Suffixes list: meaning & use

capable of
(adjective suffix)

drinkable - able to be drank

legible - able to be read

ac, ic

like, pertaining to

Zodiac - pertaining to animals,

life
democratic - pertaining to
democracy

acious, icious

full of

al

pertaining to

able, ible

ant, ent

full of

audacious - full of daring,

avaricious - full of greed
beneficial - bringing benefit
logical - pertaining to logic
eloquent - fluid, effective
speech.
ardent - full of passion

ary

like, connected with

revolutionary - someone
connected with a revolution
temporary - connected with
time or duration

ate

to make
(verb suffix)

desecrate - to ruin, make

unholy
mitigate - make less severe

ation

that which is
(noun suffix)

irritation - that which is

irritated

cy

state of being
(noun suffix)

democracy - ruled by people

obstinacy - obstinate state,
stubbornness

eer, er, or

person who
(noun suffix)

engineer - designs engines

teacher - person who teaches
advisor - person who advises

escent

fic
ity

becoming (adjective
suffix)

making, doing
(adjective suffix)
state of being

evanescent - tending to
vanish
pubescent - arriving at
puberty
fantastic - arousing great
wonder
terrific - arousing great fear
sagacity - state of being wise

(noun suffix)
fy

iferous

il, ile

to make (verb suffix)

producing, bearing
(adjective suffix)

magnify - to enlarge
petrify - turn to stone
pestiferous - carrying disease
vociferous - having a loud
voice

pertaining to, capable of civil - polite

(adjective suffix)
docile - easily taught or led

ism

doctrine, belief
(noun suffix)

monotheism - belief in one

God
deism - belief in God but not
religion

ist

dealer, doer
(noun suffix)

realist - one who is realistic

dentist - works with teeth

ive

like (adjective suffix)

quantitative - concerned with

number or volume

ize, ise

to make
(verb suffix)

harmonize - make harmonious

revolutionize - make
revolutionary

oid

resembling, like
(adjective suffix)

ose

full of (adjective suffix)

verbose - full of words

osis

condition (noun suffix)

psychosis - diseased mental

condition
hypnosis - induced sleep

ous

full of
(adjective suffix)

tude

state of (noun suffix)

ovoid - like an egg

anthropoid - resembling a
human

nauseous - full of nausea

ludicrous - foolish
fortitude - state of strength
servitude - state of serving

Formating adjectives in English

Suffixes in sentences aid in the meaning or function of a word. For instance by adding
-ing to the verb "teach" the noun "teaching" is formed. There are some suffixes that are
only used for nouns and others that are used for adjectives, verbs and adverbs. A list of
these suffixes, converting nouns to adjectives are -al, -ary, -ful, -ic, -ical, -ish, -less,
-like, -ly, -ous, -y.
Many adjectives are lexical words in their own right, i.e. they exist independently of any
other word, or are the root word of a word family. For example good, bad, ugly.
Other adjectives are inflected forms of other words, derived notably from verbs. For
example charming, lost. Other adjectives can be formed from nouns, for example
beautiful (from beauty) or motionless (from motion), or even from other adjectives (for
example yellowish).
One of the beauties of the English language is the simplicity with which words can
be formed from other words: all that is needed is to add the appropriate ending, and a
new word is made. Here are some examples.
Examples:
1.
Unthinkable, doable, mendable, possible, plausible - with -able or -ible
2.
Careless, fruitless, homeless, motionless - with less
3.

Beautiful, hopeful, wonderful, awful, blissful - with ful

4.

Soggy, foggy, lazy, stormy, skinny, bloody, - with -y

5.

Smallish, greenish, darkish, - with -ish

6.

Distinguished, bored, displaced, contented, squared - with -ed

7.

Challenging, alarming, amazing, exciting - with -ing