Derivation.
In our list so far, we have not dealt with what is by far the most
common wordformation process to be found in the production of new
English words.
and it is accomplished by means of a large number of small “bits” of
the English language which are not usually given separate listings in
dictionaries. These small “bits” are generally described as affixes.
Some familiar examples are the elements un-, mis-, pre-, -ful, -less, -
ish, -ism and -ness which appear in words like unhappy, misrepresent,
prejudge, joyful, careless, boyish, terrorism and sadness..