Suffixes
Suffixes
(word-endings) come at the end of a word. They show whether the word is a verb,
noun, adjective, or adverb. Learning these word-endings can help you recognize
a noun, adjective, verb, or adverb.
Noun
Suffixes
These are common endings for nouns. If you see
these endings on a word, then you know it must be a noun.
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-dom
wisdom(n)
kingdom(n)
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at the
end of a word means:
- state or condition
- domain, position, rank
- a group with position, office, or rank
wise+dom means the state of
understanding what is good, right and lasting
king+dom
means the domain or area belonging to a king.
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-ity
capability(n)
flexibility(n)
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at the
end of a word means condition or quality of __________.
capable+ity means the condition
of being capable.
flexible+ity means the
quality of being flexible.
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-ment
contentment(n)
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at the
end of a word means act of __________; state of __________; result of
__________.
content+ment means the state of
being satisfied (content).
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-sion, -tion
celebration (n)
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at the
end of a word means act of __________; state of __________.
celebrate+tion means the act of celebrating
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-ness
toughness (n)
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at the
end of a word means state of __________.
tough+ness means the state of
being tough.
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-ance, -ence
assistance (n)
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at the
end of a word means act of __________; state of __________; quality of
__________.
assist+ance means act of giving
help.
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-er, -or
fighter (n)
actor (n)
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at the
end of a word means one who __________; that which __________.
fight+er means one who
fights
act+or means one who acts.
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-ist
violinist (n)
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at the
end of a word also means one who __________; that which __________.
violin+ist means one who plays
the violin.
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Adjective
Suffixes
These are common word endings for adjectives. If
you see these ending at the end of a word, you can be certain it is an
adjective.
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-ive
extensive(adj)
selective(adj)
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at the
end of a word means doing or tending toward doing some action
extend+ive means doing something
large in range or amount
select+ive means
tending to select.
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-en
wooden (adj)
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at the
end of a word means made of __________.
wood+en means made of wood.
Note:
When the word is an adjective, the -en means made of __________. We have seen
-en at the end of a verb. There it means to make __________.
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-ic
heroic (adj)
poetic (adj)
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at the
end of a word means characteristic of__________; like __________.
hero+ic means characteristic of a
hero.
poet+ic means characteristic of (or
like) poets or poetry.
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-al
financial (adj)
manual
(adj)
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sometimes
makes an adjective; when it makes an adjective it means relating to
__________.
finance+al means relating to
finance. (Finance means money.)
manu+al
means relating to the hand. (Manus means hand in Latin.)
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-able
portable (adj)
pleasurable
(adj)
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at the
end of a word means able __________; can __________; or giving __________.
port+able means can be carried;
able to be carried.
pleasure+able means
giving pleasure.
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-y
hairy (adj)
rainy (adj)
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at the
end of a word means having __________.
hair+y means having hair (a lot
of hair).
rain+y means having rain.
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-ous
mysterious (adj)
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at the
end of a word means full of __________; having __________.
mystery+ous means full of
mystery.
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-ful
hopeful (adj)
beautiful
(adj)
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at the
end of a word means full of __________; having __________.
hope+ful means full of
hope.
beauty+ful means full of
beauty.
Note: The suffix -ful is always spelled with one l; the word full has
two.
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-less
powerless (adj)
homeless(adj)
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at the
end of a word means without __________.
power+less means without
power.
home+less means without a home.
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Verb
Suffixes
These are common endings for verbs. If you see these endings on a word, then the word is most likely a verb.
These are common endings for verbs. If you see these endings on a word, then the word is most likely a verb.
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-en
brighten (v)
soften (v)
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at the
end of a word means to make __________.
bright+en means to make
bright.
soft+en means to make soft.
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-ize
publicize (v)
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at the
end of a word means to make __________.
public+ize means to make public
or to make the public aware of.
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-ate
activate(v)
differentiate(v)
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at
then end of a word means to have or be characterized by __________.
active+ate means to make
active.
different+ate means to make or
show a difference.
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-ify or -fy
simplify(v)
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at the
end of a word means to cause to become or to make.
simple+ify means to make simple
or simpler.
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Adverb
Suffixes
This is the most common ending for an adverb. If you see this ending on a word, you can be fairly certain that it is an adverb. However, keep in mind that not all adverbs end this way.
This is the most common ending for an adverb. If you see this ending on a word, you can be fairly certain that it is an adverb. However, keep in mind that not all adverbs end this way.
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-ly
quickly (adv)
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at the
end of a word almost always makes an adverb; occasionally it will make an
adjective.
quick+ly.
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