Affix
* Definition: An affix is a morpheme (meaningful unit of language) that is added to a word to change its meaning or grammatical function.
* Types of Affixes: There are two main types:
* Prefixes: Added to the beginning of a word (e.g., "un" in "unhappy")
* Suffixes: Added to the end of a word (e.g., "-ing" in "running")
Prefix
* Definition: A prefix is a type of affix that is placed at the beginning of a word.
* Examples:
* "un-": Unhappy, undo, unwrap
* "re-": Rewind, reread, reconsider
* "pre-": Predict, prepay, pregame
* "mis-": Misunderstand, misspell, misbehave
Key Points:
* Affixes change meaning or function: They add information to the base word, altering its meaning or grammatical role.
* Prefixes are a subset of affixes: They are specifically those affixes that come before the base word.
* Prefixes are common in English: They offer a way to create new words and modify existing ones.
Example:
Let's consider the word "unbreakable." Here, "un-" is the prefix and "breakable" is the base word. The prefix "un-" changes the meaning of "breakable" from "capable of being broken" to "not capable of being broken."