??? ??? A prefix is an example of a ???part??? or element that is added at the beginning of a word to alter its meaning ??? Students need to understand the meaning of common prefixes, such as ???pre-???, ???dis???, ???co-???, ???re-???, and ???un-??? in order to use them in writing and speaking ??? A basic understanding of what it means to say ???the root of the word??? is a key component of this