What is a prefix?

A prefix is an affix that is joined before a root or stem.

The prefix un- attaches to the front of the stem selfish to form the word unselfish.

• What is an affix? (Linguistics)

Crystal 1980 281

Hartmann and Stork 1972 182

Mish 1991 927

Context for this page:

• Concept module: prefix
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): P
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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