prefix

/ˌpriˈfɪks/

/ˈprifɪks/

Other forms: prefixed; prefixes; prefixing

A prefix is affix that's added in front of a word and often changes the meaning of it. Common prefixes include re-, un-, and mis-.

Lots of words have a prefix, and it's sometimes easier to figure out the meaning of those words if you know the meaning of the prefix. For example, the super- means "above" or "over"; hypo- and infra- mean "under." Prefix itself has a prefix: pre-, which means "before." In fact, the Latin root of prefix is praefixus, meaning "fixed in front." (Note our word's opposite here, suffix, which describes what is fixed at the back of a word.)

Definitions of prefix

1. noun

   an affix that is added in front of the word
   types:

   alpha privative

   the negative prefix a- or un-

   type of:

   affix

   a linguistic element added to a word to produce an inflected or derived form
2. verb

   attach a prefix to
   “prefixed words”

   antonyms:

   suffix

   attach a suffix to

   type of:

   affix

   attach or become attached to a stem word