Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
parasynthesis
Noun
/ˌpærəˈsɪnθəsɪs/
Definition
A linguistic phenomenon where a word is created by combining a base word with affixes, resulting in a new form that deviates from the original base.
Examples
- In linguistic studies, an example of parasynthesis is seen in the formation of the word ‘unhappiness’ from ‘happy’ with the prefix ‘un-‘ and the suffix ‘-ness’.
- Another instance of parasynthesis is the word ‘disbelief’, where the prefix ‘dis-‘ and the suffix ‘-f’ are added to ‘believe’.
Meaning
Parasynthesis involves adding both a prefix and a suffix simultaneously to a base word, resulting in a new word that may not have been previously used or recognized.
Synonyms
- Compound creation
- Word formation
- Affixation
