A suffixis a letter or group of letters added at the end of a word which makes a new word.
words | suffix | new words |
forget, use | -ful | forgetful, useful |
state, govern | -ment | statement, government |
complicate, create | -ion | complication, creation |
The new word is most often a different word class from the original word. In the table above, the suffix -fulhas changed verbs to adjectives, -ment, and -ionhave changed verbs to nouns. If you see a word ending in -ment, for example, it is likely to be a noun (e.g.commitment, contentment).
Suffixes: spelling
Often, the suffix causes a spelling change to the original word. In the table above, the-eending ofcomplicateandcreatedisappears when the -ionsuffix is added. Other examples of spelling changes include:
beauty,duty+ -ful → beautiful, dutiful(-ychanges toi)
heavy,ready+ -ness → heaviness, readiness(-ychanges toi)
able, possible + -ity → ability,possibility(-lechanges toil)
permit,omit+ -ion → permission, omission(-tchanges toss)
A good learner’s dictionary will give you information on the correct spelling of words with suffixes.
See also:
Spelling
Common suffixes and examples
Noun suffixes
suffix | examples of nouns |
-age | baggage,village, postage |
-al | arrival, burial, deferral |
-ance/-ence | reliance, defence, insistence |
-dom | boredom, freedom, kingdom |
-ee | employee, payee, trainee |
-er/-or | driver, writer, director |
-hood | brotherhood, childhood, neighbourhood |
-ism | capitalism, Marxism, socialism (philosophies) |
-ist | capitalist, Marxist, socialist (followers of philosophies) |
-ity/-ty | brutality, equality, cruelty |
-ment | amazement, disappointment, parliament |
-ness | happiness, kindness, usefulness |
-ry | entry, ministry, robbery |
-ship | friendship, membership, workmanship |
-sion/-tion/-xion | expression, population, complexion |
Adjective suffixes
suffix | examples of adjectives |
-able/-ible | drinkable, portable, flexible |
-al | brutal, formal, postal |
-en | broken, golden, wooden |
-ese | Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese |
-ful | forgetful, helpful, useful |
-i | Iraqi, Pakistani, Yemeni |
-ic | classic, Islamic, poetic |
-ish | British, childish, Spanish |
-ive | active, passive, productive |
-ian | Canadian, Malaysian, Peruvian |
-less | homeless, hopeless, useless |
-ly | daily, monthly, yearly |
-ous | cautious, famous, nervous |
-y | cloudy, rainy, windy |
Verb suffixes
suffix | examples of verbs |
-ate | complicate, dominate, irritate |
-en | harden, soften, shorten |
-ify | beautify, clarify, identify |
-ise/-ize | economise, realise, industrialize (-iseis most common in British English;-izeis most common in American English) |
Adverb suffixes
suffix | examples of adverbs |
-ly | calmly, easily, quickly |
-ward(s) | downwards, homeward(s), upwards |
-wise | anti-clockwise, clockwise, edgewise |