What is a Suffix?
The suffix is a letter or a group of letters that you add at the stem of a word, and that changes the meaning of the word or the way it is used. The suffix is also one of the main three types of Affix. For example:
The word ‘sad’ is an adjective. But when we want to form the noun form of this word we have to add ‘ness’ at the end of ‘sad’. Then the adjective ‘sad’ turns to its noun form ‘sadness’. So, here ‘ness’ is the Suffix.
- The Prefix is always used at the beginning of a word.
- The Infix is always used in the middle of a word.
- The Suffix is always used at the end of a word.
Different Types of Suffix with Meaning & Examples
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| -able -ible, -ble | Possible to Having the quality | Acceptable, divisible, irresistableFashionable, comfortable |
| -age | A process or stateA state or condition of A set or group ofAn amount of The cost ofA place where | Storage, shortageBondage BaggageMileagePostageAnchorage |
| -aholic | Liking sth very much and unable to stop doing or using it | A shopaholic |
| -al | Connected withA process or state of | Environmental Magically |
| -ance, -ence, -ancy, -ency | An action, process or state | Appearance, existence, frequency, efficiency |
| -ant, -ent | That is or does somethingA person or thing that | Significant, differentInhabitation, deterrent |
| -arian | Believing in | Disciplinarian |
| -ary | Connected with | Planetary |
| -ate | Full of or having the quality ofTo give the thing or quality mentioned to | PassionateActivate |
| -ation | A state on an action | Examination |
| -ative | Doing or tending to do sth | Illustrative, talkative |
| -ator | A person or thing that does sth | Creator |
| -built | Made in the particular way that is mentioned | a newly built station |
| -centric | having a particular centre based in a particular way of thinking | Geocentric Eurocentric |
| -cide | The act of killing A person or a thing that kills | Suicide Homicidal |
| -cracy | The government or rule of | Democracy |
| -crat | A member or supporter of a particular type of government or system | Democratic |
| -cy(also -acy) | The state of quality ofThe status or position of | Accuracy Chaplaincy |
| -dimensional | having the number of dimensions mentioned | three dimensional |
| -dom | The condition or state of the rank of, an area ruled by the group of | Freedom Kingdom Officialdom |
| -ectomy | a medical operation in which part of the body is removed | Appendectomy (= removal of the appendix) |
| -ed | having the characteristics of make the past tense and past participle of regular verbs | Talented Hated, loved |
| -ee | a person affected by an action a person described as or concerned with | Employee Refugee |
| -eer | a person concerned with to be concerned with | Mountaineer Profiteer |
| -en | To make or become Made of, looking like | Blacken, sadden Wooden, golden |
| -er | A person or thing that has the thing or quality mentioned A person or thing thatA person concerned withA person belonging toMakes comparative adjectives and adverbs | Three-wheeler, foreigner Lover, computer Astronomer, philosopherNew Yorker Wider, bigger, happier, sooner |
| -ery, -ry | The group or class of The state or character of The art or practice of A place where sth is made | Greenery Bravery Cookery Bakery |
| -ese | Of a country or a city, a person who livs in a country or a city, the language spoken thereThe style or language of | Chinese Journalese |
| -esque | In the style of | Picturesque |
| -ess | Female | Lioness |
| -est | Makes superlative adjectives and adverbs | Highest, happiest |
| -ette | Small Female | Kitchenette Usherette |
| -fest | A festival or large meeting involving a particular activity or with a particular atmospher | A talkfest |
| -fold | Multiplied by, having the number of parts mentioned | To increase tenfold |
| -ful | Full of, having the qualities of, trending ofAn amount that fill sth | Sorrowful Spoonful |
| -graphy | A type of art or science A method of producing images, a form of writing or drawing | Choreography Calligraphy, biography |
| -hood | The state or quality ofA group of people of the type mentioned | Childhood The priesthood |
| -ial | Typical of | Dictaterial |
| -ian, -an | From, typical of A specialist in | Shakespearian Mathematician |
| -ic | Connected withThat performs the action mentioned | Economic Specific |
| -ics | The science, art or activity | Physics, dramatics |
| -ide | (chemistry) a compound of | Chloride |
| -ify, -fy | To make or become | Purify, solidify |
| -in | An activity in which many people take part | A -teach-in |
| -ing | Used to make the present participle of regular verbs | Walking, loving |
| -ion | The action or state of | Competition |
| -ish | From the country mentioned Having the nature of, likeFairly, approximately | Turkish Childish reddish |
| -ism | The action or result of The state or quality ofThe teaching, system or movement of Unfair treatment or hatred for the reason mentioned A feature of language of the type mentioned | Criticism Heroism Buddhism Racism Americanism |
| -ist | A person who believes or practices A member of a profession or business activity A person who uses a thingA person who does sth | Atheist Dentist A person who uses a thing Plagiarist |
| -ite | A person who follows or supports | Blairite |
| -itis | A disease of Too much, too much interest in | Tonsillitis World Cup-itis |
| -ity | The quality or state of | Purity |
| -ive | Tending to, having the nature of | Descriptive |
| -ize, -ise | To become, make or make likeTo speak, think, act, treat, etc. in the way mentioned To place in | Americanize Criticize Pospitalize |
| -less | Without Not doing, not affected by | StresslessSelfless |
| – let | Small, not very important | Booklet |
| -like | Similar to, typical of | Childlike |
| -ling | Small, not important | Duckling |
| -logue | Talk or speech | A monologue |
| -ly | In the way mentioned Having the quality ofAt intervals of | Stupidly Cowardly Daily |
| -mania | Mental illness of a particular type | Kleptomania |
| -ment | The action or result of | Arrangement |
| -most | The furthest | Southmost |
| -ness | The quality, state or character | Dryness |
| -oid | Similar to | Humanoid |
| -ology | A subject of study A characteristic of speech or writing | Sociology Trilogy |
| -or | A person or thing that | Actor |
| -ory | That doesA place for | Explanatory Observatory |
| -ous | Having the nature or quality | Poisonous |
| -phile | Liking a particular thing, a person who likes a particular thing | Anglophile |
| -philla | A love of sth, especially connected with a sexual attraction that is not considered normal | Paedophilla |
| -phobe | A person who dislikes a particular thing or particular people | Anglophone |
| -phobia | A strong unreasonable fear or hatred of a particular thing | Xenophobia |
| -scape | A view or scene of | Landscape |
| -ship | The state or quality of The status or office | Ownership Citizenship |
| -some | Producing, likely to A group of the number mentioned | Fearsome, quarrelsomeA foursome |
| -ster | A person who is connected with or has the quality of | Youngster |
| -th | In ordinal numbersThe action or process of | Hundredth Growth |
| -ure | The action, process or result of | Failure |
| -ward, -wards | In a particular direction | Backwards |
| -ways | In the direction of | sideways |
| -wise | In the manner or direction of Concerning | Clockwise Things aren’t too good businesswise |
| -y (also -ey) | Full of, having the quality of Tending to The action or process (also -ie) | Dusty o clayey Runny o stickyInquiry Doggy |