Suffixes are essential linguistic elements that can greatly impact the meaning of words. A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a base word to create a new word with a different meaning. They can change a word’s part of speech, tense, or even the overall context. Understanding the meanings and usage of various suffixes is crucial for developing a strong vocabulary and effective communication. In this article, we will explore a comprehensive list of suffixes with meaning and examples.
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What is called a suffix?
A suffix is a linguistic element added to the end of a word to modify its meaning or create a new word. Suffixes are commonly used in language to change the grammatical function or alter the definition of a base word. They can indicate tense, number, gender, case, verb conjugation, and more. For example, in the word “happily,” “-ly” is a suffix that transforms the adjective “happy” into an adverb, indicating how an action is performed.
Suffixes can also be used to form different parts of speech or to create new words altogether. For instance, the addition of the suffix “-ness” to the adjective “kind” results in the noun “kindness,” which refers to the quality of being kind.
Suffixes play an important role in inflection and word formation within languages, contributing to their flexibility and expressiveness.
List of Suffixes
here is a list of common suffixes along with their meanings:
| Suffixes | Meaning | Examples |
| -ant | A person | Assistant |
| –sophy/sophic | knowledge | theosophy |
| –ing | An action | Painting |
| -y | characterized by | greedy |
| age | A result | Wreckage |
| -dom | state | kingdom |
| -ness | state of being | loneliness |
| -y | characterized by | greedy |
| -less | without | endless |
| -escent | becoming | fluorescent |
| -acious/-icious | full of | malicious |
| -ence | An action or state | Difference |
| -less | Without | Careless |
| -ity | state/quality of being | oddity |
| –ment | An action or state | Measurement |
| -ine | relating to | feminine |
| able/-ible | capable of | neighborhood |
| -osis | like/reminiscent of | Kafkaesque |
| -ous | Full of | Joyous |
| -th | state or quality | length, strength |
| -iferous | yielding | carboniferous |
| -ose | full of | verbose |
| -some | A tendency to | Quarrelsome |
Suffixes with Meaning
| Suffixes | Meaning | Examples |
| –ity | state of being | oddity |
| -ist | A person | Florist |
| -pathy | diseased | apathy |
| -sion/-tion | state/quality of being | transition |
| -ship | position held | membership |
| -ful | As much as will fill | Spoonful |
| -tude | state/quality of being | legitimacy |
| -esque | condition | psychosis |
| -ous | full of | nauseous |
| -ology | science of | archaeology |
| –ery | A type or place of work | Bakery |
| -al | related to | philosophical |
| -er/or | A person | Teacher |
| –ee | A person | Referee |
| -ware | things of the same material or type | software |
| –ance | An action or state | Importance |
| ance/-ence | quality of being | permanence |
| -like | characteristic | homelike |
| -ian | relating to | utopian |
| -ion | state or result | Decoration |
| -hood | condition, or quality | legible |
| -ible | Ability | Flexible |
| –ess | Makes a feminine form | Waitress |
| -osis | condition | psychosis |
| -ance/-ence | state of being | permanence |
Suffix Words with Meaning and Examples
| Suffixes | Meaning | Examples |
| –ion | A process, state, or result | Decoration |
| -ise | become | civilize |
| -like | Similar to | Lifelike |
| -fy | to make | electrify, falsify |
| -ess | female | heiress |
| -ish | A little | Greenish |
| -ish | having qualities of | brutish |
| -ism | A belief or condition | Judaism |
| –ism | A belief | Judaism |
| -ism | belief | communism |
| -ory | relating to | dormitory |
| -ite | follower, a product of | luddite |
| -ment | state of being | embankment |
| -acy | state/quality of being | certitude |
| -en | Made of | Woolen |
| -some | group of | quarrelsome |
| -ac/-ic | related to | Nordic |
| -eer/-er/-or | person who | writer |
| -phone | sound | telephone |
| -tude | state/quality of being | certitude |
| -esque | reminiscent of | Kafkaesque |
| –age | A result | Wreckage |
| -oid | like | humanoid |
| -sion | state/quality of being | confusion |
| -able | Able to be | Inflatable |
| -ful | full of | thankful |
List of Verb Suffixes
| Suffixes | Meaning | Examples |
| -ate | become | Eradicate, Enunciate |
| -en | become | Awaken, Strengthen |
| -ify, -fy | make or become | Satisfy, Rectify |
| -ize, -ise* | become | Humanize, Socialize |
List of Noun Suffixes
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| -ship | position held | Ownership, Kinship |
| -er, -or | one who | Protector, Narrator |
| -sion, -tion | state of being | Transition, Abbreviation |
| -ance, -ence | state or quality of | Eminence, Assurance |
| -acy | state or quality | Fallacy, Delicacy |
| -ist | one who | Narcissist, Plagiarist |
| -ity, -ty | quality of | Veracity, Parity |
| -ment | condition of | Endorsement, Punishment |
| -ness | state of being | Sadness, Rudeness |
| -dom | place or state of being | Kingdom, Boredom |
| -al | act or process of | Recital, Rebuttal |
| -ism | doctrine, belief | Narcissism, Skepticism |
List of Adjective Suffixes
| Suffixes | Meaning | Examples |
| -ic, -ical | pertaining to | Mythic, Domestic |
| -esque | reminiscent of | Statuesque, Burlesque |
| -able, -ible | capable of being | Presentable, Abominable |
| -ish | having the quality of | fiendish, childish, snobbish |
| -ive | having the nature of | creative, punitive, divisive, decisive |
| -less | without | endless, ageless, lawless, effortless |
| -y | characterized by | sleazy, hasty, greasy, nerdy, smelly |
| -ful | notable for | Resentful, Woeful |
| -al | pertaining to | Grammatical, Emotional |
| -ious, -ous | characterized by | Portentous, Studious |
Must Try:
List of Common Suffixes | Images
