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affix

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Affix

English

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Affixes. Italo-Greek Vase in the Campana Collection (Louvres Museum)

Etymology

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    Borrowed from Latin affixus, perfect passive participle of affigere (from ad- + figere). By surface analysis, a(f)- +‎ fix.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    affix (plural affixes)

    1. (linguistic morphology) A bound morpheme added to a word’s stem, such as a prefix or suffix.
      Synonym: afformative
      Antonym: nonaffix
      Hypernyms: formative, formant, formans
      Hyponyms: adfix, prefix, suffix, infix, circumfix, suprafix, postfix
      • 2020 March 14, Lindsay del Valle, “36 Spanish Prefixes That Will Increase Your Vocabulary Times 100!”, in Homeschool Spanish Academy[1]:
        A prefix is an affix that joins to the beginning of another word. Depending on the prefix, it can slightly or significantly alter the meaning of a word. For example, the English prefix “un-” changes a word into its opposite, as from “do” to “undo,” altering its meaning entirely.
    2. (now uncommon) That which is affixed; an appendage.
      Synonyms: addition, supplement; see also Thesaurus:adjunct
    3. (mathematics) The complex number associated with the point in the Gauss plane with coordinates .
    4. (decorative art) Any small feature, as a figure, a flower, or the like, added for ornament to a vessel or other utensil, to an architectural feature.

    Coordinate terms

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    Derived terms

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    Translations

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    Verb

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    affix (third-person singular simple present affixes, present participle affixing, simple past and past participle affixed)

    1. (transitive) To attach.
      Synonyms: join, put together, unite; see also Thesaurus:join
      to affix a stigma to a person
      to affix ridicule or blame to somebody
      • 1691, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. [], London: [] Samuel Smith, [], →OCLC:
        Should they [caterpillars] affix them to the leaves of a plant improper for their food []
    2. (transitive) To subjoin, annex, or add at the close or end; to append to.
      to affix a syllable to a word
      to affix a seal to an instrument
      to affix one’s name to a writing
    3. (ditransitive, with on or upon) To fix or fasten figuratively.
      eyes affixed upon the ground
      • 1596, Edmund Spenser, An Hymn of Heavenly Beauty:
        Look thou no further, but affix thine eye/On that bright, shiny, round, still moving mass,/The house of blessed gods, which men call sky,/All sow'd with glist'ring stars more thick than grass...

    Derived terms

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    Translations

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    Further reading

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    Dutch

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    Etymology

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    Ultimately from Latin affixum. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /ˈɑ.fɪks/
    • Audio:(file)
    • Hyphenation: af‧fix

    Noun

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    affix n (plural affixen, diminutive affixje n)

    1. Affix (linguistics and mathematics)

    Descendants

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    • Indonesian: afiks

    Swedish

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    Noun

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    affix n

    1. an affix

    Declension

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    Declension of affix
    nominative genitive
    singular indefinite affix affix
    definite affixet affixets
    plural indefinite affix affix
    definite affixen affixens