Affixes.

An affix is added to the root of a word to change its meaning.

An affix added to the front of a word is known as a prefix. One added to the back is known as a suffix. Sometimes, prefixes are hyphenated.

Examples of Affixes

Here are some examples of affixes:

• incapable

(The affix is the prefix in.)

• ex-President

(The affix is the prefix ex-.)

• laughing

(The affix is the suffix ing.)

Most Common Prefixes. The four most common prefixes aredis-, in-, re-, and un-. These account for over 95% of prefixed words.

Most Common Suffixes. The four most common suffixes are-ed, -ing, -ly, and -es. These account for over 95% of suffixed words.