A prefix is an affix which is placed before the stem of a word
Examples of prefixes:
unhappy: un is a negative or antonymic prefix.
prefix, preview: pre is a prefix, with the sense of before.
redo, review: re is a prefix meaning again.
Questions tagged [prefixes]
391 questions
25
votes
3 answers
What do you call the other bit of a word with a prefix
Let's say I have a word like unhappy.
The "un" is called the prefix. What is the other bit called?
tom redfern
- 455
11
votes
1 answer
Prefix di- and bi-
I was wondering if there are differences between the cases of using di- and the cases of using bi-?
For example,
why carbon dioxide instead of carbon bioxide?
Why binoculars instead of dinoculars?
Why bisexual instead of disexual?
Why bilateral…
Tim
- 9,993
9
votes
5 answers
If the prefix anglo- means "of the English", what prefix means "of the Welsh"?
The title says it all! Even if Anglo doesn't quite mean "of the English" you get what I mean.
paulmorriss
- 407
9
votes
4 answers
What is it called when you add 'im' to 'possible'?
I took the ESL certification test and I was wondering: what is it called when you add 'im' to 'possible'?
user4367
8
votes
7 answers
What is a prefix that means near?
For instance, if I were to describe someone as being *near-*carnivorous, I'm have the goal of depicting them as being a heavy meat eater that includes very few forms of non-meat based food in their diet as opposed to being one who exclusively…
somehume
- 653
8
votes
4 answers
If "hexa-" is a prefix representing six
Why does the word "hexadecimal" have the prefix "hexa-" if it has a base of 16, not 6?
RyanScottLewis
- 217
7
votes
5 answers
Why isn't the word "undiscovered" a double negative?
Why do we use the word undiscovered? As far as I know, un– and dis– have the same negative meaning; why don't we just say "covered"?
BKaylor
- 225
7
votes
4 answers
In English, is there an established prefix for "mostly"?
For half, I could use semi, demi, or hemi. While semi does mean "half", it sometimes has a connotation of "some". Demi is often found with French roots. According to this link, hemi is the least often used of the three but can also mean…
demongolem
- 621
5
votes
2 answers
Using the prefix "be-"?
I read somewhere that the prefix be- can be used as a causative and this got me thinking. Does this mean that because means to cause to cause or to make cause?
MattyBeales
- 257
4
votes
1 answer
Which one is the original prefix: con-, com-, or cor-?
Which one is the original prefix: con-, com-, or cor-? And which ones are variants?
ayjay
- 195
4
votes
2 answers
Why are there multiple prefixes for the same root word?
The root word I'm thinking of is comfort; two types of prefixes are applied to it, in the words discomfort and uncomfortable. Why is this?
user11550
4
votes
2 answers
Are there prefixes which have the meaning 'originating from within', or 'originating from outside'?
I'm looking for prefixes which mean that something emanates/flows/comes from inside / outside, as opposed to existing / being located inside' ('endo-'), or 'existing / being located outside' ('exo-').
Thanks.
Dale Newton
- 219
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4
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2 answers
Are prefixes, as bound morphemes, always separable from their root words?
The root words in the examples below look fine even without a prefix:
un + bearable
ir + regular
dis + able
mis + fortune
... but not in these:
pro + gress
pro + mote
Possibly, I don't understand what a prefix really is. –pro in the…
Elzee
- 318
3
votes
2 answers
Prefix for "above/beyond" when referring to scale
If I wanted to refer to a spatial scale relatively smaller than a kilometer, I might say "sub-kilometer" scale.
However, what is the proper prefix for describing a spatial scale relatively larger than a kilometer?
My perceived options: supra-,…
3
votes
1 answer
Unlike in DISassemble, why doesn't the DIS- in 'DISsemble' mean 'undo or reverse'?
https://www.wordsmyth.net/blog/2020/01/dissemble-2 baffles me.
Dis*\assemble is a derivation of the verb “assemble.” The prefix “dis-” means “to undo or reverse” the action denoted by the base, that is, verb to which the prefix is attached.
And…
user479068