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Examples

  • A libfix (short for liberated affix) is a part of a word that has escaped its parent word and become a new affix, such as ‑core (cottagecore, Barbiecore, hopecore), ‑cation (staycation, girlcation, kidcation), or crypto‑ (cryptocurrency, cryptobro, cryptoverse).

    The science of libfixes Daniel W. Hieber, Ph.D. 2026

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  • "It would be nice to have a term for the liberated elements that is both more memorable than “combining forms” and also signals the origin of these elements in the reanalysis of existing words (whether the source words are ordinary words, as with -tacular, or portmanteaus, as with -dar). I suggest libfix, which can be labeled a prelibfix (prefixal) or a postlibfix (suffixal) when its position within the word is especially relevant." Arnold Zwicky's Blog

    February 26, 2011