Prefixes Vocabulary Flashcards
Illiterate
“Illiterate” means someone who is unable to read or write, or someone who lacks knowledge in a particular area.
Root word: The root word is “literate”, which comes from the Latin word “literatus” (meaning “educated” or “able to read and write”). The prefix “in-” means “not,” so “illiterate” means “not literate” or “unable to read and write.”
Example: “In some regions, many adults are illiterate and never had the chance to go to school.”
Meaning in Persian:
بی‌سواد
Uneven
“Uneven” means not equal, irregular, or not smooth. It describes surfaces, conditions, or situations that are not level or balanced.
Root word: The root word is “even”, which comes from the Old English word “efen” (meaning “level” or “smooth”). The prefix “un-” means “not,” so “uneven” means “not even” or “not smooth.”
Example: “The road was uneven, making it difficult to ride a bike.”
Meaning in Persian:
ناهموار، غیر یکنواخت
Disembark
“Disembark” means to leave or get off a vehicle, ship, or plane, typically after a journey or trip.
Root word: The root word is “embark”, which comes from the Old French word “embarquer” (meaning “to board a ship”). The prefix “dis-“ means “opposite” or “reverse,” so “disembark” means “to get off” or “leave” a vehicle, ship, or plane.
Example: “We will disembark from the ship at the port after the cruise.”
Meaning in Persian:
پیاده شدن، از کشتی یا هواپیما خارج شدن
Disillusion
“Disillusion” means to cause someone to lose their belief or trust in something, typically by revealing that it is not as good, true, or ideal as they once thought.
Root word: The root word is “illusion”, which comes from the Latin “illusio” (meaning “a mocking, a delusion”). The prefix “dis-” means “not” or “opposite,” so “disillusion” means “to free from illusion” or “to make someone realize the truth.”
Example: “She was disillusioned after learning the truth about the company’s practices.”
Meaning in Persian:
ناامید کردن، بی‌اعتقاد کردن
Disillusioned: از دست دادن توهم و باورهای نادرست (عمق بیشتری دارد). • Disappointed: ناامیدی ساده به دلیل برآورده نشدن انتظار (سطحی‌تر است).
Example: I became disillusioned with the company after learning about their unethical practices.
2. I got disillusioned
• More conversational and casual.
Example: I got disillusioned after realizing he would never change his behavior.
Devalue
“Devalue” means to reduce or lessen the worth, importance, or value of something, often used in economic contexts to describe a decrease in currency value, but also applied to anything that loses perceived value.
Root word: The root word is “value”, which comes from the Latin “valere” (meaning “to be worth”). The prefix “de-“ means “down” or “reduce,” so “devalue” means “to reduce the value.”
Example: “The currency was devalued due to the economic crisis.”
Meaning in Persian:
بی‌ارزش کردن، کاهش ارزش
Deplane
“Deplane” means to get off or exit an airplane after it has landed.
Root word: The root word is “plane”, which refers to an airplane. The prefix “de-“ means “off” or “away from,” so “deplane” means “to get off the plane.”
Example: “Passengers were asked to deplane after the flight arrived at the gate.”
Do you know what time the passengers will deplane from flight 752?
Meaning in Persian:
پیاده شدن از هواپیما
Unearth
“Unearth” means to discover or dig up something that was buried or hidden, often used for objects buried underground or uncovering hidden information.
Root word: The root word is “earth”, referring to the ground or soil. The prefix “un-“ means “to remove” or “reverse,” so “unearth” means “to bring out of the earth” or “to reveal something hidden.”
Example: “Archaeologists unearthed ancient artifacts at the site.”
Meaning in Persian:
کشف کردن، از زیر خاک بیرون آوردن
Irrational
“Irrational” means not based on reason or logic, often describing thoughts, behaviors, or decisions that are unreasonable or illogical.
Root word: The root word is “rational”, which comes from the Latin “ratio” (meaning “reason” or “calculation”). The prefix “ir-“ means “not,” so “irrational” means “not rational” or “not reasonable.”
Example: “His fear of flying is irrational since he knows it’s statistically very safe.”
“I really wanted to see his side of the issue, but he was being so irrational that I just couldn’t.”
Meaning in Persian:
“من واقعاً می‌خواستم دیدگاه او را در مورد این موضوع ببینم، اما او آن‌قدر غیرمنطقی رفتار می‌کرد که نمی‌توانستم.”
Meaning in Persian:
غیر منطقی، بی‌منطق
Incomprehensible
“He was completely incomprehensible after he got home from the dentist because his mouth was frozen.”
Meaning in Persian:
“او کاملاً غیر قابل درک بود وقتی از دندانپزشکی به خانه برگشت چون دهانش بی‌حس شده بود.”
Explanation: The word “incomprehensible” combines the prefix “in-” meaning “not,” with “comprehensible,” which means “able to be understood.” So, “incomprehensible” means “not understandable.”
“The instructions he gave were so vague and jumbled that they were completely incomprehensible to everyone in the room.”
Desperately
“Desperately” is an adverb that means doing something with urgent need or extreme concern, often because of a sense of hopelessness or intense desire.
Root word: The root word is “desperate”, which comes from the Latin “desperare” (meaning “to lose hope”). The suffix “-ly” turns it into an adverb, meaning “in a desperate manner.”
Example: “She desperately searched for her lost keys.”
Meaning in Persian:
به شدت، با ناامیدی
Uninhibit
“Uninhibit” is the opposite of “inhibit.” It means to remove inhibition or to free someone or something from restraint or limitations.
• Prefix: “Un-” means “not” or “reverse of.” • Root word: “Inhibit” means to restrict or restrain.
Meaning: When you uninhibit someone or something, you are removing any limitations or barriers, allowing them to act freely or without restraint.
Example:
“Her creativity was uninhibited by the strict rules of the art class.”
Meaning in Persian:
آزاد کردن از محدودیت، بی‌محدودیت بودن
Example of “inhibit”:
“Certain chemicals can inhibit the growth of bacteria.”
“She spoke with uninhibited passion, expressing her true feelings without any hesitation.”
Meaning in Persian:
“او با شور و اشتیاق بی‌مانع صحبت کرد و احساسات واقعی‌اش را بدون هیچ‌گونه تردیدی بیان کرد.”
Unglaze
Un- means “not” or “opposite of,” and “unglaze” means to remove or not apply a glaze.
Example:
“The artist decided to unglaze the sculpture to achieve a more natural, matte appearance.”
Meaning in Persian:
“هنرمند تصمیم گرفت تا لعاب را از روی مجسمه بردارد تا ظاهر طبیعی‌تر و مات‌تری به دست آورد.”
