Where does “prefix” come from?
Prefix comes from Middle French prefixer, a verb meaning to fix or fasten beforehand.
prefix (English): Something placed before another; To determine...
Definitions
- Something placed before another; To determine...
Ancestry of “prefix”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | praefixum | nominative neuter singular of praefīxus;... |
| 2 | Latin | praefixus | fastened or attached in front; prefixed |
| 3 | Latin | praefigo | I fasten before, attach in front; I point with |
| 4 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |