Suffixes

Suffixes are word endings that change the meaning or part of speech of a word. Suffixes that can be added to form:

NOUNS

ADVERBS

VERBS

AJECTIVES

To form adjectives, you can add:

(noun-adjective)Connected with the stated thing

(Verb-adjective)Adds the meaning 'that can be' or 'worth being'

-able/-ible avoid avoidablebend bendabledesire desirableadmire admirableflex flexible

-al nation nationalculture culturalemotion emotionalnature natural

(verb/noun-adjective)Having the stated quality to a high degree, or causing it

noun-adjective)Connected with or belonging to the stated place, group or type

-an America AmericanRome Romansuburb suburbanSagittarius SagittarianEurope European

-ful power powerfulhope hopefulfear fearfuldelight delightful

Used to add the meaning 'to some degree'

(noun/adjective-adjective)Connected with the stated country

-ish Britain BritishPoland Polish

-ishyoung youngishred reddishshort shortishnew newish

(disapproving) being like the stated thing

-ish baby babyishfool foolish

(noun-adjective)Like the stated person or thing

-ly father fatherlycoward cowardlyfriend friendlyheaven heavenly

(verb-noun)The action described by the verb

(verb-noun)The action described by the verb, or its result

-age waste wastagebreak breakagemarry marriagespill spillage

-alapprove approvalbury burialarrive arrivalremove removal

To form nouns, you can add:

(adjective-noun)The state or quality described

(noun-noun)A person who studies the stated subject, or who belongs to the stated place or group

-an/-ian/-ean history historianEurope EuropeanParis Parisian

-ance/-ence brilliant brilliancedistant distanceabsent absencesilent silence

(verb-noun)The device that does the action

(verb-noun)The person to whom the action of the verb is being done

-ee empladdress addresseeinterview oy employeeintervieweetrain trainee

-er/-orcook cookertime timergenerate generatorindicate indicator

(verb-noun)The person that does the action

-er/-or run runneremploy employeract actor

(verb-noun)The process or condition connected with the verb

(noun-noun)The amount of something needed to fill the stated container or place

-fulspoon spoonfulhand handfulhouse housefulbag bagful

-ation/-ition/-ision educate educationtax taxationadd additioncollide collision

(adjective/noun-noun)A person with a particular set of beliefs or way of behaving, or with knowledge of an area of study

(adjective/noun-noun)Social, political or religious beliefs or ways of behaving

-ism modern modernismconsumer consumerismmilitary militarismBudda Buddism

-ist extreme extremistMarx Marxismeconomy economistscience scientist

(verb-noun)The action or process described by the verb, or its result

(adjective-noun)The state or quality referred to by the adjective

-itysincere sinceritygenerous generosityfluid fluidityacid acidity

-ment govern governmentinvest investmentdevelop developmentdisappoint disappointment

happy happinessill illnessdark darknessclever cleverness

-ness

(adjective-noun)The quality or condition described by the adjective

(noun-adverb/adjective)happening at the stated regular period of time

To form adverbs, you can add:

-ly loud loudlyhappy happilycareful carefullysudden suddenly

-ly hour hourlyyear yearlyday dailynight nightly

In this case, the -ly form can usually be used as an adjective. · daily newspaper · hourly rate

(adjective-adverb)In the stated way

The -ward form can also be used as an adjective. · downward spiral · homeward bound · inward-looking

-wardsdown downwardsearth earthwardshome homewardsin inwards

(preposition/noun-adverb)In the stated direction or towards the stated place

(adjetive-verb)To cause to become

To form verbs, you can add:

-en fresh freshenblack blackenthick thickenfat fatten

-ize/ise central centralizecommercial commercializemodern modernizestandard standardize

In British and Australian English these words are usually spelled -ise.

(adjective-verb)To cause to have or increase the stated quality

(adjective/noun-verb)To cause to have the stated quality

-ify simple simplifypure purifysolid solidifybeauty beautify