different between prefix vs suffix

English

Alternative forms

• præfix (obsolete)
• prefixe (for the verb; obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French prefixer (verb) resp. Late Latin praefixum (noun), both from Latin praefixus, past participle of praef?g? (“I (fix, fasten, set up) in front”, “I fix on the (end, extremity)”) (from prae- (“before”) + f?g? (“I fix”, “I fasten”, “I affix”)).

Pronunciation

• (noun) IPA^(key): /?p?i?f?ks/
• (verb) IPA^(key): /?p?i?f?ks/, /p?i??f?ks/, /p???f?ks/

Noun

prefix (plural prefixes)

1. Something placed before another
   1. (grammar, linguistic morphology) A morpheme added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning, for example as, pre- in prefix, con- in conjure, re- in reheat, etc.

      Synonyms: (rare) foresyllable, (archaic) prefixum

      Antonym: suffix

      Hypernym: (broad sense) affix

   2. (telecommunications) A set of digits placed before a telephone number, to indicate where the number is based, what type of phone number it is (landline, mobile, toll-free, premium rate etc.)

   3. A title added to a person's name, such as Mr. or Dr.
   4. (computing) An initial segment of a string of characters.

Usage notes

• Though much less common, a plural form prefices is seen as well, apparently formed by analogy with index–indices, appendix–appendices, and so on, but it is not a standard plural and has no basis in Latin.

Synonyms

• forefix (rare)

Coordinate terms

• (types of affixes): adfix, affix, ambifix, circumfix, confix, disfix, duplifix, infix, interfix, libfix, postfix, prefixoid, simulfix, suffix, suffixoid, suprafix, transfix

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

prefix (third-person singular simple present prefixes, present participle prefixing, simple past and past participle prefixed)

1. (transitive) To determine beforehand; to set in advance. [from 15^thc.]
2. (transitive) To put or fix before, or at the beginning of something; to place at the start. [from 16^thc.]

Related terms

Translations

See also

• Category:English prefixes

Further reading

• prefix on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• prefix in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• prefix in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• perfix

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin praefixum, from Latin praefixus.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /p???fiks/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /p?e?fiks/

Noun

prefix m (plural prefixos)

1. prefix

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?pr?f?ks]
• Rhymes: -?ks
• Hyphenation: pre?fix

Noun

prefix m inan

1. prefix

   Synonym: p?edpona

Derived terms

• prefixový

Further reading

• prefix in Kartotéka Novo?eského lexikálního archivu
• prefix in Slovník spisovného jazyka ?eského, 1960–1971, 1989

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pre?f?ks/

Etymology 1

Borrowed from post-Classical Latin praefixum, nominal use of the neuter form of Classical Latin praefixus, past participle of praef?g? (“I (fix, fasten, set up) in front”, “I fix on the (end, extremity)”) — the noun directly thence, whereas the adjective via French préfixe.

Alternative forms

• praefix (archaic)

Noun

prefix n or m (plural prefixen, diminutive prefixje n)

1. prefix

   Synonym: voorvoegsel

   Antonyms: suffix, achtervoegsel

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

prefix (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) fixed, predetermined

Inflection

Occitan

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin praefixum, from Latin praefixus

Noun

prefix m

1. (grammar) prefix

Related terms

• sufix

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French préfixe, from Latin praefixus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?e?fiks/

Noun

prefix n (plural prefixe)

1. prefix

   Antonym: suffix

Declension

Related terms

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin suffixum (“suffix”), from sub (“under, beneath”) + fixus, perfect passive participle of figere (“to fasten, fix”).

Pronunciation

• (noun) IPA^(key): /?s?f?ks/
• (verb) IPA^(key): /?s?f?ks/, /s??f?ks/
• Rhymes: -?ks

Noun

suffix (plural suffixes)

1. (grammar, linguistic morphology) A morpheme added at the end of a word to modify the word's meaning.

   Synonym: (narrow sense) affix

   Antonym: prefix

   Hypernym: (broad sense) affix

2. (mathematics) A subscript.
3. (computing) A final segment of a string of characters.

Usage notes

• The plural suffices occasionally appears (including in one educational publication), but it is not a standard plural and has no basis in the Latin origin of the term.

Coordinate terms

• (types of affixes): adfix, affix, ambifix, circumfix, confix, disfix, duplifix, infix, interfix, libfix, postfix, prefix, prefixoid, simulfix, suffixoid, suprafix, transfix

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• Category:English suffixes

Verb

suffix (third-person singular simple present suffixes, present participle suffixing, simple past and past participle suffixed)

1. (transitive) To append (something) to the end of something else.

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• suffix on Wikipedia.Wikipedia