# Prefixes



## sound shift

Can anyone tell me what's meant by the "Prefixes" that appear in the Advanced Search facility? Thanks.


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## bearded

I think it means 'choices' in US English (like when you dial a telephone no. you have to choose the nation first..), and here they concern languages/dictionaries. Just my surmise.


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## sound shift

Thanks, bearded.

I wonder what the difference is between 'Prefixes' and what comes below that: 'Search in Forums'. Are the two mutually exclusive?


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## bearded

I'm not sure, but I think you can choose both at the same time (dictionaries and forum) or just one of them. However, I'd like to know for sure,too.
Why don't you try with an example word/phrase, and then please let me know?


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## sound shift

Good idea. I've just done three advanced searches.

1)
Keywords: excited for about
Prefixes: In dictionary: Spanish-English
In forum: Spanish-English
Results: 0

2)
Keywords: excited for about
Prefixes: In dictionary: English-Spanish
In forum: Spanish-English
Results: 0

3)
Keywords: excited for about
Prefixes: Any
In forum: Spanish-English
Results: 6 pages of results


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## bearded

Many thanks for informing me. Perhaps some mods will be so kind as to comment on your results and shed more light on the way that feature works.


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## mkellogg

sound shift said:


> Can anyone tell me what's meant by the "Prefixes" that appear in the Advanced Search facility? Thanks.


Those "prefixes" are only used in the Dictionary error reports and suggestions forum. You can see them to the left of the thread titles. There, it is just a way to state which dictionary you are reporting a problem in.

I see that this is confusing in the Advanced Search page. I'll have to find a fix. You should not be using those prefixes when searching for anything outside of that one forum.


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## sound shift

Thank you.


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