Stuck on a crossword? Unravel the mystery of the elusive prefix!

Hello there! Thank you for seeking my help with this crossword clue. The answer to “Not entirely: Prefix” is “SEMI.”

The prefix “SEMI-” means “half” or “partially.” It is widely used in words that describe something that is not entirely or completely what it should be. For example, “semicircle” is only half of a circle, “semimonthly” is something that happens twice a month rather than every week, and “semisweet” describes chocolate that is only partially sweet, or less sweet than regular chocolate.

In general, “SEMI-” can be used to indicate that something is only partially what it is supposed to be or that it only happens or exists temporarily. For instance, “semiconductor” is a material that can conduct electricity under certain conditions but not others, while “semibreve” in music stands for a note with a duration of four beats or a whole note.

In summary, the prefix “SEMI-” is a useful way to describe things that are only partially what they seem or to highlight that something is not entirely complete or permanent. It is a common prefix that is used in many different fields, including science, math, music, and language.