Definition of PREFIX

prefix

Plural: prefixes

Noun

  • an affix that is added in front of the word
  • Something placed before another
  • A morpheme added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning, for example as, pre- in prefix, con- in conjure, re- in reheat, etc.
  • Something placed before another
  • A set of digits placed before a telephone number, to indicate where the number is based, what type of phone number it is (landline, mobile, toll-free, premium rate etc.)
  • Something placed before another
  • A title added to a person's name, such as Mr. or Dr.
  • Something placed before another
  • An initial segment of a string of characters.

Verb

Verb Forms: prefixed, prefixing, prefixes

  • To add a linguistic element to the beginning of a word.
  • attach a prefix to
    • "prefixed words"
  • To determine beforehand; to set in advance.
  • To put or fix before, or at the beginning of something; to place at the start.

Examples

  • Add the prefix +34 to dial a Spanish number from abroad
  • He tried to prefix ’UN-’ to my word, but it was not a valid Scrabble play.
  • in the UK, a number with an 0800 prefix is a toll-free number.
  • The string "abra" is both a prefix and a suffix of the string "abracadabra".

Origin / Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin praefīxum, from Latin praefīxus, past participle of praefīgō (“I (fix, fasten, set up) in front”, “I fix on the (end, extremity)”) (from prae- (“before”) + fīgō (“I fix”, “I fasten”, “I affix”)), equivalent to pre- + -fix. Doublet of the archaic synonym prefixum.

Antonyms

suffix

Scrabble Score: 18

prefix: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
prefix: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
prefix: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 19

prefix: valid Words With Friends Word