Prefix

A prefix is the initial portion of some object or term (typically in text or speech) with a distinct and reused meaning that modifies the meaning of the whole object.

For an example in the context of language, the word prefix itself is made up of the base fix (meaning "attach" in this case), and the prefix pre-, meaning "before". To prefix is to attach before.

Specific types of prefixes include:

• In linguistics, a type of affix that precedes the morphemes, hence modifying the base semantics for a word.
• Numerical prefix, used for magnitudes of SI units, like 'kilo' and 'milli' in 'kilometre' and 'milligram'. See also SI prefix.
• Polish notation, a method of mathematical expression, also known as prefix notation
• Telephone prefix, the first set of digits in a telephone number not a country code or area code
• ITU prefix, a call sign for radio and television stations
• Prefix (computer science), of a string
• Prefix code

See also

• Suffix
• Infix
• Separable affix
• Prefix Magazine
• Nationality prefices