Affixation is the formation of new words by adding derivational affixes to different
types of bases. Affixes consist of prefixes and suffixes, therefore affixation is divided into
prefixation and suffixation. Both prefixes and suffixes can be grouped according to the lexico-
grammatical character of the base into: deverbal, denominal and deadjectival.
Prefixes:
Denominal: ex-president, post-war, outnumber, overnight, etc.
Deverbal: revisit, unpack, misunderstand, disagree, etc.
Deadjectival: unhappy, impatient, untidy, etc.
Suffixes:
Denominal: jobless, cellist, stylish, stockiest, etc.
Deverbal: winner, delivery, accessible, appearance, advancement, etc.
Deadjectival: widen, shorten, brightness, etc.
There are so - called semi-affixes but these are very few and will be dealt with in the
lecture on compound words.
a. Prefixation
(a) Characteristic features
(to) connect ---(to) disconnect correct --- incorrect
(to) like ---(to) dislike polite --- impolite
(to) eat --- (to) overeat wife --- ex-wife
(to) live --- (to) outlive able – unable – disabled - (to) enable
courage (n) --- (to) encourage large --- (to) enlarge
Looking at the examples above, we can see that prefixes rarely form new parts of
speech and this is considered to be their distinctive feature as compared with suffixes.
There are some prefixes which coincide with words mostly prepositions and adverbs:
over-; out-; up-; etc. These prefixes can be considered as homonymous to words.
(b) Classification of prefixes
Prefixes are classified in many ways, either according to their origin or meaning or
function.
Let us now deal with the classification based on meaning since it is of great practical
value in classroom teaching and learning. In general, prefixes in English have three groups of
meaning: the first has negative meaning, the second denotes reversal or repetition of an
action, the third shows space and time relationship. The table below helps illustrate our
classification.
Prefixes Meaning Examples
un-, dis-, non-, negation untidy, unbearable, dishonest, disadvantage, disapproval,
mis-, in-, non-scientific, incorrect, illegal, impolite, irregular
(ill-, im-, ir-)
un-, dis-, re-, de- reversal or repetition untie, uncover, unlock, disconnect, disarrange,
disorientate, decentralize, redo, retell, replay
pre-, post-, fore-, space and time prewar, postwar, foreknowledge, oversleep,
over-, super-, relationship superstructure, ex-president superimpose, subway,
sub-,trans-,ex-, subsoil, intercontinental, transatlantic
mis-, mal-, pseudo- pejorative prefixes mispronounce, misinform, maltreat, malpractice, pseudo-
religious, pseudo-romantic, pseudo-intellectual
We can also observe shared denotative meanings in prefixes common in scientific and
technical vocabulary. Thus, the following table shows cardinal number and ordinal number.
Number prefixes
Cardinal number Ordinal number
uni 1 primo 1st
du, bi 2 second 2nd
tri 3 terti 3rd
quadri, quadru 4 quart 4th
quinquet/quinqua 5 quint 5th
sex 6 sext 6th
sept/septem 7 sept 7th
octo(i) 8 octav 8th
nov/novem 9 non 9th
dec/deci/decem 10 decim 10th
cent/centi 100 centi 100th
mill/milli 1000 milli 1000th
More prefixes can be seen as the following:
Prefix Meaning Examples
a- to, toward ashore, aside
a-, an- not, without amoral
ab-, abs- away from abstraction
ad-, ac-, ag-, al-, an-, as-,at- to adhere
ambi- both ambidextrous
ante- before anterior
anti- against antisocial
auto self automation
bene well benefactor
bi- two biceps
cata- down catastrophe
circum- around circumvent
con-, com-, co-,cog, cor, together, with cognate
contra- against contraception
de- from deferral
di-, dif-, dis part, separate divide
en, em-, put into enthralled
e-, ex- out, from extract
extra- beyond extraterrestrial
in-, im-, in, into involved
infra- below infrared
intro- into introduce
inter- between, among interfere
intra- within intramural
mal- bad maladjusted
Meta beyond metaphysics
Micro small microscope
mis- wrong misdeed
mono- one monogamy
multi- many multitude
Prefix Meaning Examples
non- not nonentity
ob-, oc-, of-, ops- against obstruct
out- surpass outmaneuver
over- excessive overconfidence
para- beside paramedic
per- through permeate
poly- many polyglot
pre- before premeditated
post- after posthumous
preter- more than preternatural
pro- for proceed
re- back, again regain
retro- backward retroactive
se- apart sequential
semi- half semicolon
sub-, suc-, surf-, su-, sup-, sur- under submarine
super- over superfluous
syn-, sym-, syl-,sys- together symbol
trans- across transmute
ultra- beyond ultrasound
un- not uncertain
The classification of prefixes presented above is not comprehensive. In fact, it is
practically impossible to present all the varieties of meanings and shades of meaning
expressed by affixes. For example, the prefix super- has the meanings: (i) situated directly
over something, above (super-columnar, super-marine, super-celestial, super-lunary), (ii)
more than that, beyond the norm (super-natural, super-normal, super-sensible), (iii)
exceeding by (super-tertius (in mathematical terms of quantity)).
