Meaning & use
affix
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Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
A short group of letters added to the start or end of a word to change its meaning or use.
Grammar: A noun used in language study: un- and -ness are both affixes.
Patterns
- add an affix to something
- a prefix or suffix affix
The affix un- turns happy into unhappy.
Adding the affix -ness to kind makes the noun kindness.
Learners who know common affixes can guess many new words.
verbtransitiveformal
To fasten or stick something firmly to another thing.
Grammar: Takes an object and usually to: affix a stamp to an envelope. The verb is stressed on the second syllable.
Patterns
- affix something to something
- affix something onto something
Please affix a stamp to the top corner of the envelope.
The sign was affixed to the wall with four screws.
He affixed his signature to the bottom of the page.
Word forms
| plural noun | affixes |
|---|---|
| third person singular | affixes |
| past tense | affixed |
| past participle | affixed |
| -ing form | affixing |
Common combinations
- add an affix
- You can add an affix to the root to form a new word.
- common affix
- The common affix -ly often makes adverbs.
- affix a label
- Affix a label to every box before shipping.
- affix a stamp
- She affixed a stamp and posted the card.
- affix a signature
- The mayor affixed his signature to the agreement.
- inflectional affix
- The -ed ending is an inflectional affix.
Synonyms and how they differ
- attach
- Attach is the everyday word for joining things and is not limited to sticking, so it is more general than affix.
- fasten
- Fasten stresses a secure closing or tying, such as a belt, rather than sticking a label.
- stick
- Stick is casual and used mainly for glue, tape or paste.
- append
- Append means to add something to the end of a document and is more formal.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: affix or suffix? affix or prefix?
affix vs suffix
A suffix is only one kind of affix, the kind that comes after a word; affix is the broader term.
affix vs prefix
A prefix is an affix that comes at the start of a word; affix is the wider term that also includes suffixes.
Practice
In the word 'unhappy', the part 'un-' is an example of a(n) ___.
Choose one answer.
Un- is a group of letters added to a base word, which makes it an affix (specifically a prefix). A root or stem is the base itself, and a synonym is a word with similar meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “affix”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.