Suffixes and Parts of Speech

Suffix Meaning Examples Function or

Characteristic Usage:
Notes in this column
refer to common
functions of these
suffixes. However, these
are generalizations only,
and you will find
exceptions to many of
them.

able, ible able, can do capable, agreeable, verb ®adjective

visible

ade result of action blockade, lemonade verb or noun ®noun

age act of, state of, salvage, storage, forage added to root words
collection of (often French) to form a
noun

al relating to sensual, gradual, verb or noun ®adjective

manual, natural

algia pain neuralgia noun

an, ian native of, pertaining to American, Martian, noun ®adjective

antediluvian

ance, ancy action, process, state assistance, allowance, verb ®noun

defiance

ant performing, agent assistant, servant verb ®noun

ary, ery, ory relating to, quality, place dictionary, bravery, noun or adjective
where dormitory, aviary,
ordinary adjective ®noun

adjective or noun
®noun
 2

ate cause, make liquidate, segregate noun or adjective ®verb

cian having a specific skill magician, optician, noun

physician

cule, ling very small molecule, miniscule, noun or adjective

cy action, function advocacy, hesitancy, noun

prophecy, normalcy

dom quality, realm, office freedom, kingdom, noun

wisdom, thralldom

ee one who receives the employee, nominee, noun

action refugee

en made of, make silken, frozen, oaken, adjective or verb (ex:

wooden, lighten widen)

ence, ency action, state of, quality difference, conference, noun

urgency

er, or on who, that which baker, carpenter, brewer noun

escent in the process of adolescent, obsolescent, adjective or noun

convalescent

ese a native of Javanese, Vietnamese noun or adjective

esis, osis action, process, genesis, hypnosis, noun

condition neurosis, osmosis

ess female poetess, goddess noun

et, ette small one, group midget, octet, baronet, noun

fic making, causing scientific, specific adjective

 3

ful full of frightful, beautiful, adjective

helpful

y make fortify, simplify verb

hood order, quality neighborhood, noun

motherhood

ic nature of, like metallic, heroic, poetic adjective

ice condition, state, quality justice, malice noun

id, ide something connected to fluid, fluoride, torrid, noun or adjective

or belonging to canid

ine having the nature or feminine, masculine, adjective or noun

characteristic of medicine

ion, sion, tion act of, state of, result of contagion, infection, noun
aversion

ish origin, nature, Spanish, foolish, noun ®adjective

resembling (however, often the
adjective is used as a
noun. ex: "The Spanish"
meaning the people of
Spain)

ism system, manner, alcoholism, feminism, noun

condition heroism, communism

ist one who, that which pianist, elitist noun

verb ®noun

ite nature of, quality of dynamite, graphite, noun or adjective

sulfite, neophyte
verb or adjective
®adjective or noun
 4

ity, ty state of, quality captivity, clarity noun

ive causing conclusive, festive, adjective or nouns

restive, abusive derived from adjectives

ize to make (like) emphasize, verb

anthropomorphize

less without worthless, mindless, adjective

guileless

ly like clearly, fearlessly adverb

ment act of, result contentment, noun

amendment
verb ®noun

ness state of carelessness, uselessness adjective ®noun

oid like (often suggests asteroid, tabloid, noun or adjective

flawed or partial anthropoid, rhomboid, ®noun or adjective that
resemblance) ovoid is similar to or has the
qualities of the original
word
(o)logy study, science, theory biology noun