prefix

B1 Topic:Communication

US /ˈpɹiːfɪks/ See IPA manual

Freq #50124

Meanings

1

noun
A group of letters added to the front of a word to change its meaning, such as "un-" in "unhappy."

The prefix "re-" means "again," as in "rewrite."
2

verb
To add something to the front or beginning of something else.

You should prefix each filename with the date.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

forefix

Word family

Forms prefixedprefixesprefixing

Derived forms prefixableprefixalprefixationprefixedprefixerprefixhoodprefixingprefixiveprefixlessprefixlikeprefixnessprefixoid

Related forms coverbfixpre-prefixionprepend

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

prefix notation
a way of writing expressions with each operator before the values it acts on

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English prefixen, from Middle French prefixer, from Latin praefīxus, past participle of praefīgō (“to (fix, fasten, set up) in front”, “to fix on the (end, extremity)”) (from prae- (“before”) + fīgō (“to fix”, “to fasten”, “to affix”)), equivalent to pre- + -fix.

prefixen Middle English prefixer Middle French praefīxus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Language & Linguistics

External links

# prefix

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɹiːfɪks/
**Frequency rank:** 50124

## Meanings
1. A group of letters added to the front of a word to change its meaning, such as "un-" in "unhappy."
2. To add something to the front or beginning of something else.

## Examples
- The prefix "re-" means "again," as in "rewrite."
- You should prefix each filename with the date.

## Synonyms
- forefix

## Derived Forms
- prefixable
- prefixal
- prefixation
- prefixed
- prefixer
- prefixhood
- prefixing
- prefixive
- prefixless
- prefixlike
- prefixness
- prefixoid

## Related Forms
- coverb
- fix
- pre-
- prefixion
- prepend

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: prefixen
- Root: prefixer
- Root: praefīxus

## Etymology
From Middle English prefixen, from Middle French prefixer, from Latin praefīxus, past participle of praefīgō (“to (fix, fasten, set up) in front”, “to fix on the (end, extremity)”) (from prae- (“before”) + fīgō (“to fix”, “to fasten”, “to affix”)), equivalent to pre- + -fix.

## AI Etymology
Prefix comes from Middle English prefixen, from Middle French prefixer, from Latin praefīxus, past participle of praefīgō (“to (fix, fasten, set up) in front”, “to fix on the (end, extremity)”) (from prae- (“before”) + fīgō (“to fix”, “to fasten”, “to affix”)), equivalent to pre- + -fix. In present-day English it covers a group of letters added to the front of a word to change its meaning, such as "un-" in "unhappy." and to add something to the front or beginning of something else. The wider family includes derived forms such as prefixable, prefixal, prefixation, prefixed, prefixer and related forms such as coverb, fix, pre-, prefixion.

## Topics
- Communication
- Language & Linguistics

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