# prefix

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹiːfɪks/ · frequency rank #21,623

## Definitions
1. Something placed before another
2. Something placed before another
3. Something placed before another
4. Something placed before another

## Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin praefīxum, from Latin praefīxus, past participle of praefīgō (“I (fix, fasten, set up) in front”, “I fix on the (end, extremity)”) (from prae- (“before”) + fīgō (“I fix”, “I fasten”, “I affix”)), equivalent to pre- + -fix. Doublet of the archaic synonym prefixum.

## Easily confused with
- **profit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefix-vs-profit)
- **prefer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefer-vs-prefix)

## Common misspellings (9)
`perfix`, `pprefix`, `preffix`, `prefixx`, `prefxi`, `preifx`, `prfeix`, `prrefix`, `rpefix`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/prefix