1. word element beginning various words: a linguistic element that is not an independent word, but is attached to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning. For example, "un-" is a prefix meaning "not."
2. title before somebody's name: a title before somebody's name, e.g. the prefix "The Honorable" before a judge's full name
3. something preceding something else: something that comes before something else, e.g. a fixed group of digits at the beginning of a telephone number
transitive verb (past and past participlepre·fixed, present participlepre·fix·ing, 3rd person present singularpre·fix·es)
Definition:
1. put something before something else: to place something in front of something else You must prefix the number with the area code.
2. introduce something with something else: to say or do something by way of introduction to something else His requests for money were usually prefixed by an apology.
3. add prefix to word: to attach a prefix at the beginning of a word in order to alter its meaning
[Mid-17th century. Via French< Latin praefixum< past participle of praefigere "fix in front" < figere "fasten"]
