affix

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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), equivalent to ad- +‎ fix.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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affix (plural affixes)

  1. That which is affixed; an appendage.
    Synonyms: addition, supplement; see also Thesaurus:adjunct
  2. (linguistic morphology) A bound morpheme added to the word’s stem's end.
    Synonym: adfix
    Hyponyms: suffix, postfix
  3. (linguistic morphology, broadly) A bound morpheme added to a word’s stem; a prefix, suffix, etc.
    Synonym: afformative
    Antonym: nonaffix
    Hypernyms: formative, formant, formans
    Hyponyms: prefix, suffix, infix, circumfix, suprafix
  4. (mathematics) The complex number associated with the point in the Gauss plane with coordinates .
  5. (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. (transitive) To fix or fasten figuratively; with on or upon.
    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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