Suffixes
A suffix is 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 -ful has changed verbs to adjectives, -ment, and -ion have 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 -e ending of complicate and create disappears when the -ion suffix is added. Other examples of spelling changes include:
- beauty, duty + -ful → beautiful, dutiful (-y changes to i)
- heavy, ready + -ness → heaviness, readiness (-y changes to i)
- able, possible + -ity → ability, possibility (-le changes to il)
- permit, omit + -ion → permission, omission (-t changes to ss)
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 (-ise is most common in British English; -ize is 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 |