What does the prefix neo- mean?
Neo- comes from the Greek neos, which means "new" or "recent". It shows something new or a renewed version of something earlier.
ESEN
Prefix · new / revival of
neo-
Signals something new or a revival of something earlier: neologism, neoclassical, neonatal.
Literary
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Neo- in politics, art and philosophy
Neo- often appears in movements that revive or reinterpret earlier ideas with a modern view. It is very common in art and architecture history, and also in politics and philosophy, where it names currents that take an old idea and adapt it to their time. If you see neo- next to a style or an ideology, think of "the revival of".
How it is used
Attaches to nouns and adjectives:
- neo- + style/movementclassical → neoclassicalGothic → neo-GothicBaroque → neo-BaroqueRomanticism → neo-Romanticism
- neo- + political/linguistic termliberalism → neoliberalismlogism → neologismnatal → neonatalconservatism → neoconservatism
Pronunciation: /ˈniːəʊ/. Hyphenated when preceding a proper noun: neo-Gothic, neo-Marxism.
How it is pronounced
neo-/ˈniːəʊ/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With neo-
In a phrase
- logismneologism"Selfie" and "podcast" are neologisms the digital age added to English.
- classicalneoclassicalThe parliament building was designed in a neoclassical style with grand columns.
- natalneonatalThe hospital's neonatal unit cares for premature and critically ill newborns.
- liberalismneoliberalismNeoliberalism promotes free markets, deregulation, and less state intervention.
- Gothicneo-GothicThe Houses of Parliament are a celebrated example of neo-Gothic architecture.
- conservatismneoconservatismNeoconservatism rose to prominence during the Reagan administration in the 1980s.
- nneonNeon's bright glow in vacuum tubes made it perfect for shop signs.
Common mistakes
neologism = only words invented recently on the internet
neologism = any new word or new use of an existing word, from any era
A neologism can be a completely new word ("selfie," "blog") or a new use of an existing word (using "impact" as a verb: "this will impact the results"). Neologisms are always in process: once fully accepted into the language, they are no longer considered new.
neoclassical refers only to architecture
neoclassical applies to any art, music, literature, or philosophy that revives the style of ancient Greece and Rome
"Neoclassical" covers music (Haydn, Mozart, and also twentieth-century composers like Stravinsky in his neoclassical period), literature (Pope, Dryden), philosophy, and architecture (many eighteenth- and nineteenth-century government buildings). It is a broad stylistic and intellectual category.
A trick to remember it
Think of something brand new: neo- = new. neonatal, neologism.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"The parliament building was designed in a ___ style, with grand columns inspired by ancient Greek temples."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
Why is the noble gas "neon" named as it is?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix neo- mean in English?
The prefix neo- signals something new or a revival of something earlier: neologism, neoclassical, neonatal.
How do you pronounce neo-?
The prefix neo- is pronounced /ˈniːəʊ/. For example, "neologism".
Can you give an example of a word with neo-?
"logism" becomes "neologism". It is a typical example of the neo- prefix.
Other useful prefixes
proto-
Signals the first of its kind, the original, or a primitive version: prototype, protocol, protagonist.
pseudo-
Signals something false or pretending to be what it is not: pseudonym, pseudoscience, pseudocode.
retro-
Signals backward movement or reference to the past: retroactive, retrospective, retrofit, retrograde.
Learn every English prefix
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