Suffixes

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SUFFIXES

Suffixes are word components which are added to the end of a


word. They usually change the word form rather than the meaning.
For example, adding -ity to the word similar creates the
word similarity and changes the word from an adjective to a noun.
 similar (adj) + -ity (suffix) → similarity (n)

There are, however, some suffixes which change the meaning of a


word. Examples are -ful and -less, which make the word positive or
negative respectively. For example:
 thought (n) + -ful (suffix) → thoughtful (positive
adjective)
 thought (n) + -less (suffix) → thoughtless (negative
adjective)

Common suffixes
The following table shows some common suffixes, along with some
example words. As the majority of these suffixes simply change the
word form, the meaning of the suffix is not given unless it changes
or contributes to the meaning of the word in some way.

Type Suffix Meaning Examples

adjective comfortable, likable, enjoyable,


-able, capable of,
predictable, terrible, sensible, incredible,
-ible worthy of
visible, believable, incredible

personal, refusal, regional, proposal,


-(i)al
fatal, cordial, territorial, spatial, social

-ant significant, pleasant

-en made of wooden

-ent obedient, independent

-er more higher, stronger

-est most biggest, brightest

-ful full of careful, beautiful, wonderful, colourful

-ic(al) relating to linguistic, energetic, historic, caustic,


volcanic, comical, historical, magical,
logical
-ish fiendish, childish, selfish, boyish

creative, supportive, argumentative,


-(at)ive,
festive, responsive, positive, negative,
-itive
inventive

careless, fearless, endless, fruitless,


-less without worthless, powerless, bottomless,
relentless, selfless

-(e)ous, joyous, nutritious, portentous,


full of
-ious pretentious, curious, furious, prosperous

characterized happy, sleazy, pudgy, funny, foggy, risky,


-y
by milky, crazy, shiny

quickly, easily, happily, majestically,


-ly nonchalantly, literally, barely, carefully,
adverb abruptly

in the direction
-ward forward, homeward, northward
of

noun privacy, occupancy, democracy,


-cy
buoyancy, saliency, literacy, secrecy

result of an
-age marriage, pilgrimage
action

-al rehearsal

-ance, appearance, endurance, maintenance,


-ence independence, dominance, coincidence

place for,
-ary glossary, library
collection of

place or state freedom, kingdom, wisdom, fiefdom,


-dom
of being boredom, martyrdom

-hood neighborhood, falsehood, childhood

concession, transition, action, erosion,


-(s)ion,
vision, invitation, conclusion,
-tion
condemnation

communism, socialism, pragmatism,


-ism doctrine, belief realism, feudalism, racism, Catholicism,
Buddhism, capitalism

-(i)ty creativity, infinity, veracity, honesty,


clarity, laxity, sanity, vanity, rigidity,
velocity, curiosity, responsibility

requirement, enjoyment, argument,


-ment judgment, apartment, contentment,
resentment, basement

kindness, heaviness, happiness, openness,


-ness
harshness, cleanliness, carelessness

-ology study of biology, mineralogy, ecology

books, boxes, hotels, amendments,


-(e)s plural
wishes, prefixes

art or skill of, leadership, citizenship, ownership,


-ship
group of companionship, friendship

-ure action, result closure, pleasure

-ary secretary, dignitary

-(e)er, worker, teacher, actor, mentor, engineer,


-or pioneer

noun the subject of


-ee trainee, interviewee, employee
(person) an action

-ian librarian, technician

chemist, socialist, biologist, publicist,


-ist
realist, romanticist, pragmatist

complicate, agitate, eradicate, placate,


-ate
demonstrate, procrastinate, ruminate

enlighten, tighten, frighten, brighten,


-en dampen, fasten, heighten, loosen,
straighten
verb
simplify, terrify, verify, clarify, dignify,
-(i)fy
rectify, magnify, classify

plagiarise, chastise, italicise, romanticize


-ize, -ise hypnotize, fertilize, civilize, rationalize,
criticize, categorize, polarize, modernize,

-ed past walked, jumped, helped

verb form -ing present walking, jumping, helping

-(e)s present looks, kisses

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