a- / an-
without, not
Greek · a-, an- (ἀ-, ἀν-)
Greek a- (an- before a vowel) means "without" or "not". It negates the base: moral becomes amoral, typical becomes atypical, emia (blood) becomes anemia, a lack of blood.
Memory trick
A- is a tiny "no": take a letter, add "a", and the thing is gone.
Words from this root
- amoral (a + moral) — without any sense of right and wrongनैतिकता से परे
- atypical (a + typical) — not typical, unusualअसामान्य
- anemia (an + emia) — lack of healthy bloodख़ून की कमी
- anonymous (an + onym + ous) — without a nameअनाम
- anarchy (an + arch + y) — without a ruler, disorderअराजकता
- apathy (a + pathy) — without feeling or interestउदासीनता
- atheist (a + the + ist) — one without belief in godsनास्तिक
- asymmetry (a + symmetry) — lack of balance in shapeअसमरूपता
- anesthesia (an + esthesia) — loss of feeling or sensationबेहोशी, संज्ञाहरण
- analgesic (an + alges + ic) — pain-relievingदर्दनिवारक
- anaerobic (an + aerob + ic) — without oxygenऑक्सीजन रहित
- apathetic (a + pathetic) — showing no interestउदासीन