Prefixes reversing the meaning of the base wordOrigins of negative prefixes like in-, un-, il-, ir-, dis-, a-Rule to determine when to use the prefix “im” vs. “un” to negate a word starting with “p”?I was wondering why there are multiple prefixes for the same meaningUsing “not” versus the negation prefixes for negationPreservation of the en- prefix form of Latin negative prefix in-, in enemy & enmityPrefixes for the opposite of “perishable”: unperishable, non-perishable, imperishableWhat do you call a pair of words with opposite meanings that differ only by a prefix?Why do so many prefixes mean “Not”How did English get related words from the same Latin root but different negative prefixes?Is there a reason for the prefix change of in-/un- in about the 60s period for these words?

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Prefixes reversing the meaning of the base word


Origins of negative prefixes like in-, un-, il-, ir-, dis-, a-Rule to determine when to use the prefix “im” vs. “un” to negate a word starting with “p”?I was wondering why there are multiple prefixes for the same meaningUsing “not” versus the negation prefixes for negationPreservation of the en- prefix form of Latin negative prefix in-, in enemy & enmityPrefixes for the opposite of “perishable”: unperishable, non-perishable, imperishableWhat do you call a pair of words with opposite meanings that differ only by a prefix?Why do so many prefixes mean “Not”How did English get related words from the same Latin root but different negative prefixes?Is there a reason for the prefix change of in-/un- in about the 60s period for these words?













1















Is there a name for words whose meaning can be 'reversed' by adding a prefix?



What I mean is words like unlikely, impossible, dissimilarity , which include a prefix that causes the meaning to be exactly the opposite of the original word. Do these words have a particular name?



Are there any rules as to what prefix, e.g "dis-", "un-", "im-", etc. is used for which word?



Thanks






negative-prefixes







share|improve this question
























  • 'Antonym' is another in this group. I don't know of a special name for this group of antonyms. However, greek roots are more likely to have a greek negative prefix (anti- dys- ); latin ( in- > impossible; dis-, non-); germanic (un-). And this rule applies to paired antonyms: upvote, downvote; antenatal, postnatal.

    – Hugh
    2 hours ago











  • I don’t think there is a single term for such words. They are antonyms, as Hugh says, but so are many non-prefixed words, and antonym only makes sense in relation to something else. They are ‘words derived by adding a negating prefix’, but that’s hardly concise or term-like (though it might work as a better description in your title here).

    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    2 hours ago











  • We need two words: profixes (a prefix that intensifies the meaning of the word), and confixes or antifixes.

    – ab2
    2 hours ago
















1















Is there a name for words whose meaning can be 'reversed' by adding a prefix?



What I mean is words like unlikely, impossible, dissimilarity , which include a prefix that causes the meaning to be exactly the opposite of the original word. Do these words have a particular name?



Are there any rules as to what prefix, e.g "dis-", "un-", "im-", etc. is used for which word?



Thanks






negative-prefixes







share|improve this question
























  • 'Antonym' is another in this group. I don't know of a special name for this group of antonyms. However, greek roots are more likely to have a greek negative prefix (anti- dys- ); latin ( in- > impossible; dis-, non-); germanic (un-). And this rule applies to paired antonyms: upvote, downvote; antenatal, postnatal.

    – Hugh
    2 hours ago











  • I don’t think there is a single term for such words. They are antonyms, as Hugh says, but so are many non-prefixed words, and antonym only makes sense in relation to something else. They are ‘words derived by adding a negating prefix’, but that’s hardly concise or term-like (though it might work as a better description in your title here).

    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    2 hours ago











  • We need two words: profixes (a prefix that intensifies the meaning of the word), and confixes or antifixes.

    – ab2
    2 hours ago














1












1








1








Is there a name for words whose meaning can be 'reversed' by adding a prefix?



What I mean is words like unlikely, impossible, dissimilarity , which include a prefix that causes the meaning to be exactly the opposite of the original word. Do these words have a particular name?



Are there any rules as to what prefix, e.g "dis-", "un-", "im-", etc. is used for which word?



Thanks






negative-prefixes







share|improve this question
















Is there a name for words whose meaning can be 'reversed' by adding a prefix?



What I mean is words like unlikely, impossible, dissimilarity , which include a prefix that causes the meaning to be exactly the opposite of the original word. Do these words have a particular name?



Are there any rules as to what prefix, e.g "dis-", "un-", "im-", etc. is used for which word?



Thanks






negative-prefixes




negative-prefixes






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 2 hours ago









TrevorD

10.7k22457




10.7k22457










asked 3 hours ago









StickStick

214




214












  • 'Antonym' is another in this group. I don't know of a special name for this group of antonyms. However, greek roots are more likely to have a greek negative prefix (anti- dys- ); latin ( in- > impossible; dis-, non-); germanic (un-). And this rule applies to paired antonyms: upvote, downvote; antenatal, postnatal.

    – Hugh
    2 hours ago











  • I don’t think there is a single term for such words. They are antonyms, as Hugh says, but so are many non-prefixed words, and antonym only makes sense in relation to something else. They are ‘words derived by adding a negating prefix’, but that’s hardly concise or term-like (though it might work as a better description in your title here).

    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    2 hours ago











  • We need two words: profixes (a prefix that intensifies the meaning of the word), and confixes or antifixes.

    – ab2
    2 hours ago


















  • 'Antonym' is another in this group. I don't know of a special name for this group of antonyms. However, greek roots are more likely to have a greek negative prefix (anti- dys- ); latin ( in- > impossible; dis-, non-); germanic (un-). And this rule applies to paired antonyms: upvote, downvote; antenatal, postnatal.

    – Hugh
    2 hours ago











  • I don’t think there is a single term for such words. They are antonyms, as Hugh says, but so are many non-prefixed words, and antonym only makes sense in relation to something else. They are ‘words derived by adding a negating prefix’, but that’s hardly concise or term-like (though it might work as a better description in your title here).

    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    2 hours ago











  • We need two words: profixes (a prefix that intensifies the meaning of the word), and confixes or antifixes.

    – ab2
    2 hours ago

















'Antonym' is another in this group. I don't know of a special name for this group of antonyms. However, greek roots are more likely to have a greek negative prefix (anti- dys- ); latin ( in- > impossible; dis-, non-); germanic (un-). And this rule applies to paired antonyms: upvote, downvote; antenatal, postnatal.

– Hugh
2 hours ago





'Antonym' is another in this group. I don't know of a special name for this group of antonyms. However, greek roots are more likely to have a greek negative prefix (anti- dys- ); latin ( in- > impossible; dis-, non-); germanic (un-). And this rule applies to paired antonyms: upvote, downvote; antenatal, postnatal.

– Hugh
2 hours ago













I don’t think there is a single term for such words. They are antonyms, as Hugh says, but so are many non-prefixed words, and antonym only makes sense in relation to something else. They are ‘words derived by adding a negating prefix’, but that’s hardly concise or term-like (though it might work as a better description in your title here).

– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 hours ago





I don’t think there is a single term for such words. They are antonyms, as Hugh says, but so are many non-prefixed words, and antonym only makes sense in relation to something else. They are ‘words derived by adding a negating prefix’, but that’s hardly concise or term-like (though it might work as a better description in your title here).

– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 hours ago













We need two words: profixes (a prefix that intensifies the meaning of the word), and confixes or antifixes.

– ab2
2 hours ago






We need two words: profixes (a prefix that intensifies the meaning of the word), and confixes or antifixes.

– ab2
2 hours ago











2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















0














I don't think they have any name in particular other than Prefixes.



There are also Pre, de, anti, non, pro, re, etc and not necessarily they all convey negative things.



Take for example pre it doesn't give any negativity to the meaning.




Pre-historic vs Historic




Also these "prefixes" will not change the role of the word.




Impossible vs Possible -> both are adjectives

Agree vs Disagree -> both are verbs!







share|improve this answer
































    0














    Your question asks for a term for the words to which a negative prefix can be applied. Google “negative prefix” for more information.



    Some prefixes are more likely to be attached to verbs rather than adjectives, etc. as far as I know, there’s no term for words that can be negated with a prefix, although there may be some (like determiners) for which negative prefixes are rare or odd.






    share|improve this answer






















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      2 Answers
      2






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      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

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      active

      oldest

      votes









      0














      I don't think they have any name in particular other than Prefixes.



      There are also Pre, de, anti, non, pro, re, etc and not necessarily they all convey negative things.



      Take for example pre it doesn't give any negativity to the meaning.




      Pre-historic vs Historic




      Also these "prefixes" will not change the role of the word.




      Impossible vs Possible -> both are adjectives

      Agree vs Disagree -> both are verbs!







      share|improve this answer





























        0














        I don't think they have any name in particular other than Prefixes.



        There are also Pre, de, anti, non, pro, re, etc and not necessarily they all convey negative things.



        Take for example pre it doesn't give any negativity to the meaning.




        Pre-historic vs Historic




        Also these "prefixes" will not change the role of the word.




        Impossible vs Possible -> both are adjectives

        Agree vs Disagree -> both are verbs!







        share|improve this answer



























          0












          0








          0







          I don't think they have any name in particular other than Prefixes.



          There are also Pre, de, anti, non, pro, re, etc and not necessarily they all convey negative things.



          Take for example pre it doesn't give any negativity to the meaning.




          Pre-historic vs Historic




          Also these "prefixes" will not change the role of the word.




          Impossible vs Possible -> both are adjectives

          Agree vs Disagree -> both are verbs!







          share|improve this answer















          I don't think they have any name in particular other than Prefixes.



          There are also Pre, de, anti, non, pro, re, etc and not necessarily they all convey negative things.



          Take for example pre it doesn't give any negativity to the meaning.




          Pre-historic vs Historic




          Also these "prefixes" will not change the role of the word.




          Impossible vs Possible -> both are adjectives

          Agree vs Disagree -> both are verbs!








          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 2 hours ago

























          answered 3 hours ago









          yenkaykayyenkaykay

          38616




          38616























              0














              Your question asks for a term for the words to which a negative prefix can be applied. Google “negative prefix” for more information.



              Some prefixes are more likely to be attached to verbs rather than adjectives, etc. as far as I know, there’s no term for words that can be negated with a prefix, although there may be some (like determiners) for which negative prefixes are rare or odd.






              share|improve this answer



























                0














                Your question asks for a term for the words to which a negative prefix can be applied. Google “negative prefix” for more information.



                Some prefixes are more likely to be attached to verbs rather than adjectives, etc. as far as I know, there’s no term for words that can be negated with a prefix, although there may be some (like determiners) for which negative prefixes are rare or odd.






                share|improve this answer

























                  0












                  0








                  0







                  Your question asks for a term for the words to which a negative prefix can be applied. Google “negative prefix” for more information.



                  Some prefixes are more likely to be attached to verbs rather than adjectives, etc. as far as I know, there’s no term for words that can be negated with a prefix, although there may be some (like determiners) for which negative prefixes are rare or odd.






                  share|improve this answer













                  Your question asks for a term for the words to which a negative prefix can be applied. Google “negative prefix” for more information.



                  Some prefixes are more likely to be attached to verbs rather than adjectives, etc. as far as I know, there’s no term for words that can be negated with a prefix, although there may be some (like determiners) for which negative prefixes are rare or odd.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 1 hour ago









                  XanneXanne

                  6,63231329




                  6,63231329



























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