An affix is a linguistic element that is added to a word to modify its meaning or create a new word. Affixes can be classified into several types:
- Prefixes: Affixes attached to the beginning of a word (e.g., "un-" in "unhappy").
- Suffixes: Affixes added to the end of a word (e.g., "-ed" in "played").
- Infixes: Affixes inserted within a word (less common in English, but used in some languages; e.g., "un-freaking-believable").
- Circumfixes: Affixes that are added to both the beginning and the end of a word (not common in English, but present in some other languages).
Affixes can change the grammatical function, tense, or meaning of the base word, contributing to the richness and complexity of language.