30+ Common Suffixes in English with Meaning and Examples

Learn 30+ common suffixes in English with meaning and examples.

List of English Suffixes

NOUN SUFFIXES

-acy

• Meaning: State or quality
• Example: Democracy, accuracy, lunacy

-al

• Meaning: The action or process of
• Example: Remedial, denial, trial, criminal

-ance, -ence

• Meaning: State or quality of
• Example: Nuisance, ambience, tolerance

-dom

• Meaning: Place or state of being
• Example: Freedom, stardom, boredom

-er, -or

• Meaning: Person or object that does a specified action
• Example: Reader, creator, interpreter, inventor, collaborator, teacher

-ism

• Meaning: Doctrine, belief
• Example: Judaism, scepticism, escapism

-ist

• Meaning: Person or object that does a specified action
• Example: Geologist, protagonist, sexist, scientist, theorist, communist

-ity, -ty

• Meaning: Quality of
• Example: Extremity, validity, enormity

-ment

• Meaning: Condition
• Example: Enchantment, argument

-ness

• Meaning: State of being
• Example: Heaviness, highness, sickness

-ship

• Meaning: Position held
• Example: Friendship, hardship, internship

-sion, -tion

• Meaning: State of being
• Example: Position, promotion, cohesion, ambition

VERB SUFFIXES

-ate

• Meaning: Become
• Example: Mediate, collaborate, create

-en

• Meaning: Become
• Example: Sharpen, strengthen, loosen

-ify, -fy

• Meaning: Make or become
• Example: Justify, simplify, magnify, satisfy

-ise, -ize

• Meaning: Become
• Example: Publicise, synthesise, hypnotise

ADJECTIVE SUFFIXES

-able, -ible

• Meaning: Capable of being
• Example: Edible, fallible, incredible, audible

-al

• Meaning: Having the form or character of
• Example: Fiscal, thermal, herbal, colonial

-esque

• Meaning: In a manner of or resembling
• Example: Picturesque, burlesque, grotesque

-ful

• Meaning: Notable for
• Example: Handful, playful, hopeful, skilful

-ic, -ical

• Meaning: Having the form or character of
• Example: Psychological, hypocritical, methodical, nonsensical, musical

-ious, -ous

• Meaning: Characterised by
• Example: Pious, jealous, religious, ridiculous

-ish

• Meaning: Having the quality of
• Example: Squeamish, sheepish, childish

-ive

• Meaning: Having the nature of
• Example: Inquisitive, informative, attentive

-less

• Meaning: Without
• Example: Meaningless, hopeless, homeless

-y

• Meaning: Characterised by
• Example: Dainty, beauty, airy, jealousy

ADVERB SUFFIXES

-ly

• Meaning: Related to or quality
• Example: Softly, slowly, happily, crazily, madly

-ward, -wards

• Meaning: Direction
• Example: Towards, afterwards, backwards, inward

-wise

• Meaning: In relation to
• Example: Otherwise, likewise, clockwise

Suffixes in English | Picture