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Combining Forms, Prefixes & Suffixes

An entry that begins or ends with a hyphen is a word element that forms part of an English compound:

mega- or meg- combining form . . . 1 . . . b <megahit>
-logy noun combining form . . . 1 . . . <phraseology>
-lyze verb combining form . . . <electrolyze>
-like adjective combining form . . . <bell-like><ladylike>
pre- prefix . . . 1 a (1) . . . <prehistoric>
¹-ory noun suffix . . . 1 <observatory>
²-ly adverb suffix . . . 1 a . . . <slowly>
-ize verb suffix . . . 2 a . . . <crystallize>

Combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes are entered in this dictionary for three reasons: to make easier the writing of etymologies of words in which these word elements occur over and over again; to make understandable the meaning of many undefined run-ons which for reasons of space would be omitted if they had to be given etymologies and definitions; and to make recognizable the meaningful elements of new words that are not well enough established in the language to warrant dictionary entry.