Prefiksas

Prefiksas is a term used in linguistics, particularly in Lithuanian linguistics, to denote a prefix. A prefix is an affix attached to the beginning of a word or word stem to modify its meaning or grammatical function. It is one of the primary mechanisms of word formation, together with suffixes and infixes, and it operates at the level of morphology.

Most prefixes belong to a derivational category, forming new words or changing the part of speech. Some prefixes also carry grammatical or semantic nuances, and in some languages they participate in inflectional systems by signaling aspects such as tense, number, or person. The inventory and function of prefixes vary across languages. In languages like English, prefixes such as un-, re-, and pre- largely alter meaning or create new words, while in other languages prefixes can mark more complex grammatical information.

A prefix attaches to the left of the base form. The process of forming words with prefixes is called prefixation. Prefixes can be monosyllabic or longer and may combine with other affixes to create multi-layered word forms. In addition to natural language usage, prefixes appear in historical and etymological studies, as well as in compounding and terminology development.

Etymology of the term prefix traces back to Latin prae- “before” and figere “to fix.” This origin reflects the notion that prefixes are fixed to the front of a word to modify its meaning. Prefixes are studied alongside root words, stems, and other affixes to understand how words are formed and how meaning evolves in languages.

See also: affix, suffix, infix, morpheme, word formation, etymology.

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