Which term refers to the word part that comes before a root word?

• A. Prefix
• B. Suffix
• C. Root Word
• D. Combining Vowel

Answer: (A)

A prefix is the word part placed at the front of a root word to modify its meaning. This position at the front is what makes it a prefix—it's the element that changes how the root is understood without being the root itself. For example, in prenatal, the prefix pre- means before and is attached to natal (birth), giving the sense of “before birth.” Suffixes, by contrast, appear at the end of the root (such as -itis meaning inflammation), and the combining vowel is a linking sound (often o) that helps join roots to prefixes or suffixes. So the term that refers to the word part that comes before a root word is prefix.