Suffixes are essential components of the English language that are added to the end of words to change their meanings, create new words, or modify the grammatical function of a word. Understanding common suffixes can significantly enhance your vocabulary and comprehension skills. In this article, we will explore some of the most frequently used suffixes words in English, along with examples of words that feature these suffixes.
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What suffixes mean?
A suffix is a letter/a group of letters put at the end of a word to change its meaning and to form a new word. when we apply a suffix a new word forms a new word with some grammatical change.
sometimes by using the suffix at the end of the words the spelling of the base word changes. For example, when someone adds the suffix -ion to the end of the base word “revise” the end of the word e replaces with ion. By removing the -e and adding -ion a new word revision was formed.
What is the purpose of suffixes in a word?
Suffix increases our vocabulary. suffix transforms a noun into a verb without a suffix, it’s not possible. It expresses our opinions, thought,s and feeling. its provide variety and depth to our writing.
List of Suffixes with Example
here are some common suffixes along with examples of words that use them:
|
Suffixes |
Examples |
| -ware | hardware, software, kitchenware |
| -iferous | vociferous, carboniferous |
| -ish | Greenish |
| -ence | Difference |
| -dom | freedom, kingdom, boredom, |
| -ance/-ence | maintenance, permanence |
| -ise | civilise, terrorise |
| -ant | Asistant |
| ance/-ence | maintenance, permanence |
| -ine | canine, feminine, masculine |
| -like | Lifelike |
| -ness | thinness, loneliness |
| -acious/-icious | gracious, malicious |
| -ity | ingenuity, oddity |
| -less | Careless |
| -ish | Greenish |
| -ful | helpful, thankful, cheerful |
| -ess | actress, heiress, lioness |
| -fy | magnify, electrify, amplify, falsify, |
| –ance | Importance |
| -ee | Referee |
| -ac/-ic | cardiac, Nordic |
| -ful | Spoonful |
| -ist | chemist, florist, artist, linguist, |
| –ing | Painting |
| -less | Careless |
| -ant | Assistant |
| -ism | favoritism, communism |
| -like | childlike, homelike, lifelike |
| -ship | friendship, membership, , |
| -ness | thinness, loneliness, kindness, |
| –ery | Bakery |
| -ful | Beautiful |
| -ible | Flexible |
| -en | Woolen |
| –ism | Judaism |
| -ian | martian, utopian, pediatrician |
| -en | Woolen |
Suffixes and Their Uses
| Suffixes | Examples |
| –ment | Measurement |
| -ship | friendship, membership |
| -ous | Joyous |
| -oid | celluloid, ovoid |
| -ion | Decoration |
| -ory | armory, dormitory, laboratory |
| -ose | adipose, verbose |
| -ence | Difference |
| -ment | enjoyment, embankment, |
| -ise | civilise, terrorise, lengthwise, e |
| -eer/-er/-or | mountaineer, writer, counsellor |
| -less | brainless, endless |
| -ish | hellish, fiendish |
| -some | Quarrelsome |
| -y | funny, greedy |
| -escent | adolescent, fluorescent |
| –sophy/sophic | philosophy, theosophy, |
| -esque | picturesque, Kafkaesque |
| -escent | adolescent, fluorescent |
| -eer/-er/-or | mountaineer, writer, counsellor, |
Examples of Word Suffixes
| Suffixes | Examples |
| -less | brainless, endless, fearless, |
| -ous | Joyous |
| –age | Wreckage |
| -er/or | Teacher |
| -y | funny, greedy |
| –ance | Importance |
| -ous | illustrious, nauseous |
| –ess | Waitress |
| -pathy | sympathy, apathy, neuropathy |
| -fy | magnify, electrify |
| -ite | suburbanite, luddite, dynamite |
| –ery | Bakery |
| –ess | Waitress |
| -some | Quarrelsome |
| -tude | fortitude, certitude |
| -esque | hypnosis, psychosis |
| -osis | picturesque, Kafkaesque |
| -ful | Spoonful |
| –ing | Painting |
| –ion | Decoration |
| –able | Inflatable |
| -ism | Judaism |
| -oid | celluloid, ovoid, humanoid, |
| -er/or | Teacher |
| -ful | Beautiful |
| -sion | torsion, confusion, depression, |
| age | Wreckage |
| -tion | transition, attention, caution, |
| -al | logical, philosophical |
| -ist | chemist, florist |
| -ible | Flexible |
| -phone | homophone, telephone, |
| -ive | attractive, expensive, repulsive |
| -ous | illustrious, nauseous, hazardous, |
| -acy | fortitude, certitude |
| -tude | privacy, legitimacy |
| -ism | favoritism, communism |
| -ity | ingenuity, oddity, abnormality, |
| -ist | Florist |
| -ish | hellish, fiendish, apish, brutish, |
| –iferous | vociferous, carboniferous |
| -like | Lifelike |
| -ose | adipose, verbose |
| -ology | anthropology, archaeology |
| -dom | freedom, kingdom |
| –ee | Referee |
| -able | Inflatable |
| -osis | hypnosis, psychosis, diagnosis, |
| -th | depth, length, strength |
| able/-ible | childhood, neighborhood, |
| -hood | portable, legible |
| -sion/-tion | torsion, transition |
| -some | cumbersome, quarrelsome, |
Must Try:
List of Suffixes Words | Infographics
