superfix

American  

[soo-per-fiks] / ˈsu pərˌfɪks /

noun

1. Linguistics. a suprasegmental feature having an identifiable meaning or grammatical function, such as the stress pattern that distinguishes the noun record from the verb record or the parallel falling stress patterns of blackbird and chalkboard, reflecting a parallel relationship between the elements.

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superfix British  

/ ˈsuːpəˌfɪks /

noun

1. linguistics a suprasegmental feature distinguishing the meaning or grammatical function of one word or phrase from that of another, as stress does for example between the noun conduct and the verb conduct

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Etymology

Origin of superfix

First recorded in 1945–50; super- + -fix, extracted from affix, suffix, etc.

Example Sentences

Here the wing affix to the right is certainly a postfix, the superfix is in the usual left to right order, and the main element written left to right, as in all its other instances.

From Commentary Upon the Maya-Tzental Perez Codex with a Concluding Note Upon the Linguistic Problem of the Maya Glyphs by Gates, William

In the affixes, the superfix and prefix positions may as a general rule be regarded as wholly identical; also the subfix and postfix positions.

From Commentary Upon the Maya-Tzental Perez Codex with a Concluding Note Upon the Linguistic Problem of the Maya Glyphs by Gates, William