In the realm of linguistics, suffixes play a crucial role in modifying words to convey different shades of meaning or to adapt them to specific grammatical contexts. When it comes to adjectives, suffixes are invaluable tools that allow us to expand our vocabulary and articulate nuances with precision. In this article, we will delve into the world of adjective suffixes list, their meanings, and illustrative examples.
List of Suffixes for Adjectives
Suffixes are affixes that are added to the end of a base word to alter its meaning or grammatical function. In the context of adjectives, suffixes can change the way we perceive or describe something, such as indicating size, quality, or manner. Let’s explore some common adjective suffixes along with their meanings and examples:
–able (capable of)
Examples:
- Dependable (capable of being relied upon)
- Valuable (capable of having value)
-al (related to, pertaining to)
Examples:
- Cultural (related to culture)
- Personal (pertaining to a person)
-ful (full of)
Examples:
- Beautiful (full of beauty)
- Playful (full of play)
-ic (related to, characteristic of)
Examples:
- Scientific (related to science)
- Athletic (characteristic of athleticism)
-ous (possessing, full of)
Examples:
- Courageous (possessing courage)
- Joyous (full of joy)
-ish (resembling, characteristic of)
Examples:
- Childish (resembling a child)
- Reddish (somewhat red)
-ive (having the nature of)
Examples:
- Creative (having the nature of creativity)
- Active (having the nature of activity)
-y (characterized by)
Examples:
- Cloudy (characterized by clouds)
- Cheery (characterized by cheerfulness)
-ant (one who, that which)
Examples:
- Brilliant (one who is brilliant)
- Vibrant (that which is full of life)
-ent (having the quality of)
Examples:
- Excellent (having the quality of excellence)
- Different (having the quality of being distinct)
-ish (having the quality of)
Examples:
- Foolish (having the quality of being foolish)
- Selfish (having the quality of self-centeredness)
-ed (having undergone a certain process)
Examples:
- Painted (having been covered in paint)
- Stressed (having experienced stress)
-ing (currently performing a certain action)
Examples:
- Running (currently in the act of running)
- Exciting (causing excitement)
-ive (tending to)
Examples:
- Talkative (tending to talk)
- Restorative (tending to restore)
-ate (possessing, characterized by)
Examples:
- Elaborate (possessing complexity)
- Compassionate (characterized by compassion)
-able (suitable for)
Examples:
- Comfortable (suitable for comfort)
- Presentable (suitable for presentation)
-ous (having the quality of)
Examples:
- Dangerous (having the quality of being dangerous)
- Fabulous (having the quality of being fabulous)
-ive (causing)
Examples:
- Sensitive (causing sensitivity)
- Talkative (causing talk)
-ical (related to, characteristic of)
Examples:
- Mythical (related to myths)
- Historical (related to history)
-ly (in the manner of)
Examples:
- Quickly (in a quick manner)
- Slowly (in a slow manner)
-ward (in the direction of)
Examples:
- Forward (in the direction of the front)
- Downward (in the direction of down)
-ward (toward a specific condition)
Examples:
- Awkward (toward a state of awkwardness)
- Backward (toward a state of being behind)
-less (lacking, without)
Examples:
- Sleepless (lacking sleep)
- Endless (without an end)
- Hopeless (without hope)
-ic (pertaining to)
Examples:
- Economic (pertaining to economics)
- Organic (pertaining to organisms)
-ary (connected with, relating to)
Examples:
- Literary (connected with literature)
- Culinary (relating to cooking)
-like (similar to, resembling)
Examples:
- Childlike (similar to a child)
- Lifelike (resembling real life)
-ible (capable of)
Examples:
- Flexible (capable of bending)
- Accessible (capable of being reached)
-ine (relating to, characteristic of)
Examples:
- Divine (relating to the divine)
- Serpentine (characteristic of a snake)
-ive (pertaining to, having the nature of)
Examples:
- Argumentative (pertaining to arguments)
- Positive (having the nature of positivity)
-ly (having the characteristics of)
Examples:
- Manly (having the characteristics of a man)
- Womanly (having the characteristics of a woman)
-some (tending to, characterized by)
Examples:
- Awesome (tending to inspire awe)
- Troublesome (characterized by trouble)
-like (having the characteristics of)
Examples:
- Lifelike (having the characteristics of life)
- Childlike (having the characteristics of a child)
-ary (relating to)
Examples:
- Ordinary (relating to the ordinary)
- Explanatory (relating to explanation)
-ate (to make, become)
Examples:
- Separate (to make separate)
- Desperate (to become desperate)
-ive (tending to, inclined to)
Examples:
- Talkative (tending to talk)
- Sensitive (inclined to sensitivity)
-ish (somewhat, like)
Examples:
- Yellowish (somewhat yellow)
- Sweetish (somewhat sweet)
-en (to make, become)
Examples:
- Lengthen (to make longer)
- Brighten (to become brighter)
-ish (of the nature of)
Examples:
- Foolish (of the nature of a fool)
- Selfish (of the nature of self-centeredness)
-ant (characterized by, causing)
Examples:
- Brilliant (characterized by brilliance)
- Vibrant (causing a sense of vitality)
-er (more, comparative)
Examples:
- Taller (more tall)
- Smarter (more intelligent)
-est (most, superlative)
Examples:
- Tallest (most tall)
- Smartest (most intelligent)
-less (without)
Examples:
- Homeless (without a home)
- Fearless (without fear)
-ful (characterized by)
Examples:
- Beautiful (characterized by beauty)
- Playful (characterized by playfulness)
- Joyful (characterized by joy)
- Fearful (characterized by fear)
- Successful (characterized by success)
- Colorful (characterized by a variety of colors)
Must Try:
Noun Suffixes with Meaning and Examples
Adjective Suffixes with Meaning | Images
