dys-

/₍ˌ₎dɪs/

prefix

difficult

“dysphoria, dystopia”

Similar
mal--algia(loosely) -algy-dyniaunder-hypo-dis-mis-
Opposite
eu-
OriginNew Latin dys- ← Ancient Greek δυσ- →
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Meanings

prefix
  1. difficult

    dyschezia, dysacusis, dysbasia, dyslexia, dyscopia

  2. bad

    dysphoria, dystopia

    1. unhealthy, harmful

      dysaemia, dyscognitive

      Synonyms: mal-

    2. painful

      dysejaculation, dysuria

      Synonyms: -algia, (loosely) -algy, -dynia

    3. incorrect

      dysbalanced, dyschloremia, dysdifferentiation

    4. poor, deficient

      dysgraphia, dysphasia, dysoxic

      Synonyms: under-, hypo-, mal-

  3. abnormal

    dysgnathic, dysafferentation, dysesthesia

  4. to fail

    dysautoregulation

    Synonyms: dis-, mis-

  5. inability, unable

    dyscontrol, dysmetria

  6. medicinemalady, disease

    dysendocrinism, dysexecutive, dysautonomia, dysbarism

  7. not

    dysfluent

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

Synonyms & antonyms

prefixunhealthy, harmful

Similar
mal-

prefixpainful

Similar
-algia(loosely) -algy-dynia

prefixpoor, deficient

Similar
under-hypo-mal-

prefixto fail

Similar
dis-mis-

prefixnot

Similar
a-an-i-il-im-in-ir-mal-non-un-
Similar
para-

antonym(s) of “bad”

Opposite
eu-
Also see
a-an-hypo-i-il-im-in-ir-mal-mis-non-ob-un-under-

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekδυσ-“hard, difficult, bad”
  2. New Latindys-
  3. Englishdys-

From New Latin dys-, from Ancient Greek δυσ- (dus-, “hard, difficult, bad”). Often confused with the separately derived prefix dis-.

More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Greek δυσ-
  • δυσ- (dys-)Translations
Polish dys-
  • dys-Translations
Portuguese dis-
  • dis-Translations

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

disdis-diss
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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