Neo- is a prefix meaning new or recent. It gets attached to the front of other words to signal that something is a modern or revived version of something older.

When architects design buildings in the neoclassical style, they're creating new buildings that look like ancient Greek or Roman temples, with columns and triangular roofs. A neoconservative is someone who supports a newer form of conservative political ideas. Neolithic means “new stone age,” a period when many humans began practicing agriculture and some groups stopped being nomadic hunter-gatherers.

The prefix shows up frequently in science and medicine. Doctors might spot a neoplasm (new tissue growth) during an examination. You'll also see it in everyday words: a neophyte is someone new to an activity, just starting to learn the ropes.

Sometimes neo- simply marks time periods, showing when something emerged or got renewed. Other times it carries a hint that the new version differs from the original in important ways. When you spot neo- at the start of a word, you know you're dealing with something that builds on or revives an older concept, whether that's an art movement, a political philosophy, or a scientific discovery.