Here you’ll find 25 Prefixes that start with N that begin with N, organized from “n-” to “nyct(o)-“. They appear in medicine, science, literature, and everyday English, useful for learning and word-building.
Prefixes that start with N are short morphemes attached to words to modify meaning, often from Latin or Greek. A notable example is “neo-” meaning “new”, seen in “neoclassical” and “neonatal”.
Below you’ll find the table with Prefix, Origin, Meaning, Example words, and Notes.
Prefix: The prefix form in quotes, so you can spot the exact element and its common variants.
Origin: Shows the root language (Latin, Greek, Old English), helping you trace historical meaning and patterns.
Meaning: A concise definition of three to seven words that shows how the prefix alters base words.
Example words: Two to four clear examples show the prefix in context and typical modern usage.
Notes: Short notes on pronunciation, spelling variants, or specialized fields to guide correct use.
Prefixes that start with N
| Prefix | Origin | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| n– | modern | normal, unbranched chain | n-butane, n-hexane, n-propyl |
| neo- | Greek | new, recent, revived | neonate, neologism, neoliberal |
| non- | Latin | not; absence of | nonviolent, nonprofit, nonsensical |
| nano- | Greek | one billionth (10^-9) | nanometer, nanotechnology, nanoparticle |
| necr(o)- | Greek | death; dead; corpse | necrosis, necropolis, necromancer |
| narc(o)- | Greek | sleep, numbness, stupor | narcotic, narcolepsy, narcosis |
| nephro- | Greek | relating to the kidney | nephrology, nephritis, nephron |
| neuro- | Greek | nerve, nervous system | neurology, neurotransmitter, neuron |
| naso- | Latin | relating to the nose | nasopharynx, nasolabial, nasogastric |
| noct- | Latin | relating to the night | nocturnal, noctilucent, nocturia |
| noci- | Latin | relating to harm or pain | nociception, nociceptor, nocifensive |
| nitro- | Latin | containing nitro group | nitroglycerin, nitrobenzene, nitromethane |
| nitroso- | Latin | containing nitroso group | nitrosamine, nitrosation, nitrosyl |
| nudi- | Latin | meaning naked or exposed | nudibranch, nudity, nudism |
| nyct(o)- | Greek | relating to night or darkness | nyctophobia, nycturia, nyctalopia |
| nemat(o)- | Greek | relating to threadlike worms | nematode, nematology, nematosis |
| nomo- | Greek | relating to law or custom | nomogram, nomothetic, nomology |
| nomen- | Latin | relating to a name | nomenclature, nomenclator, nomanclature |
| nulli- | Latin | meaning none or not any | nullipara, nulliparous, nullibiety |
| nona- | numeral | relating to the ninth | nonagon, nonane, nonagenarian |
| novem- | Latin | relating to the number nine | novemdecillion, novemvirate, novennial |
| numer- | Latin | relating to number or counting | numeral, numerous, numerator |
| nucleo- | Latin | relating to the nucleus | nucleosome, nucleophile, nucleoplasm |
| natri- | Latin | relating to sodium | natriuresis, natriuretic, natrium |
| nigro- | Latin | black or dark colored | Nigrospora, nigrofuscus, nigrolineatus |
Descriptions
n–
Used in organic chemistry to mark a straight-chain (normal) isomer; written as lowercase n- before alkyl names.
neo-
Common combining form meaning “new”; used for new movements, ideas, or recently formed things.
non-
Productive negation prefix from Latin; broadly used to form opposites or indicate absence.
nano-
SI-derived prefix used in science and technology to indicate 10^-9; also used loosely for very small things.
necr(o)-
Greek combining form used in medical and literary terms about death, corpses, or dead tissue.
narc(o)-
From Greek narkē (numbness); appears in medical and drug-related words for stupor and sleep-inducing effects.
nephro-
Used in medicine to form terms about kidney structure, function, and disease.
neuro-
Very productive combining form in medicine and science for nerve-related topics.
naso-
Latin combining form used in anatomy and clinical terms involving the nose.
noct-
From Latin nox/night; appears in words describing nighttime behaviors, phenomena, or conditions.
noci-
From Latin nocere “to harm”; used in physiology and medicine for pain-sensing processes and harm-related concepts.
nitro-
Chemical combining form indicating presence of an NO2 (nitro) group; common in organic chemistry and explosives.
nitroso-
Specific chemical prefix for compounds containing an NO group; used in organic and inorganic chemistry.
nudi-
From Latin nudus; appears in zoological terms (e.g., nudibranch) and words relating to nakedness.
nyct(o)-
Greek form nykt-/nyct- used in medical and psychological terms about night or darkness.
nemat(o)-
Greek combining form used in biology for roundworms and threadlike structures.
nomo-
From Greek nomos (law); appears in academic and scientific terms about laws, rules, or distributions.
nomen-
Latin combining form for “name”; appears in technical terms about naming systems and labels.
nulli-
Latin combining form meaning “none”; common in biological and medical terms indicating absence.
nona-
Latin-derived numeral combining form for nine; used in polygon names, chemical names, and age-group terms.
novem-
Latin numeral combining form for nine; appears in large-number names and classical titles.
numer-
Latin root used across English to form words about numbers, counting, and quantities.
nucleo-
Combining form from Latin nucleus used in biology and chemistry for structures centered around a core.
natri-
From Latin/chemical natrium; used in medicine and chemistry to denote sodium-containing compounds or effects.
nigro-
Latin combining form often used in biological taxonomy and species names to denote black or dark coloration.