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affix - 7 dictionary results

af⋅fix

  [v. uh-fiks; n. af-iks]
Use affix in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to fasten, join, or attach (usually fol. by to): to affix stamps to a letter.
2. to put or add on; append: to affix a signature to a contract.
3. to impress (a seal or stamp).
4. to attach (blame, reproach, ridicule, etc.).
–noun
5. something that is joined or attached.
6. Grammar. a bound inflectional or derivational element, as a prefix, infix, or suffix, added to a base or stem to form a fresh stem or a word, as -ed added to want to form wanted, or im- added to possible to form impossible.

Origin:
1525–35; < L affīxus fastened to (ptp. of affīgere), equiv. to af- af- + fīg- fasten + -sus, var. of -tus ptp. suffix

Related forms:
af⋅fix⋅a⋅ble, adjective
af⋅fix⋅al  [a-fik-suhl] , af⋅fix⋅i⋅al  [a-fik-see-uhl] , adjective
af⋅fix⋅er, noun
af⋅fix⋅ment, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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af·fix   (ə-fĭks')   
tr.v.   af·fixed, af·fix·ing, af·fix·es
  1. To secure to something; attach: affix a label to a package.
  2. To impute; attribute: affix blame to him.
  3. To place at the end; append: affix a postscript to a letter.
  4. Grammar To add as an affix.
n.   (āf'ĭks')
  1. Something that is attached, joined, or added; an appendage or addition.
  2. Linguistics A word element, such as a prefix or suffix, that can only occur attached to a base, stem, or root.

[Medieval Latin affixāre, frequentative of Latin affīgere, affix- : ad-, ad- + fīgere, to fasten; see dhīgw- in Indo-European roots.]
af·fix'a·ble adj., af'fix'al adj., af'fix'al·ly adv., af·fix'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Affix

Af*fix"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Affixed; p. pr. & vb. n. Affixing.] [LL. affixare, L. affixus, p. p. of affigere to fasten to; ad + figere to fasten: cf. OE. affichen, F. afficher, ultimately fr. L. affigere. See Fix.]

1. To subjoin, annex, or add at the close or end; to append to; to fix to any part of; as, to affix a syllable to a word; to affix a seal to an instrument; to affix one's name to a writing.

2. To fix or fasten in any way; to attach physically.

Should they [caterpillars] affix them to the leaves of a plant improper for their food. --Ray.

3. To attach, unite, or connect with; as, names affixed to ideas, or ideas affixed to things; to affix a stigma to a person; to affix ridicule or blame to any one.

4. To fix or fasten figuratively; -- with on or upon; as, eyes affixed upon the ground. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Syn: To attach; subjoin; connect; annex; unite.

Affix

Af"fix\, n.; pl. Affixes. [L. affixus, p. p. of affigere: cf. F. affixe.] That which is affixed; an appendage; esp. one or more letters or syllables added at the end of a word; a suffix; a postfix.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : affix
Spanish: pegar, fijar,
German: befestigen, anbringen,
Japanese: 添える
More Translations »

affix 
1533, from M.L. affixare, freq. of L. affigere (pp. affixus) "fasten to," from ad- "to" + figere "fasten" (see fix). First used by Scottish writers and perhaps from M.Fr. affixer, a temporarily re-Latinized spelling of O.Fr. afichier (modern Fr. afficher).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: af·fix
Pronunciation: &-'fiks, a-
Function: transitive verb
1 : to attach physically
2 : to attach or add in any way <affix a signature to a document>
3 : to make by or as if by pressure <affix my seal>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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affix

a grammatical element that is combined with a word, stem, or phrase to produce derived and inflected forms. There are three types of affixes: prefixes, infixes, and suffixes. A prefix occurs at the beginning of a word or stem (sub-mit, pre-determine, un-willing); a suffix at the end (wonder-ful, depend-ent, act-ion); and an infix occurs in the middle. English has no infixes, but they are found in American Indian languages, Greek, Tagalog, and elsewhere. Examples of English inflectional suffixes are illustrated by the -s of "cats," the -er of "longer," and the -ed of "asked." See also morphology

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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