Stress Patterns In Prefixes

A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a root word to change its meaning. Common prefixes include "un", "mis", "sub", and "pre". Prefixes are usually not stressed when added to words. There are some exceptions where stress shifts to the prefix, such as with compounds where the first element is an adjective or number. Stress can also vary between speakers for some words. While prefixes affect word meaning, there are no steadfast rules for how they impact word stress.