Common Suffixes and Examples
English suffix helps to tell lexical category by deriving new word with affix at a word end, here list common suffixes and examples of noun, adjective, adverb, and verb.
Note Topics:MorphologyThe NounThe ArticleThe Pronoun
Note Topics:MorphologyThe NounThe ArticleThe Pronoun
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Click a prefix or suffix to get their words.
By Jiabao Hors
Morphology: Common Suffixes and Examples
Suffix helps very much to distinguish the lexical category of word, it is widely used to derive new words by placing an affix, such as "-tion" or "-ous", just after the stem of a word. For example, if adding suffix "-er" in end of "lead", we create a new word "leader". Then adding "-ship" after "leader", we get another word "leadership".
More or less, each suffix has some meanings in semantics, but its more active role is to identify a word's part of speech. In following sections, we will introduce common suffixes and their examples by lexical category: noun, adjective, adverb, and verb.
More or less, each suffix has some meanings in semantics, but its more active role is to identify a word's part of speech. In following sections, we will introduce common suffixes and their examples by lexical category: noun, adjective, adverb, and verb.
1. Noun Suffixes
| -ability | malleability predictability reliability variability |
| -age | appendage assemblage badinage baggage bandage barrage beverage |
| -al | acquittal appeal appraisal approval arousal arsenal avowal |
| -an | artisan cardigan charlatan crustacean guardian historian hooligan |
| -ance | abeyance abundance acquaintance allegiance alliance allowance ambulance |
| -ant | aberrant accountant applicant aspirant assistant attendant clairvoyant |
| -ary | adversary beneficiary boundary capillary commentary corollary documentary |
| -ate | advocate apostate candidate carbohydrate certificate checkmate climate |
| -ation | abbreviation abnegation acceleration accommodation accumulation accusation adaptation |
| -cy | accuracy advocacy agency aristocracy ascendancy bankruptcy bureaucracy |
| -dom | boredom kingdom stardom |
| -ee | absentee apogee committee decree devotee employee guarantee |
| -eer | buccaneer pioneer profiteer volunteer |
| -ence | abstinence adolescence affluence ambience ambivalence audience circumference |
| -er | accuser adventurer amphitheater announcer antler arbiter archer |
| -ery | artillery battery buffoonery cemetery chicanery debauchery drudgery |
| -ess | business competitiveness conciseness congress consciousness cypress distress |
| -ful | faithful handful |
| -hood | likelihood livelihood |
| -ian | academician beautician civilian custodian dietitian electrician equestrian |
| -ibility | accessibility flexibility responsibility sensibility |
| -ing | accounting bearing blessing boarding brawling breathing carving |
| -ion | abduction ablution abolition abortion abrasion absolution absorption |
| -ism | absenteeism antagonism aphorism astigmatism atavism cannibalism careerism |
| -ist | abolitionist anarchist antagonist anthropologist apologist arsonist atheist |
| -ity | ability absurdity acclivity acerbity acidity adversity affinity More words and examples |
| -let | leaflet pamphlet rivulet skillet |
| -man | clergyman congressman herdsman spokesman statesman stuntman talisman |
| -ment | abandonment accompaniment accomplishment achievement adjustment adornment advancement |
| -ness | aggressiveness airsickness awareness barrenness bitterness brashness briskness |
| -or | administrator aggressor alligator ambassador ancestor arbitrator author |
| -ry | accessory allegory ancestry apiary armory artery augury |
| -ship | apprenticeship championship citizenship courtship fellowship leadership ownership |
| -ty | acuity agility alacrity ambiguity amenity amnesty animosity |
| -ure | acupuncture adventure agriculture aperture architecture brochure capture |
| -ware | earthenware glassware hardware tableware |
| -work | framework |
2. Hard Noun Suffixes
| -archy | hierarchy oligarchy |
| -arian | humanitarian libertarian proletarian vegetarian |
| -cide | pesticide More words and examples |
| -craft | handicraft hovercraft spacecraft |
| -ette | cassette coquette etiquette videocassette vignette |
| -graph | kymograph paragraph photograph seismograph telegraph |
| -head | figurehead |
| -ial | ceremonial credential initial marsupial memorial perennial testimonial |
| -itis | arthritis encephalitis hepatitis |
| -logue | catalogue monologue |
| -mania | megalomania pyromania |
| -mate | checkmate stalemate |
| -meter | barometer parameter perimeter thermometer |
| -ocracy | aristocracy plutocracy |
| -ocrat | aristocrat |
| -ology | anthology anthropology archaeology chronology entomology etymology ichthyology |
3. Adjective Suffixes
| -able | abominable accountable adaptable adorable advisable affordable agreeable More words and examples |
| -al | abnormal aboriginal abysmal accidental actual actuarial additional |
| -an | cosmopolitan deadpan draconian equestrian gargantuan herculean inhuman |
| -ant | abundant adamant arrogant attendant blatant brilliant buoyant |
| -ary | alimentary ancillary anniversary arbitrary auxiliary centenary cometary |
| -ate | abrogate accurate adequate affectionate alternate animate approximate |
| -ed | abandoned accelerated accomplished accustomed acquainted acquired advanced |
| -en | barren beaten brazen evergreen molten outspoken sodden |
| -ent | adjacent affluent ambivalent apparent astringent belligerent benevolent |
| -ful | baleful bashful boastful bountiful brimful careful direful |
| -fold | manifold |
| -ian | agrarian amphibian antediluvian authoritarian bacchanalian bohemian civilian |
| -ible | accessible combustible compatible comprehensible contemptible convertible credible |
| -ic | academic acetic acidic aesthetic allergic altruistic anachronistic |
| -ical | alphabetical analytical apolitical astronomical asymmetrical atypical autobiographical More words and examples |
| -ing | abiding accelerating accommodating accompanying adjoining aggravating amazing |
| -ish | boorish brownish churlish feverish foolish mawkish outlandish |
| -ive | abortive abrasive abusive adaptive addictive adhesive administrative More words and examples |
| -less | boundless breathless careless ceaseless countless dauntless feckless |
| -like | platelike threadlike |
| -ly | bristly chilly comely courtly deadly elderly ghastly |
| -most | foremost innermost outermost |
| -ological | archaeological chronological embryological pathological physiological tautological |
| -ous | abstemious acidulous acrimonious adventitious adventurous ambidextrous ambiguous |
| -proof | fireproof foolproof rustproof soundproof waterproof |
| -some | burdensome cumbersome frolicsome gruesome handsome loathsome meddlesome |
| -ular | avuncular circular glandular granular irregular molecular multicellular |
| -wide | worldwide |
| -worthy | trustworthy |
4. Adverb Suffixes
| -ly | absolutely abundantly accidentally actively actually admittedly adversely |
| -wise | clockwise counterclockwise likewise |
5. Verb Suffixes
| -ate | abbreviate abdicate abnegate accelerate accentuate acclimate accommodate |
| -en | bedizen betoken brighten broaden careen chasten dampen |
| -ify | amplify certify clarify classify demystify diversify exemplify |
| -ize | aggrandize apologize authorize bowdlerize categorize characterize colonize |