An affix is a letter or group of letters added to a base word (or root) to change its meaning, grammatical function, or form. Affixes cannot stand alone as words they must be attached to a root to have meaning. There are two main types: a prefix, which is added to the beginning of a word (such as un- in unhappy or re- in replay), and a suffix, which is added to the end of a word (such as -ful in helpful or -ing in running). For example, in the word “unbreakable,” the prefix un- and the suffix -able are both affixes attached to the root break. Affixes are powerful tools in English because they let us build many new words from a single root. So in short, an affix is a meaningful word part either a prefix or a suffix attached to a root to create a new or modified word.
In English grammar, an affix can be an additional word or an element that is attached to the beginning or to the end of a word. It is attached to the words in order to make a new word, or to modify the meaning of that word. There are two main types of affixes:
Let’s Learn All About An Affix
1. Prefixes
2. Suffixes
What is a Prefix?
A prefix is that kind of affix that is placed at the beginning of a word to change the meaning or to modify that word. Check out a few prefixes that are listed below;
- Non- (meaning ‘not’)
- Dis- (meaning ‘not’)
- Tri- (meaning ‘three’)
- Mis- (meaning ‘wrong’)
- Co- (meaning ‘with)
- Homo- (meaning ‘same’)
- Inter- (meaning ‘between’)
- Pre- (meaning ‘before’)
- Post- (meaning ‘after’)
- Super- (meaning ‘above’)
- Un- (meaning ‘not’)
- In- (meaning ‘into’)
What is a Suffix?
It is opposite of prefix. A suffix is that type of affix that is placed at the end of a word to change the meaning; to modify that word; or to make a new word. Check out a few suffixes that are listed below;
- -less (meaning ‘without’)
- -ful (meaning ‘full of’)
- -able (meaning ‘able to be’)
- -ation (meaning ‘process or action’)
- -ism (meaning ‘quality’)
- -ly (shows manner i.e. adverb ending)
- -ize (meaning ‘cause or become’)
- -er (meaning ‘a person who’)
- -ous (meaning ‘full of’)
- -ship (meaning ‘state of’)
- -ty (meaning ‘quality or state’)
- -wise (meaning ‘in what direction’)
Note: –ed, –ing, –ly, and –es are the four most common suffixes in English grammar.
Affixes in Example Sentences
1. She told me that she was used to be a misguided human being. (mis- is a prefix)
2. Please, don’t be so careless about your certificates. (-less is a suffix)
3. I am unable to reach there on time. (un- is a prefix)
4. She beautifully painted the whole scenery. (-ly is a suffix)
Affix in Famous Quotes
1. Professionalism is not sportsmanship. If you don’t succeed, you won’t be in your profession for long. In our society, it’s not about good or bad. It’s about who’s on top. (Chili Davis)
2. The port, the artist, the sleuth, whoever sharpens our perception tends to anti-social; rarely ‘well adjusted,’ he cannot go along with currents and trends. (Marshall McLuhan)
Note: Hyphenate those prefixes and suffixes when they do not give a proper meaning or when they do not make a proper word when attached to a particular word. For example, Neo-Stalinists, Afro-American, mayor-elect, etc.
Check Out: What Is An Allegory?
What Did You Learn?
An affix is used to refer such letters that are attached at the beginning or the end of a word in order to modify or to change the meaning of that word. Prefixes and suffixes are the two main types of an affix.