Words formed with prefixes - Spelling - Part III. Style 20 spelling

A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations, 7th edition - Kate L. Turabian 2007

Words formed with prefixes
Spelling
Part III. Style 20 spelling

Words formed with prefixes are normally closed, whether they are nouns (postmodernism), verbs (misrepresent), adjectives (antebellum), or adverbs (prematurely). Use a hyphen, however, in these cases:

when the prefix is combined with a capitalized word

sub-Saharan

but

subdivision

pro-Asian

but

pronuclear

when the prefix is combined with a numeral

pre-1950

but

predisposed

mid-80s

but

midlife

to separate two i's, two a's, or other combinations of letters or syllables that might cause misreading

anti-intellectual

but

antidepressant

semi-invalid

but

semiopaque

when the prefix precedes a compound word that is hyphenated or open

non-coffee-drinking

but

nonbelief

post-high school

but

postgame

to separate repeated terms in a double prefix

sub-subentry

when a prefix stands alone

pre- and postwar

macro- and microeconomics

These patterns apply to words formed with the following prefixes, among others.

ante

anti

bi

bio

co

counter

cyber

extra

hyper

infra

inter

intra

macro

mega

meta

micro

mid

mini

multi

neo

non

post

pre

pro

proto

pseudo

re

semi

socio

sub

super

supra

trans

ultra

un

The patterns also apply to prepositions such as over and under that can be attached to words in the same position as prefixes.

overachiever

underhanded

over- and underused