View source for Prefix

{{short description|Affix which is placed before the stem of a word}}
{{about|the linguistic feature}}
[[File:Präpositionen und Präfixe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|A comparison of prepositions and directional prefixes in Greek, Latin, English, and German.]]
{{Affixes}}

A '''prefix''' is an [[affix]] which is placed before the [[Word stem|stem]] of a word.{{sfn|Wilson|2011|p=152–153}} Particularly in the study of languages, a prefix is also called a '''preformative''', because it alters the form of the word to which it is affixed.

Prefixes, like other affixes, can be either [[inflection]]al, creating a new form of a word with the same basic meaning and same [[part of speech|lexical category]], or [[Morphological derivation|derivational]], creating a new word with a new [[semantics|semantic]] meaning and sometimes also a different [[Part of speech|lexical category]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Beard|first=Robert|title=The Handbook of Morphology|year=1998|publisher=Blackwell|pages=44–45|chapter=She Derivation}}</ref> Prefixes, like all affixes, are usually [[Bound and unbound morphemes|bound morpheme]]s.{{sfn|Wilson|2011|p=152–153}}

[[English language|English]] has no inflectional prefixes, using only [[suffix]]es for that purpose. Adding a prefix to the beginning of an English word changes it to a different word. For example, when the prefix ''un-'' is added to the word ''happy'', it creates the word ''unhappy''. 

The word ''prefix'' is itself made up of the stem ''fix'' (meaning "attach", in this case), and the prefix ''pre-'' (meaning "before"), both of which are derived from [[Latin]] [[Root (linguistics)|root]]s.

== English language ==

===List of English derivational prefixes===
{{main article|English prefix}}
This is a fairly comprehensive, although not exhaustive, list of derivational prefixes in English. Depending on precisely how one defines a derivational prefix, some of the neoclassical [[classical compound|combining forms]] may or may not qualify for inclusion in such a list. This list takes the broad view that ''acro-'' and ''auto-'' count as English derivational prefixes because they function the same way like that of prefixes such as ''over-'' and ''self-'' do.

As for [[numeral prefix]]es, only the most common members of that class are included here. There is a large separate table covering them all at [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|Numeral prefix > Table of number prefixes in English]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Prefix 
! Meaning 
! width=350pt|Example 
! Comments 
|-
| a- || "not" || ''[[wikt:asymmetric|asymmetric]]'', "not symmetric" || takes the form an- before [[vowel]]s; see [[privative alpha]]
|-
| acro- || "high" || ''[[acrophobia]]'', "fear of heights" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/acro|more]]) || 
|-
| allo- || "other" || ''[[allotransplantation]]'', "transplant of tissue from another person" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/allo|more]]) || 
|-
| alter- || "other" || ''[[alter ego]]'', "other personality" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/alter|more]]) || 
|-
| ante- || "prior" || ''[[wikt:antebellum|antebellum]]'', "before a war" ||  
|-
| anti- || "opposite" || ''[[anti-inflammatory]]'', "against inflammation" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/anti|more]]) ||  
|-
| auto- || "by oneself or itself" || ''[[automobile]]'', "moves itself" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/auto|more]]) ||  
|-
| bi- || "two" || ''[[wikt:bicentennial|bicentennial]]'', "consisting of or occurring every two centuries" 
''[[binomial (disambiguation)|binomial]]'', "two terms" 
|| See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| co- || "together" || ''[[cooperation]]'', "working together" ||  takes the form con- before vowels
|-
| cis- || "on the same side" || ''[[cisgenesis]]'', "genes don't change within breeding and birth setting"||
|-
| contra- || "below" ; "against" || ''[[contraindication]]'', "against indication" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/contra|more]]) ||  
|-
| counter- || "against" || ''[[countermeasure]]'', "action against" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/counter|more]]) ||  
|-
| de- || "negative, remove" || ''[[wikt:|deactivate]]'', "stop from working" ||  
|-
| di- || "two" || ''[[diatomic molecule|diatomic]]'', "two atoms" 
[[Dipole (disambiguation)|''dipole'']], "two poles" 
|| See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| dis- || "negative, remove" || ''[[wikt:disappear|disappear]]'', "vanish" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/dis|more]]) ||  
|-
| down- || "down"; "reduce" || ''[[wikt:downshift|downshift]]'', "shift to a lower gear" <br />''[[downregulation and upregulation|downregulation]]'', "regulation toward lessened expression" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/down|more]]) ||
|-
| dys- || "negative, badly, wrongly" || ''[[wikt:dysfunction|dysfunction]]'', "bad function" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/dys|more]]) ||  
|-
| epi- || "upon addition" , "above" || ''[[epidural]]'', "outside the dura mater" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/epi|more]]) ||  
|-
| extra- || "to a greater extent" ; "beyond" || ''[[extracellular]]'', "outside a cell" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/extra|more]]) ||  
|-
| fore- || "before" || ''[[Foresight (psychology)|foresight]]'', "seeing beforehand" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/fore|more]]) ||
|-
| hemi- || "[[half]]" || ''[[wikt:hemisphere|hemisphere]]'', "half of a sphere" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/hemi|more]]) || See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| hexa- || "six" || ''[[hexagon]]'', "six-sided polygon" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/hex|more]]) || See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| hyper- || "beyond" || ''[[hypercalcaemia|hypercalcemia]]'', "too much calcium in the blood" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/hyper|more]]) || See [[Hyper (disambiguation)|hyper]]
|-
| hypo- || "marginal"; "not enough" || ''[[hypokalemia]]'', "not enough potassium in the blood" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/hypo|more]]) ||  
|-
| ig- || "not" || ''[[wikt:ignoble|ignoble]]'', "not noble" <br />''[[wikt:ignorant|ignorant]]'', (from roots meaning) "not knowing" <br /> ([[Special:PrefixIndex/igno|more]]) || ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) 
|-
| il- || "not" || ''[[Crime|illegal]]'', "not legal" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/ille|more]]) || ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) 
|-
| im- || "not" || ''[[wikt:imbalance|imbalance]]'', "lack of balance" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/imm|more]]) || ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) 
|-
| in- || "not" || ''[[wikt:inactive|inactive]]'', "not active" || ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) 
|-
| infra- || "below" || ''[[infrared]]'', "below red on the spectrum" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/infra|more]]) ||  
|-
| inter- || "between" || ''[[wikt:interobserver|interobserver]]'', "between observers" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/inter|more]]) ||  
|-
| intra- || "within" || ''[[intracellular]]'', "inside a cell" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/intra|more]]) ||  
|-
| ir- || "not" || ''[[wikt:irregular|irregular]]'', "not regular" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/irr|more]]) || ig- (before gn- or n-), il- (before l-), im- (before b-, m-, or p-), in- (before most letters), or ir- (before r-) 
|-
| macro- || "large-scale" ; "exceptionally prominent" || ''[[macroeconomics]]'', "workings of entire economies" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/macro|more]]) ||  
|-
| mal- || "unpleasant", "not" || ''[[malocclusion]]'', "bad occlusion" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/malp|more]]) ||  
|-
| maxi- || "big", "as big as possible" || ''[[maxi single|maxi-single]]'', "single with extras" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/maxi|more]]) ||  
|-
| meso- || "middle" || ''[[mesoamerica]]n'', "middle of the Americas" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/meso|more]]) ||  
|-
| [[Meta (prefix)|meta]]- || "self-referential" || ''[[metadata]]'', "data that provides information about other data" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/meta|more]]) ||  
|-
| micro- || "small-scale" || ''[[Micrometer (device)|micrometer]]'', "small-measurement instrument" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/micro|more]]) ||  
|-
| mid- || "middle" || ''[[wikt:midportion|midportion]]'', "middle part" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/mid|more]]) ||  
|-
| mini- || "small" || ''[[wikt:miniature|miniature]]'', "small"; "smaller version" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/mini|more]]) ||  
|-
| mis- || "bad", "wrong" || ''[[wikt:misspelling#Noun|misspelling]]'', "incorrect spelling" ([[wikt:Special:PrefixIndex/mis|more]]) ||  
|-
| mono- || "one" || ''[[monotheism]]'', "belief in one god" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/mono|more]]) || See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| multi- || "many", "more than one" || ''[[wikt:multiplex|multiplex]]'', "many signals in one circuit" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/multi|more]]) ||  
|-
| non- || "no", "not" || ''[[wikt:nonstop|nonstop]]'', "without stopping" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/non|more]]) ||  
|-
| octo- || "eight" || ''[[octopus]]'', "eight-footed" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/octo|more]]) || See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| over- || "excess", "too much"; <br /> "on top" || ''[[overexpression]]'', "too much expression" <br />''[[overcoat]]'', "outer coat" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/over|more]]) ||
|-
| pan- || "all" || ''[[pancytopenia]]'', "low counts across all [blood] cell types" <br />''pan-American'', "involving all of the Americas" <br />''[[Pansexuality|pansexual]]'', "sexually attracted to people of all genders" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/pan|more]]) || Sometimes "all-" is used, especially in Asian English, where ''All-Union'' was a standard translation of the Russian word meaning "pan-USSR" or "USSR-wide", and "All-India" is a similar standard term in India, comparable to words such as ''national'', ''nationwide'', or ''federal'' (in the case of [[federation]]s). 
|-
| para- || "beside"; "beyond"; "related to"; "altered" || ''[[paranormal]]'', "beyond the normal" <br />''[[paresthesia]]'', "altered sensation" <br />''[[paramilitary]]'', "military-like" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/para|more]]) ||
|-
| penta- || "five" || ''[[pentateuch]]'', "the five books of Moses" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/penta|more]]) || See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| per- || "through"; "throughout" || ''[[percutaneous]]'', "through the skin" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/per|more]]) ||  
|-
| peri- || "around" || ''[[wikt:pericardial|pericardial]]'', "around the heart" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/peri|more]]) ||  
|-
| poly- || "many" || ''[[polyglotism|polyglot]]'', "many languages" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/poly|more]]) ||  
|-
| post- || "after" || ''[[wikt:postoperative|postoperative]]'', "after surgery" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/post|more]]) ||  
|-
| pre- || "before"; "already" || ''[[wikt:preassemble|preassembled]]'', "already built" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/pre|more]]) ||  
|-
| pro- || "on behalf of" ; "before" || ''pro-science'', "in favor of science" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/pro|more]]) ||  
|-
| proto-  || "first"; "primitive"; "precursor" || ''[[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]]'', "precursor of Indo-European" <br>''[[prototype]]'', "first or prime example" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/proto|more]]) ||
|-
| pseudo- || "false", "[[wikt:specious|specious]]" || ''[[pseudonym]]'', "fake name" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/pseudo|more]]) ||  
|-
| quadri- || "four" || ''[[quadrilateral]]'', "four-sided" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/quadr|more]]) || See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| quasi- || "somewhat", "resembling" || [[quasiparticle|''quasiparticulate'']], "resembling particles" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/quasi|more]]) ||  
|-
| re- || "again" || ''[[wikt:reestablish|reestablish]]'', "establish again" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/re|more]]) ||  
|-
| self- || "[acting on or by] oneself" || ''[[wikt:self-cleaning|self-cleaning]]'', "cleans itself" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/self-|more]]) || By normative convention, always hyphenated (except for a few multiprefix compounds such as ''unselfconscious'') 
|-
| semi- || "partial"; "somewhat"; "half" || ''[[Semi-arid climate|semiarid]]'', "somewhat arid" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/semi|more]]) || See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| sub- || "below" || ''[[wikt:subzero|subzero]]'', "below zero" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/sub|more]]) ||  
|-
| super- || "above"; "more than"; "great" || ''[[supermarket]]'', "big market" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/super|more]]) ||  
|-
| supra- || "above" || ''supraorbital'', "above the eye sockets" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/supra|more]]) ||  
|-
| tetra- || "four" || ''[[tetravalence|tetravalent]]'', "four valence electrons" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/tetra|more]]) || See [[Numeral prefix#Table of number prefixes in English|number prefixes in English]] 
|-
| trans- || "across"; "connecting" || ''[[wikt:transatlantic|transatlantic]]'', "across the Atlantic Ocean" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/trans|more]]) ||  
|-
| tri- || "three" || ''[[wikt:tripartite|tripartite]]'', "three parts" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/tri|more]]) ||  
|-
| ultra- || "beyond"; "extremely" || ''[[ultraviolet]]'', "beyond violet on the spectrum" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/ultra|more]]) ||  
|-
| un- || "not"; "remove"; "opposite" || ''[[wikt:unopened|unopened]]'', "not opened" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/un|more]]) ||  
|-
| under- || "beneath"; "not enough" || ''[[underexposure]]'', "not enough exposure" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/under|more]]) ||  
|-
| up- || "up"; "increase" || ''[[wikt:upshift|upshift]]'', "shift to a higher gear" <br />''[[downregulation and upregulation|upregulation]]'', "regulation toward increased expression" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/up|more]]) ||
|-
| xeno- || "foreign" || ''[[xenophobia]]'', "fear of strangers or foreigners" <br />''[[xenotransplantation]]'', "transplant from another species" ([[Special:PrefixIndex/xeno|more]]) ||
|}

===Hyphenation===
The choice between hyphenation or solid styling for prefixes in English is covered at [[Hyphen#Prefixes and suffixes|Hyphen > Prefixes and suffixes]].

==Japanese language==
Commonly used prefixes in [[Japanese language|Japanese]] include {{nihongo|お〜|o-}} and {{nihongo|ご〜|go-}}. They are used as part of the [[Honorific speech in Japanese#Prefix usage|honorific system of speech]], and are used as markers for politeness, showing respect for the person or thing they are affixed to, notably also being used [[euphemistically]].<ref>{{cite thesis |type=PhD |last=Miyake |first=Yoshimi |year=1999  |lang=en-US |publisher=[[University of Michigan]] |title= The Japanese deferential prefix o: A natural history. |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/b1ecece3e4ab863cbfdf275635c1523f/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y  |access-date=2021-05-12 |hdl=2027.42/131729}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |isbn=9780415687393|title=Japanese: A Comprehensive Grammar |last1=Kaiser |first1=Stefan |last2=Ichikawa |first2=Yasuko |last3=Kobayashi |first3=Noriko |last4=Yamamoto |first4=Hilofumi |year=2013 |pages=29–31 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tagFHssticMC&pg=PA29}}</ref>

==Bantu languages==
In the [[Bantu languages]] of [[Africa]], which are [[agglutinating]], the [[noun class]] is conveyed through prefixes, which is [[declension|declined]] and agrees with all of its arguments accordingly.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Nurse |editor1-first=Derek |editor2-last=Philippson |editor2-first=Gérard |title=The Bantu languages |date=2003 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=9780700711345| pages=103–110}}</ref>

===Example from [[Luganda]]===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Noun class !! Prefix
|-
| 1 || o-mu-
|-
| 1a || ∅
|-
| 2 || a-ba-
|-
| 3 || o-mu-
|-
| 4 || e-mi-
|-
| 5 || e-ri-/CC-
|-
| 6 || a-ma-
|-
| 7 || e-ki-
|-
| 8 || e-bi-
|-
| 9 || e-N-
|-
| 10 || e-N-/zi-
|}

{{interlinear|indent=3
|'''ò-mú'''-límí '''ò-mú'''-néné '''ò-mú'''-kâddé '''ò-mú''' à-∅-gênda
|AG-CL1-farmer AG-CL1-fat AG-CL1-old AG.one he-PRES-go
|The one, old, fat farmer goes.}}

==Navajo==
Verbs in the [[Navajo language#Verbs|Navajo language]] are formed from a [[word stem]] and multiple affixes.  For example, each verb requires one of four [[semivowel|non-syllabic]] prefixes ('''∅''', '''ł''', '''d''', '''l''') to create a verb theme.<ref>{{cite book|last=Young & Morgan|title=The Navajo Language: A Grammar and Colloquial Dictionary|year=1980|publisher=University of New Mexico Press|page=99}}</ref>

==Sunwar==
In the [[Sunwar language]] of [[Nepal|Eastern Nepal]], the prefix '''ma-''' म is used to create [[negative verb]]s.  It is the only [[verbal prefix]] in the language.

{{interlinear|indent=3
|'''ma'''.rimʃo al
|NEG.nice child |c2=<ref>{{cite book|last=Borchers|first=D.|title=A Grammar of Sunwar: Descriptive Grammar, Paradigms, Texts and Glossary|year=2008|publisher=Brill Academic Publishers|page=169}}</ref>
|Bad child! (scolding)}}

==Russian==
As a part of the formation of nouns, prefixes are less common in Russian than suffixes, but alter the meaning of a word.

:{|
|-
|'''пред-''' and '''положение''' 'position' ''becomes'' '''предположение''' 'supposition'
|-
| '''пре-''' and '''образование''' 'formation (verb)' ''becomes'' '''преобразование''' 'transformation'<ref>{{cite book|last=Wade|first=T.|title=A Comprehensive Russian Grammar|year=2000|publisher=Blackwell Publishers|pages=32, 33|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_hYYPmyosHQC&q=prefix|isbn=9781405136396}}</ref> 
|}

==German==
In German, [[Morphological derivation|derivatives]] formed with prefixes may be classified in two categories: those used with substantives and adjectives, and those used with verbs.<ref name="Chambers1970p63">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o9sNAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA63 |title=a short history of the german language |publisher=Taylor & Francis |language=en}}</ref> For derivative substantives and adjectives, only two [[Productivity (linguistics)|productive]] prefixes are generally addable to any substantive or adjective as of 1970: ''un-'', which expresses negation (as in ''ungesund'', from ''gesund''), and ''ur-'', which means "original, primitive" in substantives, and has an emphatic function in adjectives. ''ge-'', on the other hand, expresses union or togetherness, but only in a closed group of words—it cannot simply be added to any noun or adjective.<ref name="CfChambers1970p63">Cf. Chambers, W. Walker and Wilkie, John R. (1970) ''A Short History of the German Language'', London: Methuen & Company, Ltd., [https://books.google.com/books?id=o9sNAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA63 p. 63]</ref>

Verbal prefixes commonly in use are ''be-'', ''ent-'', ''er-'', ''ge-'', ''miss-'', ''ver-'', and ''zer-'' (see also [[Separable verb]]).<ref name="CfChambers1970p63"/> ''be-'' expresses strengthening or generalization. ''ent-'' expresses negation. ''ge-'' indicates the completion of an action, which is why its most common use has become the forming of the [[past participle]] of verbs; ''ver-'' has an emphatic function, or it is used to turn a substantive or an adjective into a verb.<ref name="Chambers1970p63"/> In some cases, the prefix particle ''ent-'' (negation) can be considered the opposite of particle ''be-'', while ''er-'' can be considered the opposite of ''ver-''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Boileau |first=Daniel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HA0JAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA197 |title=The Nature and Genius of the German Language: Displayed in a More Extended Review of Its Grammatical Forms Than is to be Found in Any Grammar Extant, and Elucidated by Quotations from the Best Writers |date=1820 |publisher=T. Boosey and sons |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Maylor2002p12">{{Cite book |last=Maylor |first=B. Roger |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-eDgdTBywNkC&pg=PA12 |title=Lexical Template Morphology: Change of State and the Verbal Prefixes in German |date=2002-01-01 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing |isbn=978-90-272-3061-4 |language=en}}</ref>

The prefix ''er-'' usually indicates the successful completion of an action, and sometimes the conclusion means death.<ref name="Schmidt1974p86">{{Cite book |last=Schmidt |first=Karl A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TIXQj-N-8TAC&pg=PA86 |title=Easy Ways to Enlarge Your German Vocabulary |date=1974-01-01 |publisher=Courier Corporation |isbn=978-0-486-23044-3 |language=en}}</ref> With fewer verbs, it indicates the beginning of an action.<ref name="Chambers1970p63"/><ref name="Schmidt1974p86"/> The prefix ''er-'' is also used to form verbs from adjectives (e.g. ''erkalten'' is equivalent to ''kalt werden'' which means "to get cold").<ref name="Schmidt1974p86"/>

== See also ==
*[[Affix]]
*[[Suffix]]
*[[Privative]]
*[[Bound and unbound morphemes]]
*[[English prefix]]
*[[List of Greek and Latin roots in English]]
*[[substring#Prefix]]
*[[Metric prefix]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

===Works cited===
* {{cite book|last1=Mihaliček|first1=Vedrana|authorlink1=Vedrana Mihaliček|last2=Wilson|first2=Christin|authorlink2=Christin Wilson|title=Language Files: Materials for an Introduction to Language and Linguistics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UjFHYgEACAAJ|year=2011|publisher=Ohio State University Press|isbn=978-0-8142-5179-9}}
{{Wiktionary}}

{{Commons|Prefixes}}

[[Category:Prefixes| ]]
[[Category:Affixes]]
[[Category:Lexical units]]
[[Category:Linguistics terminology]]
[[Category:Words|*]]