Affixation is a linguistic process that involves adding prefixes, suffixes, or infixes to a base word to create new words or alter their meanings. For example, adding the prefix un- to the word happy forms the word unhappy, which conveys the opposite meaning. This process helps expand vocabulary and allows for more precise expression in language. Affixation plays a crucial role in word formation across many languages. It can change a word's grammatical category, such as turning the noun beauty into the adjective beautiful by adding the suffix -ful. Understanding affixation enhances language comprehension and usage.