Prefix · without / not / absence of
From Greek "a-/an-" (without, not): expresses the complete absence of a quality — the opposite of whatever root follows.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
"A-" (before consonants) and "an-" (before vowels) come from Greek and mean "without" or "lacking." This is not the Latin "a-" meaning "away from" (as in "avert"). The Greek prefix negates the entire root: "typical" → "atypical" (not typical), "moral" → "amoral" (without moral sense).
The prefix is identical in Spanish: amoral (amoral), anarquía (anarchy), asimétrico (asymmetric), anónimo (anonymous). It is one of the most transparent prefixes between English and Spanish because both languages borrowed it from the same Greek source.
A- (before consonants) and an- (before vowels) negate the root completely:
Use "an-" before vowels: anonymous (an- + onym = without name), anaerobic (an- + aerobic = without air/oxygen). Use "a-" before consonants: amoral, atypical, asymmetric. The pattern mirrors the English articles "a" vs "an."
a-/an-/ə/ or /æn/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
"Amoral" does not mean "a moral" (one moral). The Greek prefix "a-" is bound — it attaches directly to a root and changes its meaning to "without/not." Context makes the distinction clear: "a book" vs "amoral behavior."
A trick to remember it
A-/an- = without. Amoral = without morals. Anonymous = without a name. Anaerobic = without air/oxygen. Rule: "a-" before consonants, "an-" before vowels — exactly like the English articles "a" and "an." This prefix is everywhere in academic, scientific, and philosophical vocabulary.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What is the key difference between "immoral" and "amoral"?
The prefix a-/an- from Greek "a-/an-" (without, not): expresses the complete absence of a quality — the opposite of whatever root follows. In Spanish it usually maps to a-/an-.
The prefix a-/an- is pronounced /ə/ or /æn/. For example, "amoral".
"moral" becomes "amoral". It is a typical example of the a-/an- prefix.
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