The prefix in- means?

• A. Into
• B. Within
• C. Over
• D. Not

Answer: (D)

The meaning being tested is how prefixes can negate a root idea. The prefix in- most often signals negation, meaning not, the opposite, or the absence of something. In medical terms this is seen in words like inactive (not active), insufficient (not sufficient), or invisible (not visible). That negating sense is the one this item is testing, so “Not” is the best answer. While in- can sometimes imply movement into or position inside in other contexts, the form used to create a negation is the sense meant here. The options that refer to direction or location (into, within, over) correspond to different prefix ideas (like intra- for within, or prefixes meaning movement or excess) and don’t fit the common negation use of in-.