Affixes in Grammar-Definition, Types, Examples, and Usage

What are Affixes in English?

In English grammar, an affix is a bound morpheme, meaning it cannot stand alone as a word but attaches to a base word (root) to create a new word or change its grammatical function.

Types of Affixes

Here are the main types of affixes in English grammar:

1. Prefixes

Prefixes are affixes that are added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning.

Examples

Here are some common prefixes and examples of words that use them:

• Un – unhappy, undo, unfair
• Dis- disagree, disconnect, disapprove
• Re- redo, rebuild, reorganize
• Pre- prefix, preheat, preview
• Post- postdate, postgraduate, postmortem
• In-  inactive, incomplete, indirect
• Im- impossible, imperfect, impatient
• Il- illegal, illegible, illogical
• Mis- misunderstand, misinterpret, mislead
• Over-  overlook, overcook, overestimate

2. Suffixes

Suffixes are affixes that are added to the end of a word to modify its meaning.

Examples

Here are common suffixes and their usage in words:

• Ful- joyful, careful, colorful
• Able-comfortable, notable, lovable
• Less- hopeless, useless, endless
• Ment– excitement, development, requirement
• Ness– happiness, kindness, darkness
• Tion- adaptation, attention, explanation
• Er-teacher, runner, singer
• Est– biggest, tallest, happiest
• Ive- creative, effective, informative
• Ly- quickly, happily, slowly

3. Infixes

These are affixes added within a word to modify its meaning. Infixes are inserted within the middle of the word stem.

English grammar does not use infixes in its standard form. Infixes are more common in other languages like Tagalog, Malay, and several Native American languages.

4. Circumfixes

These are affixes that are added to both the beginning and end of a word to modify its meaning.

In English, circumfixes are a relatively rare type of affix.

Examples

Here are some examples of English words that use circumfixes:

• En-en – Enlighten (The circumfix is “en-…-en” which means “to put into a certain state”. The root word is “light”)
• Be-ed – Befriended (The circumfix is “be-…-ed” which means “to make or cause something”. The root word is “friend”)
• En-ed – Enriched (The circumfix is “en-…-ed” which means “to make or cause something”. The root word is “rich”)
• Em-en – Embolden (The circumfix is “em-…-en” which means “to put into a certain state”. The root word is “bold”)
• En-d – Enraged (The circumfix is “en-…-ed” which means “to cause someone to be in a certain state”. The root word is “rage”)
• Be-ed – Bejeweled  (The circumfix is “be-…-ed” which means “to adorn or cover with something”. The root word is “jewel”)

5. Combining forms

 These are affixes that are used to create new words by combining two or more root words.

Examples

Here are five examples of combine forms in English:

Bio

The word Bio is derived from the Greek word for life, this combine form is commonly used in scientific and medical language to refer to living organisms or their properties

• Biology
• Biography
• Biosphere

Electro

This combine form comes from the Greek word for amber and refers to electricity.

• electronic devices
• electrocardiograms
• electrolytes.

Mal

Derived from the Latin word for bad or evil, this combine form is    often used to indicate something that is abnormal, defective, or harmful.

• malpractice
• malnutrition
• malfunction

Poly

This combine form comes from the Greek word for many and is used to indicate something that has many parts or is characterized by plurality

• polysyllabic
• polytheism
• polygamy

 Psycho

Derived from the Greek word for soul or mind, this combine form is used to refer to mental processes or psychological phenomena.

• psychopath
• Psychology
• psychoanalysis