prefix, v. t. [L. praefixus, p. p. of praefigere to fix or fasten before; prae before + figere to fix: cf. F. préfix fixed beforehand, determined, préfixer to prefix. See Fix.].

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. [1913 Webster]
To set or appoint beforehand; to settle or establish antecedently. Locke. [1913 Webster]
"And now he hath to her prefixt a day." [1913 Webster]

prefix, n. [Cf. F. préfixe.].

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 prefix, con- in conjure. [1913 Webster]

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

prefix, n. & v.
--n.
1 a verbal element placed at the beginning of a word to adjust or qualify its meaning (e.g. ex-, non-, re-) or (in some languages) as an inflectional formative.
2 a title placed before a name (e.g. Mr).
--v.tr. (often foll. by to)
1 add as an introduction.
2 join (a word or element) as a prefix.

Derivative

prefixation n. prefixion n.

Etymology

earlier as verb: ME f. OF prefixer (as PRE-, FIX): (n.) f. L praefixum

top

THESAURUS

prefix

IC analysis, accidence, add, adjoin, affix, affixation, agglutinate, allomorph, allonge, annex, anteriority, append, appendix, attach, avant-propos, bold front, bound morpheme, brave face, brave front, breakthrough, burden, coda, codicil, commentary, complicate, conjoin, conjugation, cutting, declension, decorate, derivation, difference of form, display, enclitic, encumber, envoi, epilogue, exordium, facade, face, facet, facia, fore, forefront, foreground, forehand, foreland, forepart, forequarter, foreside, foreword, formative, free form, front, front elevation, front man, front matter, front page, front view, frontage, frontal, frontier, frontispiece, glue on, head, heading, hitch on, immediate constituent analysis, infix, infixation, inflection, innovation, interlineation, interpolation, introduce, introduction, join with, lap, leap, marginalia, morph, morpheme, morphemic analysis, morphemics, morphology, morphophonemics, note, obverse, ornament, overture, paradigm, paste on, plus, postfix, postscript, postulate, preamble, preface, prefixation, prefixture, preliminary, prelude, premise, presupposition, priority, proclitic, proem, prolegomena, prolegomenon, prolepsis, prologize, prologue, proscenium, protasis, put with, radical, rider, root, saddle with, scholia, slap on, stem, subjoin, suffix, suffixation, superadd, superpose, tack on, tag, tag on, tail, theme, unite with, verse, voluntary, window dressing, word-formation

top

ROGET THESAURUS

prefix

Precedence

VB precede, come before, come first, head, lead, take the lead, lead the way, lead the dance, be in the vanguard, introduce, usher in, have the pas, set the fashion, open the ball, take precedence, have precedence, have the start, place before, prefix, premise, prelude, preface.

Precursor

N precursor, antecedent, precedent, predecessor, forerunner, vancourier, avant-coureur, pioneer, prodrome, prodromos, prodromus, outrider, leader, bellwether, herald, harbinger, foreboding, dawn, avant-courier, avant-garde, bellmare, forelooper, foreloper, stalking-horse, voorlooper, voortrekker, prelude, preamble, preface, prologue, foreword, avant-propos, protasis, proemium, prolusion, proem, prolepsis, prolegomena, prefix, introduction, heading, frontispiece, groundwork, preparation, overture, exordium, symphony, premises, prefigurement, omen, precursory, prelusive, prelusory, preludious, proemial, introductory, prefatory, prodromous, inaugural, preliminary, precedent, a precedent embalms a principle.

For further exploring for "prefix" in Webster Dictionary Online