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Webster 1913 Edition


Prefix

Pre-fix′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Prefixed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Prefixing
.]
[L.
praefixus
, p. p. of
praefigere
to fix or fasten before;
prae
before +
figere
to fix: cf. F.
pr
fix
fixed beforehand, determined,
pr
fixer
to prefix. See Fix.]
1.
To put or fix before, or at the beginning of, another thing;
as, to
prefix
a syllable to a word, or a condition to an agreement
.
2.
To set or appoint beforehand; to settle or establish antecedently.
[Obs.]
Prefixed bounds. ”
Locke.
And now he hath to her
prefixt
a day.
Spenser.

Pre′fix

,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
pr
fixe
.]
That which is prefixed; esp., one or more letters or syllables combined or united with the beginning of a word to modify its signification;
as,
pre-
in
pre
fix,
con-
in
con
jure
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Prefix

PREFIX'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. proefigo; proe, before, and figo, to fix.]
1.
To put or fix before, or at the beginning of another thing; as, to prefix a syllable to a word; to prefix an advertisement to a book.
2.
To set or appoint beforehand; as, to prefix the hour of meeting.
A time prefix, and think of me at last.
3.
To settle; to establish.
I would prefix some certain boundary between the old statutes and the new.

Definition 2024


prefix

prefix

See also: préfix

English

Alternative forms

Noun

prefix (plural prefixes)

  1. That which is prefixed; especially one or more letters or syllables added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning; as, pre- in prefix, con- in conjure.

Usage notes

Synonyms

Hypernyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

prefix (third-person singular simple present prefixes, present participle prefixing, simple past and past participle prefixed)

  1. (transitive) To determine beforehand; to set in advance. [from 15thc.]
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter j, in Le Morte Darthur, book XXI:
      he took the Quene Gueneuer and sayd playnly that he wolde wedde hyr / whyche was his vnkyls wyf and his faders wyf / And soo he made redy for the feest / And a day prefyxt that they shold be wedded / wherfore quene Gweneuer was passyng huey / But she durst not dyscouer hyr herte
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, I.40:
      But the danger was, that a man can hardly prefix any certaine limits unto his desire [].
  2. (transitive) To put or fix before, or at the beginning of something; to place at the start. [from 16thc.]

Related terms

Translations

See also

References


    Catalan

    Etymology

    Latin praefixum

    Noun

    prefix m (plural prefixos)

    1. prefix

    Dutch

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈpreːfɪks/

    Etymology 1

    From post-Classical Latin praefixum, nominal use of the neuter form of Classical Latin praefixus, past participle of praefīgō (I (fix, fasten, set up) in front”, “I fix on the (end, extremity)) — the noun directly thence, whereas the adjective via French préfixe.

    Alternative forms

    • praefix (archaic)

    Noun

    prefix n, m (plural prefixen, diminutive prefixje n)

    1. prefix
    Synonyms
    Antonyms

    Etymology 2

    Adjective

    prefix (not comparable)

    1. (obsolete) fixed, predetermined
    Inflection
    Inflection of prefix
    uninflected prefix
    inflected prefixe
    comparative
    positive
    predicative/adverbial prefix
    indefinite m./f. sing. prefixe
    n. sing. prefix
    plural prefixe
    definite prefixe
    partitive prefix

    Occitan

    Noun

    prefix m

    1. (grammar) prefix

    Related terms


    Romanian

    Etymology

    From French préfixe.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /pɾeˈfiks/

    Noun

    prefix n (plural prefixe)

    1. prefix

    Declension

    Antonyms

    Related terms