Which term refers to a morpheme placed at the beginning of a word?

• A. Prefix
• B. Suffix
• C. Infix
• D. Circumfix

Answer: (A)

A morpheme placed at the beginning of a word is called a prefix. Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in language, and prefixes attach to the front of a base word to modify its meaning or to create a new word. For example, un- in unhappy negates or reverses the sense; re- in redo indicates repetition or again; pre- in preview signals before.

In contrast, a suffix appears at the end of a word (like -ed or -ing), an infix is inserted inside the word, and a circumfix attaches around both the beginning and end. So for a morpheme at the start, the correct term is prefix.