What are the Differences between Prefix, Suffix and Affix

Affix represents the dependent part of the word and can precede or follow a root word. A word can have multiple affixes. The position of affixes in relation to a root word is always fixed and mostly the affixes are non specific. It is not mandatory that a word needs to have an affix always; some words do exist without any affix and are called as root words. For example, the word “desire” does not have any affix attached but again affix “able” can be appended at the end to change the meaning as “desirable”.

Examples of affix:

•    De  -  de means down or away (prefix)

•    Dis - dis means not (prefix)

•    Im -  im means into or in (prefix)

•    Sub -  sub means close to or under (prefix)

•    Multi - multi means many (prefix)

•    Ant- a person – noun (suffix)

•    Ion - ion is an abstract noun (suffix)

•    Ful -  ful is an adjective (suffix)

•    Ed - ed is past tense (suffix)

•    Ment - ment is an abstract noun (suffix)

Prefix : Prefix denotes the type of affix which is appended at the beginning of a word to give it a different meaning.  The most commonly used prefix is “Un” which can change the meaning of the actual word to have an opposite meaning. For example,  if “un” is added or prefixed with the root word “healthy” it would give a new meaning as “unhealthy”. Similarly, if “under” is added before the word “estimate” it would result in a new word “underestimate” which gives a different meaning altogether. Some of the other commonly used prefixes are pre, semi, mid, over, non, re, etc.

Examples of prefix:

•    Pre  + View = Preview

•    Sub + Way= Subway

•    Mis + Spell = Misspell

•    Under + Estimate = Underestimate

•    Re + Locate = Relocate

•    Non + Stop = Nonstop

•    Un + Happy = Unhappy

•    Im + possible = Impossible

•    Dis + Credit = Discredit

•    Over + Charge  = Overcharge

Suffix

The suffix denotes the type of affix which is appended at the end of the root word, thereby changing the part of the speech.  A suffix can be either derivational or inflectional.  A suffix which ends up creating same word in different forms are called inflectional suffix. These kind of suffix mostly end with s, ed, ing, en, er or est.

Examples of inflectional suffix:

•    Sing + Ing = Singing

•    Smart + Est = Smartest

•    Stop + Ed  = Stopped

•    Dance + Er = Dancer

•    Sharp + En = Sharpen

•    Like + S = Likes

•    Work + Ed = Worked

•    Big + Er = Biger

•    Small + Est = Smallest

•    Car + S = Cars

Suffixes which end up changing the meaning of the words are called as derivational suffix. Words ending with characters such as able, ism, ful, ly and ity are derivational suffix. One thing here is that derivational suffix can be combined to give a different meaning. For example, able + ity = ability and when ability is suffixed to root word desire the final word is desirability.

Examples of derivational suffix:

•    Fix + Eble = Fixable

•    Prince + Ess = Princess

•    Develop + Ment = Development

•    Friend + Ship = Friendship

•    Hard + Ship = Hardship

•    Scholar + Ly = Scholarly

•    Mother + Ly = Motherly

•    Joy + Ful = Joyful

•    Public + Ity = Publicity

•    Drink + Able = Drinkable

More >> Affixes in English Grammar