Learn English – Words having two prefixes incorporated

prefixessingle-word-requests

There are prefixes of time and order (pre-, post-), of location (sub-, super-), for expressing the reversing of an action (de-, dis-), and go on.

English words may take prefixes from one or two of those groups. Words of the latter types are, for example, unpremeditated or antidisestablishment.

Is there a name for words, like unpremeditated or antidisestablishment, having two prefixes incorporated?

Best Answer

After some digging, I think there is a term that can satisfy all the varied thoughts and criticism thus far. A word having two (or more) prefixes incorporated is an:

Augmentation

Augmentation is modification of a word by any of the language's related forms (prefixing, suffixing, etc).

The OED has this definition for an Augmentitive, adj. and n.:

2.b. Grammar. Of a word: augmenting the properties of the term whence it is derived, or generally expressing augmentation of an idea. (Augmentative words are generally formed by the addition of augmentative affixes.)

Emphasis mine.

This solidly establishes that Augmentation is a modification that can involve two or more modifiers, including Prefixes.

We can see the concept of augmentation being used in the grammatical context of prefixing, while also being distinguished from (and I would say not limited to) a prefix. This reinforces the OED's definition.

  1. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia epidemica iii. xxiv. 170. The Greek word Bous, which is a prefixe of augmentation to many words in that language.

This establishes that "a prefixe" (a single one) is a kind of augmentation.

  1. 1671 E. Phillips New World of Words (new ed.). The Syllabical Augment, is an augmentation which is made in Greek verbs, by prefixing ἐ (and thereby adding one syllable).

This establishes that a syllabical augment is a kind of augmentation.

This use of Augmentation also follows the general usage of the word, which is not limited to a single [dimension] of modification. Cf. those in Heraldry and Pharmacology.

I originally said that, No, there is no specific term for this kind of word prefixing. I think that some may still find route to argue that position. If we need a term, I don't see us doing better than this.

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