This list includes 18 Prefixes that start with V, from “vaccin-” to “vuln-“. These prefixes are mostly short, often Latin or Greek in origin, and appear across medicine, science, and everyday vocabulary. Entries prioritize common, well-attested forms useful to students, writers, ESL learners, and teachers.

Prefixes that start with V are word beginnings that change a base word’s meaning or scope. Many trace to Latin, and a notable example is “vaccin-” from vacca, linked to early vaccine history.

Below you’ll find the table with Prefix, Origin, Meaning, Example words, and Notes.

Prefix: The prefix form with a hyphen; you use it to recognize and form new words.

Origin: The language source and historical root, helping you understand how the prefix entered English today.

Meaning: A concise definition of three to seven words that gives you the prefix’s core sense.

Example words: Two to four clear examples that show common usage and help you see word formation.

Notes: Brief usage tips, variant forms, or context tags like medical or scientific senses you should watch.

Prefixes that start with V

PrefixOriginMeaningExamples
vice-Latin vicis-in place of; deputyvice-president, vice-chair, vice-regent
vis-Latin vidēresee; sight, visionvision, visual, visible
voc-Latin vocarecall, voicevocal, vocation, invoke
vivi-Latin vivusalive, livingvivisection, viviparous, vivid
vita-Latin vitalife, livingvital, vitamin, vitality
volv-Latin volvereturn, rollrevolve, evolve, involve
vaso-Latin vasvessel (blood vessel)vasodilation, vasectomy, vasospasm
veno-Latin venaveinvenipuncture, venous, venography
ventri-Latin venterbelly; abdominalventral, ventricle, ventriloquist
veri-Latin verustrueverify, veritable, verity
vert-Latin vertereturn, change directionconvert, invert, versatile
vaccin-Latin vaccacow; vaccine-relatedvaccine, vaccination, vaccinology
vulcan-Latin Vulcanusforge; fire (Vulcan)vulcanize, Vulcanian, vulcanology
vuln-Latin vulnuswound; injuredvulnerable, invulnerable, vulnerability
visco-Latin viscosussticky; viscousviscosity, viscoelastic, viscous
viscer-Latin viscerainternal organsvisceral, viscera, viscerotomy
volunt-Latin voluntaswill; wish, choicevolunteer, voluntary, voluntarism
vot-Latin votumvow; wishvotive, votary, devotion

Descriptions

vice-
Used before titles to indicate substitution or deputy role; formal and institutional usage (OED)
vis-
Combining form from Latin videre used in words about seeing; common in everyday and technical vocabulary (Merriam-Webster)
voc-
From Latin vocare “to call”; appears in words about voice, calling, or speech (Merriam-Webster)
vivi-
Latin combining form meaning “alive”; frequent in biology and adjectives (vivid). (OED)
vita-
From Latin vita “life”; used in everyday and scientific terms (vitamin, vital). (Merriam-Webster)
volv-
Combining form from Latin volvere “to turn”; appears across verbs and nouns about turning or change (OED)
vaso-
Medical combining form for vessel, especially blood vessels; common in anatomy and clinical terms (Merriam-Webster)
veno-
From Latin vena “vein”; used in medical terminology for veins and venous conditions (Merriam-Webster)
ventri-
From Latin venter “belly”; used anatomically and in compounds (ventriloquist). (OED)
veri-
Latin combining form meaning “true”; appears in legal, philosophical, and everyday vocabulary (Merriam-Webster)
vert-
Variant of “vers-” from Latin “to turn”; very productive in English (convert, inversion, version). (OED)
vaccin-
From Latin vacca “cow”, historically tied to cowpox vaccination; central to immunology vocabulary (Merriam-Webster)
vulcan-
Derived from the Roman god Vulcan; used in metallurgy and volcanic terminology (OED)
vuln-
From Latin vulnus “wound”; forms words about susceptibility and injury, literal and figurative (Merriam-Webster)
visco-
From Latin viscosus “sticky”; used in physics and engineering to describe flow and resistance (Merriam-Webster)
viscer-
Combining form referring to internal organs; common in medical anatomy and figurative speech (OED)
volunt-
From Latin voluntas “will”; used in words about choice, willingness, or service (Merriam-Webster)
vot-
Root from Latin votum “vow”; appears in religious and formal terms about vows and dedication (OED)
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