prefix

 
Pronunciation: /ˈpriːfɪks/

noun

  • a word, letter, or number placed before another: the Institute was granted the prefix ‘Royal’ in 1961
  • an element placed at the beginning of a word to adjust or qualify its meaning (e.g. ex-, non-, re-) or (in some languages) as an inflection.
  • a title placed before a name (e.g. Mr).

verb

[with object]
  • add (something) at the beginning as a prefix or introduction: a preface is prefixed to the book
  • add a prefix or introduction to (something): all three-digit numbers will now be prefixed by 580

Derivatives

prefixation

Pronunciation: /-ˈseɪʃ(ə)n/
noun

Origin:

mid 16th century (as a verb): from Old French prefixer, from Latin praefixus 'fixed in front', from the verb praefigere, from prae 'before' + figere 'to fix'. The noun is from modern Latin praefixum, neuter (used as a noun) of praefixus, and dates from the mid 17th century

Grammar

Part of a word that comes before the base. Prefixes add to or alter the meaning of the base word in some way, as can be seen by the following examples.

base word prefix product
marketsuper-supermarket
hyper-hypermarket
interestedun-uninterested
dis-disinterested