An affix is a morpheme that is added (affixed) to a root word to change its meaning. Prefixes and suffixes are both types of affixes. A prefix is an affix that occurs before the root word, while an affix attached at the end is a suffix.[1] The addition of prefixes or suffixes creates another orientation term.[2]
Prefixes[]
Gender(s) attracted to or experienced[]
| Prefix | Meaning | Details |
|---|---|---|
| homo- | attracted to the same gender as one's own[3][2] | The literal meaning of hom- is "one and the same; similar; alike".[4] See: gay (aka homosexual) and homoromantic |
| attracted to similar gender(s) as one's own[3] | Inclusive of a range of non-binary genders that are not the "same" but have similarities.[3] | |
| hetero- | attracted to the other binary gender[3] or a gender that is not one's own gender[2] | Often defined as directed toward the "opposite" gender due to how the gender binary views men and women.[3] See: heterosexual and heteroromantic |
| bi- | (as a gender term) two genders[3] | As a gender term, refers to having or experiencing two different genders. See: bigender[3] |
| (as an attraction term) having the potential to be attracted to more than one sex or gender;[5] being attracted to people of a gender like one's own and different from one's own[6] | Not necessarily limited to the gender binary.[7] Bi people do not always experience their attractions to different genders equally or in the same way.[3] Bi- and pan- may be used interchangeably by some people and usage of both or one is personal preference;[8] some consider bi to be an umbrella term that encompasses pan.[6] See: bisexual and biromantic | |
| tri- | three genders[3] | |
| multi- | multiple genders (but not necessarily all)[3] | When used regarding gender, multi- and poly- can both be used to indicate a person who identifies as more than one gender.[3] However, multigender is generally used as an umbrella term for labels where a person is more than one gender at a time, with polygender being under that umbrella.[9] Multisexual is an individual label and an umbrella term for other sexual orientations that include attraction to more than one gender, including polysexual.[3] See: polyromantic and polyamorous |
| poly- | ||
| omni- | any / all genders[3] | When used regarding attractions, omni- indicates that the gender of the object of attraction does have an effect on the way that attraction is experienced,[3] according to definitions of bi- vs. omni- vs. pan- labels that treat each as separate and distinct. See: omnisexual and omniromantic |
| pan- | When used regarding attractions, pan- indicates that the gender of the object of attraction does not have an effect on the way that attraction is experienced,[3] according to definitions of bi- vs. omni- vs. pan- labels that treat each as separate and distinct. See: pansexual, panromantic, and pangender (aka omnigender) | |
| cetero- | attracted to non-binary genders[2][3][10] | Cetero- replaced skolio-,[2] but opinions differ over whether only non-binary and transgender people should use the term,[3] with some asserting the limitation as a fact.[2][10] See: ceterosexual and ceteroromantic |
|
skolio- |
Due to skolio- meaning "bent" or "broken" and implying a need to be fixed, it has been replaced by cetero-.[2] |
How the identity is experienced[]
| Prefix | Meaning | Details |
|---|---|---|
| a- | not; without[11] | See: agender, asexual, asexual spectrum, aromantic, aromantic spectrum, aromantic asexual, and a-spec |
| gray-, grey-, gray-a, grey-a, greya-, graya- | (as a gender term) feeling a weak connection to gender, or otherwise not caring about one's own gender[3] | See: graygender[3] |
| (as an attraction term) usually not experiencing any attraction, only occasionally and depending on the situation[2] | See: gray-asexual and grayromantic | |
| demi- | (as a gender term) having or experiencing a partial connection to one or more genders[3] | See: demigender[3] |
| (as an attraction term) not feeling attraction until a close bond has been formed with someone[2] | Opposite of fray-.[2] See: demisexual and demiromantic | |
| fray- | only experiencing attraction when unfamiliar with someone, then losing that attraction when they become closer or more familiar[2] | Opposite of demi-.[2] See: fraysexual and frayromantic |
| akoi-, akio-, lith-, litho- | feeling attraction, but not wanting it to be reciprocated or no longer feeling attracted when it is reciprocated[2] | Opposite of recip-. See: lithosexual and lithromantic |
| recip- | only experiencing attraction towards someone after they are attracted first, thus reciprocating the attraction[2] | Opposite of akoi-/lith-. See: recipromantic |
| abro- | one's orientation or feelings about it are changing and cannot be pinned down[2] | See: abrosexual and abroromantic |
| aego-, anego- | disconnect between the self and the subject of attraction[12] | Combines "a-/an-" meaning "not" and "ego" meaning "self", intended to mean "without self". Formerly autochoris-, with the meaning of "identity-less".[12] Aego- should not be mistaken for ego- and autochoris- should not be mistaken for auto-. See: aegosexual and aegoromantic |
| apothi- | not experiencing a certain form of attraction plus finding that form of attraction to be repulsive, disgusting, or uncomfortable[13] | From Greek root "apothisan" (meaning "repulsed"). Not the same as "sex-negative", which is a moral stance that sex is immoral.[13] See: apothisexual and apothiromantic |
| auto-, ego- | self[2][13] | (as an attraction term) only or mostly attracted to one's own self, not others. Not to be confused with autochoris- and aego-.[13] See: autosexual and autoromantic |
| (ego- as a gender term) one's gender is personal and is described solely as that person's own self.[2] See: egogender | ||
| cass- | feeling indifferent toward attraction and believing it is unimportant[2] | |
| cupio- | not experiencing a certain form of attraction towards people but desiring to experience the associated actions with those people[13] | From "cupio" meaning longing.[13] See: cupiosexual and cupioromantic |
| novo- | one's orientation changes when one's gender changes[2] | |
| pomo- | having no orientation[2] | Has a different connotation than a-. See: pomosexual |
Suffixes[]
| Suffix | Meaning | Details |
|---|---|---|
| -fluid | changing between[3] | See: genderfluid[3] |
| Examples of what fluidity may feel like: | ||
| -flux | fluctuates in amount or intensity[3] | See: genderflux, aceflux, and aroflux |
| -fluidflux | both fluid between and fluctuating in the intensity of how the identity is experienced[2] | |
| -spike | fluctuates (similar to -flux) from low or no levels to sudden, intense "spikes" of experience for a period of time[3] |
References[]
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