an-

prefix

not; used to make words that have a sense opposite to the word (or stem) to which the prefix is attached. Used with stems that begin with vowels and "h".

“ancome, aneal, anent”

Similar
a-dys-i-il-im-in-ir-mal-
OriginMiddle English an- ← Old English an- ← Proto-West Germanic *ana- →
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Meanings

an-1

prefix

alternative on- · alternative a-

  1. alternativeAlternative form of on-.

    ancome, aneal, anent

an-2

prefix
  1. not; used to make words that have a sense opposite to the word (or stem) to which the prefix is attached. Used with stems that begin with vowels and "h".

    Synonyms: a-, dys-, i-, il-, im-, in-, ir-, mal-

  2. Without, lacking.

    anoxia (without oxygen), anandrous (without male parts)

    Synonyms: ex-, -less, -free

an-3

prefix
  1. alternativeAlternative form of ana-.

an-4

prefix
  1. alternativeAlternative form of ad- (“to, toward”).

Synonyms & antonyms

prefixnot; used to make words that have a sense opposite to the word (or stem) to which the prefix is attached. Used with stems that begin with vowels and "h".

Similar
a-dys-i-il-im-in-ir-mal-non-un-

prefixWithout, lacking.

Similar
ex--less-free
Also see
a-anti-dis-dys-ex--freei-il-im-in-ir--lessmal-non-un-

Origin

an- · prefix

  1. Proto-Germanic*ana-“on”
  2. Proto-West Germanic*ana-
  3. Old Englishan-
  4. Middle Englishan-
  5. Englishan-

From Middle English an-, from Old English an-, on- (“on-”), from Proto-West Germanic *ana-, from Proto-Germanic *ana- (“on”). More at on.

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an- · prefix

  1. Ancient Greekἀν-
  2. Englishan-

From Ancient Greek ἀν- (an-). Doublet of un- and in-.

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an- · prefix

  1. Ancient Greekἀνα-
  2. Englishan-

From Ancient Greek ἀνα- (ana-), from ἀνά (aná, “on, up, above, throughout”). Doublet of on-.

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an- · prefix

  1. Latinad-
  2. Englishan-

Assimilated form of ad- before n. From Latin ad-.

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Cite this entry
APA

an-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/an-

MLA

“an-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/an-. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “an-,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/an-.

Source: an- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.