noun
- the process of adding an affix (prefix, suffix, or infix) to a word or root to create a new word or modify its meaning
Usage: linguistics; grammar
Examples
- Affixation is a common method of creating new words in English.
- The word ‘unhappy’ is formed through affixation by adding the prefix ‘un-‘ to ‘happy’.
- Students studied affixation patterns in their morphology class.
- Affixation allows speakers to expand their vocabulary systematically.
- The suffix ‘-tion’ in ‘creation’ demonstrates affixation at work.
- Different languages use affixation in various ways to modify word meanings.