What is Suffix? Suffixes List and Examples

What is Suffix? Suffixes List and Examples

Suffixes

The suffix, which is a letter or a collection of letters used to create a new word in English and can be put at the end of the desired word, can be converted into a different word when added to any word. While the meaning of this converted word will not be much different, it will be structurally different, you can see that a word that is a verb is an adjective.

This subject is a must-learn for anyone who wants to learn new words in English because once you learn this subject, you will be able to learn words in groups and save time.

Here are Common Suffix List, Meaning and Examples

Spelling Rules to Be Considered When Using Suffixes

Using a suffix often results in a spelling change in the original word, and this spelling change can confuse people who are just learning English. For example, when the suffix “-ful” is added to the word beauty, the letter “y” in the word beauty is dropped and the word becomes “beautiful”. This change is valid for all words ending with the letter -y.

If you are going to add the suffix “-ity” to a word that ends with “-le”, you should know that the “-le” part at the end must be “-il”. For example, when the “-ity” suffix is ​​added to the word able, the “-le” suffix in our word becomes “-il” and becomes “ability.”

If you want to add “-ion” suffix to a word that ends with “-t”, the letter “-t” will turn into “-ss” letters. In other words, when the suffix “-ion” is added to the word omit, our word will turn into the word “omission”.

Since it can be quite difficult to memorize these features one by one, you can learn the spellings of all letters when they have suffixes with a good dictionary.

 

Most Common Suffixes in English

Noun Suffixes: We can list the suffixes generally used for nouns and the meanings these suffixes add as follows:

  • The suffix “-acy” is used to indicate a state or quality, for example, the word privacy.
  • The suffix “-al” expresses any action or process, the word refusal is an example.
  • “-ance or -ence” suffixes are also used to indicate a situation or quality, we can give the word assurance for example.
  • The suffix “-dom” indicates a place or a state that is. The words kingdom and freedom are examples of this suffix.
  • The suffix “-er” is used for a person who does something, for example, employer.
  • The suffix “-ism” is used to indicate a belief, communism is an example.
  • The suffix “-ist” is used for people who believe in or do something, examples of this suffix are chemist and narcissist.
  • “-ness” is used for a situation with one, for example, sadness and happiness.

Verb Suffixes: The most frequently used suffixes to make a word a verb are “-en”, “-ify”, and “-ize, -ise”.

  • “-en” means to be and the word strengthen is an example of this.
  • The suffixes “-ify, -fy” also mean to make or be, the words terrify and satisfy are examples.
  • The words “-ize, -ise” also mean to be and are a civilized example. (Be sure to note that “-ise” is used for British English and “-ize” is used for American English.)

Adjective Suffixes: The most commonly used adjective suffixes and their meanings are as follows:

  • “-able” indicates whether you can do something, for example presentable.
  • The suffix “-less” means without and an example of this is effortless.