteen

　　-ty “整十位数” forty, fifty, sixty

　　-th “序数词” twelfth, twentieth