This list includes 20 Prefixes that start with R, from “rachi-” to “rubro-“. They are well-attested across Latin, Greek, Old English, and modern scientific coinages, chosen for frequency and usefulness in word-building and etymology.
Prefixes that start with R are short word elements you attach to bases to change or refine meaning. Many come from Latin or Greek and appear across medical, scientific, and everyday vocabulary. For example, “rubro-” traces to Latin ruber meaning “red,” seen in color terms and historical rubrics.
Below you’ll find the table with Prefix, Origin, Meaning, Example words, Notes, Sources.
Prefix: The actual prefix string you can add to words; you use this to spot and build related terms.
Origin: The root language or source, so you understand historical meaning and common word relatives.
Meaning: A concise definition (three to seven words) showing how the prefix changes a base word.
Example words: Two to four clear examples that show common real-world uses you can recognize or emulate.
Notes: Short usage tips, register (formal/informal), or fields where the prefix is common, helping you apply it correctly.
Sources: Where the entry is verified, listed so you can follow up for etymology or further reading.
Prefixes that start with R
| Prefix | Origin | Meaning | Example words |
|---|---|---|---|
| re- | Latin | again, back | rewrite, return, react |
| retro- | Latin | backward, past | retrograde, retroactive, retrofit |
| radio- | Latin | radiation, rays; radio wave | radioactive, radiology, radioisotope |
| recti- | Latin | straight, right | rectilinear, rectitude, rectify |
| reno- | Latin | kidney | renal, renography, renohepatic |
| rete- | Latin | net, network | reticulum, reticulate, rete mirabile |
| rhizo- | Greek | root | rhizome, rhizobia, rhizoid |
| rhodo- | Greek | rose, red | rhododendron, rhodopsin, Rhodophyta |
| rhino- | Greek | nose | rhinoplasty, rhinovirus, rhinoceros |
| rhabdo- | Greek | rod-shaped | rhabdomyolysis, rhabdovirus, rhabdite |
| rhombo- | Greek | diamond-shaped, slanted | rhomboid, rhombic |
| rheo- | Greek | flow | rheology, rheostat, rheometer |
| rhytid- | Greek | wrinkle | rhytidectomy, rhytidoplasty |
| rachi- | Greek | spine, backbone | rachis, rachitic, rachipagus |
| rhapso- | Greek | sew together, stitch; lyrical patchwork | rhapsody, rhapsodize, rhapsodic |
| rubro- | Latin | red | rubrospinal, rubrothalamic, rubrocaudal |
| rhamno- | Greek | buckthorn (plant); used for rhamnose | rhamnose, Rhamnaceae, rhamnolipid |
| retin(o)- | Latin | retina; related to vision or vitamin A | retinol, retinopathy, retinitis |
| raph(e)- | Greek | seam, suture | urogenital raphe, palatal raphe, raphe nucleus |
| roentgeno- | German (eponym) | X‑ray (Roentgen) imaging | roentgenogram, roentgenography |