Which word contains a prefix that changes meaning?

Study for the Praxis Elementary Education Test. Explore content with flashcards and multiple choice questions with explanations. Prepare effectively for your examination!

Multiple Choice

Which word contains a prefix that changes meaning?

Explanation:
Prefixes are added at the beginning of a word to change its meaning. In this case, the word with the prefix un- has the meaning not or opposite of. So unhappy means not happy, which clearly shows a prefix that flips meaning. The other words don’t show a prefix that negates or reverses meaning: quickly is built from quick plus the suffix -ly, which just turns an adjective into an adverb; happiness adds the suffix -ness to make a noun from the adjective; and happy is the base word with no prefix changing its meaning.

Prefixes are added at the beginning of a word to change its meaning. In this case, the word with the prefix un- has the meaning not or opposite of. So unhappy means not happy, which clearly shows a prefix that flips meaning. The other words don’t show a prefix that negates or reverses meaning: quickly is built from quick plus the suffix -ly, which just turns an adjective into an adverb; happiness adds the suffix -ness to make a noun from the adjective; and happy is the base word with no prefix changing its meaning.

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