Here's why:
* Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning. There's no separate element at the beginning of "devastate" that can be considered a prefix.
* Suffixes are added to the end of a word to modify its meaning or grammatical function. While "-ate" is a common suffix forming verbs, it's not considered a suffix in "devastate" because it's part of the root word.
Origin of "Devastate"
The word "devastate" comes from the Latin word "vastare", meaning "to lay waste" or "to make desolate." This word was combined with the prefix "de-" (meaning "completely" or "down") to create "devastate," meaning "to completely lay waste."
So, while "devastate" doesn't have a traditional prefix or suffix, its origin reveals the historical combination of words to create its meaning.