Common Suffixes in English (With Meaning and Examples)

A suffix is an ending word part that gives additional meaning to a root or base word. A word may contain more than one suffix.

A suffix is a letter or group of letters placed at the end of a word to change its grammatical function, tense, or meaning. Suffixes can be used to create a verb from a noun or adjective or an adjective from a verb, for example. They can change a word’s tense as well; “-ed” can make a present-tense verb into a past participle, for instance. They can even change a word’s meaning; the suffix “-ette,” for example, can make a word into its diminutive: “kitchen” into “kitchenette.”

Just as recognizing a small number of prefixes can help you figure out many unfamiliar words, so knowing a few common suffixes can help you build a more powerful vocabulary.

Common Adjective Suffixes in English – Video

1. -ate

• Meaning: to make marked by
• Example: alienate, regulate, passionate, affectionate

2. -en

• Meaning: to make
• Example: weaken, moisten

3. -ism

• Meaning: the quality or practice of
• Example: absolutism, baptism

4. -ation, -ition, -tion

• Meaning: the act or condition of
• Example: allegation, affirmation commotion recognition

5. -ty, -ity

• Meaning: the state of
• Example: modesty, security worker

6. -er,-ar, -ier, -or

• Meaning: one that does or deals with
• Example: teacher, scholar, furrier, bettor

7. -an

• Meaning: one that does or deals with
• Example: comedian, historian

8. -al

• Meaning: resembling or pertaining to
• Example: natural, accidental

9. -ous, -ious

• Meaning: full of
• Example: perilous, gracious, vicious

10. -able, -ible

• Meaning: capable of being
• Example: lovable, affordable, reversible