affixation
UK[ˌæfɪkˈseɪʃən]US[ˌæfɪkˈseɪʃən]
n
The process of adding an affix to a word or the result of this process.
n
The state of being firmly attached or fixed.
Morpheme Breakdown
af
fix
ation
af
to
fix
to fasten
ation
Etymology
The word 'affixation' is built upon the Latin verb 'figere', meaning 'to fasten' or 'to fix'. The prefix 'ad-' (here assimilated to 'af-') intensifies the sense of attachment, giving the core meaning 'to fix to'. The suffix '-ation' transforms this action into a noun denoting the process or result. Thus, the literal morphemic sequence 'to' + 'fasten' + 'process' logically yields the modern linguistic term for the process of attaching prefixes, suffixes, or infixes to a base word, as well as the general concept of being affixed.
Analysis
Structure: af + fix + ation
- af: A variant of the Latin prefix 'ad-', meaning 'to' or 'toward'. It assimilates to the following consonant.
- fix: From Latin 'fixus', the past participle of 'figere', meaning 'to fasten' or 'to attach'.
- ation: A noun-forming suffix of Latin origin, indicating an action, process, or result.
Examples
The word "unhappiness" is formed by the affixation of "un-" and "-ness" to the root "happy".
In grammar class, we studied the rules of affixation in English.
The affixation of the label to the package was surprisingly strong.