Affixes

This suffix is active in the language, frequently forming adjectives: duty-free, gluten-free, cruelty-free, fat-free, lead-free, nuclear-free, sugar-free, and GM-free (not containing ingredients derived from genetically modified crops). More oblique examples are post-free, carried by post or mail free of charge to the customer, and hands-free, not needing to be held to operate, as of a mobile phone. Most such forms are hyphenated; those that are not mainly derive from first elements that end in a vowel: carefree, smokefree, wirefree (using infra-red or radio communication instead of wires).