* Syllable: A syllable is a unit of pronunciation consisting of a single vowel sound, with or without surrounding consonants. It's a basic building block of spoken words. Examples: "cat", "dog", "run".
* Prefix: A prefix is a morpheme (meaningful unit) that is added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Examples: "un-", "pre-", "re-".
While a prefix can be a single syllable (like "un-"), the prefix itself isn't a syllable within the word. It's a separate morpheme attached to the base word.
Here's an example:
* The word "unhappy" consists of two syllables: "un" and "hap-py".
* However, the prefix "un-" is a separate morpheme that modifies the meaning of "happy". It's not a syllable in the word itself, but rather a unit attached to the beginning.
In summary: Syllables are units of pronunciation within a word, while prefixes are units of meaning that are added to the beginning of a word. While a prefix can be a single syllable, it's not a syllable within the word but a separate morpheme.