Suffixes are added to the end of a word to create a new word. Certain
suffixes are associated with certain word classes. For instance, the suffix-able appears at the end of many adjectives, including reasonable, remarkable, believable.
The suffix -ist is used to create many nouns, including
capitalist, physicist, specialist. The following are the most common suffixes associated with the major word classes.
1 Noun suffixes:
-age blockage, drainage, postage, spillage
-al betrayal, dismissal, recital, removal
-ant claimant, contestant, inhabitant, informant
-dom freedom, kingdom, martyrdom, officialdom
-ee absentee, employee, refugee, trainee
-er/-or actor, blender, defender, eraser, teacher
-ism ageism, favouritism, racism, terrorism
-ist artist, cyclist, motorist, perfectionist
-ity opportunity, publicity, responsibility, severity
-ment embarrassment, environment, equipment, government
-ness coolness, dryness, smoothness, willingness
-ship citizenship, dictatorship, hardship, relationship
-tion demonstration, ignition, migration, recreation
2 Adjective suffixes:
-able achievable, profitable, reasonable, remarkable
-al accidental, industrial, musical, physical, whimsical
-ful grateful, hopeful, successful, tuneful, useful
-ish amateurish, childish, feverish, foolish, ghoulish
-less careless, homeless, hopeless, painless, restless
-like apelike, childlike, godlike, starlike
-y cloudy, creepy, funny, rainy, sleepy
3 Verb suffixes:
-ate adjudicate, congratulate, hyphenate, populate
-en broaden, deafen, ripen, sadden, tighten, widen
-ify amplify, beautify, clarify, classify, identify, purify
-ise/-ize economize, modernize, popularize, realise, terrorize
4 Adverb suffixes:
-ly brilliantly, carefully, slowly, smoothly, terribly
-wards afterwards, backwards, onwards, upwards
-wise anticlockwise, clockwise, health-wise, relationship-wise
suffixes are associated with certain word classes. For instance, the suffix-able appears at the end of many adjectives, including reasonable, remarkable, believable.
The suffix -ist is used to create many nouns, including
capitalist, physicist, specialist. The following are the most common suffixes associated with the major word classes.
1 Noun suffixes:
-age blockage, drainage, postage, spillage
-al betrayal, dismissal, recital, removal
-ant claimant, contestant, inhabitant, informant
-dom freedom, kingdom, martyrdom, officialdom
-ee absentee, employee, refugee, trainee
-er/-or actor, blender, defender, eraser, teacher
-ism ageism, favouritism, racism, terrorism
-ist artist, cyclist, motorist, perfectionist
-ity opportunity, publicity, responsibility, severity
-ment embarrassment, environment, equipment, government
-ness coolness, dryness, smoothness, willingness
-ship citizenship, dictatorship, hardship, relationship
-tion demonstration, ignition, migration, recreation
2 Adjective suffixes:
-able achievable, profitable, reasonable, remarkable
-al accidental, industrial, musical, physical, whimsical
-ful grateful, hopeful, successful, tuneful, useful
-ish amateurish, childish, feverish, foolish, ghoulish
-less careless, homeless, hopeless, painless, restless
-like apelike, childlike, godlike, starlike
-y cloudy, creepy, funny, rainy, sleepy
3 Verb suffixes:
-ate adjudicate, congratulate, hyphenate, populate
-en broaden, deafen, ripen, sadden, tighten, widen
-ify amplify, beautify, clarify, classify, identify, purify
-ise/-ize economize, modernize, popularize, realise, terrorize
4 Adverb suffixes:
-ly brilliantly, carefully, slowly, smoothly, terribly
-wards afterwards, backwards, onwards, upwards
-wise anticlockwise, clockwise, health-wise, relationship-wise
