What is prefixation?

Definition
	Prefixation is a morphological process whereby a bound morpheme is attached to the front of a root or stem.
	The kind of affix involved in this process is called a prefix.

Example (English)
	The prefix un- attaches to the front of the stem selfish to form the word unselfish.

Generic
	What is a morphological process?

Context for this page:

Concept module: prefixation
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): P
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

© 2004 SIL International