* Prefix: "Post-"
* Suffix: "-ate"
Let's look at what they mean:
* "Post-" means "after" or "following". It indicates that this stage comes after the doctorate.
* "-ate" is a common suffix used to form nouns, adjectives, or verbs. In this case, it's used to indicate a state or condition.
Therefore, "postdoctorate" refers to the period of study or research that comes after a person has earned their doctorate degree.