Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Prefix

Definition: 

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

Examples: 

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

See Also: 
Root
Stem
Source: 
Crystal 1980
281
Hartmann and Stork 1972
182
Mish 1991
927

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

LinguaLinks Ordering Information

Glossary Hierarchy

  • Morpheme Type
  • Affix (Linguistics)
  • Prefix