What is the Difference Between Suffix and Prefix?

The main difference between a suffix and a prefix lies in their position within a word and the role they play in changing the word's meaning.

• Suffix: A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to create a new meaning or change the word's function in a sentence. It can be just a single letter or two to five letters. For example, adding the suffix -ful to the base word "help" creates the word "helpful".
• Prefix: A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word or base word to create a new meaning or change the word's function in a sentence. It can also be just a single letter or two to five letters. For example, adding the prefix un- to the word "helpful" creates the word "unhelpful".

In summary:

• Suffixes are added to the end of words to change their meaning or function.
• Prefixes are added to the beginning of words to change their meaning or function.

Learning the meanings of prefixes and suffixes can help expand your vocabulary and improve your writing skills.

Comparative Table: Suffix vs Prefix

Here is a table that shows the difference between a suffix and a prefix:

Both suffixes and prefixes are affixes, which are meaningful morphological units that are attached to a word stem to form a new word or alter a word's meaning. Suffixes are added at the end of a root or base word, while prefixes are added at the beginning. The main difference between them is their placement and function:

• Suffixes modify words by adding an adjective or a noun, primarily changing the emphasis of the word.
• Prefixes create new words and phrases, altering the meaning of the word.

For example, the word "untie" is created by adding the prefix "un" to the root word "tie," giving it the opposite meaning. Similarly, the past tense "armed" is formed by adding the suffix "ed" to the root word "arm".